The Maze Runner by James Dashner

What a bizarre book! I must say, however, that I was drawn into it. It starts rather slowly, but then builds to the point where you really don't want to put it down because you want to see how the mystery unfolds. Only problem....it's part of a planned trilogy, so it leaves you hanging at the end.

Thomas, he can't remember his name, comes to as he's riding in some type of elevator. When he gets to the top, he's pulled out by a group of boys. He finds himself in a different world of sorts, the Glade.

Many boys live in the Glade. They all have different jobs they perform, from medics to butchers, to map makers, to runners. The Keepers are boys who are designated to be in charge of each job area and those assigned to them. They maintain the order in the Glade.

Life in the Glade is odd. The boys seem to have their own language. No one remembers life outside the Glade unless they've gone through the Changing. The Changing is brought on by being stung by a Griever. The Grievers are part mechanical, part fleshy. I had a hard time visualizing what exactly the Grievers looked like, but I could understand the fear they caused in the Gladers.

I'm only rating it a 3.5 of 5 because obviously, I did get sucked in and wanted to finish the book, but there were times it was tedious. Take a look at some of the reviews on Amazon, and you'll understand more of what I'm talking about. If you like science fiction, it's worth reading. If you don't, I probably wouldn't suggest starting with this one.

Also, I was annoyed with the author's decision to devise what are thinly disguised swear words peppered throughout the book. "Klunk" was one of the main offenders, and after only a few chapters, the reader quickly realizes what klunk is really a substitution for.

Genre: science fiction

Audience: boys and girls, but probably more boys

Topics: problem solving, dystopia, persistence in the midst of struggle, beasts, mazes, running, maps, mind alteration, memory loss, mystery, controllers, experiment

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 3.5 of 5

Caution: violent in some parts, and language (though much if it is made up by the author)

Amazon reviews