The Kill Order (The Maze Runner #0.5) by James Dashner

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

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This book was not at all what I was expecting. I didn’t pay attention to its details when I first downloaded it and was expecting it to be a novella type book. I didn’t realize that it was a full on novel. The Kill Order gives us a fuller picture of what it was like to survive the deadly sun flares and how deadly disease began to decimate the world’s population. It is an action packed story that kept me guessing until the very end. I couldn’t figure out the connection between the characters in this book with the characters in the subsequent books until the surprise reveal at the end. My jaw may or may not have dropped open when I finally figured it out…

If you enjoyed The Maze Runner series, I encourage you to read this one as well.

2016 Reading Challenge: A book and its prequel

The Death Cure (The Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

It’s the end of the line. WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it’s finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test. Will anyone survive?

What WICKED doesn’t know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it’s enough to prove that he can’t believe a word of what they say. The truth will be terrifying. 

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He’ll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.The time for lies is over.

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I was a little disappointed in the ending of this series. It started out strong, but in the end, there were several questions left unanswered. It wasn’t all bad. There was plenty of action, suspenseful moments, and gut wrenching losses, and I found myself just as wrapped up in the story as when reading the previous books. Nevertheless, as I reached the end of the book, it became clear that I wasn’t going to get all the answers to my questions. Some of the resolutions to different events and conflicts were somewhat anticlimactic and unsatisfying. All in all, I had hoped for a little bit more from this one.


2016 Reading Challenge: A book and its prequel

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety... until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim... and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

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The Scorch Trials hits the ground running and doesn’t let up! It is much more action packed than The Maze Runner and moves at a much faster pace, largely because the story and characters have been established and less explanation is needed to understand what is going on. Dashner delivers several plot and character twists that lead to some surprises. It is a well written second book - it answers just enough and introduces new questions to keep the story moving forward and keep the reader interested in what’s coming next. On to book three!

2016 Reading Challenge: A book and its prequel

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying. Remember. Survive. Run.

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With my love of all things dystopian, I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to this series. I have been told by numerous bookworm friends and even my students to read this book because it is so good. I guess I will just have to plead the never ending bookworm struggle of too many books and not enough time.

I am glad I listened, though. This is a fantastic book. It’s like Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Divergent all mixed together. It is jam packed with action from beginning to end, with just enough mystery and twists and turns to keep the story compelling. I loved the characters and even teared up a bit at some parts. I’m excited to see where the story goes in the next two books. Definitely a must read.

2016 Reading Challenge: A dystopian novel