The Death Cure (The Conclusion of The Maze Runner Trilogy) by James Dashner: Book Review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64-iSYVmMVY 

 

*No. of pages: 325

 *Average Rating on Goodreads: 3.82/5

 *My Rating on Goodreads: 3/5

 

SYNOPSIS via Goodreads:

 

Thomas knows that Wicked can’t be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they’ve collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It’s up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

 

What Wicked doesn’t know is that something’s happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can’t believe a word of what Wicked says.

 

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

 

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

 

—–

 

Review:

 

The final conclusion of the epic and thrilling The Maze Runner Trilogy of James Dashner, The Death Cure, is where things would finally fall into place. And like The Scorch Trials, circumstances would waver friendship, love and trust into a much more different and shocking ways. Lies and memories would be uncovered but being in the dark has never been much safer than knowing the dangerous truth. WICKED says that the time for lies is over and now, they need to fully work with the Gladers to complete the blueprint that they need for the cure, but Thomas couldn’t just see the good in WICKED. With a shocking turn of events, an old foe might be more of an ally than the ones Thomas spent the entire time in the maze and the outside world fighting with.

 

Every question left unanswered from the first two books would no longer be a mystery. A goodness would be seen at the most unexpected source; sometimes those who wants to save humanity, might be the very cause of its extinction; and sometimes you have to go back where you started before you reach the end, even if it’s the last place you want to return to.

 

It has been such an amazing ride with James Dashner, the world he created and his characters but…

 

If you’ve read my reviews for The Maze Runner and for The Scorch Trials, you’ll know how much I loved the first two books. And sadly, The Death Cure gave me such a disappointment; I’ll give you specific reasons on why so as not to prevent you from reading it! I don’t want to scare off people who want to read the trilogy, I don’t discriminate books guys, but you can count on me on giving honest reviews.

 

If you haven’t noticed, I gave a perfect rating of 5 on Goodreads for the first two books but on The Death Cure, I only gave a rating of 3/5.

 

Don’t get me wrong, this book was amazingly done as usual, the only problem was the ending. It was weak. James Dashner created this complicated, interesting story with a lot of twists that I really wondered how he’d solve everything. How would he be able to solve such miserable and tragic problems?

 

And that, guys, was the dilemma. James Dashner wasn’t able to give a solution. It was like he himself didn’t know how things would end and just created a basic solution that was kind of pointless, causing the amazing level of the story to drop in a snap.

 

I really don’t want to give spoilers so I’d say this as vague as possible… So here’s the deal: Let’s face it, a lot of characters die when it’s a dystopian novel, no surprise there. Yet the issue with this book is that important deaths were left off like it was no biggie, making it seem that those were deaths that you could shrug off. I know that deaths always come unexpectedly, that you couldn’t always get a reconciliation or a proper goodbye, that is reality and Dashner did a great job at making it realistic. However, what I didn’t like was the aftermath of it, James Dashner should’ve put more importance to it then left it to be ignored like nothing colossal occurred.

 

It hurts me to say all of these guys, believe me, I don’t like to say negative things about a book, but I gave my oath to be honest.

 

Furthermore, please remember that I only hated the way things end with this trilogy. We all know how important the endings are but what matters is that James Dashner provided a consistent thrill and epic journey to all of his readers. That’s what counts the most and the adventure he has given to everyone was still worthwhile. Just because I don’t approve of the ending, that doesn’t mean everyone don’t. Who knows, maybe you’ll love the way it end so don’t let me prevent you from reading The Maze Runner Trilogy, I still love it deeply!

 

If you want to know my specific reactions on the book that yes, contains spoilers, feel free to ask me. You know where to talk to me!

 

Watch the book to movie adaptation of The Maze Runner, coming out this September!

 

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

 

 

 *No. of pages: 360

 *Average Rating on Goodreads: 3.99/5

 *My Rating on Goodreads: 5/5

 

SYNOPSIS via Goodreads:

 

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

 

—–

 

Review:

 

You think that when the Gladers managed to get out of the maze, the questions tackling your mind since the first chapter of The Maze Runner would finally be answered? So you think that book one is so intense and thrilling already? Well sorry Greenies, but The Scorch Trials is much more exhilarating and heart throbbing than you’d ever expect. Wherein The Maze Runner is on the second level of being extreme, it is safe enough to say that The Scorch Trials is on the fourth level of extremity.

The maze is just the first phase of WICKED’s trials, the Scorch is the second one that the Gladers have to face. Out in the world where they thought would be better than the maze; they are set off to a dangerous journey wherein the Grievers are no longer their problem, but the Cranks. And this time, there’s a group of girls just like them who they cannot decipher if they are friends or foe.

No one can be trusted outside the real world, not even your own sight. With Teresa missing and a whole bunch of new characters, you’d find yourself questioning everything once more. Despite some questions getting cleared up and some things getting explained, more unanswered questions gets add up, you’ll just never know with WICKED.

WICKED manages to convince the Gladers to travel all the way to the Scorch with the promise of being cured from the Flare (wide-spreading disease) and the chance to even save humanity if they oblige with the Trials and let the WICKED throw “variables” at them. WICKED declares to do only all of they have done for the well being of everyone: To save the world from catastrophe.

So, is WICKED good?

You decide.

Trust, friendship, strength and love will be tested more than ever.

With a bunch of new characters and a borderless, unsafe world in front of them without the maze, things are only heating up. Phase one was for kids. Phase two is for adults; it is time for the dangerous task.

I simply love The Scorch Trials as much as I love The Maze Runner despite them being different. The Maze Runner is more of a huge question mark to all the readers whilst The Scorch Trials is action-packed, still a lot of deliberate thinking but more of finally putting the puzzle pieces together.

My emotions were definitely tested on the second book and even my strength on reading because honestly, sometimes I just want to drop my phone (I read on iBooks) and stop reading because of all of the feels and excitement it has been giving me continuously. I never placed my phone down though, you just can’t stop reading, I love James Dashner so much for that!

The author created such a wonderful story. He managed to create a lot of twists and turns that are not easy to predict unlike other dystopian science fiction novels. And I believe that this trilogy would not only be enjoyed by young adults, even older audience as well.

I know I am flooding The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials with bunch of praises but I vow to you, I’m being completely honest with my reviews. So yeah.

Action-packed. Messes with your mind. Takes you into a stirring roller coaster ride. Devours you into the pages of the book.

James Dashner would own you!

Read on guys, and get lost into a bittersweet journey of The Maze Runner Trilogy and when you’re done with The Scorch Trials, wait for my book review of the final conclusion of James Dashner’s epic novel: The Death Cure.

The Maze Runner (#1) by James Dashner: Book Review

 

 

The Maze Runner (#1) by James Dashner: Book Review

 

 *No. of pages: 374

*Average Rating on Goodreads: 4/5

*My Rating on Goodreads: 5/5

 

SYNOPSIS via Goodreads:

 

“If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.”

 

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.

Outside the towering stonewalls 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.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

 

—–

 

Review:

 

The Maze Runner will give you a surge of adrenaline at the very beginning of the thrilling trilogy. That is a promise. However if you’re the type of reader who wants to lie down, chill by the sunset as you read a calming book… well you better close The Maze Runner and put it down. But if you’re flexible enough and can survive the intense happenings and thrilling journey in this dystopian novel, then read on fellas, because TMR would give you a brutal jolt of excitement in every chapter!

Everything is a huge question mark in this book. You’d question why this is like this or why that is like that and there’d be a plausible reason to be confused at every turn of the page, simply because it is a mystery and a complicated puzzle you have to figure out. You’d be anything but bored because rest assured, there is definitely no drag part. I’m telling you, I’m hyped all throughout that I get jitters out of anticipation, because something awesomely good would always happen. You can trust James Dashner to provide you that!

Thomas wakes up in the Glade, a place where everyone tries to live their normal lives after waking up surrounded by the walls of the maze. The ones who live in the Glade are called the Gladers, Thomas is one of them now.

Thomas, the main character of the story, knew from the very beginning that he is different from the other Gladers. The question is: Will his being “different” be enough to see him and everyone else out of the intricate maze, or is there something much deeper lurking in the history of Thomas and the only girl who arrived after him, named Teresa?

Thomas is your usual main character whose purpose is to set about big changes in a place where all seems lost. Before anything else however, he needs to know who he truly is. The only difference with our protagonist is that he really does need to know who he is beyond his name. Like the rest of the Gladers, Thomas has no recollection of anything before he found himself in the maze. It was like they only came into awareness when they were already being lifted up by a junky elevator of some sort, to the maze that’s apparently designed to devour them in their confusion. Yet Thomas is different, and his memories may hold the key out of the colossal and ever-changing maze.

The maze changes constantly. At night, its walls seal up to prevent creatures from inhabiting their safe haven. Creatures called the Grievers, would be the death of anyone when they stay even for just a night trapped inside the walls of the maze. No one ever survived a night inside, supposedly. That’s why being a Runner is not a joke, not something one should take delight in volunteering for. Runners are the ones who go out when the sun is up, to study the maze and seek a way out for everyone. It is a dangerous job, a risky duty. So why does our Greenie (means newbie), Thomas, have this extreme urge to be a Runner?

As marked changes occur since Thomas got into the maze, everyone in the maze began to either doubt or think ill of him, and he does everything he can to prove them wrong. Yet the question still remains: is he, let alone Teresa, really innocent?

 

It is one thing to be doubted by others… it is entirely different to doubt yourself.

 

This book offers its readers a shock or at least a cause for bewilderment at every turn. And the best part? James Dashner is such a remarkable author that even though he created a surreal and disorienting place inhabited by creatures that are as novel and startling, his way with words and masterful execution effectively captures the imagination of his readers; it’s like you’re seeing everything through Thomas’ eyes.

Another great aspect of this book is how ingenious the whole plot is. Nothing is unessential, every happening is either justified by or related to events yet to unfold, and thinking how seamlessly he has laid down this intricate weave of a novel … just wow! This is nothing like the dystopian novels that I have read, and this is most certainly neither chic-flick nor mainstream. Guys, just wow!

 

The important questions you’d be asking when you’re inside the maze:

1.) Where am I?

2.) Who put us here?

3.) How do we get out?

4.) What is the purpose of all of this?

5.) What world lies outside the maze?

6.) Do we really want to get out?

 

Yes, yes, I know! It is definitely exciting and I can’t help but fangirl uncontrollably while I’m writing this. And this is me being honest… there was nothing in this book that I didn’t like, and that is pretty unusual for me. I’m the type of reader who wants to see more romance in a book, even if the story itself is set in a world ravaged by war or death or starvation. Yet with this one, I didn’t seek even a morsel of love. I only wanted more action, more mystery; more thrill… and I got it!

Surprise would be your new best friend, all the way to the last couple of chapters. And when you think that nothing can surprise you any further, well I hate to break it to you but this is merely the first book… and there are two more!

So sit back… um, you won’t be able to relax… but you’d definitely enjoy! I promise!

The Maze Runner book to movie adaptation is out on September 17, 2014!