The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

ISBN: 9780385737951

Publisher: Delecorte Press

Copyright Date: 2009

Genre: Science Fiction; Dystopian

About the Author:

 James Dashner is the New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series. His latest novel is The Eye of Minds, a novel set in a world of hyper-advanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming.

James Dashner is also the author of the 13th Reality series. James was born and raised in Georgia, but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. After several years working in finance, he is now a full-time writer.

About James Dashner.  https://www.facebook.com/jamesdashnerbooks/about/?entry_point=page_nav_about_item&tab=page_info.

Curriculum Ties:

•  Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Plot Summary:

When Thomas wakes up in a metal box, he finds that he is in the Glade, a clearing in the middle of a giant maze, where some boys welcome him into their midst. If this wasn’t bad enough, Thomas has no memory of who he is, and none of the boys have any memories of their time before the maze either. To further complicate matters, the only way to return some memories is to be poisoned by the mysterious Grievers that stalk the maze at night, and those who do have memories are suspicious of Thomas for reasons that are unclear. Thomas soon finds a place in the community as a maze runner, one of the boys who looks for a way out of the maze. However, the next person who comes into the maze is a girl, the first and only one in the community and her entrance signals the end, with the son dimming and the grievers drawing closer. Thomas must work to find a solution to the maze before they all are caught and ended by the mysterious creatures in the maze.

Critical Evaluation:

The plot of The Maze Runner unfolds slowly through the eyes of the main character. Since he has no memory of the world, the plot is revealed through the words of other characters, such as Teresa, who reveals the purpose of the maze to him, and helps him realize his involvement in it’s creation. The tone of the book is an ominous one, with the boys continually feeling that there is no way out, and with each chapter bringing a new danger, such as grievers entering the camp. Even when they escape the maze, it is with great loss of life, and they enter into an apocalyptic world where they are immediately attacked. This sets up a sequel, as this is the first book in the trilogy, but makes the ending of this book less satisfying than it could be. However, it does give a constant tone of danger throughout the novel, which is unusual for a book of this type.

Readers Annotation:

Thomas awakes with no memory in an inescapable maze. However, as monsters begin to kill those stuck with him, he must solve the maze and escape if they are to live.

Book Talking Ideas:

• Discuss what it would be like to lose your memory. Talk about how Thomas has lost his memory and how this makes him feel. 
• Talk about what the maze is. Look for the ways that the boys try to find ways to escape. 

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13-18

Challenge Issues:

•  There is a great deal of violence, including fighting and death in the book. 

Defense Collection:

•  Gr. 9-12 As with many recent stories being spread over multiple volumes, this often-exciting but ultimately frustrating opener reads more like an extended prologue than a fully realized novel. Thomas, his memory wiped out, is thrust into the center of an enormous maze , where other teens have constructed a survivalist society. No one knows why they’re there, or where they came from, but each day they send out runners  into the constantly shifting, monster-infested labyrinth to search for a way out. As memories start to trickle back in and circumstances grow increasingly dire, Thomas suspects he knows more about the maze  than he should. The withholding and then revelation of crucial information tend toward contrivance and convenience, but the tantalizing hints of a ravaged world outside make for gripping reading. Although this opening volume will appeal to the same audience as hot dystopian thrillers like The Hunger Games (2008), it doesn’t promise the same level of devotion. With much of the more intriguing head-game aspects left unexplored, though, the potential for a rousing continuation of the story certainly exists. -- Chipman, Ian (Reviewed 09-01-2009) (Booklist, vol 106, number 1, p84)
• Gr 6–10— Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies from below. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "the glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through a maze  that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys. Thomas is a likable protagonist who uses the information available to him and his relationships (including his ties to the girl, Teresa) to lead the Gladers. Unfortunately, the question of whether the teens will escape the maze  is answered 30 pages before the book ends, and the intervening chapter loses momentum. The epilogue, which would be deliciously creepy coming immediately after the plot resolves, fails to pack a punch as a result. That said, The Maze Runner  has a great hook, and fans of dystopian literature, particularly older fans of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (Random, 2003), will likely enjoy this title and ask for the inevitable sequel.—Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH --Kristin Anderson (Reviewed October 1, 2009) (School Library Journal, vol 55, issue 10, p124)
• Awards:
• BILBY - Books I Love Best Yearly (Australia) : Older Reader
• Charlotte Award (New York): Young Adult (Grades 6-12)
• Delaware Diamonds: Middle School
• Garden State Teen Book Awards (New Jersey): Fiction (Grades 6-8)
• Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
• Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona): Tween Book
• Illinois Readers' Choice Awards: Abraham Lincoln Award
• Isinglass Teen Read Award (New Hampshire)
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award: Grades 9-12
• Truman Readers Award (Missouri)
• WAYRBA - Western Australian Young Readers' Book Awards : Older Readers
• YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2011
• YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults: What if ... (2011)
• YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers: Fiction: 2011
• Reconsideration Policy
• Freedom to Read Statement
• ALA Library Bill of Rights
• Springville Public Library Collection Development Policy
• The Library Director and designated staff actively evaluate and select materials. The Springville Public Library Board, acting under the authority given to it by Title 4, Chapter 6 of the Springville Municipal Code and Title 09 of the Utah State Code, has the ultimate responsibility for the determination of the policies for selection and acquisition of materials.
• Library materials are selected based on the following (not necessarily in order of priority):
• Local public demand and usage potential
• Popularity
• Subject coverage
• Relevance
• Accuracy and currency
• Presentation, readability and format
• Point of view (all sides)
• Cost
• Local connection
• Social values
• Collection balance
• To assess the item based on the above criteria, staff utilize:
• Nationally recognized and relevant pre-publication reviews
• Staff expertise
• Bestseller lists

Purpose in Collection:
The Maze Runner is a popular series that has had a movie adaptation. As such, it is a good series to have on hand. The book also shows teens finding answers to problems without adults, portraying them as capable individuals with effective problem solving skills. The book is exciting and fast paced, with enough action to appeal to those who don't read much as well.