Out of all the sci-fi books that have been created, very few manage to get movie adaptations, but James Dashner’s The Maze Runner did just that.
The Maze Runner was originally released in 2009 and is the first in a series of five main books and several spin-offs.
The protagonist, Thomas, wakes up in an elevator that takes him to a maze. He has no memory of his past or any idea why he’s there, and neither do the other boys who welcome him into the maze. They live in The Glade, a grassy and forested area at the maze’s center where they can be safe due to the supplies they’re sent each month from “The Creators” and the walls of the maze shutting around The Glade every night. One of the most important roles in Glade society is the runner. Runners scout out the maze during the day, looking for a way to escape, but their job is dangerous. They have to find their way back to the Glade before nightfall, or the doors will shut and they’ll be trapped in the maze with Grievers, the monsters that roam through the maze at night, and hunt anyone they find. Thomas works with the members of The Glade to find a way out and discover why they were put there.
I think the book’s biggest strength is its concept. The idea of people being trapped in a strange maze and trying to get out is unique, and thankfully, the maze itself plays a very large role in the story. There’s also an interesting mystery surrounding the maze, as nobody knows why they’re there and they need to find a way out, making two problems that Thomas and his friends try to solve throughout the course of the story. The book is also fun to read, with many exciting events and turning points occurring frequently, the status quo is never stable, which makes it very enticing to see what happens next. The Maze Runner definitely achieves what it set out to do, which is to be a fun adventure book that captures the imagination of its audience. However, it being that kind of book leaves out meaning in the plot and significant depth in its characters, which could leave some readers wondering what the point is or what they got out of reading.
I personally recommend The Maze Runner, as it's very fun to read and offers a concept and world unlikely to be found anywhere else. While it might lack a strong message and incredibly deep characters, I don’t feel that’s the point. The book is fun and entertaining, and effectively sets up the rest of the series, which is all I ever wanted it to do.
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