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Cover of The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner

Book 1 of The Maze Runner

  • 375 pages · about 6 hours
  • First published 2009
  • 21 editions

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1 About this book

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade--a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up--the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

  • Science fiction
  • Dystopian fiction
  • Friendship
  • Survival
  • Amnesia
  • Labyrinths
  • Children's fiction
  • Escapes

2 What to expect

A fast, tense start to a dystopian series for teens: a boy wakes with no memory among other boys living inside a giant maze that changes every night. Survival, friendship and the mystery of who put them there drive the story, which raises more questions than it answers. The boys speak in invented slang, the creatures in the maze are frightening, and much is left open for the sequels.

Good for readers who want: dystopian adventure, a fast-moving mystery, and the start of a thrilling series.

3 About James Dashner

Born 1972

James Smith Dashner (born November 26, 1972) is an American writer known for speculative fiction. Many of his books are primarily aimed at children or young adults. He is best known for The Maze Runner series and the young adult fantasy series The 13th Reality. His 2008 novel The Journal of Curious Letters, the first in the series, was one of the annual Borders Original Voices picks.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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