Maze Runner by James Dashner

★★★★☆

Maze Runner by James Dashner is the first in a trilogy whose trajectory is both strange and delightful. Thomas awakens one day to find himself struggling to remember his whole name, along with details of his life that should be easily accessible, but aren't. A lift delivers him to a place called The Glade. It is a walled-in community where work is assigned according to ability. Without knowing the origin of the desire, Tom knows he wants to be a runner. Runners leave the Glade daily to explore the maze that waits on the other side of it, all in the hope that the puzzle can be solved. Gladers look upon runners with a sense of awe, knowing perhaps that their destinies lie in the hands of these dedicated few.

But who would want to return to a life he can't recall? A handful of Gladers have had the misfortune of being stung by the wicked "Grievers" that haunt the maze. "The Makers" kindly send a serum along with the supplies with which they provide the Gladers, and while its application insures survival, those who have been stung must also pass through the Changing. Memories of a dark world and an unhappy existence filter through.

But when a girl arrives in the Glade when no one new was expected to show up for several weeks, suspicious eyes turn to Tom, who seemed to show up out of nowhere too. When the new Glader says his name, there is no escaping the fact that, in another life, Tom knew the strange girl called Teresa, whose words pierce into his mind. What is their connection? What does it mean for the others? Is it possible to escape the Maze after searching for clues for two years? Is escape even wise considering the memories The Changing has brought to light?

The Maze is character driven. It is mysterious and touching. Dashner's words make us simultaneously want to know more and fear where the truth might take us. The turns the story takes will anger you, delight you, thrill you...all in turn. Just when it seems there's nowhere left to go, the plot deepens. As it does so, the Gladers must learn the true meaning of concepts such as cooperation, trust, faith. The Maze Runner is fast-paced adventure writing at its best. I recommend it to anyone who's wondered who they were, what it all meant, and what might lie beyond.