The Maze Runner

Maze Runner, Book 1

By: James Dashner

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Book one in the blockbuster Maze Runner series that spawned a movie franchise and ushered in a worldwide phenomenon! And don’t miss The Fever Code, the highly-anticipated series conclusion that finally reveals the story of how the maze was built! 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 stone walls that surround them 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: Remember. Survive. Run.

The Maze Runner and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure all are now major motion pictures featuring the star of MTV's Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

Also look for James Dashner’s edge-of-your-seat Mortality Doctrine series!

Praise for the Maze Runner series:

A number one New York Times best-selling series

A USA Today best seller

A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year

An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick

“[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Lost.” (EW)

“Wonderful action writing - fast-paced…but smart and well observed.” (Newsday)

“[A] nail-biting must-read.” (Seventeen)

“Breathless, cinematic action.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Heart pounding to the very last moment.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Exclamation-worthy.” (Romantic Times)

“James Dashner’s illuminating prequel [The Kill Order] will thrill fans of this Maze Runner [series] and prove just as exciting for readers new to the series.” (Shelf Awareness, starred)

“Take a deep breath before you start any James Dashner book.” (Deseret News)

©2009 James Dashner (P)2009 Listening Library

Great cliff hanger but....

Would you consider the audio edition of The Maze Runner to be better than the print version?

Print is always better, but for someone always on the go, its great.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Chuck. I feel that he portrayed more of an innocent adolescent mind.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the main character first arrives and learning everything from his point of view.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

n/a

Any additional comments?

The story line was great, but (without giving away too much) I feel that the author put in certain variables as a cop out in case he got stuck. Overall though, I enjoyed the book. The constant surprises were great.

Wanted to like it more, but still enjoyable

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I went into this book ready to really enjoy the story. But the writing style got in the way a bit. I liked the ideas and concepts, but the main character (Thomas) did not make me like him. I never bought into him as the hero. Also, it always seemed like whenever the story got stuck, something would just happen so that Thomas was given the next peice of the puzzle. I couldn't help comparing this book to The Hunger Games, and it really couldn't stand up next to that comparison. That being said, I am intrigued enough to know the answers to the mystery that I will probably keep reading the series. It wasn't a bad read, it just wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

The narration was very good, though. The narrator gave everyone a very distict voice which made it easier to keep the boys straight.

Would you recommend The Maze Runner to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book to younger readers (preteens and teens). It is clean and an exciting story.

The Maze Runner

Very well read and put together. I highly recommend this to teens and adults both.

A story filled with questions

Would you listen to The Maze Runner again? Why?

I don't think I would listen to it again, not because the story was bad or anything it obviously wasn't. But the entire book is filled with questions, about thomas not knowing a thing but remembering a couple thing. So once the mystery is kinda solved the story became more exciting. So listening to it again, while knowing the answers to the questions all throughout wouldn't be fun

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favourite characters are Newt and Minho. newt because he's honest and real and isn't afraid of pissing people while speaking his mind and Minho because he's real, he goes after what he believes is right no matter what anyone tells him while or afterwards.

What about Mark Deakins’s performance did you like?

Mark Deakins's performance was quite admirable because of the accents he managed to sustain throughout the entire book , I always knew which boy was talking without hearing his name right after. Newt's southernish talk, Gally's snarls and Minho's deep voice, sounded like they were coming from 3 different people.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was a book I wanted to listen in one sitting because everyone was talking about it and I had watched the movie trailer and I was really exited about it but after having started it didn't draw me in as much as I thought I would. Like I mentioned before, the 'always questioning everything' state Thomas was in constantly didn't make the expected affect on me.

Any additional comments?

Amazing ideas and wonderful imagination our writer has. I was astonished and I could visualise almost everything he had described, it did take some effort considering none of the descriptions were paragraphs long just a couple phrases but most of the time it was enough.

gr8

it was g00d. absolutely amazing and yep it was intense and stuff. very dramatic and a great story to it

2. it felt like i was in the Maze With Them

Nearly flawless performance. Very well done with the different voices of the characters except for Theresa's voice; she sounded like a drag queen, but maybe that was as good as it gets when a guy attempts a girl's voice?

great story!

i really enjoyed it! it's great story, great for a road trip or plane ride!

Wish I hadn't seen the movie first.

Great book, too violent for kids, but a great puzzle thriller. Very excited for the sequels.

Will never relate to "shucking" the same - ever!

I get setting this book up as a tween book - but the OVER use of the word "shuck" and its derivatives became grating like "nails on a chalkboard"

The plot & characters were fairly well developed, but still can't get the term shucking out of my mind!!

one of the best

this book was very enjoyable I loved every minute of it and found it loveable