The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book 4; Origin)

By: James Dashner

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

The prequel to the New York Times best-selling Maze Runner series.

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the Earth, and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next.

Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there's something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it's mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there's a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they're determined to find it - if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you're worth more dead than alive.

©2012 James Dashner (P)2012 Listening Library

Totally superfluous

What could James Dashner have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have linked it better to the maze runner trilogy, giving some insight, some new facts about the political background.

What character would you cut from The Kill Order?

The main characters are badly chosen in general. To make the prequel interesting to read, the story should be about the politicians giving the kill order, rather than the victims who only get a few glimpses of what is happening.

Any additional comments?

I absolutely loved the maze runner trilogy and was looking forward to finally getting a load of answers in the prequel. However the author chose not to reveal anything that you didn't already know at the end of the trilogy. About 70% of this novel consists of close combat fights that are described in detail. I was utterly bored by it, and totally unsatisfied with the lack of a story.
I hope that the next book in the series, "The Fever Code" will be the real prequel we've all been waiting for.

19 of 21 people found this review helpful

In the beginning ...

I read a review that said, "Read this first!" You do NOT have to do that. I read all 3 in the original series first then read this one. I can't say reading this book first will do you any good really, in reference to understanding anything prior to reading it in order of release date. I liked this book and I felt at peace w/how the plague/illness started. I would have liked to have learned more about what Thomas and the others did while in the care of WICKED. It wouldn't have made a difference to the story, it's just what I was curious about. No big.

This will show you how the world breaks down more so than Book 2 & 3. Very interesting and well worth the read. I gave the 4 stars on "story" only because I wanted to hear more about Thomas during his stay w/WICKED. That's all.

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

added details

you will find details on the start of the flare, not the building of the maze. good writing, yet the idea behind this script is not as good as of the other three books of the maze.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Worth it, but the weakest in the series

I loved this series and so the Pre-quel was a "must listen" for me. I don't regret listening at all and it was entertaining. But, I found the other books more interesting and more rich. Perhaps knowing where it is all going takes away the punch though. Overall, I do recommend this to fans, but don't listen to it first. Maybe its for "fans only".

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

Waste of time

What was most disappointing about James Dashner’s story?

There are no answers. Nothing is ever fully explained. It was like being on a treadmill going full speed that never slows down. Everything became numb after a while. It was like listening to the same story over and over and over again.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your time. Seriously you don't learn anything new and there are no cool or interesting stories or facts that relate the rest of the series that make it worth the read.

19 of 25 people found this review helpful

Read it first

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes but I hate the idea of prequels. The only reason I read this one is because I read it before the others.

What other book might you compare The Kill Order to and why?

The Hunger Games but way darker so far.

Have you listened to any of Mark Deakins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me sad. Actually really sad. But no tears. I liked several of the characters and got attached.

Any additional comments?

I just finished this and I'm glad I read it first because I think had I read the trilogy first it would have ruined it for me. Not because the story isn't great but because knowing ultimately where it all ends up would have spoiled it. It would have taken away the suspense and hope I had while reading it.

15 of 20 people found this review helpful

Stunning, shaking to bones, a horrible reality

So real, so disgusting at moments and so horrible in other moments, the story presented grips you and holds you to the bones until you finish it.
Struggled a bit to finish but not because of story or narrator, but because of some horrible images and troubles of comprehending the picture. Yes, the story gets complicated at times, but it never gets boring or loses pace or quality of details or storyline.
The narrator was fine as before.
I would recommend this audiobook mostly to those strong of character and not to the faint of heart. I myself get scared barely and rarely in horror movies, yet the images here were hard to bare or imagine at times.
Profound story telling with great ideas and great narrator made it another good read and unique through its style and world.
P. S.: Better listen to this only after you've listened to all three books in the series. Otherwise it would be unclear in some places and spoilers for the series in other parts. It's best understood together and after the whole series, also this prequel completes the series with new understanding and like a great picture puzzle it comes together. It's like the ideas behind (reasons of/ideas at the base of) the series summarized in a story.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

fun to litsen …but the ending

If you are thinking about buying this book or not, I highly recomend you to buy this book.
I really liked litsening to this book because it has lots of battles in it.
The reason that i marked the story with four stars is because i didn’t like the part that in the end of the book, most of the main characters whom have survived a lot of things, died.
This is a personal thing, but I also didn’t like the part about my favorite character “A” dieing.
I am looking forward about litsening to the next book in the series.
And also if you read this, I am sorry about my English being difficult to understand. (I’m a japanese)

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Poor

Definitely the weakest of the series. Far too much description of scuffle after scuffle after scuffle. Gives some good information on the actual flair but has zero Segway to the maze runner. It's ok for context I guess but not a requirement to reading the main part of the trilogy.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Prequel better than the original

What did you like best about this story?

This story was action packed and very suspenseful. It was cool to see the origins of the flare from the perspective of a lay person trying to survive. To witness the path of the sickness and how it changes people was gripping. I can honestly say I liked this book more than the original three. This book is a little darker and has way more action

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

As far as a tag line I don't really know. But after watching the Maze Runner movie that just came out I would say that they should have started with this book because it would have drawn way more fans.

Any additional comments?

My only negative comment is how many times can a guy be put in a choke hold in one book. When the book even addresses the fact by staying a statement like "for what seemed like the forth time today Mark was being choked out" (not a direct quote but basically) it becomes a little excessive.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful