The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary:
Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety...until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.
Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?
My Review:
At first, I wasn't a huge fan of this series. I liked it okay...but it was just that for me - okay. There were a few things that I had a hard time with about the Maze Runner - for instance, it took awhile for me to get used to the created language that James Dashner brought to the table. But after a few chapters, it all began to make sense...and eventually, settled in nicely. The story and characters did, as well.
The Scorch Trials took off right where the Maze Runner ended - and even though it's been several months since I finished the first book, I had no problems jumping right back into the story.
Filled with lots of plot twists and turns - which more than once left me asking, "Holy @$!%!, what just happened!" - I definitely became more immersed in the story line.
Almost all the same characters are back from the first book - each one of them bringing something unique to the story - and there are plenty of new ones added to the mix.
Great voice in the MC (Thomas), steady pace throughout, fab scene descriptions and plenty of loose ends tied up from the first book...then plenty more created that makes me look forward to reading book #3, The Death Cure.
Net/net: An overall enjoyable read.
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