Steve Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Title: The Scorch Trials
Hardcover, 360 pages
Series: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 12, 2010
Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon
Book 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?
Steve Review:
Did you guys read Maze Runner? I know I did (review), and I LIKED it. Unique plot line, great characters, and awesome twists. Scorch Trials (the sequel to Maze Runner) was recently released and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I put my hands all over it. Yow.
Let me preface the rest of this with the following: I liked Scorch Trials. Preface finished. I did not LIKE it though. The same elements that made it unique and surprising the first book were few and far between. The characters changed, and although I still very much like Thomas, most of the time it wasn’t an entertaining change. And blah at the fake love triangle situations. Someone say Twilight knock off so I don’t have to? The plot seemed to drag a bit, and although there was some suspense and you still have no idea what’s going to happen in the next book, it was fairly run of the mill and not nearly as inventive as the previous novel.
This is why the preface part was so important, because the review sounds harsh. The only reason it sounds so harsh is that I really enjoyed the novelty and originality of Maze Runner. Setting Scorch Trials next to it leaves a mediocre aftertaste in my mouth. I liked Scorch Trials (really I did, I promise!) but I was simply hoping for more. Let’s point scale this before someone catches on that I made a Twilight reference.
Title: 4/5 – Attention grabbing, and it was pretty hot in that desert setting I bet.
Cover: 4/5 – Some red and orange. Someone insert some more detail here?
Plot: 6/10 – Why can’t you be better plot? Surprise me! Do something, anything!
Characters: 7/10 – That chick is dragging Thomas down. I refuse to mention her name.
Writing: 6/10 – The fluid writing that made Maze Runner so special is there, it just is patchy and has too much filler around it.
Ending: 5/10 – Cliffhanger, but I’ve had better.
Total: 32/50 – I can’t really say it much better than I have already. Scorch Trials was good, compared to Maze Runner it just wasn’t special. I’ll still probably read the next one though 
.
Buy: Amazon
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Nice review Steve. I might be wrong, but did you mention Twilight? Nah! Couldn’t be.
I like Scorch Trials. It is a second book in a trilogy though and they never live up to the first. I’m really looking forward to Death Cure though to see how all the different threads come together.
I think I’m going to wait for the third book to come out before I start reading the series, although my daughter is eager to pick up the second book.
Your review is consistent with most of what else I’ve heard, and confirms I want to read the series eventually.
I have been contemplating reading this series Steve, and now you have me even more intrigued! I love the Twilight mention in there too
Twitter: amillssews
Great review. haven’t read this series yet, but gave it to my son-in-law, and he loved it. To bad it’s so long until the next one. I think it is usual for 2nd books in a series to take a hit. We’re always so intrigued by the new premise during the first book, and you don’t get that as much in the second.
Twitter: SteveDayOD
Hah. You guys must be mistaken. I just read it again and I saw no mention of Twilight?
The first book alone is probably worth reading the series for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, I agree. I haven’t heard how long it’ll be until book 3, is it really that long? ;/
Oh gosh, I LOVED The Scorch Trials! I actually liked it better than The Maze Runner b/c I felt more invested in the characters and I was excited to finally find out what the “real world” had evolved into.
I can’t wait for the third one!
I thought that The Scorch Trials was just as compelling as The Maze Runner. I could not put either book down and will be first in line to buy the final installment in the trilogy when it is released.