View from the Side: Book Reads (The Maze Runner Series)

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My 8th to 12th Book of 2016

(Read from April 8 to May 15, 2016)

My daughter and I have been reading buddies since the time she started to read.  Normally, she would picked-up a book that she wants to read.  And for me to be able to discuss the story with her, I would also read the same book.  We strive to be always at the same page.  Otherwise, our reading experience would become a race for ‘spoiler alerts’!!!

Last year, we had just completed the novels: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant; Hunger Games Series; The Selection Series, and Throne of Glass Series.  As far as I remember, we developed our own ways of liking the hero/heroine.  Most of the time we are opposites: Harry Potter for me while Draco Malfoy for her; Jacob Black for me, Edward Cullen for her; Jace Wayland for me, Alec Lightwood for her; and so forth.  The novels that we had intently discussed were “A Song of Ice and Fire” Series and the Dan Brown Series.  But we both fall in love with Daniel in the Fallen Series.

After these novels, I refused to read ‘The Maze Runner’ Series.  My reluctance to read another ‘young adult’ novel was that I felt I am already fed up with the seemingly the same plots of the novels. With the constant prodding of my daughter to read the series, I finally gave in after watching the first movie adaptation.

Well, after reading the series, my doubt was proven.  ‘Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins, ‘Divergent Trilogy’ by Veronica Roth, and now ‘The Maze Runner’ by James Dashner are all dystopian novels adapted for film productions.  The similarities between the three novels are rather prominent:

• Dystopian novels projecting a negative or repressive society;
• Lead Characters are young teenage boys/girls as heroes/heroines;
• Setting is a post-apocalyptic world with an authoritarian regime;
• Theme is experimentation and trial testing in humans, survival, fight for life or death.

Between the 3 novel series, I felt that ‘The Maze Runner’ Series is more suitable for younger readers. It is more action-packed; a mystery story to be solved by the reader; and reading it is comparable to watching the movie.

My Overall Reading Experience

The Reading Order

#1 The Maze Runner (8^th)

#2 The Scorch Trials (9^th)

#3 The Death Cure (10^th)

#4 The Kill Order (11^th)

#5 The Fever Code (12^th)

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