2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Maze Runner by James Dashner, the first book in the Maze Runner series.


Pages: 384 pages


Length: 1 Month (March)


Participants: SarahKat, Sunshine, Dominique, Jannene, Frezita, D.L., Bobbi.


Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I've read this book before - a couple of years ago, actually - but I need an impetus to finally read the rest in the series so I'm starting fresh with book 1 lol I remember liking it and being intrigued about the world-building the author did.

I've read about a quarter of it and then life got in the way. From what I recall, I enjoyed it, so looking forward to this

Bobbi wrote: "I've read about a quarter of it and then life got in the way. From what I recall, I enjoyed it, so looking forward to this"

It's a good story. Very unique, I think. I am excited to tackle it again. :)

I'll probably start - or shall I say re-start - the book this week sometime.

I’m going to join you guys since I’ve wanted to read this book for quite a while :)

Ilse wrote: "I’m going to join you guys since I’ve wanted to read this book for quite a while :)"

Awesome! Welcome!!

I have never read this before! I have a copy that my friend "loaned" me. I've had it for a very long time... 🙄

I need to catch up on my readathon books, but I'll start after that and probably read it slowly throughout the month, since it will be one of the few I'm reading that won't have library due dates.

Hi. AI'd like to join to this reading.

Zamira wrote: "Hi. AI'd like to join to this reading."

Welcome!

It's my first time in this kind of buddy reads Do I have to read and comment on this book in April right?

thanks Bobbi!

Zamira wrote: "It's my first time in this kind of buddy reads Do I have to read and comment on this book in April right?"

Yes Zamira. As you read the book you can post about it, but you can also read it and then post your thoughts. If you post comments about the book (spoilers) then mark them.
You can mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Great! thanks

You’re welcome! :)

Has anyone started reading this yet?

Not yet, I’m going to read this book after the readathon. Have you started?

Will start after the end of the readathon.

Nope, I haven't started yet either lol

I'm gonna join you as well. Been wanting to read the books since they became popular- i saw the first movie and liked it a lot.
Currently i'm with another buddy read (The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires) but i'll get to this one as soon as i finish.

Are any of you planning on reading the rest of the series in the following months? (as in, one book per month) I'd be interested in that

Pervinca wrote: "I'm gonna join you as well. Been wanting to read the books since they became popular- i saw the first movie and liked it a lot.
Currently i'm with another buddy read ([book:The Southern Book Club's..."

Hey there. Welcome to the buddy group! I will probably be reading the whole series though I am not sure if anyone else plans to :)

I’m definitely planning on reading the whole series!

Yes for the whole series!

Okay! Maybe we should suggest the second book for may in the Buddy Reads thread then (and the third one for June)? It's my first time buddy reading a series so I don't know how that works

Pervinca wrote: "Okay! Maybe we should suggest the second book for may in the Buddy Reads thread then (and the third one for June)? It's my first time buddy reading a series so I don't know how that works"

I can request for May (Book 2) and June (Book 3) :)

Yes, please do that! I’d love to do a buddy read on the books with you all :)

Same here! :)

I requested the threads in the buddy read forum. I am starting reading our first book tomorrow or Thursday. The month really just began so we have lots of time :)

D.L. wrote: "I requested the threads in the buddy read forum. I am starting reading our first book tomorrow or Thursday. The month really just began so we have lots of time :)"

Thanks for doing that! :)

I'll have to see how much I like this before I decide if I'll read the rest with the group. I'll leave my name on there for now though!

I am trying not to read 12 books at the same time like I did last month, so I'm waiting to start this for another week maybe.

SarahKat wrote: "I'll have to see how much I like this before I decide if I'll read the rest with the group. I'll leave my name on there for now though!

I am trying not to read 12 books at the same time like I did..."

Alright, cool. I hope you like it enough to join us for the rest of the series :)

Awesome!

Okay guys i'm up to 50% of the book and i'm really enjoying it so far. I still can't get used to their funny weird words, but i'm curious to unravel this mistery.

Dominique wrote: "Yes for the whole series!"

I’m in too, if I like the first one.

Pervinca wrote: "Okay guys i'm up to 50% of the book and i'm really enjoying it so far. I still can't get used to their funny weird words, but i'm curious to unravel this mistery."

50% is awesome. Glad you're enjoying it. I am starting it right now.

I started last night! Not very far in but I'm intrigued.

Just finished it! I enjoyed it a lot- can't wait to read the next one!
My only complain is that it was a light book- would have enjoyed it a bit more if i read it when i was younger, now i wanted a bit more of depth in the story (hopefully we see that in the next books) Hope you guys enjoy it :)

I started this last night but I’m not very far into it.

I'll love to join the group to read the series. I had ordered the first book to read in March but barely received it. looking forward to start the 1st book

Frezita wrote: "I'll love to join the group to read the series. I had ordered the first book to read in March but barely received it. looking forward to start the 1st book"

Welcome!!

I finished! Sorry I didn't post thoughts along the way. I read it fairly quickly and I was never around a computer when I was at a good stopping place!

Here are my thoughts. (view spoiler)[I enjoyed the book. It was quick and easy to read both because it's YA and because I wanted to find out what was going on. At times it felt a little bit too YA. Some of the mysteries or things they hadn't tried yet were super obvious. After 2 years you'd think someone would think to look at the Maze for clues beyond an exit. You would think someone would notice "WICKED" is just the acronym for the company that made the place.
I liked Thomas and the other characters. Chuck was a sad character and it was heartbreaking that he died at the end!
I liked the story and the mystery and the intensity. However I'm unsure if I liked the whole reason behind the Maze and everything. They are just... testing really smart kids to see if they'll be useful in saving the world from ruin? What? Why not just grab the smart kids and set them to work doing that instead of playing games with them? Maybe more of this will be explained in later books. (hide spoiler)]

Finished it. 3 stars for me

(view spoiler)[ L'm in the middle, I didn't love it but didn't hate. I agree with SarahKat with being too YA. Some words they were using were pretty bizarre. I liked Chuck and it was sad that he died. Gally was annoying.

What bothered me was The fact that nobody went beyond to try to find out what was happening was just too strange. I think the fact that they were bieng fed made them realize that there was no way out. (hide spoiler)]

Dominique wrote: "Finished it. 3 stars for me

L'm in the middle, I didn't love it but didn't hate. I agree with SarahKat with being too YA. Some words they were using were pretty bizarre. I

I totally agree with you.

Finished today. (view spoiler)[I didn’t like the killing of Chuck to test their feelings. It was not necessary. They already had proven by sacrificing themselves and defending each other how ‘human’ they are.

I think this was just too childish of a read for me. I always hate an author using made up words and such in a book. It is too had to follow or understand and once you do you worry that will end up coming out in your normal vocabulary. (hide spoiler)]

I have no desire to finish the rest of this series.

I read this book (& The Scorch Trials) a few years ago, and I had a similar reaction to a lot of you. This was one book/series where I felt like the movies were actually way better. I never did read The Death Cure, though. However, I'm a completionist, so I plan to jump in on that buddy read in June. XD