Saturday Series: The Kill Order (The Maze Runner 0.5) by James Dashner

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.

*Do not read this review if you haven't read the previous books*

The Kill Order, eventhough it's a prequel, it's best to read it after you've finished the other three books in the series. It doesn't contain any big spoilers, but some mystery might get lost. So far we've known about the aftermath of the sun flares and the virus called Flare. Now we get to find out how it all started. This takes place before Thomas was even born.

We follow a young man, Mark, and a young woman named Trina. After the sun flares their lives changed and with a little group of new friends they have managed to survive so far. Through flashbacks/nightmares we get an idea of all the events they've been through. When they thought the future started to look brighter, this new illness appears. Not sure what is going on, they know it's bad.

Mark and his friends set out to find out where this virus is coming from and hoping someone has a cure that can save them. The road has become even more dangerous than before. You already know how people get affected, the craziness takes over and nobody stays safe.

Up front you already know this won't be a happy tale. Still just like with Thomas and his friends, you root for them and hope they can find a way out.

The Kill Order is a nice addition to the series. Once again there is a lot of action and that feeling of racing against time. It's a pretty fast read because you're anxious to know what is going to happen next. Mark and the other characters were very likeable and easy to connect with. They are regular humans, with fears and hopes, and you fear and hope along with them. Fans of the series will definitely appreciate this extra book, like I did.

3.5

The Maze Runner - Reading order and purchase links

      

The Maze Runner: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Scorch Trials: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Death Cure: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Kill Order: Amazon - Kindle

The Author

James was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He has four kids, which some might think is too many but he thinks is just right. Once upon a time, James studied accounting and worked in the field of finance, but has been writing full time for several years. (He doesn’t miss numbers. At all.)

In his free time, James loves to read, watch movies and (good) TV shows, snow ski, and read. (Reading was mentioned twice on purpose.) Most of all, he’s thankful that he gets to make a living writing stories and considers himself pretty much the luckiest guy on the planet.

Connect with James Dashner:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Saturday Series: The Death Cure (The Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

*Do not read this review if you haven't read the previous book*

Things finally seem done for Thomas and his friends. They've made it out of the Maze and survived the Scorch. Now it's time for the truth, only what Thomas remembers and Wicked tells them doesn't quite match.

So once again Thomas and his friends are running. They need to figure out what is going on in the world and stay out of Wicked's hands. Wicked is not good and Thomas doesn't trust them at all. They may have started off with the best intentions, but those got lost somewhere along the way. Somehow Thomas is key to finding that cure, but throughout the story you realize things aren't as clearcut as they seem.

Meanwhile the virus is spreading faster and faster. It won't be long now until they not only need to fight Wicked but the Cranks as well. Before Wicked had the control over their survival, now it's the real deal and they are on their own.

Another action packed thrill ride. There is no time to rest. The fight or flight instinct is kicking in and not everyone will make it out alive. It's still not completely clear how Wicked wants to make a cure, making Thomas wonder if a cure is even possible. Because if not, that would mean the end of humans. It has become a race against time, unknown factors and survival is the main priority.

The ending took me by surprise, as James Dashner went in a completely different direction than I thought. I really liked it though. It was actually a very realistic scenario. A lot of people don't make it and there were some surprises there as well. I very much enjoyed the ride James Dashner took us on. An unique apocalyptic world, interesting characters and a plot that will keep you turning page after page.

The Maze Runner - Reading order and purchase links

      

The Maze Runner: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Scorch Trials: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Death Cure: Amazon - Kindle

The Kill Order: Amazon - Kindle

The Author

James was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He has four kids, which some might think is too many but he thinks is just right. Once upon a time, James studied accounting and worked in the field of finance, but has been writing full time for several years. (He doesn’t miss numbers. At all.)

In his free time, James loves to read, watch movies and (good) TV shows, snow ski, and read. (Reading was mentioned twice on purpose.) Most of all, he’s thankful that he gets to make a living writing stories and considers himself pretty much the luckiest guy on the planet.

Connect with James Dashner:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Saturday Series: The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

*Do not read this review if you haven't read the previous book*

Finishing the last chapter of The Maze Runner and you think it's over. They have escaped the Maze and now they go and get to join society again. Then you read that epilogue and realize the Maze was only the beginning.

While it seems that Thomas and his friends are no longer locked up, their situation is still very much controlled by WICKED. In order to survive they have two weeks time to cross the Scorch. Which is basically a wasteland/desert, with lots of dangers and somehow it's even become a competition. It seems there is another group going for that finish line.

Like the synopsis says; friendships will be tested, loyalties will be broken and things are definitely not over yet. The center of all this is Thomas. Little by little he's getting his memories back, though instead of helping him, it makes things even more confusing. Therefor it becomes difficult to know who he can still trust and makes him and us wonder, what exactly he has done to end up in this situation. Still no freaking clue as to why they are there and put through these "tests", just that it might have something to do with a cure.

I'm really curious to see where James Dashner is taking all this. The connection between these trials and a possible cure, so far doesn't seem believable. Meaning that a lot of people have died and we don't really know what for yet. With all these new revelations and developments, you're still left as clueless as when you started this adventure. I simply love it. I have about a million theories going on in my mind, trying to figure things out and it would be awesome if they are all wrong.

Thomas' world or reality is a complex one, where nothing is as it seems and you don't know who these people really are. He doesn't even know who he is and what he has done. It seems as though he has not just helped creating these tests, but himself in the middle of it on purpose.

This series is a roller coaster. The experience and feelings I have with this book are pretty much the same as with the last one. It's mostly that confusion, those unexpected twists and that race against time. There are also a lot of new characters, whom at first glimp seem random, but like I said, you never know who someone really is. I'm so glad I've waited to start this series when all books were published, because you just want to keep on reading, needing to know what is going to happen next to Thomas and his friends.

4.5

The Maze Runner - Reading order and purchase links

      

The Maze Runner: My review - Amazon - Kindle

The Scorch Trials: Amazon - Kindle

The Death Cure: Amazon - Kindle

The Kill Order: Amazon - Kindle

The Author

James was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He has four kids, which some might think is too many but he thinks is just right. Once upon a time, James studied accounting and worked in the field of finance, but has been writing full time for several years. (He doesn’t miss numbers. At all.)

In his free time, James loves to read, watch movies and (good) TV shows, snow ski, and read. (Reading was mentioned twice on purpose.) Most of all, he’s thankful that he gets to make a living writing stories and considers himself pretty much the luckiest guy on the planet.

Connect with James Dashner:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Saturday Series: The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

This is the kind of book that reminds you why you love young adult dystopians. So amazingly written and from that first sentence you get sucked into Thomas's new world. Confusing seems to be the key word here and along with Thomas you get to find out what is going on or at least what you think is going on. Such a thrill read and impossible to put down.

When Thomas wakes up he has no idea who he is, where he's at or even where he came from. The only thing he remembers is his name. There is no real time to adjust or to explain, as the other boys there don't really know what is going on. The only thing they do know is that they need to get out of the maze. It's been two years and so far no luck. While everything seems reasonably safe during the day, you don't want to get stuck in the maze at night.

Now Thomas may not remember anything, but somehow he does know he's there to help find a solution, a way out of the maze. No clue as to why, it's more of a gut feeling or his subconscious. When the girl arrives though, everything gets even more complicated. She's the first girl ever to arrive at the maze and it's only a day after Thomas had arrived, way too close together. You can guess her arrival is not a good sign. Time is running out for the boys, tension rises, tough decisions need to be made and nothing is as it seems. 

I freaking loved this book. You don't get to know anything more than the characters, so you have all the same questions and no real answers. With every page turned, you hold your breath in anticipation of what might happen next. If possible you will want to read this in one sitting, as it is impossible to put down, you get so caught up in this journey. There is never any real time to sit back and absorb what just happened, because there's already a new development. The speed picks up during the story and by the end you'll be sprinting to finish this book. All in a good way of course.

This is the first book in the series I've finished and I would already recommend reading it entirely. That ending definitely has made me want more. I can not wait to start reading The Scorch Trials. The movie is coming out in a couple of week and I'm very curious how it's going to turn out. 

The Maze Runner - Reading order and purchase links

      

The Maze Runner: Amazon - Kindle

The Scorch Trials: Amazon - Kindle

The Death Cure: Amazon - Kindle

The Kill Order: Amazon - Kindle

The Author

James was born and raised in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. He has four kids, which some might think is too many but he thinks is just right. Once upon a time, James studied accounting and worked in the field of finance, but has been writing full time for several years. (He doesn’t miss numbers. At all.)

In his free time, James loves to read, watch movies and (good) TV shows, snow ski, and read. (Reading was mentioned twice on purpose.) Most of all, he’s thankful that he gets to make a living writing stories and considers himself pretty much the luckiest guy on the planet.

Connect with James Dashner:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads