THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (October 12, 2010)
Language: English
Rating: YY 1/2

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?

REVIEW

When I picked up THE SCORCH TRIALS I knew I was in for a "WICKED" ride of a read, especially considering how it's series predecessor, THE MAZE RUNNER ended and totally flipped my world. I braced myself for the unexpected, was totally armed and yet I was still left perplexed and with a mild headache (will explain later) by the turn of events that unfolded before my very eyes.

THE SCORCH TRIALS begins hours after Thomas and the rest of the Gladers have been rescued and they believe that they are rewarded for solving the maze by the soft beds they now lie on and the food in their bellies. Yet, when they awaken they soon realize that their new surroundings are not as miraculous as they would believe and that something has gone horribly wrong. It is not long before they receive an unnerving visitor that informs the Gladers of their next objective that makes solving the maze seem like child's play. What ensues is mind blogging and unbelievable.

I enjoyed reading THE MAZE RUNNER and I could not wait to read it's sequel so you could imagine how eagerly I dived into THE SCORCH TRIALS. Within the first few chapters I was left with my mouth open and my mind buzzing. Then as the story progressed I became a bit confused...alright I admit, alot confused. I tried to make sense of what I was reading, but the more I tried the more my head ached. I enjoy being challenged and surprised but i dislike reading a story that leaves me with more questions than answers and that is exactly how I felt as I read THE SCORCH TRIALS. From Thomas' dreams to those infected with the scorch and then the ultimate surprise betrayel that was NOT a surprise. ARRRGGG!! and do not get me started on the ending. At that point I just banged my head against the book hoping to gain a bit more through the power of osmosis but it did not happen. I have to give James Dashner props for the originality of certain concepts

but it wasn't enough for me this time.

Who is WICKED? What is their ultimate goal? When are Thomas and the Gladers going to find out about the truth and what it means for everyone? Now that is something I wished I knew more about by the end of THE SCORCH TRIALS but unfortunately I will still have these questions and more to carry over until the next and final book in the series. Yet, although I enjoyed the suspense and originality of this series I don't know if I have the energy to continue.