Warning: The Scorch Trials is the second book in The Maze Runner series, so this blog post will definitely contain spoilers about The Maze Runner, which is the first book in the series. This blog post may contain minor spoilers about The Scorch Trials as well.
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner is the sequel to The Maze Runner. Last we saw the Gladers in The Maze Runner, they had finally escaped the maze, thinking they had finally found a safe place to escape to. However, in The Scorch Trials, the Gladers find out that they had escaped only to discover that they are part of a test filled with trials. Now, they are going to be thrown into another trial, hence the name, The Scorch Trials. With twists and turns, betrayals and alliances, and many mysteries, The Scorch Trials really proves to be an amazing and thrilling read.
Like The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials never lets you rest. If you think you figured out the mysteries in the story, you will most likely be proven wrong. As the events unfold, facts turn into lies, and what seemed to be lies turn into facts. Situations are often turned upside down in crazy and unexpected ways. For example, throughout the book, characters who the protagonist, Thomas, thought he could trust suddenly turn against Thomas. It's hard to tell whether these characters are Thomas's allies or foes, and this huge uncertainty creates a very exciting and thrilling experience for the reader. Each event reveals something about either the characters or the plot, and most of the time, these events are incredibly surprising.
Not only do Thomas's relationships with other characters create a mysterious ambiance, but the plot twists and turns like a rollercoaster. You never know what is going to come next, which adds to the excitement of reading the book. It's thrilling to always be on your toes, wondering what is going to happen next. The unpredictable plot stimulates many different emotions such as excitement, anger, shock, sorrow, and many other emotions. Reading the book truly is an emotional roller-coaster.
My only complaint about the book is that in the middle, the plot tends to progress quite slowly. It really tested my patience because I am the kind of person who likes to read fast-paced books. However, this slow progress can be justified. (Minor spoiler alert.) During this part of the story, Thomas was separated from the Gladers, forcing him to tread onward with one other character, Brenda. The slow pacing of this part matches how slow the journey felt to Thomas. This part also creates some suspense, making you wonder more and more about what will happen next. Will they find the Gladers again? Will they find a way out of this treacherous trial? Will they survive?
In addition, the ending makes reading this slow-paced part of the book worth it. The suspense finally leads to the exhilarating climax and ending that leaves you hanging upside down and wanting to read the next book. It brings up many questions to the reader that will only be explained in the next and final installment of the series. It brings up problems that the reader will surely want to know how they are resolved in the next book. The ending is jam-packed with action, much like the battle scenes against the monsters called Grievers in The Maze Runner. The author writes these action-packed scenes in such great detail that it makes it easy to visualize what is going on. This makes reading the story like watching a movie.
Overall, I think The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner series itself are amazing books. If you have already read The Maze Runner and liked it, but you didn't feel motivated to pick up The Scorch Trials, then I highly recommend you pick it up. The book truly breaks the commonly known stereotype that sequels are usually worse than the original. The Scorch Trials lives up to the expectations set by The Maze Runner. If you love books that provide an emotional rollercoaster, have action-packed scenes that make reading the book like watching a movie, and leave you wanting to learn more, then The Maze Runner series is the perfect series for you.
I've already read the Maze Runner but haven't gotten to the sequels yet. I thought the Maze Runner would be boring when I started it but it proved me wrong. James Dashner is making the plot of his books dash through a complicated maze of events, ideas and plot twists.
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