Title: The Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
Publisher/Year: Random House 9/13/11
Length: 379
Series: The Maze Runner #2

Overview

olving 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.

My Thoughts

So, to be completely honest, i picked up this book over a year ago and tried to read it, after i LOVED the Maze Runner.  i got about 60 pages in (and that took me 2 weeks which is very abnormal for me) and i put it down because i just could NOT get into it.  So, here we are – a while later and i’ve picked up the series again after seeing the movie The Maze Runner since i like to compare what changes were made.

It took me just about a day to re-read book 1 and remind myself why i loved it so much and then i said that i’d give it another go at book 2 – The Scorch Trials, and i have to say, i don’t know if it’s my mindset, my ability to focus, or it was just the right time, but it took me just over a day to read this book, and i really enjoyed it.

From the end of TMR – we knew that things were just getting started for the Gladers – while they felt that they were rescued and somewhat safe – they were in the hands of some folks that they weren’t sure that they could trust and realized that there really wasn’t anyone that they could trust – the rescuers or Wicked or anyone.

They arrive at a building of sorts where they are given food, clothes, time to rest which is needed after their escape from the Maze and the crazy ride to the campus, encounters Cranks – people who had been infected with The Flare and who’s brains were going crazy.

Once at the building, Theresa’s taken from the boys and that’s never good.  Upon waking up the next morning, they realize that they have been given tattoos noting them as Group A and some have designations like Minoh – The Leader and Thomas ‘To be killed by Group B’ .  Along with this, There’s a plaque outside there’s door that says ‘The Betrayer’ however….we learn that she’s not in the room.  there’s a boy named Aris in her place.  and he’s from Group B….that turns out to be all girls.  So a parallel of sorts.

So, along with the underlying plot of survival, we see the Thomas/Theresa dynamic get to be even more complicated.  Part of me the first time though that Theresa was a dream.  although we quickly learn that’s not the case.

A man shows up and gives them the direction to go through a transport between 6 and 605 the next morning and they have 2 wees to make it to a ‘safe haven’ where they will get the cure for The Flare – which they’ve all been infected with.

The bulk of this story takes us through the scorch – the journey with the groups to get to the haven – although we don’t truly encounter Group B until about 1/2 way through.  There’s a lot of betrayal though, Thomas who’s tried his best to hold onto the fact that he thinks he and Theresa had something great – well, she puts that on the line and some of the betrayals that she’s done.  I don’t know about anyone else, but while the Gladers were told to believe none of what they see and hear, i think that it’s hard to follow that, and i’m still not sold on what’s happened in the end – which is a great twist!

Along the journey, they also pick up Brenda and Jorge who are 2 cranks that help them somewhat through the city to get to where they need to go.  What first throws me off though is that when Thomas is hurt, she’s the one that made a call – and no one really questioned how that happened.  She says ‘i didn’t know what to do’ or something like that – but it’s all written off as Wicked just didn’t want anything to happen to Thomas.  This proves me a little correct as the story goes on, but i think that we’re going to see a lot more of her and Jorg as the series continues.

So where we are left in this 2nd installment is that some of A and B have made it to the Safe Haven and it’ll be up to them to survive from there since i think they are going to quickly see that the trials are not yet over.  What role will Aris and Theresa play in things, will Thomas be able to forgive Theresa – what’s Brenda’s role and what about Minoh/Newt?  I love those guys and can’t wait to see them step up too.

Now it’s on the The Death Cure – book 3 and i’ll hopefully find that it’s easier to read now than what i’d expected from before.  Enjoy!