The Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner

Okay, I've been VERY lax in my blog posting for the past month. I've been reading, just not reviewing what I'm reading. Well, it's about time to fix that. I recently read The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, and The Death Cure by James Dashner, and felt it fitting to review the entire 4 star trilogy in one post. I'll save his prequel The Kill Order for a later date, partly because it's a prequel to this series and partly because I haven't read it yet. Oh and SPOILER ALERT because I can't guarantee I'll be vague enough to not ruin the earlier books by discussing the later ones.

From B&N Discovers...
Imagine waking up one day in total darkness, unsure of where you are and unable to remember anything about yourself except your first name. You're in a bizarre place devoid of adults called the Glade. The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids -- the Runners -- venture into the labyrinth, trying to map the ever-changing pattern of walls in an attempt to find an exit from this hellish place. So far, no one has figured it out. And not all of the Runners return from their daily exertions, victims of the maniacal Grievers, part animal, part mechanical killing machines.

Thomas is the newest arrival to the Glade in this Truman-meets-Lord of the Flies tale. A motley crew of half a dozen kids is all he has to guide him in this strange world. As soon as he arrives, unusual things begin to happen, and the others grow suspicious of him. Though the Maze seems somehow familiar to Thomas, he's unable to make sense of the place, despite his extraordinary abilities as a Runner. What is this place, and does Thomas hold the key to finding a way out?

In The Maze Runner, Dashner has crafted a creative and engaging novel that's both mysterious and thought provoking.

My thoughts:
I should seriously have looked into this book a few years ago after I finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, because as much as I liked that series (well, the first book and a half, anyway), Dashner's trilogy far surpassed that. These three books never faltered in their fast pace and the level of involvement I felt with the characters, while Collins definitely rushed the third book in her series and its quality was severely affected. The Death Cure is probably my favorite of the trilogy, and while I have my faults with these books, I was utterly astounded at how much I enjoyed the books and most of all, the conclusion.

It's always refreshing when an author can create such realistic characters that you almost wish they truly existed. I couldn't help being completely involved in what was happening with the Gladers as they circumnavigated the Maze, then survived the Scorch and fought WICKED and all the dangers of the 'real world'. I found myself rooting for Thomas and Minho and all the others, then warring with myself as to whom Thomas should trust- Teresa and Aris, or 'Cranks' Jorge and Brenda? This was a fast paced trilogy that never stopped to give the reader any time to relax and breathe. That could be a problem, and at times I found myself wishing Dashner gave his characters a chance to gain their bearings without having more trials to go through, or people to debate whether or not to trust. They just couldn't catch a break, huh?

As much as I would have liked to see a bit more character development for the characters other than Thomas and Teresa, but of course I understand it's a bit hard to do that when the characters all lost their lives prior to entering the Glade. It was a quick read; I got through all three books in less than two weeks and would have liked to see it take just a little longer. All three of the Maze Runner books earned 4 out of 5 stars, and I definitely can't wait to get started on The Kill Order though :)

- Justin

Not a failure, just a delayed success... (?)

As you've all noticed, I haven't been getting around to my blog much this month. As excited as I was to start Nonfiction and Steampunk November, I overshot and didn't anticipate so much to happen this month. Between schoolwork, internship, work, and everything else, I haven't been able to fit as much time in for reading as I had hoped. Plus, I had started reading The Rise of Rome and got a hundred pages in but knew there was no way I'd be able to get it finished. As of right now, I'm continuing with both my challenges but taking my time with it now. I'll get some more reviews up as soon as possible, and hopefully get my challenges finished within some sort of timely manner...

- I gave up on The Rise of Rome by Anthony Everitt; I definitely overestimated my interest in nonfiction and feel like I started the month off with a textbook.
- I started No Easy Day by Mark Owen, an anonymous account of the raid that ended with Osama bin Laden's death in 2011. About a hundred pages in and loving it; it reads almost like a novel because it is so fast paced and unbelievable.
- Continuing my steampunk challenge, albeit at a much slower pace than one story a day. I'm about halfway through the anthology, so about a week behind on my readings. I still have a few to review as well, so look for those over the long holiday weekend.

Keep reading, and keep letting me know what you all think and want to see from me, it really means a lot when I get contacted by authors and readers who stop by my blog. Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving :D

- Justin

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

So, I've had a lot of people asking me when I was gonna get around to reviewing Rowling's new adult novel. HERE IT IS. And yes, I know it took long enough.

The Casual Vacancy is not the kind of book I would ever have picked up. Drama and politics in a small English town? No thanks. Of course, I'm a sucker for Harry Potter, so Rowling could have written about a rat colony and I would have snagged a copy. I must say, I'm pleased I did. I got to experience a new story, a new type of novel, and Rowling got herself 4 out of 5 stars for giving me such a pleasant surprise.

From the publisher:
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

My thoughts:
YES. This is a book for ADULTS. Within the first few pages, Rowling dropped the F bomb a couple times, and added some other colorful language. There is drugs, sex, and conflict, and the town of Pagford is nothing like Hogwarts. That being said, once I got over the initial shock of seeing some of these words in print, I was surprised at how quickly I was absorbed into the pages.

Few authors can pen a story like JK Rowling. She introduced a lot of characters into The Casual Vacancy, and while I still believe it was a bit much (think Game of Thrones perspective changes, only much more rapidly and unannounced), she was able to make these characters likable and fun to read about, even if they were shooting up or beating their wives. I mean, that takes a lot of skill.

The plot itself wasn't really anything to write home about; Barry Fairbrother dies in the midst of a zoning conflict regarding the 'projects' on the outskirts of town, and opposing sides of this debate fight over control over Barry's now vacant seat on the council. Oh and apparently, when a council member dies or is suddenly unable to perform his duties, this is called a casual vacancy. See? You DO learn from fictional stories. I was thrown off by several twists in the plot, and sudden developments and events. Rowling keeps the story interesting even when it seems like it shouldn't be quite so eventful.

I had a great time reading The Casual Vacancy, even though it definitely wasn't what I had initially expected from JK Rowling. I was very impressed, and it is clear that Rowling is a force to be reckoned with, even without harnessing the power of the Harry Potter series anymore.

- Justin

Steampunk Catchup! SP 6, 7, and 8

So, I'm gonna go ahead and blame the bad weather for my inability to keep up with my blog. And Dr. Who on Netflix, too. I have power, and I've been reading, and here's a little bit of catchup. I shall have the rest for ya tomorrow.

SP 6: Clockwork Fairies by Cat Rambo

This was a fun little story. Claude seeks to engage his fiancé in society a little more, while Desiree is more content with simply building her clockwork machines. And, she seems to get what she wants from 'Lord Tyndall' in the end.

While I understand this is the 19th century, latest, Claude was kind of set in his perspectives on his fiancé. Black, independent woman, and he wants to integrate her and make her a model wife. I'm not against a good compromise, but this would have been a pretty one handed relationship if you ask me. I'm glad that Desiree got to go off and be happy though, that made for a bittersweet ending.

SP 7: The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jala-ud-din Muhammad Akbar by Shweta Narayan

By far my favorite story so far in this anthology, because it was such a moral story about beauty breeding narcissism and suffering. The Artificer was a creature of such wisdom, and her story was moving and sad, even though the characters were all machines. Their heart strings though! So very sad. I don't even know what to write about this story, I just really enjoyed it. Definitely recommended.

SP 8: Prayers of Forges and Furnaces by Aliette de Bodard

Interesting combination of steampunk, technology, and religion/gods. Took me a while to really understand, but it was a pretty good story once I got the hang of it :P basically my understanding is that the machine 'overlords' or the machines in charge, aren't overly fond of the human gods of old. When Tezoca arrives, it forces Xochipil to decide between the two. It was difficult for me to really hold onto this story, but it was interesting how Xochipil informs the 'hierarchy' of Tezoca, but then helps him when she finds him in the desert. She just doesn't know what she wants, does she? I wouldn't trust machines, so hopefully they aren't taking over anytime soon..

I know these were rather brief but I've had a lot going on lately, so I'm just pleased I'm still finding the time to relax and read a little bit. Still working on The Rise of Rome, which is interesting but I'm still not in the proper mindset for a nonfiction book.. Well, we shall see how my month of nonfiction books goes :)

- Justin