***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

Honestly, I cannot say that I expected this to be spectacular after reading The Maze and The Scorch Trials. The writing was extremely repetitive throughout the series. Nearly every chapter had Thomas thinking something then "pushing it out of his mind". Even though I found that annoying I kept reading. The story line was enjoyable and I was looking forward to see how it would all play out.

As for this book in particular I was frustrated too many times to count. But here are my top three. 1) Thomas refusing to get his memories back. Although I understand what Dashner was trying to convey, it was utterly disappointing not to have so many questions answered. 2) When Thomas and Brenda were seperated from the remaining Gladers in the Underneath why did he not at least TRY to contact Aris with his telepathy? 3) Since only the most intelligent were supposed to be in the Trials why was Thomas so completely stupid? This is most evident when he is in the coffee shop and he reveals that he is a Munie to the Red Shirt, even though he had been warned several times prior to this encounter that this should never be revealed!

When the end came I was left disgruntled at the lack of explanations which left many loose ends, however, there were some explanations but most were haphazard at best. As for the ending itself it was just a little too "Hollywood" for my tastes.

I do understand that there is a prequel to be released and I will read that as well in the hopes that the questions I (and likely many other readers) still have will be answered.

I read the first book a few years ago, and did not enjoy it that much. The plot was cool but slow. The ending was too gorry with vivid description of death and battles. Normally I would be go for with battles and actions but everything was overdone.
When I finally got around reading the second book, it was brilliant. Sure, there was few gross head-cutting description but it was suspenseful. I never knew what danger was going to appear in the scorch. To tell you the truth I was scared of reading the book at night, but it was a good kind of scare.
The ending of the second was really good, frustrating but good. I immediatly wanted to read the last book but didn't get a chance until now.

The third book started out REALLY boring. James seemed to force some action into it by describing awesome guns and the fight between the guards and the children. It was not working. :(
When the children finally get to see what the world was like, it was just as boring as the most boring part in the second book, which was when Brenda and Thomas was at that stupid club. BORING! Oh, this reminds me of the stupid back and forth of Thomas' relationship between the two girls. Thomas was such a winer! Oh, I hate Teressa because she betrayed me. Oh I feel for Brenda but I don't know, she betrayed me too. I got sooooo sick of this and that was just few chapters in (this is extremely bad when the chapters are short).
I also did not like how the plot slowed because of Newt. I'm not going to say anymore....
I did not have a connection between the book. When people died, I felt that I did not care at all whether they died or suffered. I have to say that I was caught off guard by the closing section of the book but it didn't make up some of the disappointing parts in the book.
The ending was predictable after it was revealed, if you know what I mean. It was a quasi-original ending. You will think that "oh cool, wait, that is a lot of the Hollywood movie endings...boo?"

There were sad, surprising, and scary parts but overall, it was not as good as the second one but I guess it was ok a book.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

PS: a better trilogy got to be Atherton trilogy by Patrick Carman.

Where to begin? Well, I've been anticipating this novel ever since I've started reading the trilogy. I really wanted to learn more about the Flare and its "cure". Sadly, not much is revealed that wasn't already known. We know about the Flare from previous novels, and whatever we knew about the cure beforehand is all we'll really know.

The third book begins around a month after Thomas has been sent to a white room, and we learn that the boys have been infected by the Flare. Now, that was a real good twist because it shows that the Flare is deadly and even the Gladers can catch it. The real reason why these boys and girls are so special is because they are not showing symptoms to the Flare. They're immune to its effects and are called "Munies".

Considering that Thomas is the main charcter, he decides not to get his memories restored as he does not want to know why he was involved with WICKED at all. I kind of wanted Thomas to get his memories restored as I have so many thoughts on whether WICKED is good or not. But the readers are left in the dark and will not know the real deal about WICKED until the very end. Literally the last line of the novel.

Thomas, Minho, Newt, Brenda, and Jorge escape from WICKED not wanting to deal with the lies and half truths anymore. They find sanctuary in Denver, Colorado where Munies are living and working. Also, there's a man there that is able to take out the devices in the Gladers that lets WICKED control them.

The group learn that Munies are disappearing from all around the world and everything points to WICKED. And WICKED is desperate in getting Thomas back as he is the last piece to finding the Flare's cure.

Throughout the middle of the novel, we get more information on WICKED and what the Flare really is. I enjoyed the information as I was still in the dark about these two things. I did not enjoy the quick pace because I felt like the entire novel took place in a matter of a week. I also felt that nothing was really being done in the third book. All the action and fighting against WICKEd happen in the last few chapters. But because there's so much being done in those chapters I felt like everything I was reading was passing in a blur.

The cure of the Flare is no real cure at all. WICKED was trying to fnd the cure, but used all those trials the boys went through as a test. A test whether the boys were showing clues of the Flare. Their results did not help WICKED find a cure for the Flare. There is no cure to the Flare, just a cure to protect mankind.

What I did enjoy was the little play on words at the end. WICKED and everyone else was trying to figure out how to cure the Flare, but in reality the solution was standing right in front of them. There is no cure, but there is a way for the world to one day prosper again. That's where the boys come in and it truly is a happy ending other than all the deaths.

This book ended very well, and had many moments that were heart pounding , and made me sit on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this book to people who love a book that full of action and like a little bit of love in their books as well.

I really enjoyed this third installment of The Maze Runner Series. It was satisfying and exciting. Like the other books, it was tough talking, action packed and full of mystery. Again, there are Cranks, who are people infected by the deadly Flare virus. I like this kind of take on zombies and the dilemmas dealing with them. The book started off fast and managed to give a lot of back story from the other books without seeming repetative or overly narrative.

Thomas grew in this book, though there were a few times where I thought he did reckless things just because he was not thinking properly. Maybe that makes him more human. There was one point I just wanted to yell at him to stop what he was doing. He gets faced with some tough decisions and not everything is completely rectified for him, which is interesting.

The friendships were done really well and were, for me, some of the best parts of the book.

There are so many juicy plot twists and moral issues that come up in this book that it keeps the reader turning pages. Then there are times when I felt that everything goes from bad to worse to even worse. Then, just for fun, even worse than that. Certainly, near the end of the book, I was rivited, waiting to see what would happen next. Some things also come full circle, which is quite satisfying and I have to say that I liked the ending, but won't say any more than that.

I would recommend this series for late middle school and young adult readers and think that it will especially appeal to boys.

This final book in The Maze Runner trilogy picks up right where The Scorch Trials left off. Thomas is in a white padded room, contemplating something interesting...

"It was the smell that began to drive Thomas slightly mad. Not being alone for over three weeks. Not the white walls, ceiling and floor."

James Dashner definitely brought his A game back when writing The Death Cure. All the minor things that annoyed the heck out of me in The Scorch Trials was smoothed over by the fabulous writing and story-telling in this conclusion. It was an amazingly awesome wrap-up to this exciting and enjoyable series.

I don't want to give too much away, because I know nothing ruins my day more than stumbling across a nasty spoiler that drives me crazy for days on end...but I just have to say that I absolutely adore a writer who is not afraid to kill off main characters if and when it needs to be done. And to do it right! I mean, not just kill them to get a reaction, and not just for a matter of convenience sake, but because this character MUST die for things to be right with the world, and the story (if that even makes sense to you...it does to me...at least in my head...).

That comradeship that was built in The Maze Runner comes back into play in The Death Cure and you see, and feel, how important these relationships these characters have built with each other are, and how fragile they can become when push comes to shove. You care about these characters and what can, and does, happen to them. They are almost like family now!

The chapters, as always, were kept short, yet involved, which keeps the readers interested and coming back for more. Overall it was an amazing story that I am glad I got the opportunity to read and review. The ending cleared up almost all outstanding issues and I was really impressed with the series as a whole.

I recommend this book, and this series, to everyone!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Maze Runner when I picked it up at my local Chapters, and the premise was a-maze-ingly well set up! The characters were interesting, I was unsure of what lurked behind each corner (literally and figuratively :D), and the ending had all of the surprises that kept me begging for the release of "The Scorch Trials" and "The Death Cure." However, the excitement dwindled for me when it came to the release of "The Death Cure."

I'm quite sad to say that the book simply had nothing to offer in terms of twists and excitements that the first book offered. I had such hope for the series, and the linear plot line and forced emotions just simply did not click for me. It seemed as if each event was just put in place to give a glaringly obvious clue as to where the story was going next, and it killed me to see the vast world created ironically transitioned me as a reader from a rat in a maze to a dog being led on a leash. The ending of the book simply did not leave anything to the imagination and just left me feeling as if the rug had been pulled from under me.

I understand that some may have given the book glowing reviews as some people may have loved the previous books that preceded and had to finish the series (as was my case), but I simply did not see anything in the book worth recommending to anyone that has read the first book and loved it. I just hope that James Dashner has something else to offer in the future that piqued my interest as "The Maze Runner" did, but unfortunately, the series was ruined by sloppy writing and linear story telling in "The Death Cure."

In terms of other recommendations, I would advise reading "The Maze Runner" and leaving the series at the end of that book (reader discretion advised if continuing on :/). For what I feel to be brilliant reads, the Bartimaeus Trilogy offers exciting and intriguing story lines and absolutely fleshed out characters. I simply cannot emphasize through words the emotions I feel in how great the trilogy really is! The Hunger Games offers a story for audiences a little more mature, but the premise and captivation it holds still keeps me thinking to this day.

The Good Stuff

* Exciting, non stop wild ride of a book
* Thomas is a likable protagonist, a tad too -- what's that word you cool kids use -- EMO for my taste, but still likable
* Fabulous secondary characters
* Totally cried my eyes out during one scene -- will not spoil don't worry -- but bring some tissue
* Story totally kept you guessing at all times, never knew what was going to happen next
* Love the dark humour
* Hopeful ending - does leave it open ended, so he could go back and continue with the story
* Hated having to put the book down, but I have responsibilities that have to come first, but it was a struggle to put down
* Discovered I really enjoy YA from a male point of view (tends to be less angsty which is hard to read when you are my age - oh gee which boy should I choose - ick ick ick)

The Not So Good Stuff

* a tad disappointed by the ending, but that is a just a personal note, shouldn't affect your reading of it
* some holes in the story and some things that don't make complete sense, but not overly bad, just could be me being picky

Favorite Quotes/Passages


"She was .... a mom. You know, she loved me, cared about me, worried about me."


"I don't blame you for anything," Thomas said. "You saw what I'd done for WICKED when you went through the Changing. I wouldn't have trusted me, either. And I know you didn't want to kill Chuck. Just don't plan on hugs every time I see you."

"The feeling's mutual."


"Good that. And the cure for the Flare's gonna fly out of your butt any second."

"Who knows, maybe it will. Might smell funny though."


"All right, then," the man said. "Follow me. And remember, if any of your body parts become detached due to an unfortunate encounter with a Crank, I highly advise you to leave said body part behind and run like hell. Unless it's a leg, of course."


Who Should/Shouldn't Read

* Obviously for fans of the rest of the trilogy, wouldn't recommend reading unless you have read first two books
* Will appeal to both male and female readers

4.5 Dewey's


I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review -- thanks guys this was a fabulous ride - will be keeping this series for Jake to enjoy in a couple of years

Wow. WOW. This was amazing! I was blown away with The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials but the final book in this series really exceeded all my expectations.

Thomas has escaped the maze. He escaped the Scorch. But things aren't over yet. WICKED still wants him and his friends to help in their search for creating a cure for the Flare. But can they really be trusted this time? Can WICKED really be good?

Somehow, I forgot what a fantastic job Dashner does in keeping these stories intense and exciting. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, following Thomas as he navigated the halls of Wicked headquarters or dark city streets. Almost every chapter ends with a mini cliffhanger of its own, making it near impossible to put down. I kept telling myself 'one more chapter, then I'll take a break' but it just didn't work!

In The Death Cure we get a much bigger picture of how the world has changed since the Flare virus was accidentally released. People are segregated into 'sick and not sick' and tensions are extremely high as governments try to control the increasingly frustrated survivors. Life has become so difficult and Thomas begins to wonder if WICKED are as close to the cure as they say and whether or not he should help. He has to make such difficult decisions and I really admired how much he rose to the challenges he's faced with and the intense camaraderie he's formed with his fellow Gladers.

Along with the fantastic action, I loved learning more about the main characters. Thomas, Minho and Newt, close friends who have been through so much, and they have to deal with even more hardship. Theresa and her actions have left Thomas as confused as ever, and I too was left unsure of what to believe. And Brenda, who Thomas got to know back in the Scorch is back and telling him to trust her. I found there was so much to doubt in this book. Doubt about people, their actions, their promises, about WICKED and what they stood for. I didn't know who was lying and who was really trying to help, and this made being with Thomas as he struggled with the same doubts even more engaging.

I found myself flying through the last few chapters, as everything was happening in a flurry of action, eager but also dreading to see how it would end. It was very...calm, and after the chaos that's been rampant throughout the series, it was a positively perfect conclusion.

Bottom Line
The Death Cure is an amazing end to this series. If you haven't yet read The Maze Runner, I urge you to pick it up. It's such an action packed series and following this group of teens rise up to overcome their captors and struggle to discover the truth behind WICKED is a story that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Just awesome, highly recommended!

Review from my blog: http://allofeverythingforyou.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-death-cure-by-james-dashner.html

James Dashner has never failed to take me completely by surprise. I don't think I ever could have imagined the epic scale of this frightening dystopian world back when I first began reading The Maze Runner long ago. And yet, the stakes have never been higher for the series! So many possible events were already being foreshadowed in my mind trying to think of what could possibly happen in the final novel... but I don't think I ever could have been ready for The Death Cure!

The time for playing along with WICKED is over and Thomas is ready to fight back. With endless resources, escaping WICKED's clutches isn't going to be easy for Thomas and his friends, but they need to try anyways. And even though Teresa says WICKED is good, Thomas isn't quite ready to believe her words... not after what she did to him during the Scorch Trials. I literally couldn't put down The Death Cure until I was finished! In between all the thrilling and suspenseful events, there's a sense of urgency in Dashner's words as he led readers to the novel's inevitable conclusion.

I've always admired Thomas for his courage and his ability to think straight in dire situations. He's tired of the lies and manipulation which WICKED always seems to spin, and wants to forget he ever had a role in helping them before... even if it was for the greater good of finding a cure to the Flare. In a world gone mad like his, there are difficult decisions needed to be made in order to survive, but Thomas also understood the importance of loyal friends and teamwork too. It's another reason why I was filled with trepidation as I read along because no one is safe from death in these books... and I was scared to find out who I would have to say goodbye to next.

Heart-pounding and ever so exciting, you'll be holding your breath as you reach the final pages of The Death Cure. As for sighing in relief afterwards though? Well, you'll just have to discover that on your own. Let's just say I was left in a state of shock, blinking in disbelief as I was left reeling from all the events which had passed... Just like its predecessors, The Death Cure is intense until the very end!

You escaped the Maze. You completed the Scorch Trials. It's now time for... The Death Cure.

You can also read this review at:
http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.com/2011/10/death-cure-by-james-dashner.html

I was really excited for this book, and now that I'm done, I don't quite know what to say about it. It was definitely good - action packed, quick moving and not predictable. I kept waiting for those kind of calm chapters that seem like it'd be a good place to leave off at...but it didn't come for me, and I finished the book late at night because I was so enraptured.
The impacts of the twists and turns actually only hit me in the morning.
But that being said, it was really rather sad...and not my favourite of the trilogy. Still a five star book though as it definitely evokes strong feelings in the reader.

HOLY SHUCK!!! This book is awesome!! I got the book yesterday but thanks to darn things like work getting in the way I just finished it a day later. I could not put it down, 400 pages of suspense. Did Thomas get out of the white walls?, did they find the other Gladers? did Teresa stab him in the back AGAIN? is WICKED good? all while they have to fight with a city of Cranks with electric grenades, guns and hand to hand combat with the help of some old friends and new friends. Also having to fight with flare which leads to the Oh My God part of the book that made me to cry and throw the book across the room all at the same time but the story wasn't over. WICKED was still after them and Thomas had to decide if he was going to give in or to keep on fighting.