The Maze Runner was not quite what I was expecting. In some ways, I found it better than the Hunger Games, because it was so very different. In the Hunger Games, the characters know what is happening. In the Maze Runner, they are clueless. Somehow that is a lot worse than seeing something coming. I know I shouldn't compare books, but I couldn't help it in this case.Thomas is a boy who wakes up in a enclosed box that is delivered to the The Glade - a sanctuary for a group of teenage boys who are locked in a maze. Not just any maze, but a maze that has creatures that defy horror and that seems to be insolvable. Worst of all, he has no memories of his life beforehand and neither do any of the others.When Thomas arrived that's when things changed. I liked Thomas. I thought he was a very human boy. He was determined and strong when he needed to be, but wasn't afraid to show his emotions when he was terrified. I found his dynamics to the group very interesting. When he first arrived he was only befriended by one person, but as the story went on, he made more friends, but he also made his share of enemies.There were strong supporting characters as well. Alby, Newt and Minho - to name a few. I really felt their character traits were better developed than most books I've read. I was not only rooting for Thomas, but also for them as well.Teresa was another character in the book, but I couldn't quite connect as well with her. She felt like she was just there to add the female element more than anything else. She was kind of central to some of the plot, but I really felt that another boy would have done just as well. I must admit that a tiny portion of the book was predictable and I wasn't surprised when it happened. To be honest, it was the only thing that could happen.The story to me was about the strength of never giving up, even though it seemed useless to continue. It is also a story about hope. The pace of the story was enjoyable. I didn't have time to get bored. There was too much going on, and every time I thought about doing something else, I couldn't put the book down. Although I've given this book 4 stars, to me, it's really 4.5. It really was a very enjoyable read and I will definitely be reading the next installment. The ending of this book has made it impossible for me not to.
