Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)
Author: James Dashner
ISBN: 978-0-385-73795-1
Book Details: Paperback, 375 pages
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

EVERYTHING IS GOING THE CHANGE…

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is empty.

But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surround them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the Maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas’ arrival. But the next day, a girl is sent up — the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might find their way home…wherever that may be. But it’s looking more nad more as if the Maze is unsolvable.

And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers — if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets looked within his own mind.
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When I started reading The Maze Runner I was excited by the blurb on the back of the book. As I continued through the book I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of character development. By the end of the book I really only felt a strong attachment to one character, Chuck, and he was in more of a supporting role than anything.

I did find Dashner’s dystopian world where staying out past dark is akin to suicide, and your every move is being watched and analyzed by the unseen Creators, to be really well-developed.

Nearing the end of the book, I found myself frantically attempting to work out the clues, flipping back to earlier parts of the book to check if I had missed any details that would help me figure out the puzzle before the characters did.

 

If you’re looking for a new series, I would recommend checking out this book.

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Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

I watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 last week. I wanted to write a post about it right after I saw it, but I haven’t been able to come up with what to say.

I didn’t start reading Harry Potter until the 3rd book was released, but when I finished that book I begged my mom to buy me the first 2 books. I was hooked. After that point I spent my time thinking about Harry Potter and the magical world that he lived in. I waited with eager anticipation for the release of the next book, and the next book, and the next book. I have read all 7 of the books, plus the 2 companion books (Quidditch Through The Ages & Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them), as well as The Tales of Beetle the Bard numerous times. I own all of the movies on DVD and have watched them all numerous times as well.

In addition to the above, I have read fan fiction, participated in Harry Potter related RPGs, watched A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel, etc.

Needless to say, I am a Potter addict.

While I know that there is still the Pottermore website to look forward to (in fact, I have successfully registered for the early Beta test version), the fact that there won’t be another book or movie to look forward to is still quite saddening.

Harry Potter has definitely been a huge part of my life for over a decade and I will miss the constant anticipation for the next thing to be released. On the bright side, any time I’m missing any of my favorite characters or moments, I can always crack open one of the books and return to the place that has always made me feel safe and comfortable.

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I should go check my e-mail, see if I have received my Pottermore welcome e-mail yet…

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So Many Books, So Little Time

UPDATED!

 

I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I might have to return some of these books to the library without reading them. I just don’t seem to have enough time to get through them all. Currently I have the following books out:

Basic Math and Pre-Algebra by Robert Miller

Contact by Carl Sagan

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

How I Write by Janet Evanovich

Why Does E=mc2? And Why Should We Care by Brian Cox

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon

New X-Men by Grant Morrison

*I also have another 10 books on hold!

Needless to say, I have to prioritize which books I will read, and in what order.

I haven’t been updating this blog nearly as often as I had intended, so in addition to catching up on my reading, I’m going to make sure that writing more makes its way higher up my priority list.

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Please enjoy this dis-related GIF.

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UPDATE:

In the mean time, I did finish a book that wasn’t on the above list (The Maze Runner by James Dashner –  I quite liked it), and I wanted to update the book list.

 

Basic Math and Pre-Algebra by Robert Miller

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

How I Write by Janet Evanovich

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

Levianthan by Scott Westerfeld

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

The Magician by Michael Scott

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Why Does E=mc2? And Why Should We Care by Brian Cox

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon

New X-Men by Grant Morrison

World of Geekcraft: Step-by-Step Instructions for 25 Super-Cool Craft Projects by Susan Beal

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I really need to stop putting books on hold…

Nerdist Podcast #109: Live at SDCC ’11 w/ Matt Smith, Karen Gillan & Wil Wheaton!

 

 

 

Nerdist Podcast #109: Live at SDCC ’11 w/ Matt Smith, Karen Gillan & Wil Wheaton!

Check it out it’s the coolest thing in the world…seriously.

 

via Nerdist Podcast #109: Live at SDCC ’11 w/ Matt Smith, Karen Gillan & Wil Wheaton!.

 

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Book Review: The First Days by Rhiannon Frater

Title: The First Days (As The World Dies: A Zombie Trilogy, #1)
Author: Rhiannon Frater
ISBN: 978-0-7653-3126-7
Book Details: Trade Paperback, 336 pages
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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I received a free advance copy via Goodreads Giveaways.

The zombies in Rhiannon Frater’s The First Days (As The World Dies) are not ones that you would want banging on your windows when the world is ending. They’re strong, they’re fast and they adapt. This is a fact that Katie and Jenni learn quickly when they are ripped from their own separate lives and thrust together in a struggle for survival as they leave the city behind and drive through rural Texas.

On their way to what will become their destination, they make friends and alliances, mount rescue missions and possibly find love.

 

‘The First Days’ is evenly paced and incorporates horror and comedy fantastically. Reading this book, I could almost feel the heat of the sun on my skin and hear the twang in the voices.

If you are a fan of zombies, I would definitely recommend you check out ‘The First Days’, the first in Rhiannon Frater’s zombie trilogy.

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Currently Reading: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor and (and Earth) was made available to humanity –

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

It’s an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards, to make way for a new hyperspace bypass, and his best friend has just announced that he’s an alien. At this moment, they’re hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words:

DON’T PANIC

The weekend has only just begun…

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I am throughly enjoying this book! I am only 18% done, but I am loving every bit of this story. I am starting it with a fair idea of what takes place because I have already watched the movie twice, but nothing really compares to reading the book.

If you have never had the fortune to read any of Douglas Adams‘ work, I would highly recommend that you check out his short-story entitled Cookies, which is an excerpt from “The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time”.

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Have a fantastic day!

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Welcome to Edmonton; mosquito capital of Canada.

Rajesh Koothrappali: “Come on, Sheldon. I want to go outside, let’s go outside. Outside is good.”
Sheldon Cooper: “If outside is so good, why has man spent thousands of years perfecting inside?”
Rajesh Koothrappali: “I don’t know. It’s a marketing scheme?”

(The Big Bang Theory)

I am not exactly what you would call an “outdoors-y” person.  If I must be outside, I prefer to stay in the shade (tanning never seems to work out properly for me) and I intensely dislike the feeling of sand or grass between my toes; but what I dislike the most about the outdoors are the bugs.

Honestly, it’s not that I don’t understand the importance of bugs to the ecosystem. I don’t even dislike all bugs, just the ones that insist on flying around my head over and over, and the ones that bite/sting; none more so than mosquitoes.

If you don’t live in Edmonton now, you might not really understand what I’m talking about, so to give you an idea: this past week, there were more than 560 mosquitoes per trap in Edmonton, almost 19 times more than last week, when there were 30. The previous title holder, Winnipeg, had just six per trap.

If all of this wasn’t bad enough, I happen to be one of those lucky people who naturally attract mosquitoes more than the average person. In fact, in the short time I spent outside yesterday during the day and the few hours I spend on my 2nd floor balcony in the evening, by the end of the day I counted 14 new bites.

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In conclusion, I hate mosquitoes and they make me want to cry.

I hope you had a fantastic, bug-free weekend (unless bugs are your thing, because that’s cool too).

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Currently Reading: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

RULE #3

Don’t stare at invisible faeries.

RULE #2

Don’t speak to invisible faeries.

RULE #1

Don’t ever attract their attention.

Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the moral world. When the rules that have kept Aislinn safe from them stop working, everything is suddenly on the line: her freedom: her best friend, Seth: her life: everything.

Faery intrigue, moral love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning twenty-first century faery tail.

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I’m currently about 1/3 of the way through at this point. It’s not quite as compelling as I had originally hoped. I’ve been reading for about 4 days now, which is unusually slow progress to be honest.

Some of the situations that are being used as solutions to various problems in the story come across as being a bit convenient. Personally, I think the story line could be more interesting if things weren’t simply being handed to Aislinn quite as much.

Anyway, I’ll keep reading and see how it goes.

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UPDATE: So, I’ve finished reading this book and I’m glad I stuck with it. While it wasn’t the greatest book I have ever laid eyes on, it was entertaining and the plot did begin to pick up shortly after the 1/3 mark.

I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Brain Crack is my anti-drug

“Brain Crack”

It’s a concept that originated on YouTube that basically says that if you come up with an idea for something and you don’t ever do anything with it, you just obsess over it and it becomes like crack; but for your brain.

I wanted to share with you a few things that have become my brain crack:

My “novel”

I have had an idea in my head for about a year for a novel that I want to write, I have written and re-written the beginning of the first chapter. This makes me sad.

Making YouTube videos

This is something that I have wanted to do for roughly 4 years now. The reason I haven’t gotten around to it is that I think my integrated webcam is really low quality and never seem to get around to buying a digital camcorder (basically, I make up excuses).

Make handmade items to sell on the interwebs

Basically, I am a) lazy and b) not as crafty as I like to think I am. This one also makes me a bit sad. I need to work on being more crafty.

There are some other smaller ones, but those are the main bosses that I have yet to defeat.

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That’s about it for now. Enjoy the rest of the week and check back soon for updates.

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P.S. Here is the video that first introduced me to Brain Crack:

Video is NSFW due to language!

(Alex Day/nerimon is awesome and you should subscribe to his YouTube)

 

UPDATE: I finally found the original video introducing brain crack to the world: “washington, ideas, brain crack”  by zefrank (also NSFW due to language).