Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Maze Cutter by James Dashner Narrator: Mark Deakins
Series: Maze Cutter #1, Maze Runner #6
Published by Tantor Audio on October 1, 2022
Genres: Dystopia
Length: 8 hours, 47 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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Seventy-three years after the events of The Death Cure, when Thomas and other immunes were sent to an island to survive the Flare-triggered apocalypse, their descendants have thrived. Sadina, Isaac, and Jackie all learned about the unkind history of the Gladers from The Book of Newt and tall tales from Old Man Frypan, but when a rusty old boat shows up one day with a woman bearing dark news of the mainland--everything changes. The group and their islander friends are forced to embark back to civilization where they find Cranks have evolved into a more violent, intelligent version of themselves. The islanders are hunted by the Godhead, the Remnant Nation, and scientists with secret agendas. When they cross paths with an orphan named Minho from the Remnant Nation, the dangers become real and they don't know who they can trust. The islanders will have to survive long enough to figure out why they are being targeted, who is friend or foe, and what the Godhead has planned for the future of humanity.
The Maze Cutter, the first book in the new trilogy The Maze Cutter, is set about 73 years in the future from the Maze Runner series and if you are like me you probably read that series at least 5-8 years ago and have forgotten most of the story lines other than apocalyptical world, weird stuff that doesn’t make any sense until it sorta does and a crazy conclusion. Unless, you watched the movies that came out that deviated a bit from the books, then you may remember more. So jumping back into that world, I was hoping to get some reminders from the original trilogy to jog my memory and there are a few but I don’t think this is a series you will really understand or enjoy if you don’t have that base knowledge from the first trilogy.
The original survivors of the Maze runner trilogy escaped to an Island to thrive and have new generations. Only a few of the old timers are left, Frypan being one of them. But the descendants have continued on and now there is a new set of teens who will be thrown into the mainland and changes the people living there have undergone. From what we piece together, it appears there are three different factions at play and all of them are looking for the descendants of the maze for different reasons.
The Godhead people live on top of the original site of the Maze and almost worship it. We get a PoV from one character from the Godhead and her thoughts on taking it over completely. But there wasn’t a lot of development of her character other than vague utterances and some other weird thing. I think those people have had some form of the flare and have mutated some powers based on it. Then there is the Remnant Nation, who want to destroy the Godhead. The Remnant Nation has a few moments in it that make it seem very cult like in a lot of ways but the most interesting PoV came from that nation, Mingho. There is a set of scientists it is hinted at out there somewhere too but no PoVs from them yet.
With around 20 characters introduced, only a few of them had PoVs but it was difficult to connect to any of the characters in such a short time. Mingho has the best development coming out of his cult to find Roxy who treats him like a son and helps to make him more human. The rest of the Glader’s descendants are kind of just there and when a few died I couldn’t remember why they came on the journey or who they were to any of the characters who survived.
If you liked the Maze Runner, I think there are some gems in this for you. Specifically notes from Newt’s diary and seeing how he went on after being infected to live a life and have some kids. It was cool seeing how those on the Island lived for a time in peace. But there isn’t much development beyond that. When we finally see the cranks, some are mindless and others have pulled themselves out of that to be better. There isn’t a lot of exploration of the world and what there is, just left a lot of questions.
This is a good foundation book for some revelations in the rest of the series and I hope Dashner sorts out his characters a little more to make sure they aren’t just cut outs of the characters from the original series. Interesting story and I will continue with the series in hopes it goes somewhere new and exciting.
“We don’t know what we’re dealing with Isaac. We grew up in a happy little bubble on a fairy island. We have no idea how the real world works..”
Narration:
Mark Deakins was the narrator for the original Maze Runner trilogy so that was a bit like coming home to a voice you know for the world. He was a perfect find to continue the story. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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I enjoyed the first two Maze Runner movies, but never managed to finish watching (or reading) the series. I’d probably be really lost in this book.
I think as long as you read the first 2 you’d be okay but it would tell you what happened to the kids in the maze
I have not read the Maze Runner series so it is good to know that I would need to read those books before tackling this series.
Yep, definitely not a stand alone series. You need the previous world products.
I hope the rest of the series gets better, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.
decent start but with the foundation of the other series it should have been more.
Maybe one day after reading the first trilgy
Cool concepts if you read the first series which I did like.
Thanks for the review, Robin. I was wondering about this one. I loved the first two books in the original series, and the third was not that great. But I can’t see why another series is warranted – why they would leave their peace. But it sounds like Dashner comes up with some good reasons. Maybe I’ll wait until all three books are out and then decide. Thanks!
Oh yeah I like to do that too and wait until the entire series is out to jump in 😛
Great for when you are starting to struggle to remember all the details.
I still need to read the first book someday
I really liked the first two books in the original series, but the ending books were kind of weird and I don’t remember them. But I still push this series to my kids who like adventure type of stories. I’ve got this one listed on my next budget order for school. Thanks for the review, I’ll know that going into it!