Skip to main content

Book Review: The Scorch Trials

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner
4 Stars
Verdict: Action packed, just don't overthink it!
#1 - The Maze Runner
#3 - The Death Cure


Out of the maze and into the frying pan, Thomas and his friends now have to make it across the scorched earth if they want to be cured of the Flare. To get there, they'll have to survive the Cranks who already have the flare, and some are more Gone than others...

This series is very readable, even though it doesn't give a lot of answers or make a lot of sense. The chapters are short, most ending on a slight twist or revelation, and there's plenty of action, drama, and danger. The characters also come out of their shells a bit more, and the true world starts to rears it's scorched head, constantly throwing new challenges in Thomas' way.

I had the same issues with this book as the last. Thomas's journey is very entertaining, but the answers are loose tie ins that will fall to bits if you pull at them. It just doesn't make a lot of sense if you think about it (I'm being vague here to avoid spoilers). The action, twists, and horrors come first - the explanations are not as important, or so it would seem. As long as you can get to grips with that, there's a great book to enjoy in this.

With all that has happened, I feel like I have even more questions now than I did after book one. If book three pulls through with some answers, this will be a great series. There are some great mysteries in this, as long as there are fitting answers, and I'm not entirely sure if Dashner has them. It really does depend on what all these trials really mean...

Source: Bought it!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Your Best Character: Quiz and Contest

The best characters are put through hell and yet can still carry the story forward on their broken shoulders. Your plot will fall flat if your characters are one dimensional and strong characters can make a cliché story really shine; characterisation takes work and thought. The key to character development is to ask questions. Maybe spend time thinking about the scenarios that have happened to your character which won’t make the final cut of the novel. The questions below are designed to test that (to some degree). [NOW CLOSED, REVIEWS PENDING] Answer at least 5 of these in a comment with a link to your story and I’ll give you an in-depth review. Reviews are approximately 1000 words and take me well over an hour, so if you’re looking to polish up your manuscript then don’t miss out. Also, the opening chapter with the most interesting and well-developed character will be featured on this blog! Feel free to write about anyone as long as they feature in the same story. You can ans...

Dialogue Marks and Taglines

I’m having to point out how to format taglines on a regular basis now, especially when the dialogue takes the form of a question. I thought I’d throw together a quick guide in hopes that everyone who was unaware will see this and instantly understand... Or even just one person. “I fancy a biscuit,” said Samantha. – And I do (how could you tell?) although that’s not the point. My point is you need a comma after biscuit and ‘said’ is in lowercase because the following words form a tagline. It’s a tagline because it refers to how the dialogue is said or who says it. “I fancy a biscuit.” Samantha grabbed the tin. – There’s no tagline. Therefore you need a full stop and to start a new sentence. “I fancy a biscuit.” She smiled. – This doesn’t refer to how the speech is said. Therefore you need a full stop. “Where are my biscuits?” shouted Samantha. – You need lowercase into the tagline. Think of it as part of the sentence. “My biscuits!” she cried. – Again, lowercase. Whether...

Book Review: Children of Blood and Bone

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi 5 Stars Verdict: So good it hurts. The night magic died, Zélie watched her mother's murder as the Maji were slaughtered. Now Zélie has a chance to bring back magic. With the help of her brother and a rogue princess, she must outrun the crown prince and battle her self-doubts to restore magic to the world. This West-African inspired fantasy is powerful and all round awesome from start to finish. The writing is emotive and imaginative, the pacing is as perfect as it gets, and the characters are real with flaws and charm. I hardly know what to say. A brilliant book like this tells the editor in me to shut up and enjoy the ride, so I'd need to read it again to offer more of a critique. If every book was as good as this one, I would never be able to stop reading. The struggles, anger, and pain are carved into this book so deeply that the desires bleed through the pages and the triumphs feel earned. The emotion in this book is ...