Just the word "maze" incites an instant mental picture of adventure, mystery, danger, and bravery. James Dashner's, The Maze Runner, has screamed at me from bookshelves for the past six months. At last, when I found an extra $9.99 in my pocket, I purchased it.The story follows a teenage boy named Thomas who wakes up in what seems to be a never-ending pitch-black elevator that deposits him into the center of a maze--a maze that's kept over 50 boys prisoner for several years. With a faulty memory and determination to find answers, Thomas seeks knowledge in every nook and cranny of the hundred-foot walls surrounding the only safe square to live in--the Glade.He has a rough entry into the created Glade culture, where boys take little pity on newcomers and everyone has accepted the fate of what seems to be an unsolvable maze. Every Glader has a duty--farming, cooking, healing, etc. Thomas wants to be a Runner--an explorer of the maze who spends all day seeking answers. Instead of welcoming him with open arms, the Gladers suspect him when things start to change. Boys remember him, but they don't know why. A girl shows up in the elevator-box (the first one ever). A message is received from the Creators. And Thomas somehow has bravery and answers no one else has seen before.When the "end" is triggered, the boys are forced to fight for their lives, their friends, and their sanity against the dreaded enemies called "The Grievers". Time is running out and escape options dwindle like a trickling waterfall.This book was a quick read--took me less than a week, which is saying a lot in my busy schedule. The plot was intriguing and many of the character emotions were deep and believable. I felt confused with Thomas and frustrated with his fleeting memories. The adventure is constant and page-turning, but a little on the darker side. Many children die over the course of the book and there are other things like sacrifices and torturing sickness.The end was rather dark and a little depressing. Not a lot of hope is left or achieved. The "last battle" of sorts is graphic, sad, and slightly disturbing with the knowledge that all the screams and deaths are those of teenage children. Throughout the novel, I found Thomas's lack of compassion in certain situations disturbing, like when a boy is sacrificed to the Maze.The plot had a lot of potential. It built and built and built to something I hoped would be great, but turned out to be predictable. It didn't feel unique, which then didn't seem to match the rest of the book. Once I discovered the answers behind the existence and purpose of the maze, I was sorely disappointed. It wasn't believable to me. It kept the imagination-cogs turning through the novel, but in the end weakened the story.The characters came off sadly bland and inconsistent. Thomas in particular seemed lacking in emotions and somehow managed to succeed at most of what he tried. While the reader wanted to see the characters eventually succeed, I felt a lack of inner conflict. Thomas just had a lot of outer conflict that was "conquered" with just a little average thinking.The "culture" created in the Maze lacked  hope and compassion and the only clear theme running throughout the novel was "never give up." But once we reached the end, no hope was reached. The book had so much potential--cool title, catching first chapter, and who doesn't like the idea of a giant creepy maze? Overall, I found the read interesting, but mediocre. It's doubtful I'd read it again. 

Question: Is plot ready?
Answer: Just the word maze " incites an instant