Book Review: The Kill Order (The Maze Runner, #0) by James Dashner

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BOOK review

Started on: 18.May.2014
Finished on: 23.May.2014

The Kill Order (The Maze Runner, #0) by James Dashner

Title : The Kill Order (The Maze Runner, #0)
Author : James Dashner

Publisher : Delacorte Press
Pages : 327 Pages
Year of Publication : 2012

Price : $ 11.32 (www.bookdepository.com/)

Rating: 3/5
*for those who haven't read the trilogy, this review may contain spoiler.

Review for The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1) here. 

Review for The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner, #2) here.

Review for The Death Cure (The Maze Runner, #3) here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"When will it end? We survive months of the sun beating the tar out of the planet, find a place where we can build shelter, find food. A few days ago we were laughing! And then guys come in a Berg and shoot us with darts and people die? What is this, some kind of joke? Is someone up there laughing at us, playing us like some kind of virtgame?"

13 years before Thomas was sent into the Maze, people who survived from the deadly sun flares have settled down and live in the Appalachian Mountains. Mark survived the horrifying sun flares along with his group, including an older guy who was a soldier named Alec, and Mark's friend named Trina. When they were just enjoying the day, a Berg suddenly flew over them and strange people started shooting darts at people. Mark and Alec quickly went to chase the Berg, and discovered that the darts contain a highly contagious virus.

When they both came back, a lot of people died with blood coming out from their nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. And it turns out that their friend, Darnell, who was the first one to get shot, didn't die as quickly as the others. He was imprisoned, talking like a crazy person, and kept saying how his head hurts. They concluded that the virus can easily infect another person, and it will mutate with different after-effects to each person. Mark, Alec, Trina, and Lana decided to pack and escape before they get infected as well. On the way, they discovered a small girl whose village also suffered from the same disease. The girl named Deedee has also been shot by a dart, but showed no symptoms; and they finally decided to take her with them.

"A virus that some monsters had developed back in the good old days before the sun flares burned it all out. They say it shuts down the mind. Instant comas, they said, rendering the bodies useless but causing massive hemorrhaging that would spread it to those nearby... A good way to kill off the settlements that are forced to live in close quarters."

The group planned to find out where the Berg comes from, but along the way Mark and Alec are attacked by the people from Deedee's village - who have definitely lost their minds. And as that happens, they are also separated from the three girls. Mark and Alec went on looking for their trace, but then they suddenly found a landing spot for a Berg which was hidden in the ground. While they go around the dark place, Mark and Alec found out the story behind the virus and how people started calling it The Flare.

"It haunted him through and through, witnessing what the disease did to people. Was doing. It had to be getting worse. That guy had been utterly nuts. And Mark had already felt something like it - the faintest trace - starting within him. There was a beast hidden inside, and soon it might come out and make him look like the man Alec had zapped with the Transvice."

As the two men continued their journey to find their friends who were captured by the crazy people, they realized how bad the virus had become. The people who were infected doesn't look like human anymore; they look more like an animal or a monster who act without mind or sanity. With everything that's happening, Mark and Alec has lost hope on saving themselves. Their only hope is to be able to save Deedee, who's in fact immune to the Flare.

image source: here. edited by me.

Firstly, I have to say how disappointed I am with this prequel ㅠㅠ Why James Dashner, why~ ㅠㅠ I expected so many explanations to be revealed in this book, but what I got is only a small bit - which I wasn't really curious about either in the first place. I'm sad because the characters I know from the trilogy barely showed up in this book, and also because this book only explains what happened because of the sun flares, and how the virus started. Even though the book is still full of action and intense moments, I wasn't very excited to know what's going to happen next. At first I thought that I shouldn't have read this book. But then there's a small bit that also makes me happy to read this book. Conflicting, I know. That's why I finally decided to give this book a 3/5 stars.

So the plot summary I wrote earlier doesn't really cover everything; because as the story goes, there's a lot of flashbacks - which talks about the aftermath of sun flares. The story is written in a similar way like the trilogy; it is in third person POV, but this time the focus is on Mark - the main character. When Mark was asleep, the flashbacks comes in the form of dream. What I remember most is because of the sun flares, there's this tsunami coming. Mark also reminisce the times when he met Alec, and how the old man saved his life multiple times. This story goes alongside the story about The Flare. Basically, it's about Mark and Alec who wants to find the truth about the virus, and also find a way to escape together with their friends. And it also showcases how crazy people with the virus can be - but I already know about this from The Death Cure, so there's nothing new about it. However, the best part for me is actually at the very last part of this book (which comes after the epilogue, and acknowledgments). The chapter is titled "TOP SECRET, Swipe data recovered, Group: A, Subject: Teresa". Not going to spoil anything about it, because it's so short. But at least this part made me quite happy, and I think it wraps up this book quite nicely. Why don't you make this part longer, James Dashner? :'((

Thankfully though, I have one favorite character that kept me excited as I read this book. My favorite goes to Alec! I think he's like Minho in an older version (?); because he's tough, logical, and is willing to do a lot of things for the better. What I love the most about Alec in this book is his confidence; he's always so sure about himself and his military skills. Well, he definitely proved himself - because I'm pretty sure Mark wouldn't last very long without Alec strategic thinking. I love this smart man that sounds very tough but is actually affectionate at heart.

"Oh, I'm good. Seriously, after all these years, you'd think I would stop amazing myself. But here I am, still doing it."

"Scared. That's good. A fine soldier is always scared. Makes you normal. It's how you respond to it that makes you or breaks you."

Overall, I'd still say I'm disappointed with what this book offered - although I still enjoyed James Dashner's writing. I wish the book talks about what Thomas did when he works under WICKED, or maybe how the rest of the Gladers got chosen (so I can read more about Minho), or maybe show more about Teresa so I can have positive thoughts about her again, or explain who is Chancellor Paige, and I still have so many more questions that I can't recall right now. But since James Dashner is the author, I can do nothing besides rant about it. Anyways, I do plan on reading James Dashner's next series: The Mortality Doctrine - because the premise sounds interesting. The first book has been released, it's titled The Eye of the Minds. Hopefully it'll be better than The Maze Runner series :'))

Just me, and my feels, because I don't get the answers I need.

So I will let Minho cheer me up.

by.stefaniesugia♥ .