I'm back with a review of a book from one of my favorite YA series: The Kill Order from the Maze Runner series by James Dashner. I LOVE this series and highly recommend it to anyone that loves adventure, dystopian, and sci fi books.
The Kill Order is the prequel to the series, and in my opinion it is SUPER important that you read the regular series first (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, and The Death Cure). The regular series follows a group of teens that have been placed in a maze and other dangerous (and I mean DANGEROUS) exercises for an organization called WICKED in order to bring a cure for a sun flare disease that has taken over the human race.
- Prequel to The Maze Runner series
- Dystopian
Summary from Goodreads:
Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.
Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.
Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.
The Gist
In this prequel, readers learn more about the solar flares, how the disease got out of control, and how WICKED was formed and the Maze began.
The storyline centers on Mark and Trina, who were in a subway when the Solar Flares hit (about a year prior to the start of the book). They meet up with former military Alec and Lana and characters Darnell, Misty, and the Toad; together, they attempt to survive the virus by living with others in a camp near North Carolina.
A Berg (a futuristic helicopter) from a new government shows up and shoots darts loaded with the virus at the campers. They do this for population control but their plan backfires when (1) the virus makes people out of control, or (2) some people are immune to the virus.
What I Loved
- The flashbacks. They do a great job of uncovering the backstory and include characters who die in the present scenes. They also show the backstory to the "apocalypse" side of the story
- The crazy zombie people--they are SO INTENSE! Quite a disease of lunacy!
- The connection of Thomas and Teresa (characters from The Maze Runner) at the beginning and end of the book.
- There were still some holes for me. Not all of my questions from The Maze Runner were answered.
- It ended pretty abruptly for me.
- The Post-Flares Coalition was kind of confusing for me, and they were an important part of the backstory.
Favorite quote: "There's that short moment that seems to last a lifetime when Mark sees the wall of water rushing down the steps of the subtrans station, like a stampede of white, frothy horses."
Overall an enjoyable read even thought I was hoping for some more answers. But maybe that's what's so great about this series--you just don't know everything!
Check back on Wednesday to see nail polish inspiration from the book!
I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't love The Kill Order. There was just something about it that really turned me off. I agree that it was slightly confusing and not everything was answered which of course I thought was the whole point of the prequel.
ReplyDeleteKay @ It's a Book Life