Review: The Death Cure by James Dashner

The Maze Runner trilogy comes to a dramatic conclusion in The Death Cure. Thomas and the Gladers escaped the Maze (book 1) only to be thrown into the zombie infested Scorch (book 2) as part of a desperate experiment to save mankind from the Flare -- the zombie disease. Now, as all the variables have been tested for, Thomas realizes his role in the testing runs deeper than he knew.

The setting of each book is distinct, creating unique environments which the characters must survive in. The Death Cure's is an urban setting in the dead of winter. The last surviving towns are walled off to ensure the Flare is quarantined but civilization is crumbling as more and more people succumb to the disease.

Thomas realizes that fleeing is not an option as the city of Denver goes mad with disease and desperation. Instead, he confronts WICKED, the organization responsible for the tests, in order to get the answers he needs  about his past so he can decide what to do with his future.

Confronting WICKED results in a lot of fighting and near death escapes much like the first two books. Yet, I felt like The Death Cure dragged on a bit. Unlike the first two, this book did not keep my attention. I wasn't hanging on at the end of each chapter. The answers to some of the long-standing questions throughout the series were a little flat. I expected something slightly more clever or more grey. And the grand conclusion was a tad too easy and felt unusual for Thomas' character.

Fans of the series won't want to miss The Death Cure because if you're like me you'll have to know the ending to the story. Many characters from the first two books resurface to play interesting roles. This series isn't for the faint of heart. There's gore, death and destruction. Don't get too attached to a character because you never know when someone will turn zombie or turn coat. Despite the slight let down in book three, I have really enjoyed this young adult series and recommend it to dystopia fans.

Publisher: Delacorte, 2011     Pages: 336
Rating: 3 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review: Lirael by Garth Nix, Read by Tim Curry

“When a dangerous necromancer threatens to unleash a long-buried evil, Lirael and Prince Sameth are drawn into a battle to save the Old Kingdom and reveal their true destinies.” Lirael, the second book in The Abhorsen Chronicles/The Old Kingdom series, begins deep within the mountains of the Calyr (those with the “sight,” who see the future). Lirael is parentless and sightless, an oddity in the Clayr household. She is young, too, only 14 and wants nothing more than to gain the sight.  To take her mind of her shortcomings Lirael takes a position as an 3^rd Assistant Librarian in the Clayr’s massive library.

The commentary on librarians and librarianship is hilarious if somewhat disconcerting to a future librarian. Lirael chooses the profession because she knows she can hide there and avoid people – a perfect job for an odd, quiet girl! Hmm. On the flip side, Lirael looks forward to the adventures she will have in the library when alone there: long forgotten corridors, chained books with protective spells, interesting ancient trinkets and dangerous creatures! Of course, Lirael opens one too many doors and the story really begins.

Lirael’s companion, the Disreputable Dog, is now one of my all time favorite characters. Smart and sassy this K-9 offers comic relief while proffering mysterious insights for Lirael to digest. “Does the walker choose the path or the path choose the walker?”  A dynamic character, the Disreputable Dog is begging for a walk one minute and guiding a dangerous mission the next. “Dog, I want a straight answer. Who or what are you?” asks Lirael. And dog the replies, “I’m the Disreputable Dog! And your friend.” *Watering eyes*

Garth Nix is a great writer. The content is great. He builds a unique but believable world and sets interesting characters in it. He is a great storyteller but also a good writer in a technical and artistic sense, too. He never complicates passages. I’m never stumbling over sentence structure. The diction is good which shows in the dialog and descriptive passages which made my skin tingle as much as they made me laugh. I feel transported in these stories.

I listened to the audiobook (samples) which is read by Tim Curry who did an outstanding job. I was leery at the idea of listening for 15 hours but, wow, it was worth it. I was sad when the end came. I looked forward to listening to Curry’s dynamic voice every day. So much so, in fact, that I drove to the neighboring town and got a library card there so I could check out the third book, Abhorsen, with Curry reading again. (Oddly, my library only owns Lirael in audio format.) Curry booms, leers, whispers, lingers, rushes and pauses in all the right moments making the listening experience theatrical. It’s not over done but done just right. 

Two tiny issues:

1) Notwithstanding Tim Curry’s awesome voice acting, the first two disks of the story had me worried that Lirael was going to be a dud. Lirael spends a great deal of time moping in the beginning. It’s not that she hasn’t cause to mope but I did want to reach into the story and slap her face, tell her to stop obsessing about herself, to stop waiting for things to happen to her and make something happen! Of course, this is exactly what occurs as Lirael grows up (minus the slapping). And when Lirael began her struggle to find her place in the world I began to like her very much.

2) Lirael is not a standalone novel. It’s not that the reader misses too much info from Sabriel to understand what’s going on in Lirael but the ending is very unresolved. Personally, this did not bother me at all since I am enjoying the story. As I am writing this I have already begun the third book (good so far!) and feel as though Lirael and Abhorsen are the same book, really, just cut in half.

If you are a fantasy fan I highly recommend this series. I fully expect I’ll be purchasing these books in some format. Definitely re-reads. Read my reivew of the first book, Sabriel, here.

Publisher: Listening Library, 2002     Duration: 14 hours, 44 mins on 13 CDs
Rating: 5 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

If you've hung around The Prairie Library for awhile you know I'm a fan of dystopias. I really enjoyed Ryan's The Forrest of Hands and Teeth for it's bizarre society...and of course the zombies were perfectly creepy. I didn't mind the obligatory romance either. The characters were well-rounded...yada, yada. I loved it.

The companion novel, The Dead-Tossed Waves, picks up several years after Mary's escape from the zombie infested forest. Gabrielle, Mary's daughter, lives in Vista, a walled-off sea city. Gabrielle is not like Mary. She spends much of the novel wishing things had been different, indulging in "if only"s. This was rather off-putting for me. Unlike Mary, who was always looking towards the future, Gabrielle is stuck in the past. It felt like I was reading the same lines over and over again -- things like "only yesterday things were better" or "a week ago so-and-so kissed me and life was good" -- and it really got plain-old-fashioned boring. The dystopian part, which is what I was reading for, was barely there. I wished more focus was given to Vista and its social dynamics. I felt like I didn't know the town.

Zombies strike (but not often enough), people fall in (and out) of love, (not so mysterious) mysteries and twists abound. And Gabrielle just didn't cut it for me. She was a little too damsel-in-distress.

That's the truth, how I really felt when I was reading the novel. I do suggest reading the first novel, The Forrest of Hands and Teeth, if you enjoy dystopias or zombies. Since The Dead-Tossed Waves is a companion novel, and not a sequel, you needn't worry about having to read the "next" book. What about you all? Did you like The Dead-Tossed Waves?

Publisher: Delcorte, 2010     Pages: 416
Rating: 2.5 Stars     Source: Public Library

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is what you might call a mash-up. A mash-up in literature takes one genre and inserts elements of another genre into it.  In this case, we have a classic mashed with elements of parody and horror/pop-culture zombie elements. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is more of a spoof, a comedy aimed at poking fun at the original text, and not a scary tale. Let’s compare the first lines of each book. The original Austen: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” The Grahame-Smith version: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”  Clearly, the zombie book is making fun of the boy-crazy Bennet girls who, in the original text, spend the entire novel looking for a boyfriend/spouse. In the new novel, a girl of good repute will have renowned martial arts skills which she employs to kill zombies. The zombies appear in “slow” parts of the novel – during a coach ride or during a walk. They aren’t scary

Summary: "As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Can she vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is something you'll want to read and is a great book to read along with the original."

and the battle-scenes were not what I usually expect from a scary zombie or funny zombie book/movie. I think the idea behind this novel is a great one - take a classic and make it relevant to 21st century readers. But it was hard for me to finish and left me wishing I had reread the original.

For more information on mash-ups, particularly historical ficiton YA mash-ups check out this article by blogger/librarian  Melissa Rabey.

Publisher: Quirk Books, 2009     Pages: 320
Rating: 2.5 Stars     Source: IC Public Library   

Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

You know you’ve caught the Flare when:

• Your thoughts are hard to focus
• You aren’t afraid to drop 30 feet to the ground
• You’ve forgotten why you ever wanted to escape the Scorch

Thomas and the Gladers left the Maze only to begin another round of trials by WICKED (World in Catastrophe Killzone Experiment D). If you thought The Maze Runner was exciting then you won’t be disappointed with The Scorch Trials.

As Thomas’ memories slowly come back he figures out he is more connected to WICKED than he ever knew. The mind games keep the Gladers in a constant state of confusion and cause Thomas to question everything he knows about himself and his friends. To top it off, the Gladers are informed they have a disease known as the Flare which causes people to lose their minds and slowly mutate into zombie-like creatures known as cranks.

The cranks were creepy and not your typical zombies. Some of the not quite full-blown cranks are still able to talk and groups of cranks roam together in groups according to the stage of the disease. Definitely creepy. As was the setting. Dashner does a good job describing the crispy, sun-baked Scorch which the Gladers must travel across. Some of the descriptions were a little gruesome. This is a violent book. People get hurt and die which only adds to the mystery surrounding WICKED’s intentions.

Like Thomas, I never knew exactly what was going on, who to trust or what to expect. The only thing you can expect is that WICKED is going to run its experiments on the Gladers and will stop at nothing to get the data it’s looking for. I’m with Thomas – how can WICKED by good (no pun intended)? I’m really looking forward to the third book to find out what the trials are all about and how Thomas and Teresa are connected to it all. So, no you won’t get any definitive answers in this book – just the kind of answers that make you ask more questions.

As with the first book, The Scorch Trials is fast paced. Each chapter is short, only 3-5 pages long and ends with a teaser making it a good book for reluctant readers. The prose is fairly simple and linear but the plot is interesting and exciting. Dashner knows how to create suspense. It was the perfect book while I was busy in school and needed something fun to read.

The Scorch Trials is book two in the Maze Runner Trilogy.

Publisher: Delacorte, 2010.     Pages: 368       Recommended Age: 13 and up

Rating: 4 Stars                           Source: IC Public Library

Review of The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

When you think “zombies” what comes to mind? Do you think of the latest video game or horror movie that features some skinny chick lopping off heads? Not your thing? Not mine either. Yet, I have inadvertently read two zombie books in a row. But both are completely different and neither are what I would have expected from a zombie story.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan is an eerie and proactive young adult novel. The writing was great. In fact, it’s some of the best writing I’ve come across in the YA genre. Mary tells the reader what it’s like to live in the confines of a village surrounded by a fence keeping out the Unconsecrated, also known as the infected or zombies. When the Sisterhood, entrusted with the village’s history and safety, betrays Mary’s trust and a breach occurs she must choose between the home she knows and the unknown world in the forest.

Mary’s story is completely believable. She is young and impetuous, even a bit reckless. Sometimes I liked Mary. Sometimes I didn’t. Overall, she felt like a real person whose future I was invested in. The confusion that Mary encounters, living in such a crazy world, is mirrored in her thoughts and actions. She tries to care for others but knows that she must trust her instincts if she is to have some peace of mind.

This is one of the big questions in the novel. Is survival enough? Is personal fulfillment selfish when others depend on you? Does falling in love give one the right to give up on life?  Does true love require the sacrifice of one’s dreams? How much sacrifice is acceptable? Personally, I think these are great questions for young adults to ponder.

The descriptions of the zombies were great in a not-too-overly gory but in a suspenseful, creepy and realistic way. There is lots of moaning and jaw snapping. Killing zombies is not what this book is all about, though several do get cut down at climactic moments. There is something of a love triangle, nay quadrangle, but it is seamlessly woven into the plot. So, those who like a little romance in their stories will be satisfied while those not huge on romances shouldn’t be put off either.

If you like suspense, fantasy or paranormal/paranormal romances then Ryan’s text is probably something you’ll like. Note, I don’t think this counts as horror even though it’s classified as such. I wasn’t horrified and I’m rather wimpy. If you’re looking to try out one of these other genres, The Forest of Hands and Teeth would make for a fun introduction. End of story, I loved this read and can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel.
Publisher: Delacorte, 2009    Pages: 310    Source: U of Iowa Library
Rating: 5 Stars        Recommended Age: 14 and up

Goop Soup: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie book 3 by David Lubar

Nathan Abercrombie, fifth grader, is in training to be a super-spy. But will he complete his training in time to save the city from a dangerous and subversive terrorist group? As if saving the world isn’t difficult enough, Nathan must cope with being a zombie, the living-dead. For everyone’s safety, he must keep this and his spy activity a secret from his watchful parents.

This is totally the kind of book I would have devoured as a kid. I adored The Magic School Bus books and in many ways, Goop Soup reminds me of the former series expect Goop is for an audience willing to read text with no pictures. Science abounds in Goop Soup as Nathan and his friends Mookie and girl-genius Abigail come up with solutions to world-crushing problems. Don’t have a temperature because you’re dead? No problem. Chemistry is here to the rescue. With a little help from BUM, the spy agency that has recruited Nathan, and his trusty friends, there is no problem that a little scientific research can’t solve.

I’m encouraged to see a new (to me) series that will excite kids about the sciences. I think it’s important for youngsters to know that science is something they can do and can be fun, not just a bunch of hard work.  And I think Lubar’s new book does that.

In the back of the book there is a Reader’s Guide with some excellent questions. Some require kids to do a little research while others involve written responses like poems and letters. Geesh, they were even fun for me to think about. I think Goop Soup will appeal to both boys and girls who like science or who are looking for an adventurous story. I definitely recommend this book to parents of young readers.

Publisher: Starscape, 2010      Pages: 176       Recommended Age: 9-12

Rating: 5 Stars                           Source: received for free from the author. Thanks, Mr. Lubar!

P.S. I really did like this book and receiving the text in no way influenced my rating. 
Check out David Lubar's website for info on his books, humor and more!