Teen Book Review - The Death Cure

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Let’s get this over with.

James Dashner’s characters said that about 500 times in The Death Cure.

I read the first two books of the series, The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials, very quickly, but The Death Cure took me much longer. I had to stop and think if things were really possible pretty often. It was also sad and emotional, which made made me put the book down.

The Death Cure was good because there was a lot of continuous action, not like some books where there is one action scene every few chapters and the rest is talking. It was disturbing and gory though. Battle scenes didn’t leave very much to imagination because they were described so clearly. The story continuously got worse and left me wondering how things could possibly get worse, and then they got worse, and worse. Creepy cranks (people infected with the flare virus) chase and trap characters to give the reader a clear view of the crank infested world and what is at stake.

The hero has to make very difficult choices about people close to him. The people in WICKED (World In Catastrophe Kill Zone Experiment Department), which was created to cure the flare, acted like they were giving the kids a choice. In reality, they forced characters to do things they didn’t want to do. Finally, on the last page, we learn about the source of the flare and the reason for it, and the reason is shocking.

I was reminded of Lord of the Flies when I read this book because of the isolation from the adults and the sacrifices that were made. Books like this remind people of emotional consequences of war, unlike the virtual battle fields of video games.

Thanks for reading!

This review was written by my son, Adam. He is a freshman in high school.

Guest Post - Teen Book Review

Special treat: I get the day off because my son is here with a book review of Warlock by Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series). Enjoy!

Alcatraz:
Although their ally Dr. John Dee has been declared utlaga, Machiavelli and Billy the Kid will follow the plans the Elders have laid before them: they will loose the monsters of Alcatraz on the city of San Francisco, thereby triggering the end of the humani race.

Danu Talis:
The Shadowrealm that Scatty and Joan of Arc have entered is far more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And they haven’t landed here by chance-the warriors were called for a reason. So were Saint-Germain, Palamededs, and Shakespeare. The group was summoned because they must travel back in time to Danu Talis and destroy it. For the island of Danu Talis, known in humani myth as the lost city of Atlantis, must fall if the modern world is to exist.

San Francisco:
The end is finally near. Josh Newman has chosen a side, and he will not stand with his sister, Sophie, or with the Alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel. He will fight alongside Dee and the mysterious Virginia Dare. Unless Sophie can find her twin before the battle begins, all is lost – forever.

In the fifth installment of this bestselling series, the twins of prophesy have been divided, and the end is finally beginning.

With Scatty, Joan of Arc, Saint Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare all in Danu Talis, Sophie is on her own with the ever-weakening Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. She must depend on Niten to help her find an immortal to teach her Earth Magic. The surprise is that she will find her teacher in the most ordinary of places. (dillonscott.com)

Review by Adam Abiad

Warlock  was very similar to the fourth book, Necromancer, but not anything like the first three in the series. Scott has to summarize for too many characters and it's several chapters before any interesting new action takes place. This also meant too many switches in perspective. You're reading about the Flamels and Sophie, and the next chapter is Dee, Dare, and Josh. Then some characters switch sides, and even worlds. There are also flashbacks to Danu Talis, just to add another switch. The switches make you lose interest. It gets intense at the end of each chapter and you want more, but you don't get it, and you have to remember the last time you read about the next character.

Scott crammed the action, added more cool new monsters, and increased the pace. Sophie's chapters are typically more talking than action. Josh's chapters are where all the excitment is. Supporting characters are just filling in blanks. There's no other way though. The other books kept adding characters and they all need to reach the goal. All that and there's still one more book. I hope Warlock took care of most of the loose ends.