Book Shelf: The Kill Order (The Maze Runner #0.5) by James Dashner

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.

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Review:

The Kill Order is the fourth book released in James Dashner’s Maze Runner series, but is prequel novel to the main trilogy, set before there was any need for the Maze and detailing the events after the sun flare first hit Earth.

Long before Thomas and the Gladers found themselves in the Maze, sun flares hit the Earth and soon disease starting infecting the survivors. Mark and his best friend Trina were lucky enough to survive the horror that accompanied the sun flares, but now a year later they’re facing a new challenge as an unknown group begin attacking survivors and unleashing a virus upon them that sees those infected descend into madness. As Mark and his close group of allies fight to protect each other from this new threat, will Mark and Trina be able to stay alive, or has their luck finally run out?

Though not my favourite book in the series by a long shot, I really did appreciate The Kill Order for what it was. So much that made The Maze Runner series great was the mystery and unknown that surrounded the storyline, but it was also great to go back to the beginning and get a glimpse of how things came to be.

James Dashner keeps The Kill Order forward moving with a fast paced plot and lot of action. There’s an aspect of bitter-sweet tinging the story as those who’ve read the rest of the series will be aware of the horrors the world would soon face as the effects of the Flare would spread throughout humanity.

Mark was an easy enough character to follow and I appreciated the closeness of his group as they fought to live and survive together. Dashner’s writing is as solid as ever, as is his ability to tell an action packed story, full of survival and the power of human nature.

Perfect for those who ever wondered how they Flare first began, The Kill Order is an eye opening and informative read worth reading if you’re a fan of this series!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you Sarah!)
Publisher: Chicken House, Scholastic imprint
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 1st 2013
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Worth reading, but not up to the same scratch as the rest of the Maze Runner books.