Fresh from defeating the Maze and The Creators, Thomas allows himself to relax for the moment. They are safe. They are fed. They are alive! Or so they think. WICKED (World in Catastrophe Killzone Experiment Dept) is giving them nothing more than a chance to take a breath.

The next stage of their ‘testing’ involves something called The Scorch. After a terrifying trek through pitch black tunnels they emerge on a scorched, sun-baked wasteland. Their instructions are clear. Their goal is to reach an alleged Safe Haven, avoid the Cranks with The Flare (a contagious disease that turns people into almost zombies) and to survive – or not. WICKED (The Creators) are looking at variables, emotions, actions, and reactions to all that is thrown at the remaining boys from The Glade.

Thomas has remembered a little more about his past, dealing with his part in WICKED and how big that actually could have been, the knowledge that they all may have The Flare , and that there is another group from The Maze out there, keen on killing them all.

This part of the series is mainly a quest to cross a desert, stay alive, try and figure out who is an enemy, and who is an ally. Despite being a ‘middle’ book, there was definitely enough in the plot to keep me reading, and along with Thomas, decipher all that is going on around him.

Why do WICKED want to push these kids so hard, put them in mortal danger every day and record the results? Just what are they planning for Thomas in the future?

The setting of The Scorch is Earth’s Equator and the land directly above and below, due to serious warming from Sun Flares. (Climate Change and Global Warming immediately springs to mind).

The Death Cure is next!

Author – James Dashner

Age – 12+

Read a review for the other books in the series (Click on a cover)

(Quest, Trek, Cooperation, Teamwork, Friendship, Death, Trial, Test, Stamina, Trust, Betrayal, Courage, Series, Confusion, Determination)