7.8 /10 1 Votes7.8
Country United States Publication date August 14, 2012 | 3.7/5 Goodreads Cover artist Philip Straub Language English Publisher Delacorte Press Originally published 14 August 2012 Page count 327 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genres Young adult fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Science Fiction Similar The Death Cure, The Fever Code, The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Eye of Minds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book review the kill order by james dashner
The Kill Order is a 2012 young adult dystopian science fiction novel written by American author James Dashner and published on August 14, 2012 by Delacorte Press. It is the first prequel book in The Maze Runner series and the fourth installment overall. The book is set prior to the events of The Fever Code and 13 years before The Maze Runner book.
Contents
Development
Of the novel, Dashner stated that he wanted to expand the world but not focus on the main characters of the main Maze Runner trilogy. He also stated that he had originally planned to write a prequel for the series, but that the plans did not become official until he had completed the third book in the trilogy.
Plot
In the prologue, Thomas goes through the Swipe and is put in The Box, as he is one of the candidates needed inside, and it is told that Teresa will get the Swipe as well. Thomas is then sent to the maze with Teresa, setting the events of The Maze Runner in motion.
Set thirteen years before the events of The Maze Runner and the prologue, the novel chronologically begins in New York City when the world is hit by solar flares. Mark and Trina form an alliance with Alec, Lana and others who rescue them from a group of street urchins. The group flees to the fictional Lincoln building to avoid an impending tsunami. They camp out in the building for weeks until a yacht arrives and the ship's crew takes them hostage and kills one of them. Alec manages to take out their captors and they take the yacht as their own. Then they pilot the boat to the Appalachian Beaches.
The beginning of the novel takes place in North Carolina one year later, when the small village of Ashville, where Mark, Trina, Alec and Lana live, is attacked by huge helicopter-like vehicles, known as Bergs. The crew of the Berg shower them with darts, killing many villagers. Mark and Alec manage to subdue and take over a Berg but the pilot crashes it to avoid answering any questions. Mark and Alec realize that the darts were filled with a deadly virus and take Lana and Trina to find the headquarters of the mysterious attackers. The group encounters an abandoned village where they meet a 5-year-old girl named Deedee, whom they take with them. Mark and Alec leave the group for a while to investigate a loud noise. They encounter an infected cult who believe Deedee is a demon of some sort, as she is not affected by the virus within the darts. They manage to escape the cult, but they realize that a forest fire has been started and that Trina, Lana and Deedee are gone from the campsite. They continue their trail to the headquarters site, thinking that the three girls are there.
They arrive at the site and sneak in to what appears to be the Post-Flares Coalition's (PFC) base. They eavesdrop on a conversation and realize that the virus is widely known as The Flare, a virus that shuts down the thinking-part of people's brains. They also learn that the girls were given back to the cult, but are caught eavesdropping and manage to escape and steal a Berg, before Mark realizes that The Flare has already taken his mind. Inside the Berg, Mark and Alec find Transvices, guns that evaporate people's molecules. They recharge it in order to use it to battle the infected.
Their journey inside the Berg takes them near Asheville, where they find Lana, who was badly tortured by the infected, forcing Alec to kill her using the Transvice to end her suffering. They find Trina and Deedee at an old house, where Mark realizes Trina has the Flare and has forgotten about him. They are attacked by the infected and manage to escape back to the Berg. As Mark starts to lose his mind, he realizes that Deedee is immune to the virus and should be sent to the PFC base in Alaska. Mark plans on delivering Deedee using a Flat Trans teleporter in another base inside the safe part of Asheville. As they travel, it is revealed that Alec also has the Flare and is dying.
Mark and Trina manage to deliver Deedee to the Flat Trans, sending her to the safety of the PFC base. Mark orders Alec to crash the Berg into the building, in order to prevent the infected from escaping Asheville. Trina remembers Mark and they kiss just as the Berg crashes, killing everyone in the base.
In the epilogue, two years later, a woman's son is taken away from her by authorities from W.I.C.K.E.D., as he is immune to the virus. The employees name him Thomas. Years later, he meets Teresa, a meeting arranged by W.I.C.K.E.D., as they will help begin setting up the maze. As they get to know each other, Teresa reveals her previous name, Deedee.
Characters
Reception
Critical reception for The Kill Order was mostly positive. Publishers Weekly and KidzWorld both gave positive reviews for the book, with Publishers Weekly noting that fans of the main Maze Runner series would enjoy it.
Sequel
On September 27, 2016, a sequel to The Kill Order was released, titled The Fever Code; taking place between the events of The Kill Order and The Maze Runner.