(3) YA Maze Runner series. Immune Thomas and Teresa navigate life as child test subjects of a corporation searching for a cure to the Flare. In this second prequel (The Kill Order) to The Maze Runner trilogy, Dashner reveals some of the events readers have been waiting for since the beginning. Riveting narration and the expansion of key characters' stories will satisfy fans while leading them toward known tragedy.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) YA Maze Runner series. Thomas and the others (The Maze Runner) undergo more of WICKED's trials on an Earth ravaged by solar flares and a terrifying epidemic. The relentless string of obstacles grows tedious, but moments of narrative excitement will carry readers along. This "movie tie-in edition" includes a foreword by the director and an insert of stills from the movie.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(3) YA Michael, Bryson, and Sarah look to finish their fight against both cyberterrorist Kaine and the agency that's supposed to be protecting the world from him. Philosophy and whiffs of The Matrix combine in another mind-bending tale with twists and turns and furious action. Fans of The Eye of Minds and The Rule of Thoughts will want to see how this trilogy resolves.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Infinity Ring series. Dashner brings this arc of the series to a satisfying close by taking Dak, Sera, and Riq back to the prime break: the death of Alexander the Great. With help from Aristotle, the time-travelers must fix history once and for all. Although most loose ends are tied up, a cliffhanger epilogue sets the stage for a sequel.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) YA Michael and friends Bryson and Sarah (The Eye of Minds) continue their deadly cat-and-mouse game with cyberterrorist Kaine. The trio doesn't know whom to trust as twists and betrayals lurk around nearly every corner. Questions of artificial intelligence, sentience, and reality lend a philosophical tone, while astounding revelations, nonstop action, and intrigue propel the story along to its cliffhanger ending.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA Michael and friends Bryson and Sarah are caught up in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game when a secret agent tasks them with helping to stop a cyberterrorist. Reminiscent of sci-fi classics Bladerunner and The Matrix, this novel's mind-bending twists and turns, action, intrigue, and a bit of philosophy will keep readers turning the pages.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Infinity Ring series. This series (which has an online component) focuses on history nerd Dak, physics-obsessed Sera, and polyglot Riq as they travel through time to repair history. Mutiny focuses on Columbus's voyage; the writing is stilted and Native Americans are ignored. Divide, set in medieval Paris, appears to be more accurate, though the writing is formulaic. Fans of the 39 Clues books will be clamoring for this read-alike.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) YA Set about a year after the sun flares that destroyed the world, this prequel to The Maze Runner trilogy explains the origins of the deadly Flare virus and the discovery of the first Immune. It doesn't stand alone, but fans of the series will appreciate this fast-paced addition to the canon, as will die-hard post-apocalyptic readers who can overlook the plot's tedium.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) YA WICKED claims it's close to discovering a cure to the epidemic Flare--but it needs Thomas. Distrustful, Thomas and several friends escape from the compound and plot to subvert the seemingly evil organization. This morally ambiguous and dark story brings the series (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials) to a thought-provoking conclusion.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) YA Thomas and the others (The Maze Runner) must undergo more of WICKED's trials on an Earth ravaged by solar flares and a terrifying epidemic. While struggling to survive, Thomas attempts to find the truth behind the ominous organization and his best friend's betrayal. The relentless string of obstacles grows tedious, but moments of narrative excitement will carry readers along.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Bryan Beus. This second 13th Reality story takes Tick and his friends on another quest to save the branching alternate realities composing the universe. This time the threat is a nano-disease created by the villainous CEO Reginald Chu that drives its victims insane. As in the first volume, Tick moves ahead in his rather formulaic adventure by solving puzzles (here less intriguing).

Reviewer: Deborah Kaplan

(3) YA Thomas wakes up with no memory, surrounded by boys around his own age. He has been placed in a maze with obstacles and monsters to fight, but more important is figuring out how he got there--and what happened to the adults. The story is fast-paced and gripping, with unexpected twists (though readers familiar with sci-fi of this type may not be surprised).

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(3) 4-6 What distinguishes Tick Higginbottom's adventure from similar tales of ordinary boys invited to save the world are the puzzles, sent by mystical correspondent Master George, that Tick must solve before he can enter the magical world. Tick's a sympathetically nerdy Everykid, and all of his clues are also available to the reader, adding an interactive twist to this magical romp.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin