Thomas’s First Memory of the Flare

The Maze Runner #2.5

by James Dashner

Short flashback that occurs between "The Scorch Trials" and "The Death Cure."

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Novella

4 pages, ebook

First published October 11, 2011

About the author

James is the author of THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy and THE 13TH REALITY series. He also published a series (beginning with A DOOR IN THE WOODS) with a small publisher several years ago. He lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains.

Reviews

[Kareena · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's only 3 pages long, and at first I didn't know where to find it, but as I searched on Google it lead me back to Goodreads and to a discussion where someone gave the link for it (http://promo.booksamillion.com/save/i...). Even though it was mega short, I really liked it. There was a lot of emotion in the tiny story. Definitely read it if you've read the Maze Runner series.

Update: This is one of the stories in The Maze Runner Files

Click here to check out these cool covers for The Maze Runner series

[Zainab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love every single thing about this series!
I found the link of it on google so if anyone wants to read it, here you go :) https://promo.booksamillion.com/save/...
And yes, it is 3 pages long.

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a deleted scene from the series. I liked it because Thomas was in it, but I didn't see much a point to this scene. I feel like I wouldn't have minded it as much if it'd been incorporated into one of the books.

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really short but definitely scary. I've always thought of the Flare in a worldwide stance but this provided a more personal approach which makes you reconsider your thoughts of how terrifying the disease really is.

[millie]

trying to read a few quick maze runner things to give me motivation to finally finish the maze cutter

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is a huge four pages long, so not a huge amount to say here about plot etc. And anything I could say is already described in the title anyway.

I love that Dashner has taken the time to create something to keep his Maze Runner fans hungry though. It makes me instantly want to reread the series (even more so as I have just discovered that another prequel, The Fever Code, is coming out next September. Eek!) and also provides an added insight into how the character's lives might have looked pre-maze.

[Elaine D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a horrific insight to someone truly riddled with the Flare. It's no wonder Thomas makes his decisions for WICKED the way he does. I enjoy little small snippets like this in between books, and I think this one was really important to show what Thomas had to go through before his life in the Maze and his affiliation with WICKED. Well done, James Dashner. I'd like to see more of these!

[Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short scene really shows what the Flare was like before people truly understood it's extent. You can kind of understand how this memory would have remained with Thomas for a very long time. Thinking of his father, I can totally see how he would have signed up with WICKED, wanting to save the world from the horrible disease that affected his own family. Very intense, very powerful. I want more of these! So good!

[Carmen de la Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un relato pequeño pero demasiado doloroso...
Thomas toda la vida tuvo que sufrir, este relato es de Thomas siendo muy pequeño, cuanto dolor sufrió desde pequeño, tuvo demasiada angustia desde muy corta edad, ver como su familia se destruía por la Llamarada, por la palabras que su padre le dice, me hace pensar que lo mejor para Thomas fue haber acabado en CRUEL, a pesar de todo lo que paso. Solo quiero abrazarlo.

P.D. Creo que debieron haberlo incluido en el ultimo libro.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

this just contradicts the epilogue of the Kill Order... Thomas wasn't named "Thomas".. the WICKED named him Thomas after Thomas Edison after seeing a light bulb... and it's only 3 pages.

[Amina]

✰ stars ✰

​“​Thomas squeezes his eyes shut, hoping it’ll all go away.​ The dreaming part of him doesn’t want to see anymore, either. Wants it to end.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Honestly, it could have easily served as a flashback in any chapter, and no one would have been the wiser. It feels a bit silly rating or reviewing what initially is less than three pages of content, so I'll just leave it at that it was a bit harrowing to witness Thomas's First Memory of the Flare through his young and frightened eyes.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It's probably his most honest and personal memory that he'll ever carry and just to see what - tragedy and fear in one stifling, crippling moment, which, perhaps, ultimately, serves as the driving force for why he was so committed and determined to involve himself with the ​repercussions of the Flare.​ 💥

[crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●• · Rating 4 out of 5]

"They're here to get you. My sweet, the love of my life, they're her to get you."
- Thomas Mom

[Neil Franz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh-huh.

[RoroReads (Free Palestine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

idk why it wasn't just in the book

[Carol Wasef · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess i expected an explanation, that is more than 3 small pages.
It was a cool segment of his memories but i thought it would answer all my questions that remain after the entire series.
I wish James Dashner could make a sequel series,
I can't stand the ending!!
It was quite intriguing though!

[Kariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finish The Death Cure and because of this short memory, I accept the fact Thomas didn't recover his full memory back. But I'm still sad the trilogy ended the way it end. But this is another topic it's nothing to do with this so...I liked this three-page short-history.

[Ana M. Román · Rating 4 out of 5]

No sé por qué no pudieron añadir esto en el libro, mismamente justo al principio. No es que les hubiera supuesto demasiado espacio y la verdad es que está bien ver qué le paso a los padres de Thomas.

[ash ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

four stars because it was wayy too short. miss him

[lottie matthews 🐰ྀིྀིྀིྀིྀི · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this was longer!! Like maybe 15 pages loll. It was interesting and well written none the less! :)

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why was this not just a flashback in the books, it's 3 pages...

It could've been added in many different timepoints throughout the other books

[sanaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

the way this was literally 3 pages is so funny to me this does not deserve a spot on my reading challenge but whatever anywyas this was kinda sad actually what

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

Or, optimistically called: The Maze Runner #2.5

But it's only 3 pages.

The good thing is you can read it for free online. Problem is just that it is really, really short. It's like with the Harry Potter prequel. Does it really add something? In my most humble opinion, it does not.

This particularly short story deals with, you may have guessed from the title, Thomas's first memory of the Flare. For the few minutes it took me to read it, it kept me entertained.

But overall I have kind of a mixed relationship with the whole series, as far as I've read (and seen it). I read (and discussed) the first book and was underwhelmed, but went to see the movie anyway and actually liked it quite a lot. So, I wanted to read the second book (which I did and also discussed) but which I again thought was 'mwah' at best. However, I then went to see the second movie which I hoped would be as nice as the first one and it was just really weird. I think it's one of the weirdest movie experiences I've had, since the movie was nothing like the book. As in, they changed the whole plot. And the ending. I was confused for at least 95% of the time. It was just so weird, I don't know how to explain. A friend of mine who didn't read the books said he enjoyed himself, so if anyone was planning to read the second book before watching the movie, perhaps watch the movie first.

The Maze Runner series contains The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure and prequel The Kill Order. Thomas's First Memory of the Flare is a super short story set between the second and third book. Another prequel, The Fever Code, is planned for next year.

[Siobhan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truthfully, I found this to be pretty useless. It could have easily been thrown into the book.

I’d been expecting it to add so much more… yet it didn’t really add anything at all. It’s nothing more than a very short insight into the Maze Runner world.

If anything, having read this after the series, it only worked to remind me that Maze Runner isn’t as good as most of the other dystopian novels I have read. I really wish I had enjoyed the series more, but it really wasn’t what I was expected at all and this little snippet merely reminded me of that.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

when author's throw a sad, meat-less bone to their readers, just to grab a couple bucks from their wallets, it's annoying. and i always fall for it. this latest example was 3 pages and brought the flare to the homestead. but, whatev. i've come to the conclusion that i will never understand what is going on in this series.

[Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really short but definitely scary. I've always thought of the Flare in a worldwide stance but this provided a more personal approach which makes you reconsider your thoughts of how terrifying the disease really is.

[Eze ⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me sorprende lo triste que debió ser la vida de Thomas antes del Laberinto, el pobre chico sufrió tanto al ver como su familia se destruía, siento que lo mejor para él fue que lo llevaran a Cruel. Aunque también sufrió bastante en las pruebas, pero al final...

[Denisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al parecer por el trailer de TST, se va a incluir esta historia corta en la película? o algo así me pareció. Debería releerla por si acaso :)

[agustina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas is like a little brother to me; he can be a little bit annoying, sometimes I want to slap him, but at the same time I want to protect him from the world.

[Sara Jovanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read 2:

Still as good as the first time.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lol what is this.