Genre Comparison - The Maze Runner vs The Lunar Chronicles - Science Fiction
The Maze Runner and The Lunar Chronicles both fall under the broad umbrella of dystopian sci-fi, specifically futuristic science fiction.
However, they are both so different to one another and it’s almost hard to believe that they are the same genre. The Maze Runner books are dystopian sci-fi thrillers whereas The Lunar Chronicles is a genre mashup of sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy and romance.
World-Building - The Maze Runner
The world building involves a dystopian future where a group of teenagers find themselves trapped in a mysterious maze called the Glade. The maze constantly changes its layout, and monstrous creatures called Grievers roam its corridors, posing deadly threats.
The story blends elements of advanced technology with a post-apocalyptic setting, where the characters must navigate the maze, uncover its secrets, and confront the powerful organization known as WICKED that controls their fate. Throughout the series we delve deeper into its world, discovering Cranks, Bergs, the Flare and navigating through it with the protagonists.
Sci-Fi Aspects
Dystopian future and advanced technology - the world of the Maze Runner is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape ravaged by solar flares and a deadly virus called the Flare, which causes brain damage and turns people into zombie-like Cranks. WICKED uses advanced technology for experiments, manipulating the environment to test the teenagers’ responses.
The Maze
The ever-changing maze, filled with intricate mechanical design, represents advanced engineering. The walls shift nightly, and the Grievers—bio-mechanical creatures—pose lethal threats, blending organic and technological elements.
Cranks and the Flare
The Flare virus and its impact on human behaviour raise questions about disease, ethics, and human survival. The Cranks, once-human creatures driven mad by the virus, illustrate the effects of widespread pandemic and societal collapse.
Bergs and Tech
Bergs are flying crafts used by WICKED and others, symbolizing advanced transportation technology in this devastated world. Communication and surveillance are highly sophisticated, reflecting a futuristic society reliant on tech despite its fall.
World-Building - The Lunar Chronicles
The Lunar Chronicles recreates classic fairy tales in a world where humans, cyborgs and androids coexist. The world building merges futuristic technology with fairy tale elements. Set in a future where Earth and the Moon are inhabited, society is divided between Earthens and Lunars, humans with bioelectrical manipulation abilities. The Lunars are ruled by the evil Queen Levana who uses mind control and deception. The story follows a group of protagonists as they navigate political intrigue, romance, and rebellion against the oppressive Lunar regime.
Sci-Fi Aspects
Futuristic Society and Androids
Set in a future where Earth and the Moon are colonised, the series explores a society intertwined with technology. Androids, such as Iko, play significant roles, showcasing the involvement of AI in everyday life.
Lunars and Bioelectrical Manipulation
Lunars possess the ability to manipulate bioelectricity, allowing them to control others' thoughts and actions.
Net-Screens and Cybernetics
Net-screens are ubiquitous, representing the advanced state of digital communication. Cybernetic enhancements, such as Cinder's mechanical arm and foot, highlight the merging of human and machine.
Themes of Apocalypse and Disease
The series also addresses apocalyptic themes, with a deadly plague called letumosis threatening Earth's population. The search for a cure ties into broader discussions about ethics, bioengineering, and societal impact in a technologically advanced world.
Similarities
Both worlds share themes of disease, advanced technology and societal collapse.
Differences
The Maze Runner revolves around survival and control mechanisms, whilst The Lunar Chronicles explores societal inclusion and technological enhancement.
Audience - The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner is predominantly driven by male protagonists, with the exceptions of Teresa Agnes, Brenda and Trina in The Kill Order. With themes of apocalypse, survival and mind control, it appeals a lot more to boys than it does to girls. This became apparent to me when I realised that I was the only girl in my class to have read the Maze Runner and there were about fifteen boys obsessing over the series. The girls in my class were into other dystopian series like Divergent and The Hunger Games.
And if that isn’t enough evidence, you can see on social media that discussions, fan art, and fan theories surrounding the series tend to attract and originate from a male audience.
Audience - The Lunar Chronicles
The Lunar Chronicles features strong female characters like Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, who lead the story with their bravery and intelligence. These characters, along with themes of empowerment and identity, make the series more appealing to girls.
While the sci-fi elements, including advanced technology and space travel, do attract some boys, they are less likely to fully engage with the series due to its fairytale aspects. Boys might enjoy the action and futuristic setting, but the emphasis on reimagined fairytales with strong female leads tends to resonate more with girls.
The Lunar Chronicles is a series that celebrates girl power and has found a devoted readership among girls who enjoy both fairytales, romance and futuristic adventure.
Male and Female Representation in The Maze Runner and The Lunar Chronicles
The Maze Runner is driven by boys and read by boys.
The Lunar Chronicles is powered by girls and read by girls.
The male characters in The Maze Runner blatantly outnumber the female ones, and I was disappointed by the series because there were hardly any strong female characters. You could say that between Brenda, Trina, and Teresa there would be one strong female character, but they hardly have any personalities, are the lowest notch of strong female characters, and don't match up to others like Hermione and Katniss.
Though I do have to give credit to James Dashner, as he did consistently mention how tough Thomas and Mark thought Brenda, Trina, and Teresa were. They were tough, but they needed more depth and complex personalities to truly stand out.
On the other hand, The Lunar Chronicles is filled with feminism. The series, written by female author Marissa Meyer, showcases independent female protagonists like Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, who power the story with their strength and skills. Meyer has adapted the female protagonists in fairytales from damsels in distress to strong, powerful girls.
These characters overcome immense challenges, support each other, and fight against oppressive forces, embodying the themes of empowerment and equality. The Lunar Chronicles not only provides compelling stories but also serves as an inspiration for readers by celebrating the strength of its female characters. Combined with the female protagonists’ partners, Kai, Wolf, Jacin, and Thorne, the series has the perfect balance of strong female characters and strong male characters.
It's no surprise that a series like The Maze Runner, written by a male author, would have a male-dominated cast, whereas The Lunar Chronicles, penned by a female writer, would emphasize strong, empowered women whilst also balancing out the female and male characters.