Catching Fire vs The Maze Runner: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction
Catching Fire
“I clasp the flask between my hands even thought the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air.”
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Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her…
The Maze Runner
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When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Catching Fire highest: Catching Fire 4.5 · The Maze Runner 4.1.
- The Maze Runner has the widest readership — 1742797 ratings behind its score.
- The Maze Runner runs the darker storyline; Catching Fire stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Catching Fire | The Maze Runner | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 4.1 (1742797) |
| Hardcover | 4.0 (1) | 3.7 (1686) |
| Google Books | — | 4.0 (14) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (3953) | 4.5 (6172) |
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Reception
| Catching Fire | The Maze Runner | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 3953 | 1742797 |
| Editions | 118 | 21 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 830947 |
| Reading it now | — | 37923 |
| Written reviews | — | 73401 |
| Wikipedia attention | 11874 | 8869 |
| Pages | 395 | 375 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Catching Fire or The Maze Runner?
Catching Fire has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Catching Fire 4.5/5, The Maze Runner 4.1/5).
Which is shorter to read: Catching Fire or The Maze Runner?
The Maze Runner is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Maze Runner (375 pages, ≈ 6 h 57 m); Catching Fire (395 pages, ≈ 7 h 19 m).
Which is harder to read: Catching Fire or The Maze Runner?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Catching Fire: Light; The Maze Runner: Light.