Customer Reviews

Maze: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This work is an engrossing, intriguing, thought-provoking, perspective-changing, paradigm-shifting...maze. This is a work of genious. I can't think of any book, puzzle, or movie to compare it to (except maybe "Labrynth"). The subtle yet surreal illustrations and short dialouges from your guide draw the visitor/reader into a maddening underworld of the Maze. A friend showed me this book about 13 years ago, and the illustration style and overall eerieness and CHALLENGE stayed in my memory, I recently purchased it, to find it as wonderful as when I was 14 years old.
I'm above average at solving puzzles, and I can't even get a good start into "MAZE" before I start doubting my whole interpretation of the "clues", and run around in circles blindly.
I give this work 5 stars for the premise and flawless execution, but I would subtract a half star for the following reason: After weeks of serious attempts at deciphering the symbolism, it is still as unintelligible as some of Lewis Carroll's or Aleister Crowley's nonsense. Yes, I am dense. The only solution we've figured out to MAZE involves "cheating", unless that's the real solution. Notice on the cover how there is a very ambiguous fish over the door? Well, that's what its like inside, too: "ambiguous at best." Utterly ecclectic, and gripping. LET ME OUT!

As an elementary school teacher, I have read thousands of childern's books. This is one of the best.

There are layers upon layers of meaning to peel away. My second graders were stimulated by the pictures and the physical structure of the maze. The fifth graders I shared it with began to discover the subtlety of the textual clues. In middle school, the students noticed non-linear connections between rooms in the maze, complexities in the placement of the chambers, and the double entendres of the mysterious host.

As an adult, I found myself thrilled by the challenge of The Maze, the creepy ambiguity of meaning, and a pervading sinister feeling that made my stomach uneasy and gave me goosebumps up and down my arms.

I envy those who are stepping into the entrance hall for the first time . . . Good Luck!

This book is truly one of the most amazing creations I've ever held in my two hands. The dialogues, the pictures, the clues, riddles, symbolism, historical references...it's all fantastic. I've been working on this for over three years now with my best friend and several others, and although we solved it over a year ago, we still keep going back to this book. Everytime you open it up, there's something new to discover. And the more research we do, the more incredible it becomes. It truly lives up to its' title as the World's Most Challenging Puzzle. We're still trying to dicipher clues in some of the rooms, although we have theories about nearly all of them, and some hard facts on quite a few.

If you want to discuss anything about the Maze, please feel free to e-mail me...we're always interested in new opinions

I first found this online 7 years ago, and it has tormented me ever since. I thought I was alone, but the reviews here tell me how many others there are. My ray of sunshine came when I searched the net for the answer, and found it. You don't have to cheat! (I cxan't beleive it either.)

Amazing riddle . . . the best "choose your own adventure" book EVER.

I first stumbled upon this book at the age of twelve. I always enjoyed mazes and thought I'd be able to add another notch to my belt in no time at all, an hour at most. I spent every free minute for the next several months looking at this beautiful book, completely lost in its simplicity.

Twelve years later, I found myself entering the maze again, just as bewildered. I finally, with a little help from my friends (who think this book is evil in its purest form,) was able to find the shortest path from 1 to 45 and back again. Now if I can only unravel the hidden riddle and trace the answer through those many rooms, I believe I may just die a happy man.

As for the author/illustrator Christopher Manson, I tip my proverbial hat to you, sir. I believe you may have me in check, but I've a few tricks left up my sleeve as well.

I both fear and covet the next offering of this caliber, though to equal MAZE would be an astonishing feat.

This is my favorite book. Ever.

I remember first stumbling across this book when a Jr. High classmate of mine brought it in for me to look at. I also remember how a number of kids in the class wanted to borrow it and be the first to figure it out. Fast forward 17 years...none of us have come up with the solution. I haven't seen the book since that time but have looked for it in a number of bookstores-waiting for the chance to come across this gem. Great illustrations aside, this is truly a book like no other-it's the paperback version of Myst...and Myst isn't even half this good.

Buy it...you will NOT be disappointed.

The format of this book is interesting: each numbered page is a room. The reader's goal is interesting: find the path from the first room to the 45th room and back. The text follows a person (the narrator) guiding a small group of visitors around the maze-building. The drawings are all pen & ink (no color). The task & setup are fun, but ...

Here are my issues: (1) The narrator is a bit nasty -- nothing unsuitable for young children, but certainly not pleasant. (2) You absolutely MUST solve at least one riddle to find a path from room 1 to room 45. (3) There is no way to know whether you have found the correct answer to a riddle -- or for that matter, the shortest path.

My daughter & I have enjoyed reading this book together. It was intersting & fun. You'll enjoy it more if you aren't expecting a 5-star book.

As you can tell from my title, I loved this book. Two problems however - I was only about 9 when I had it (I'm 18 now), and I have no idea where it is now. However, any day now it should be delivered since I ordered it after browsing some books. I thought of old books I liked and this one just snapped into my head. So I ordered it.

Now about the book...

It's hard to appreciate a book like this when you are very young, but I loved it all the same. I loved going from room to room and I loved the pictures. But now I recently found a hyperlinked version of this book online, and I looked at a couple of the pictures. (Only a couple... they don't look as good on the screen and I didn't wan't to spoil anything before I got the book again.) The pictures are amazing. They are clever, surreal, and even a little creepy. And the narrative along with each picture is interesting as well. Just by looking at the few pictures, I can tell that I am going to have a great time with trying to solve the maze. Clues are everywhere, and now I will actually be able to understand them.(hopefully.)

Like I implied earlier, this is definately a book for adults and young adults to enjoy. Even though I loved it back then, I don't think it's possible to fully appreciate as you can when you are older.

This book is amazing. I bought it to give to my nephew at Christmas, needless to say it is still on my coffee table. I can't figure it out. Other people who come by our house and see it...can't figure it out. I have been left in the dark only once..dead end there. And I get turned around and around in a group of rooms that I can't find another way out. It is a maddening book! Too much fun though.

A few of us have persisted in seeking a solution to Manson's Maze.

The Maze is an intriguing work but the frustration is that there has never been an authoritative solution confirmed by the author or publisher. The FAQ for the news group rec.puzzles does not yet show the most recent material which can be found at http://www.frontiernet.net/~jmb184/maze/

Some month's ago I set up this web folder which collects the various proposals regarding Maze. Several people have graciously submitted material, all of which is posted there.