The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read (James Dashner)

If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and other dystopian fiction, you’re going to want to check out The Maze Runner books in order to read.

The Maze Runner series is written by New York Times bestselling author James Dashner. The books are a dystopian science fiction saga that unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world. The main narrative revolves around a group of young individuals who find themselves trapped in a mysterious and ever-changing maze.

The Maze Runner books explores themes of survival, identity, memory loss, and the consequences of scientific experimentation.

The Maze Runner trilogy comprises three main books in chronological order, followed by two additional novels that serve as prequels to the main series. There is also a novella titled Crank Palace which takes place during the latter events of The Death Cure and tells the story of Newt like never before.

This series is then followed by the Maze Cutter books, a series of novels set 73 years after the events of the Maze Runner.

The Maze Runner book series was so successful it has also been adapted into a Major Motion Pictures film series. The movie adaptation consists of three films and stars Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Aml Ameen, Will Poulter and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

This is the complete list of The Maze Runner books in order to read.

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The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: Complete List

It is recommended to read all The Maze Runner books in order to fully understand the plot and backstory and to avoid any potential spoilers.

I’ve written the books down in order as a simple list but I’ve also included the full descriptions. Feel free to skip to whichever section you prefer.

If you’re looking for more reading inspiration why not check out my other book lists and book reviews. I have book reviews listed by author and book reviews listed by genre. I also have author reading lists and series order lists to help inspire you.

The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: Written List

The Maze Runner Original Series

The Maze Cutter Series

The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: The Maze Runner Original Series

The Maze Runner (2009)

The first book in the main trilogy is The Maze Runner.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.

The Scorch Trials (2010)

The second book in The Maze Runner trilogy is The Scorch Trials.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

The Death Cure (2011)

The third book in The Maze Runner trilogy is The Death Cure.

WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it’s finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test.

What WICKED doesn’t know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it’s enough to prove that he can’t believe a word of what they say.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He’ll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over.

The Kill Order (2012) – A Prequel

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth, killing most of the population.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened. They survived. But now a virus is spreading. A virus that fills humans with murderous rage.

They’re convinced that there’s a way to save those who are left—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some you’re worth more dead than alive.

The end is only the beginning.

The Fever Code (2016) – A Prequel

A prequel to the worldwide Maze Runner phenomenon, The Fever Code is the book that holds all the answers.

How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? And what side are Thomas and Teresa really on?

Lies will be exposed. Secrets will be uncovered. Loyalties will be proven.

Fans will never see the truth coming. Before there was the Maze, there was The Fever Code.

Crank Palace (2022) – A Novella

Newt has been to hell and back with his friends.

The Glade. The Maze. The Scorch. The inner halls of WICKED. But now he has a burden that can’t be shared with Thomas and the others—the Flare. And Newt can’t bear the thought of his friends watching him descend into madness as he succumbs to the virus.

Leaving only a note, Newt departs the Berg before the Gladers return from their mission into Denver, Colorado. From there, he experiences the gritty nightmare of life on the streets, running from the infected and those hunting them, until he ends up in the Crank Palace, the last dumping ground of those without hope. Although Newt thought he was running away from his friends to save them from himself, along the way he meets a young mother named Keisha and her son, Dante, who end up saving Newt in a way he could never have imagined.

Taking place during the latter events of The Death Cure, Crank Palace tells the story of Newt like never before, from inside his own mind, as he searches for meaning in a life gone horribly wrong. He will try to fulfil a new-found destiny before his path leads to its inevitable conclusion—and one last meeting with his best friend.

The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: Companion Book

The Maze Runner Files (2013)

The Maze Runner Files offers a unique glimpse into Thomas, Newt and Teresa’s world – essential reading for any fan.

Lost emails between WICKED employees, memos meant to be destroyed after reading, and a selection of the Gladers suppressed memories make up this e-original short.

The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: The Maze Cutter Series

The Maze Cutter (2022)

Seventy-three years after the events of THE DEATH CURE, when Thomas and other immunes were sent to an island to survive the Flare-triggered apocalypse, their descendants have thrived.

Sadina, Isaac, and Jackie all learned about the unkind history of the Gladers from The Book of Newt and tall tales from Old Man Frypan, but when a rusty old boat shows up one day with a woman bearing dark news of the mainland—everything changes.

The group and their islander friends are forced to embark back to civilization where they find Cranks have evolved into a more violent, intelligent version of themselves. They are hunted by the Godhead, the Remnant Nation, and scientists with secret agendas.

When they cross paths with an orphan named Minho from the Remnant Nation, the dangers become real and they don’t know who they can trust.

The islanders will have to survive long enough to figure out why they are being targeted, who is friend or foe, and what the Godhead has planned for the future of humanity.

The Godhead Complex (2023)

FLARE ABOVE, MAZE BELOW.

Sadina and the islanders are up against both man and nature as they navigate their way to Alaska. There, they hope to meet the mysterious Godhead, unsure of what separates myth from truth. But the Godhead, now led by Alexandra, is fractured. Within the cracks of their sacred trinity, secrets are revealed that blur the lines of good and evil forever.

After a devastating discovery, Isaac and Sadina are forced to split up. Minho holds the rest of the group together, but it’s his beliefs that are slowly falling apart. What once drove Minho to join his sworn enemies is causing him to question everything. When Sadina finds a clue in The Book of Newt, her mission to meet the Godhead becomes even stronger. Isaac and Old Man Frypan come across an enigmatic traveler and learn that the cure isn’t what it once was. They are shaken to the core when they realise that the immunes aren’t as immune as they should be, and the world as a whole is evolving in a dangerous new direction.

In Alaska, The Godhead and the sacred site of the Maze face something that no generation of Pilgrims before them has ever witnessed. Beliefs will change, futures will be rewritten, and not even the Godhead knows what will happen next.ines of good and evil forever.

The Maze Runner Books in Order to Read: FAQs

How many The Maze Runner books are there?

There are six Maze Runner books in total. This includes the books in the original trilogy, the two prequels that were published after the main three books and the novella released in 2022. There are also currently two books in the new The Maze Cutter series, set 73 years after The Maze Runner.

Who is the target audience of The Maze Runner books?

The Maze Runner books are classified as young adult fiction. The series is written with a target audience of young adult readers, typically those in their teens, but it has also gained popularity among readers of various ages.

The themes, characters, and writing style align with the conventions commonly found in young adult literature. The series explores dystopian elements, complex character relationships, and the challenges faced by its teenage protagonists, making it a fitting addition to the young adult genre.

In what order should I read The Maze Runner books?

Despite the two final books being prequels to the series, I would still recommend reading The Maze Runner books in publication order, starting with the first book The Maze Runner.