The Maze Runner is the first book in a dystopian science-fiction trilogy aimed at the young adult reader. The story follows Thomas, a teenage boy, who awakens in an elevator with no memory of the past except his own name. When the doors open he finds himself in the Glade, a large open living area surrounded by stone walls. There are other children living in the Glad who also have no idea why they were brought there. Every morning in the Glade the stone walls are opened, revealing a maze. Every evening these doors are closed again. Every 30 days a new boy arrives.
The Maze Runner was written by James Dashner following the success of The Jimmy Fincher Saga. Although his publisher had pressed Dashner to write another book in the series, Dashner decided to try to reach a larger market with new material. He conceived of a story in which children are led into a large maze full of monsters and creatures to have their minds studied. The series has been critically well-received. Fox Searchlight Pictures has optioned the book for a film although the project has not yet been green lighted.
