You’ve seen the movies. Or maybe you just saw a TikTok edit of Dylan O’Brien running through a shifting concrete labyrinth and thought, "Yeah, I need to read that." But here’s the thing about the Maze Runner series books in order: it’s not just a straight line. If you pick up the wrong book first, you’re basically spoiling the massive "What is WICKED?" mystery before you even get to know Thomas and Chuck.
It's a mess. Honestly.
James Dashner didn’t just write a trilogy and walk away. He went back. Then he went back again. Then he jumped way into the future. If you’re looking to dive into the Glade, you have two real choices: read them the way the world first saw them, or follow the actual timeline of the Flare virus. Most people should stick to the release order. Why? Because the prequels assume you already know the ending. They play with your heart strings based on information you haven't earned yet if you start at the "beginning" of the timeline.
The Maze Runner Series Books in Order: The Release Date Route
This is the way. Seriously. If you want the intended experience of being just as confused and terrified as the characters, follow the publication dates.
1. The Maze Runner (2009)
This is where it all kicks off. Thomas wakes up in a metal box. He has no memories. Just his name. He’s surrounded by teenage boys who have built a functioning society in a place called the Glade. Outside? A massive, shifting maze filled with Grievers—basically bio-mechanical nightmares. It’s tight, it’s fast-paced, and it’s the book that launched a thousand fan theories. You need to start here. No exceptions.
2. The Scorch Trials (2010)
If you thought the Maze was bad, the Scorch is a special kind of hell. The Gladers think they’ve escaped, but they’ve actually just graduated to Phase Two. The world has been roasted by solar flares, and a disease called the Flare is turning people into "Cranks"—basically fast, intelligent zombies with a grudge. This book is much grittier than the first. It’s where we meet Brenda and Jorge, and where the moral ambiguity of the organization WICKED starts to get really uncomfortable.
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3. The Death Cure (2011)
The finale of the main trilogy. It’s polarizing. Some fans love the high stakes; others find the resolution a bit bleak. WICKED claims they are close to a cure for the Flare, and they need Thomas's brain to finish it. Literally. There’s a lot of betrayal here. If you’re a fan of Newt—and let’s be real, everyone is—get the tissues ready. It’s a heavy read.
4. The Kill Order (2012)
Now we head into prequel territory. This book takes place roughly 13 years before Thomas arrives in the Glade. It follows a different set of characters, Mark and Trina, as the solar flares actually hit Earth. It’s a survival horror story. You see the origin of the Flare virus and how humanity absolutely fell apart in the face of disaster. It’s dark. Like, really dark.
5. The Fever Code (2016)
This is the "bridge" book. It’s a prequel that ends right where the first book begins. You see Thomas and Teresa working for WICKED, helping build the Maze, and watching the other Gladers through cameras. It’s fascinating because it recontextualizes everything you thought you knew about the "good guys" and "bad guys." It also answers the burning question: how did they get the kids in the first place?
6. The Maze Cutter (2022) & 7. The Godhead Complex (2023)
The new era. Dashner returned to the world with a sequel series set 73 years after the events of The Death Cure. It follows the descendants of the original survivors living on an island. It’s a bit of a departure from the original vibe, focusing more on the evolving world and the cults that have sprung up around the memory of the "Godhead."
Why the Chronological Order Might Ruin the Vibe
Look, some people swear by reading things in "historical" order. For this series, that would mean starting with The Kill Order, then The Fever Code, then the main trilogy, and finally the Maze Cutter books.
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Don't do it.
The Kill Order is an incredible look at the apocalypse, but it’s a total tonal shift. If you start there, you’re missing the "hook" of the mystery. The whole point of the first book is the "Who am I? Where am I?" aspect. If you read the prequels first, you already know the answer. It’s like watching the Star Wars prequels before the original trilogy—sure, you get the timeline, but you kill the biggest plot twists in cinematic history.
James Dashner wrote these with the assumption that his readers were already invested in Thomas’s survival. The Fever Code is only heartbreaking because you know what happens to these kids later. Without that context, it’s just a book about teenagers in a lab.
A Note on the "Lost" Files and Companion Material
If you’re a completionist, you can’t ignore The Maze Runner Files. It’s a slim volume—basically a pamphlet compared to the novels—but it’s packed with "classified" memos from WICKED, deleted scenes, and character backgrounds.
Is it essential? No.
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Is it cool? Absolutely. It’s the kind of thing you read on a Sunday afternoon when you’re craving more lore but don't want to commit to a full novel. It adds layers to the Chancellor, Ava Paige, who is one of the most interesting "villains" in YA history because she genuinely believes she’s the hero.
Dealing With the "Flare" in the Real World
The science in these books is... well, it’s YA science. The idea of solar flares causing a global pandemic is a bit of a stretch, but the psychological element is where Dashner shines. He captures that raw, teenage desperation perfectly.
When you’re looking at the Maze Runner series books in order, notice the titles. They aren't names; they're descriptions of tests. The "Trials," the "Cure," the "Order." The whole series is a meditation on whether the ends justify the means. If you have to torture a hundred kids to save a billion people, do you do it? WICKED says yes. Thomas says go to hell.
That conflict is what keeps these books on the shelves nearly two decades after they first started appearing in middle school libraries.
Actionable Steps for New Readers
If you're ready to start your run through the Glade, here is exactly how to handle it:
- Buy the original trilogy first. Don't worry about the prequels yet. See if you actually like the "Glade-speak" (shuck-face, klunk, etc.) before investing in seven books.
- Avoid the Wiki. Seriously. One accidental glance at the character status sidebar will spoil the biggest death in the series. Stay away from the Maze Runner fandom sites until you finish The Death Cure.
- Watch the movies last. They are actually pretty decent action flicks, but they diverge massively from the books starting about halfway through the first one. They’re basically a different story using the same names.
- Check out the Crank Palace novella. It’s a short story centered on Newt during the events of The Death Cure. It’s a gut-punch, but it’s mandatory reading for fans of his character.
- Transition to the sequels only if you're ready for a genre shift. The Maze Cutter feels more like a traditional post-apocalyptic adventure than the high-concept sci-fi of the original books.
Start with The Maze Runner. Read it fast. Try to solve the code before Thomas does. Even if you think you know where the story is going, Dashner usually has one more trap waiting for you around the corner.