Maze Runner 2: The Scorch Trials Book Description About the book The Scorch Trials picks up where The Maze Runner left off. The Gladers have escaped the Maze, but now they face an even more treacherous challenge on the open roads of a devastated planet. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. Can Thomas survive in such a violent world? About the author James Smith Dashner James Smith Dashner (born November 26, 1972) is an American author of many children's fantasy series and adult books, including The 13th Reality series and the Jimmy Fincher Saga. He also wrote the first book of the Infinity Ring series and is going to write the last book as well. His novel The Journal of Curious Letters was chosen for a 2008 Borders Original Voices pick. He has been published by Cedar Fort, Inc and by Shadow Mountain Publishing known for their popular children's novels series Leven Thumps and Fablehaven. However, Delacorte - a division of Random House is publishing his new series, The Maze Runner, the first of which was out Fall 2009.