James Dasher is heading back into the Glade and adding to the Maze Runner series with a new prequel entitled The Fever Code.
To the surprise of many, Dashner announced today that the Maze Runner series isn’t complete yet. While speaking with MTV, the author revealed that he’s currently working on a fifth installment to the series set to be published sometime in 2016.
Dashner said about the project, “I’ve always wanted to write a prequel about Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Minho, Alby and all the Gladers that leads up to the very moment Thomas enters the Box.”
He continued, “There are so many things hinted at that will be fun to reveal in depth. For years, fans have made it abundantly and enthusiastically clear that they want the same thing, so now seems like the perfect time to give readers the story of how the Maze began.”
One thing is for certain: The writer knows his audience. The origin story of the Gladers has undergone much speculation since the initial publication of The Maze Runner, and with the movie adaptation new interest has been sparked.
There’s no word yet on what the new book will mean for the larger movie franchise of the same name. The Maze Runner held its own at the box office over opening weekend, and the sequel The Scorch Trials has already been given a release date. As of now, anything could be possible.