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The Kite Runner (2003) is the first novel by Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini, which became a worldwide bestseller and one of the most read novels of the 21st century. The plot follows Amir, a boy from a wealthy Kabul family, and Hassan, the son of his servant, who is both his best friend and soul brother.

In Kabul before the Soviet invasion, their childhood is filled with the game of kite chasing, loyalty, and boyish dreams. However, a terrible event on the day of a great kite chasing tournament will forever change their lives and relationship.

The novel follows Amir's growing up in exile in America, his remorse, and his eventual return to war-torn Afghanistan under Taliban rule, where he tries to right old wrongs.

Hosseini masterfully portrays Afghanistan's rich culture, tradition, and beauty, as well as the horrors of war, ethnic divisions (Hazari vs. Pashtun), Taliban terror, and the human capacity for betrayal and redemption. The book is emotionally powerful, moving, and hard to put down.

The Dragon Rider is a universal story of guilt, friendship, fatherly love, and the search for forgiveness. It is considered a modern classic that opened a window into Afghanistan to the Western world.