The Kite Runner is a 2003 novel by Khaled Hosseini about the friendship between Amir, a wealthy boy, and Hassan, the son of his father's servant, set against the backdrop of Afghanistan's tumultuous history, from the fall of the monarchy through the Soviet invasion and the rise of the Taliban. The story follows Amir's betrayal of Hassan and his subsequent quest for redemption years later, exploring themes of guilt, betrayal, father-son relationships, and the possibility of atonement.