The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium - Book 2) (The Magisterium)

You can tell the author was inspired by Harry Potter a bit to much. Call (Harry), Aaron (Ron), Tamara (Hermione), Jasper (Dudley and Neville combined), Master Rufus (Dumbeldore) and the Magesterim (Hogwarts). But she writes a good story that reads perfect and is fun.

The book started out with a bang, and kept going from there. With new twists, new secrets, and even better plot twists, The Copper Gauntlet came out strong, a worthy sequel to 'The Iron Trial'.

I'm a little peeved about having to wait for The Bronze Key, but It'll be worth it to find out what fate has in store for our Makar, our Enemy, and the Dynamic friends they all have.

Great read for young and older teens. I see real enjoyment with a lot of mystery and excitement in this book and it's previous episode. Action through out this story keeps the reader locked in to the end.

I bought this book before it got out, and couldn't stop until I finished it. I chose this rating because the series is now one of the few I now hold dear and will read over again. That's saying a lot, considering I've read Wen Spencer's "Tinker"!

First book was actually fairly good. This follow up is poor. Bad plot line; no character development and couldn't help thinking the whole time how it was such a Harry Potter knockoff. The authors can do bettet; I know I expected better.

The Copper Gauntlet is the second book in the Magisterium series. We rejoin Call as he is on the summer break from the Magisterium where he had just completed his first year of study of magic known as the Iron year and is soon to return for his Copper year. Unfortunately Call’s father seems to have some shady plans set for Call and doesn’t want him to return forcing Call to run away.

The authors do a wonderful job of quickly catching the reader up with the story and what had happened in the previous book right as you start off reading, no reason to fret if you might have forgotten some details since reading the first book. After a quick refresh we are again thrust back into the world of magic and details left from the first story yet to be resolved. Easy to get completely caught back up into the story and with Call and his friends on their adventures.

Again, as with The Iron Trial, I really couldn’t tell that I was reading a book about a group of now thirteen year olds. Call and his fellow apprentices are very mature for their ages so without the occasional reminder to the reader I really think anyone of any age should enjoy this story if you love a good fantasy read. What is missing from the normal young adult fantasy is the lack of a love triangle between the two male characters and their female friend. Being kids, they are all truly a group of friends that care for each other no matter the odds.

Some great action with the current story line and a good opening at the end to leave the reader wanting to know how the story will continue. Looking forward to reading the next in this five book series next year and would highly recommend all the fantasy lovers to give this one a shot.

I won this book from Goodreads First Reads, receiving a free copy in no way reflects upon my review and all thoughts are my own.

The dynamic duo, Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, have done it again with The Copper Gauntlet! I love how this series is progressing! When this book finally came in from my Scholastic book order, I couldn't wait to start reading it! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. We rejoin Callum Hunt as he is on his summer break from the Magisterium. Call has a lot to think about. Some of the things he found out about himself at the end of The Iron Trial have left him reeling. Call’s relationship with his father is strained to say the least, leaving him to run away so that he can return to the Magisterium for his second year. Once back at the Magisterium, Call and his friends face a new dilemma- someone has stolen the Alkhahest, a copper gauntlet which in the wrong hands could destroy the Magisterium’s power or kill the Makar. I wish there had been more of their Copper Year studies in this book. I loved their magic studies in The Iron Trial, but this book takes place outside of the Magisterium. My only complaint is that I wish this book had been longer! The Copper Gauntlet is full of twists, turns, and surprises. We got more answers in this book, but yet we are left with even more questions. If you liked The Iron Trial, you will love The Copper Gauntlet. I can’t wait to read more of this series!

I loved reading this book. The one year wait for it was worth it. But a bit too long, lol. I enjoyed everything about this book. I just, I really wish it had been longer. Two hundred and sixty pages is way too short. Hmph. But they were excellent pages. And I loved every word. Sigh. The writing is very gorgeous.

This book is also from the point of view of Call. And I loved that very much. Because Call is still my favorite person. And getting to know him better is all kinds of fun. I love how his leg is a bit broken. How much it hurts him. Okay, that breaks my heart, but still. I love how great it is written. It was so good to read about.

All five books will be like five years at the magic school, I think. Or they might not take that much time. Either way, I'm so excited about reading more. This one takes place a few weeks after the end of The Iron Trial. With Call and Havoc back home with his father. And oh. Things aren't going very well. Since his dad doesn't want him to go to the school. And because of the secret Call has. Sigh. I wish they didn't have any issues with each other; as I think I adore them both. But anyway. I loved the beginning of this book. It is exciting and awesome and I loved it. But a bit evil too. Poor Havoc, shudders. Things could have gone really wrong. But they didn't. And Call got away; to Tamara. Where Aaron was staying too. Was a bit awkward.

I felt like Call was a bit jealous in this book. But only for a sort time, I think. And I also very much understood him. As he thinks one time, Tamara will always pick Aaron before him. Which hurts a bit, sigh. But even so. I liked this friendship so much. Call and Aaron are awesome. I do like Tamara a lot too. But I had some issues with her. I didn't like how she sort of betrayed Call. So not okay. But I felt like she made up for it near the end; she stood up for him. So I do like her. But only ever as their friend :)

Call is a bit more jealous of Aaron this time. But he shouldn't be. My heart just aches for Aaron. He is such a cute boy. And so so very kind. But yeah. He has no family anymore. He has no one. And that just hurts my heart. Hmph. But yeah. I loved his friendship with Call. Just wish the book had been longer so that I could have seen it more. Hopefully in the next one. All three are great friends; which I liked. We also see a bit more of Celia in this book; I adored that. She's pretty amazing. Still shipping her and Call.

There is also a whole other bunch of awesome characters in this book. More creatures too. Shudders. Some were pretty bad. But I loved reading about them all. We also see much more of Jasper in this one. And while he is still so mean towards Call, he is also sort of kind. And I have grown to love him a lot more. Unless he talks about what happened near the end of the book. Hmph. He better not. Most I loved reading about Call. He is the very best. So awesome. And his chaos dog, Havoc. He is just the cutest.

While this book is short, it is also full of amazing things. The plot is awesome. I loved reading about everything that happened. About Call visiting with Tamara. About him going to a party at her very huge house. And how different it was an how awesome too. And reading more about Alex, whom is older, whom I grew to like a lot. I'm not sure if I want him to be with Tamara's sister. She didn't treat him all that well. Hmph. But yeah. I'm all kinds of curious about it even so, lol. So much amazing in this book.

We learn more about the Enemy of Death in this one too. Which is still such a silly nickname, lol. But I kind of like it too. And, ugh. He seemed like an awful person. And he died so young. And poor Call with his secret, and him trying not to be evil, and it just broke my heart. But Call is still just Call. And I want him to always be that. Don't he dare change or die. I want a happy ending for Call. And Aaron. And for them to be best of friends. Sigh. Anyway. Point is. The plot is exciting and interesting and I loved it lots.

While I wish this book had been longer, I also loved it very much. I'm giving it five stars. Because the writing is gorgeous. The characters are all so so amazing. The plot is exciting and interesting. This book just means so much to me. It's awesome. You must all read this book. Read and love it. Which you will. Because it's the best. The Copper Gauntlet is such a stunning sequel. It is exciting and horrifying and so much fun. All the characters are written so well. I could not have loved this book more. It is awesome.

This continuation of the series upped the stakes dramatically and was crammed with tension and action. There are again a number of betrayals and issues of trust, even among the friends. There is also more of a hint that Call likes Tamara. Additionally while Call counts Aaron as his best friend, he is also somewhat jealous of him, worried that Tamara like him romantically and a bit envious at his celebrity status as the Chosen One. Call's relationship with his Dad explodes in this book, leading to his escape from the Magisterium. However this doesn't solve his troubles--he doubles them in fact. If he can't trust his father and he can't trust the Magisterium, where will he go? He is also crushed under the secret that he carries, that his soul is that of an evil overlord. He want to come clean to his friends but feels he can't. He wonders if he is becoming evil and becomes somewhat obsessed with analyzing his actions, looking for signs of evil thoughts or deeds. Through all of this he has his friends, and those friendships deepen through adversity. I think that kids will find this story relatable because they often feel alienated at school or with their parents. Here is an over-the-top example where finding someone to trust becomes an anchor. As for the reading age.... I noticed that the store shows it listed for grades 3-7. I would actually raise the lower end of that. The length of the books, the vocabulary, and the deaths in the series would make me more likely to recommend this for upper elementary kids (I'm a children's librarian). I also think that kids a older on the upper end might enjoy this. The characters would be younger than them but the action, drama, and enticement of the magical school theme would draw them in. I think this would fit right in with the Harry Potter crowd and we know that it commands an audience of all ages. I am eager to see where the series goes; at this point I've only been able to get the first 3 on audio (the narration continues to be excellent for the series) and I know it's to be a five book series. Waiting...waiting...waiting!

I think this one narrowly missed the infamous second-book-slump. It lacks that wonderful twist from the first book, of course. It also feels like the story arc too closely mirrors that of the first book (and also Harry Potter). In essence, something happens at home, they go to school for a while, and then something bigger happens when they should be in school and then it is the end.

But like I said, it narrowly missed that dreaded slump. Callum wrestles with the concepts of good and evil, and indulges in a lot of humorous introspection which ultimately makes him all the more likable. The friendship between Tamara, Aaron and Call deepens, despite what could develop into serious betrayal. Plus the metal monster, Automontones, was just cool. The Copper Gauntlet was a satisfying enough second book, and engaging enough to make you want to pick up book number three.

AW MAN.

I loved the first book in the Magisterium series SO MUCH. If you read my first review, you’ll know that I was all but jumping up and down over this magical series. I picked it up for the DiversityBingo2017 challenge, but immediately requested the rest of the books from the library so I could read them back to back for Series Monday.

Unfortunately, this second book did not measure up to The Iron Trial. I couldn’t even make it to the halfway point–I was SO BORED. Maybe it’s because I just read another 5 star book right before (If I Was Your Girl), but this seemed so much kitschier than the beginning of the series. It lacked all of the depth, and the characters just seemed overly whiny. Oh, and the book begins almost to the T of the Harry Potter summer scenes–where he’s bored and miserable and missing his friends, his guardian (father) hate magic and tries to keep him locked up. It was just a little tooooooooo dead on. The Iron Trial definitely can be compared to HP, but it was its own thing. To start The Copper Gauntlet that way just put me on the wrong foot.

I’ve taken the rest of the books off my list.

This book was a super quick read because the action pretty much never let up—a definite positive for a middle grade book. I felt like this book gave us plenty of reminders of what happened in book one without bogging us down with details, which was very helpful. My favorite aspect of this second book is the fact that Call spends a good portion of the book questioning himself—wondering if each and every choice he makes is leading him toward redemption or toward evil overlord territory. Call is hiding his secret from his friends because he’s pretty sure that anyone who knows would think of him as evil incarnate. In fact, he worries that his own father might secretly think just that—and as the book goes on, his doubts about his father’s feelings and intentions just get stronger.

Just like the first book, there were some parallels to Harry Potter, which could be seen as a negative—I almost felt like Tamara was a bit more Hermione-ish in this book, which I wasn’t a fan of. At one point she “betrays” Call, but I actually kind of liked her for taking a stand—I understand that we value a friend who doesn’t share our secrets, but there are times when hiding a secret is much more harmful than pulling in someone who can help, even if it makes a friend mad. I actually wish that message had been emphasised a little more.

One other thing that gave me pause is that the bulk of the book seemed to take place over a very short period of time, but it was supposed to basically cover a whole school year. When I got to the next book, I was really surprised when we jumped into the next school year! I give this book 4/5 stars.

The highlight of this MG Contemporary Fantasy is Call's ongoing evaluation of his own behavior & choices.

BOOK DETAILS:
The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare, read by Paul Boehmer, published by Listening Library (2015) / Length: 8 hrs 21 min

SERIES INFO:
This is Book #2 of "The Magisterium" series. Book #3, The Bronze Key, is scheduled to be published on 8/30/16.

**This review contains spoilers for the previous book(s).**

SUMMARY:
The Harry Potter similarities & differences were both a bit stronger in this one. I especially felt like the whole issue of Elementals being used as domestic servants (ala house elves) was completely unnecessary. The characters remain unique though. But I am still hoping for more development on the everyone besides Call.

CHARACTERS:
Callum Hunt (Call): In the previous book, Call was told that he is "The Enemy of Death" who placed his own spirit inside the (stolen) body of the infant Callum Hunt. He spends this whole book dealing with this news.

"He'd started making a list in his head - any evidence of him being an Evil Overlord went into one column and any evidence against it went into another. He'd taken to referring to the list before making any and all decisions. Would an Evil Overlord drink the last cup of coffee in the pot? Which book would an Evil Overlord take out from the library? Was dressing in all black a definite Evil Overlord move, or a legitimate choice on laundry day?"

This is fun, but it is also gives great depth to such a young character. And despite this close evaluation of his own behavior, he still occasionally makes selfish decisions, which adds some realism.

WORLDBUILDING:
We learn more about the social and administrative structure of the magic world. I continue to be disturbed by their failure to do more to protect their children.

We also learn more about what The Enemy went through and what he did; and get to meet some chaos-ridden people.

PLOT:
The beginning was well done, establishing backstory & character growth. Once Call left home though, I found the parts before he got back to school to be less interesting.

The story itself takes place over a fairly short period of time (rather than a whole school year). And the ending resolved the issue of the Copper Gauntlet, but left the larger issues unresolved.

HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:

--Havoc remains a favorite. I like that he is but isn't more than a wolf.
--When Jasper (Call's sort of nemesis) is called out for certain behavior and Call is forced to recognize that he does something similar.

I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: The crush subplot. / The gruesome stuff with severed heads.

OTHER CAUTIONS(?): The book continues to be pretty dark for Middle Grade.

NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = Yes / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Yes / Emoting = Yes / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual

There was a small error (which may have come from the original) in which he said "Call & Tamara" when it should have been Aaron & Tamara.

Reader thoughts: Compare this book to Harry Potter.

The similarities: magic school, run away from home life, the MC learns that enslaved creatures clean and take care of the magical school, in a trio of 2 boys and 1 girl, one of the boys is the "chosen one" to destroy the enemy, the trio sneaks out of school, the MC was cursed by the enemy as a baby, the trio steals a car that later flies, the MC lies to his best friends and his teachers, and more.

The main differences: Callum is the actual enemy of death (or, his soul is), and he is crippled. This makes the story more interesting because it makes more obstacles for Callum to overcome, and it keeps the book from feeling like a repeat.

I really enjoyed seeing the play of forces that all wanted Aaron's attention and how he dealt with it humbly and cheerfully. I liked learning more about the magic, though it is still unclear what the characters can and can't do. I like Havoc! I like reveals. I liked what happened with Jasper.

Writer thoughts: The book's timeline is short (a couple weeks of summer and a couple weeks of school). This lets HB pack more action into a smaller timeframe, and it lets her characters stay younger longer (assuming she'll write another book about their copper year since there is still so much time left).

Callum's physical handicap serves the story in several ways. 1, generates sympathy for him from the reader and lets readers overlook his prickly personality. 2, raises tension in any scene when Callum has to run/climb something. 3, makes Callum have to try harder in order to succeed, which makes readers respect him more. 4, helps readers connect with him since he has a non-magical problem to deal with on a daily basis.

While the series still contains numerous Harry Potter similarities, they're not as obvious in the second book as the first, probably because Black and Clare provided a story with nonstop action from beginning to end and were too focused on providing a page turning plot to spend as much time giving nods to Rowling's legendary series.

In the second novel Cal is dealing with the repercussions of his stunning discovery at the end of book one and learning just how much his father knows about that secret. He doesn't want to believe it could be true but the evidence seems to be piling up everywhere he turns. When his Dad becomes a wanted criminal, Cal and his friends, plus Jasper, set out to warn him of the sentence on his head.

You get to see Cal growing up a lot in this book and to see his friendships with Aaron and Tamara deepening in someways and becoming shakier in others. Most of the comic relief is provided by Jasper whose comments helped to keep the darker and more tense moments from being too dark for younger readers.

One of my favorite subplots of this particular book is the way Cal finds himself facing the obstacle of girls. It's not that the book provides a romantic subplot, not really, it's more that he's completely clueless and it leads to some really humorous scenes, especially later on in the novel.

Overall there's not a lot to say about the story without giving too much away. The second installment of the series leaves the first in the dust and I think most middle grade and ya fantasy readers are going to be on the edge of their seats when they pick up this story.

Callum Hunt alongwith his chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc are home for the summer vacations and he is worried after the events of events of the 1st book, that he is evil and suspects that his father does too. In lieu of a suspicious incident Call runs away from and finds that while he was having such a hard time, his friends Tamara and Aaron were together, partying at her grand estate. And Aaron was being celebrated as the Makar.

Having set the stage with The Iron Trial, the sequel looks towards a next year at the Magisterium and explores further the relationship between the three friends. Of course, we don't know what goes on in Aaron or Tamara's minds seeing as Call s the point of focus. It is surreal to see him more sure of himself this time. While he worries what his friends would think of him when his secret comes out and would not want him around anymore. He works hard despite his leg impairment and supports his friends ...... Which is definitely not someone evil would do ...... or so his mind categorizes.

After spending the vacations in luxury, Call, Tamara and Aaron are back for their second year of school. And of course things go spiraling off one after another. Alkahest, a very powerful copper gauntlet has been stolen, that has the power of killing the Makar. While everyone rushes to put blame on his father, Call is sure Alistair stole it to cure him. With one solid mission on hand Call, Tamara, Aaron and tag-along Jasper runaway from school to try and retrieve the Alkahest and prove that Alistair is innocent.

While the first book showed life at the school, The Copper Gauntlet spans out to the magical community. Be it Tamara's intriguing family and their aristocratic ways, magical politics or encounters with members who were once part of the Magisterium. And really not everyone of them have good intentions towards this motley group. Wonder duo Cassandra Clare and Holly Black build on a convincing sequel. Its whats happening outside that matters this time. With all of its action, the twists and turns, The Copper Gauntlet manages to keep our attention. Here's to keeping our fingers crossed for 'The Cosmos Blade'.

I truly enjoyed this sequel. So much better than the first book. I think Callum and his friends wrestle with so much more in this book and find out that not everything is as it appears. Also how much more Callum seems to be a lot more assertive and is now starting to make much more essential decisions.

The Relationship with His Father

One of the things about Callum is how his father and interact. I definitely thought that there were a lot of things that got revealed about his father in this book. More than I thought I would like. His father and him seem to be in a very different place than they were in before. Not to mention the fact that Callum has a chaos wolf as a pet seems to make his father go a little nuts. There seems to be a lot of tension now that Callum knows a lot more about the past than he wants to. He knows his father is doing something that he shouldn’t be, and that worries him. After seeing something that resembles a jail cell after Havoc’s crazy outings, he finds that he can’t trust his father. His father should be the person he trusts, but doesn’t after seeing chains. This leads him to question everything he knows about his father.

Getting to See How the Rich Mages Live

I think Callum making decisions sometimes is good and bad. One of the decisions that he makes is to track down Tamara. What he finds is a lifestyle that is totally a welcome change than the one he is used to. I totally love how Tamara’s parents welcome him into the home. He finds that some of his friends are already there as well. Plus there are some neat things he sees as well. Things get interesting because one of his friends really has some interesting things going on. Plus two of his friends have had some kind of relationships. He really likes it at this house. Not to mention there are some cool magic going on.

Back at School, Trials, Etc, Elementals

I definitely like the lessons that they go through in a lot of ways. This year they are learning how to control their magic instead of it controlling them. Not to mention they will be allowed outside for missions and assisting teachers when need be. Of course they learn that the Elementals are very powerful and not to be woken up, because they can cause a lot of damage and are always to be careful around. I totally love how there are some mages who have elemental magic.

Big Twists and Turns, Friendships Tested, Secrets Revealed

There are a lot of surprises and big time reveals that happened in this book. A lot of these secrets test the friendships and relationships that Callum has built. The fact that he may or may not be the reincarnated of the big enemy is always going to be haunting him. I also love how everyone keeps things from one another, but they do come out. Plus Master Rufus and Alistair, Callum’s father each have secrets that they don’t reveal anybody till it’s time to reveal them. I also like how there’s a team dynamic and that they work together to defeat the enemy. Friendships are interesting because the bonds are really tested in this book. I like how Callum’s friends express their shock and disappointment, but realize that Callum might not be who everyone thinks he might become. I liked this book a lot.

This was a good sequel. I want to see what happens next in this series.

Rating:

Four Hearts

Warning: There will be spoilers for the first book in the series. There is a major twist at the end of the first book that I can’t really avoid discussing.

This book was a really quick, fun, and action packed read. It gets going really fast and once it starts it doesn’t stop. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I enjoyed The Iron Trial. I’m definitely invested in the series now and I really cannot wait to see where it goes.

I really love Call as a main character and I love him because he isn’t the golden boy or the hero, actually he is quite the opposite. Call spends a lot of the book debating who he is and if he is going to go down the Enemy of Death road due to the soul inside him. Call’s situation really is an original one and I love how it poses the question of good and evil. Is Call destined to be evil or can he shape his own destiny? I also love that Call isn’t everyone’s favorite. A lot of what Call thinks is how I imagined Ron felt a lot of the time being Harry’s friend, what with everyone fawning over Aaron all the time. Call is Aaron’s best friend and he loves him, but it’s hard to live in someone’s shadow and I love how it’s portrayed realistically.

I also really like our secondary characters Aaron and Tamara. Even if Tamara can be annoying at times, I still really like her. And I also really like Aaron, even if I’m kinda worried about him after the events in this one. Also, I love the friendship between these three. They always seem to bounce back and even when they argue they still look out for one another. Call dropped a huge secret on Aaron and Tamara and I love that they still have his back.

The one thing I was a bit bummed about with this one is how little time is actually spent at the Magisterium. Most of the book is spent outside the school and while I really liked the action and danger and plot of the mission, I also really missed seeing the school and learning more about the magic world.

All in all, The Copper Gauntlet was a quick and fun read. It was action from beginning to end. Definitely a series for fans of middle grade fantasy.

The Copper Gauntlet is the second book of the Magisterium collection and it was just as good as the first one! It was impossible to put down from beginning to end as we go deeper into the story and the characters.

Callum never thought things would get to the point where he actually counts the days to return to the Magisterium for his Copper year. But nothing would prepare him for events that make him choose between saving someone he holds dear and revealing the truth.

Action never stops in this novel and right from the first chapter things get heated. Callum, Tamara and Aaron become closer than ever and it's amazing to see how their relationships become stronger at each passing adventure.
It was also a pleasant surprise to see and get to know other characters much like arrogant Jasper and sweet Celia.

Adventure, suspense and a lot of new discoveries will keep you clued to its pages!

Summary: Callum Hunt is getting ready to go back to school for his second year at the Magesterium, when he makes a disturbing discovery: his father, Alistair, has a secret basement room where it looks like he’s getting ready to perform potentially fatal experiments on both Call and his wolf, Havoc. Call escapes to his friend Tamara’s mansion, where he meets up with other magicians and learns about a powerful copper gauntlet that has been stolen from the Magesterium. When the kids return to school, Call learns that Alistair is a leading suspect in the theft and, against his better judgement, decides that he must try to find his father and warn him about the accusations made against him. Tamara, Aaron, and Jasper join Call on his quest, which ends, as these quests so often do, in a huge showdown between the forces of good and evil. The Enemy of Death seems to have been defeated, but there is just enough doubt around that issue to pave the way for book three of the Magisterium series. Grades 4-7.

Pros: Fans of Harry Potter and Rick Riordan will be delighted to discover this series about a boy discovering his magical powers at a school for magicians. The magical world is well-crafted and the action is non-stop.

Cons: The great majority of the story took place outside the Magisterium, taking away the fun element of a magic school.

This follow up to The Iron Trial and book #2 in the series is a very quick read. We reacquaint ourselves with the students now in their second year together. The authors do a good job feeding in backstory without making it boring for anyone who read book #1. This book is a quest and a road trip with our rag tag band of novices in magic.

I loved the first book and this one was less exciting but equally fast paced and engaging. There is a tone here of snarky, zingy dialogue that works very well. I can understand why people may feel this is a shadow of the Harry Potter series but I find it completely different. Callum is a very conflicted character who really wants to be up to the tasks before him. We find out much more about his magic in this book. It ends in preparation for the next book but has a satisfying and pleasing ending. Great fun and easy to read in a day.

I got this for my oldest son (age 9) who loves almost any kind of "adventure fiction". He had read the first book in this series (The Iron Trial (Magisterium, Book 1) and he really enjoyed it. I always read several chapters and skim through the books I buy for my kids and I found the writing to be accessible to kids without dumbing things down - maybe not as compelling to adults but that's not the target audience. My son ripped through it and said he really liked it and that it was "as good or better than the first book in the series". It's now in the hands of his slightly older cousin who also seems to be enjoying it. And for me that's enough: good clean literary fun for kids.

I see some people complaining about the similarity with the "Harry Potter" series but I think this book has it's own voice. (And let's face it the "magical school" trope was popularized by authors like Terry Pratchett long before JK Rowling took a stab at it). I can definitely recommend this as a good series for kids who read above the 4th grade level.

THE COPPER GAUNTLET by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is the exciting second book is the popular Magisterium series.

When Callum discovers his father’s secret room, he feels like he must leave home forever. However when a copper gauntlet known as the Alkahest is stolen, Call realizes that he must find his father to prevent an evil foe from unleashing the ultimate enemy. Filled with mystery and deepening friendships, youth will enjoy this sequel to The Iron Trial.

Black and Clare make a superb writing team. By combining their skills, they’re able to bridge the children’s and young adult audiences and create a world perfect for their tween audience.

Librarians will find a growing fan base for this fantasy series. Equally popular with girls and boys, this coming-of-age adventure addresses themes of loyalty, honesty, and heroism perfect for the target audience. Consider a Magisterium event featuring magical events focusing on air, fire, earth, water.. and a little chaos thrown in for fun.

To learn more about Holly Black, go to http://blackholly.com/.

To learn more about Cassandra Clare, go to http://www.cassandraclare.com/.

Published by Scholastic on September 1, 2015.

Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was expecting to enjoy The Copper Gauntlet even more. At times this book felt rushed because there just wasn’t much to tell and it is so short. I am always surprised when a sequel is shorter than the first book in a series.

It was a super quick read, I finished it in one day and I enjoyed it. It just wasn’t my favorite and at times it feels very predictable. There were a few turns that I didn’t expect so that improved my opinion on it as well. I am curious to see where it will go so I will probably continue with this series, especially since the next book isn’t very long either.

This is the story of Callum's sophomore year at the Magisterium. He had a rather tumultuous first year and is having a soul searching crisis to find out if he really is the "Evil-Overlord" (he makes a pro and con list repeatedly throughout the first chapters) as he is supposed to be the reincarnation of "The Enemy" everyone fears. On top of all this, Call's father is trying to kill him because of the whole evildoer business.

I'm sorry to say I found Call's name to be incredibly distracting. I kept wanting to call him Cal and not Call.

I admit I have not read the first book and I agree with other reviewers who say that this story comes together better if you have read the first book. I do think the authors try to give you enough information to make this a stand-alone without having to read the first but some things are just not explained fully (like when two friends share an inside joke in front of you and you are left baffled as to what is so amazing/hilarious/ridiculous). Overall I thought the writing was well done and the world of wonder created in the Magisterium was very well described. Overall, this is a good book for a rainy afternoon for tweens.

There have been so many books about kids going to magic school since Harry Potter and IMHO no one has done it like J.K. Rowling. Not to say that something different can't be as good. But she built a world of wonder that was fun as well as terrifying. It's almost impossible not to compare. Especially if you have a group of friends, one smart and talented girl, two guys and then a jerk who they don't get along with... When I read the Iron Trial, there were elements that I found interesting (Callum may or may not be something evil, he's not terribly likable, etc) so I wanted to read more to see where Black and Clare would take it. But I found this disappointing. It's not a very long book and more than 50 pages in, not much had happened. There was nothing really new. A part of me knew it was setting up for something but it just didn't hold my interest. Not to mention, I just don't like Callum. Maybe I'm not supposed to? Either way, I found it problematic, since he was the main character. There are some interesting twists but I don't feel invested enough to read the next book in the series when it comes out.

What can I say? I took this book to review because I'd been meaning to read the first book in the series, The Iron Trial, anyway. I'm a fan of Cassandra Clare and her previous series. This one has her collaborating with the author of Spiderwick stories.

What I liked about this book: Having read Iron Trial immediately prior to reading The Copper Gauntlet, I was already invested in the storyline. The authors made it clear in that first book that this would be a series that carried you forward each year as the main characters navigate life and magic. Sometimes middle books can drag the storyline out, but I didn't feel that way at all. Copper Gauntlet certainly did much to advance the storyline and give us a glimpse into teenage drama, magical drama, secrets, and intrigue.

Fans of Rick Riordan will enjoy this series, I think. It's a bit like Percy Jackson in that teenagers with powers go away to school, so it should appeal to kids (or adults) who enjoyed any or all of Rick Riordan's books.

I got this for my 3rd grade son, and he LOVES the book. While it is book 2 in the series, he loves it and has had no problem following the story, although he has asked for Book 1, which is a GREAT thing. Any book that will grab a young reader is wonderful in my book.

The Copper Gauntlet is the second book in the Magisterium series written by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. Book 1 is The Iron Trial and covers Callum's first year at the boarding school for learning magic. Book 2 continues the story, but the authors do a great job of including enough from the first book so that readers are not lost if they haven't read it.

In this adventure, Callum, Adam and Tamara must try to save their magical world by running away from school and unearthing the plot against them.

This is the second book in the Magisterium series. It has a Harry Potter flavor without being a complete knock-off. The main characters are the same as the first book & the authors did an OK job of summarizing salient plot points without needing a summary page. Callum is at mage school with friends in his group. His father steals an article of power that will destroy the bad guy, Constantine Madden, but we all know that part of the bad guy's soul is lodged in Callum. There is much mucking about in this one, much less mage training, and a few odd plot twists. If you've read the first book, you will certainly want to see what happens when Callum's friends find all about him and how they resolve the issue with the governing board of wizards. Worth the read.

Call was told he he’s actually not some innocent boy, but supposedly an evil magician reborn inside his body. But he doesn’t feel evil. And he has no memory from this other person. He cares about his family, friends and chaos-ridden wolf. And when Call hears that the Magisterium may kill his father for stealing a dangerous artifact, he decides to flee school and help his father.

The Copper Gauntlet is the second installment in the Magisterium fantasy series for middle readers on up. Harry Potter fans will definitely want to check out this series. With engaging characters, quirky creatures, and fascinating magical worldbuilding – this series is now a must-read for me. The sequel is just as fast-paced and exciting as the first novel. The next book can’t come soon enough.

This book isn't quite what I was expecting. Since it has been coauthored by Cassandra Clare, I was expecting a bit more. More character depth, more story development, more interest. More... something.

That's not to say that the book doesn't have some solid writing. It does. And that's why I gave it five stars. The plot is well done, the writing is good, the characters are believable. The premise of the story is even good. Holly Black had a great style of her own. But, if you're looking for a book with writing similar to Cassandra Clare's bestselling series, this just isn't it.

Still, it's a good read for YA fans who love a good tale, some magic and a mysterious plot.

I still think the way to go with this series is by listening to the audiobook. The characters come alive with the given narration. My problem with book two is I want to get to know the Magisterium, every secret passage and every hidden crevice but this book takes place for the majority of the time outside the Magisterium while Call is on the search for his missing father with the help of his friends. Havoc, Call's wolf was with him the entire time but I wanted him to play a bigger role. I love the animals in this series and just want more. I think Call is learning to trust his friends more as the series progresses but life could be a lot easier if he let them help him from the beginning.

While I did enjoy this book, there were at least two glaring continuity errors that tripped me up, the main one being that during a conversation with Rufus, he mentions that Call confronted Master Joseph at the bowling alley. UM? Was it not made a big deal of in the Iron Trial that Call lied and said that when he entered the lab, no one was there? Then later, Call's dad apologizes for what he found in the garage when it was the basement that held what Call discovered, which was also a main plot point. It's little things like this that make or break a great read. Other than that, the series is very entertaining and I'll be waiting on the next installment.

REVIEW OF: THE COPPER GAUNTLET (MAGISTERIUM, BOOK 2)

This is a follow-up to The Iron Trial. This is a very well written and fun series, full of magical mysticism and mystery.

Like the Harry Potter books, the story tells the tale of a boy, Callum Hunt and his friends Tamara and Aaron who live at a
magical boarding school called the Magisterium.

In this book our three heroes are trying to save their school, encountering many creatures and bizarre circumstances along the way.

This book is full of thrills and excitement and is sure to be a winner for the young reader.

I loved the first book in this series, so I was relieved that the second book picked up right where the first one ended and continued on with what's turning out to be a creative, interesting story written in an engaging style. Not an incredible level of depth here, but who cares when it's so much fun?! Can't wait to read the next one!

I admit that I haven't read Book 1 in this series, but I enjoy both Holly Black and Cassandra Clare's books, so when I was offered a copy of this book, I happily accepted it. The series will undoubtedly be compared with Harry Potter, as Callum and his friends attend a school of magic and have a tendency to become involved in dangerous adventures. However, Call is not necessarily the savior that everyone expects Harry Potter to be. In fact, Call has the potential for great evil -- even though he doesn't want to be evil. The Copper Gauntlet is entertaining, and I was immediately engrossed by the story. I'll definitely be following this series!

Callum's second year of school is about to start, and it should be interesting. Except that Dad has found a new and dangerous way to hate magic, and Callum is all about the magic, so does Dad hate Callum?

He runs away to a friend's house, and hangs out with school friends for a while, which sounds awfully tame until you realized the magic livens things up rather more than Callum would like. Friends and enemies, who is who?

Then something goes wrong in teh first week of school, Callum & Co have to run off to fix it - and in the back of their mind is that Schoolwork Is Waiting. And is Dad going to jinx the mission or not?

Fun.

I wanted to read this first book in this series because it is coauthored by Cassandra Clare, who wrote the Mortal Instruments series, Infernal Devices and more-- wonderful books about good and evil, and about young protagonists besting the Dark Side. While I am not as enthusiastic about the Magisterium series, I'll still read the next one-- the story is rich enough and the characters interesting enough that I want to know what happens next. It's just not quite as good as the earlier series-- this the four stars. It seems just a little bit more formulaic,

Second book in the Magisterium series. Stories of the adventures of a student in a school of magic. A little darker story than the Harry Potter series, Call and his friends continue their adventures started in "The Iron Trial." They search for the magical device of the copper gauntlet to prevent it falling into the wrong hands. They continue their adventures away from the school, trying to save their magical world.

The Iron Trial (Magisterium, Book 1) was the first book in this Magisterium series. Black and Clare again return to the Magisterium, a school in this second of a series. The end of the last book we learned that who we thought was the hero, Callum, was in fact the Enemy of Death and terrifies everyone in his magical world. This second book carries on and Black and Clare now need to figure out who their enemy is and who's their friend. Quite a fascinating read for a middle schooler, enjoy!

My 13 year old specifically asked me to find this book for her as the Iron Trial was 'awesome'. She says the Copper Gauntlet is a good sequel, although it leaves enough hanging there's definitely more to come in future books. She's looking forward to reading the next book and says this book is good for middle schoolers who like magic, adventure, stories about friendship and good vs. evil. She recommends it.

I picked this up for my 12 year-old son. He read the first one and was jumping up and down to get his hands on Book 2 and wasn't disappointed. He said that it's just as good as the first book, or even better. Book 2 picks up right where book 1 ends. The magical school year is over, and it's summer time. The action starts right away giving you little time to breathe. It was fun, action packed, and exciting. Can't wait for book 3.

This is a very entertaining new middle grades fantasy series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, who already have written several popular YA series.The story will appeal to readers who have enjoyed the Harry Potter and Lightning Thief series books. I haven't read the first novel in this new series, but I plan to backtrack and read that one as well (I read all the Narnia books out of order too, so I guess it's now a bad habit of mine!). Recommended.

This is the second book in a series. The first book, "The Iron Trial" was really good. I ordered it after I realized I had gotten the second book in a series and I really am tired of trying to jump into series without reading preceding books. I loved The Iron Trial and really liked "The Copper Gauntlet". I think someone else said what I had been thinking and that was I wish more time had been spent at the Magisterium and less time outside in the real world, though it was still fun to read. The school fascinates me and and I hope more exploring of it is done in the following books.

I really can't add much that hasn't already been said. When I review books that already have nearly 100 reviews there's not much I can say but if I liked it or not. I liked it and will buy, "The Cosmos Blade" when it's ready. These are similar sort of, to the Harry Potter series, but different also. Callum and his very close friends, Aaron, Tamara and his wolf, Havoc have some stressful, exciting and dangerous events to get through and accomplish. These characters are very well developed and I feel I know each one on a personal level. All the characters are well developed and the writing flows smoothly.

I had to fight with my 13 year old over this book as we both were reading it at the same time. I give it 4 stars since I can't help but see things from an adult's perspective, but my kid said 5 all the way. Therefore, 5 stars since it was written for that age group and not mine. I still liked it a lot though and it's fun for me to get excited about magic school. While reading the first book in the Harry Potter series I really felt like a kid all excited about going to Hogwarts. This book (especially the 1st book) gave me much the same feeling.

Holly Black and Cassandra Clare have done a fantastic job with the Magisterium series so far. For any fans of Harry Potter (younger and older), you will definitely appreciate and enjoy the series. There are a few fantasy-trope plot aspects that may be a bit obvious to readers who are very familiar to the genre, however, for the most part I found the book to be exciting and surprising. A very nice read, well worth checking out!

This was a good continuation from the first book. I think this is turning out to be a great middle grade book series. There could be a little more action to move the story along faster but other than that it was a good book. I can't really say much because of spoilers but I think the adventure the characters go on in this book is a fun time and I think middle grade kids will love this installment.

I was drawn to this series because of my enjoyment of Cassandra Clare's other books for slightly older readers (as this is a younger readers series). However, I think adults can enjoy this series as well. I'm not drawn to the cover image, but the story within is still worth the time spent reading it. Not quite as good as the others, but I believe this is a different market and appropriately so.

The Copper Gauntlet is a decent follow up to The Iron Trial. It's not quite as good but it keeps enough interest in the series to look out for Book 3. This is a good series for those that enjoy books like The Lightning Thief or Harry Potter but the shorter length is less of a commitment for the not quite so avid readers.

This book "The Copper Gauntlet" is the thrilling and suspenseful sequel to "The Iron Trial". I don't want to reveal too much but I will tell you that this book gives you an action packed plot with a surprising and unexpected ending.

This was an amazing continuation of a great & exciting story. I loved the progression & growth of these characters I just wished the story was longer it all felt like it was over to soon. This is Avery successful secon book in a great new series & I can't wait for the next installment

Holly Black says it all. She does not disappoint ever. One of the best fantasy adventure books on the children's book market. It is breathtakingly good. Stay up all night and wish it lasted longer. Cross the days on the calendar until the new one comes out good.

Though long past the age of the typical reader of this YA novel, I enjoyed its sharp writing and exciting plot. I look forward to seeing how the young mages' adventure unfolds in future installments.

Even though this book can only get a five star at max i'll give it a 17 ouy of 5 it was THAT GOOD best book in the sieries so far and one of the best books/series i have ever read people always are comparing this book to other fantasy books but if the books are all SO similar how did the editors aprove of this book and it got published?
answer me rhat haters.

Excitement and suspense abound in this second book. I was reading it to my son, and I loved it as much as he did. He always said, "One more page!" The Iron Trial and The Copper Gauntlet are wonderful books. We are ready for Book 3!

I was unaware at the time of requesting this book that it was a sequel to another. I just got excited it had Cassandra Clare's name on it.

Feel free to thumbs down this review since it is a bit useless... I will be editing it once I have read the first book and finished the second :)

If you have teenagers this is a great book to help them understand standing by your friends, forgiveness, and many other upstanding qualities. I love these books! They are adventurous, thought provoking and imaginative. Thanks for not including a bunch of swear words too!

this book and the whole series fails to disappoint me. it haas a good combo of action and suspense along with lots of drama. this series compares to no other book i have read and that is a lot of books.

This book I read and finished on the day of the release. I read it so fast because it was so good. I am looking foward to the next book in the series it just frustrates me so much that great books like this can't be made in the blink of an eye.

Hhh Spoilers Ahead. A story about a magic school that has about 2 pages of magic school in it. A rather boring adventure, where they decide to explain everything in boring detail. I don't care about the constant order of where they sit in a car. Just say they get into the bloody car instead of explaining everyone seating position every other page. There is only one class in the whole book. Also jasper should not have been in this book, I would have preferred they killed him off than listen to his constant whining. Oh yeah and the Main Character is actually the main evil bad guy but with the body of the hero and everyone is just simply ok with it, like its no big deal. Your soul kicked my sons soul out of its body and took it over, but I don't care, I'm gonna act like you're my son anyway for no reason at all. I know they are going to eventually explain that he really isn't the bad guy, but it should have came in this book and the characters should have given a crap that they think he is the bad guy. I know people give out about potter rip offs. it's a magic school story the trope was around way before Harry Potter with the Worst Witch books and other books. The thing that gauls me is imagine Harry had Voldemort soul and not harry potters soul and then his friends found out. They would treat him like he was spewing toxic gas, not try and be his best friend and act like its a good thing to be. The reactions of the characters are not realistic and the friendships are boring as there is little good dialogue between them also Temara makes a better Callum gf. they have good chemistry. hhh not sure if I will bother with the next book. I'll read the wiki and see if they clear up the Callum has Voldemorts soul instead of his own thing and then decide if it's worth a read.