The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2) (2)

I didn't feel I could properly review the second book in the series without reading the first. That's how I know that "The Copper Gauntlet" is a great follow-up to "The Iron Trial." It doesn't disappoint. This is really a book where things go sideways but the story becomes epic!At first, you may read the series and wonder if you're readying Harry Potter fan fiction because the story centers around a tween boy at a magic school. But if you take a deeper look, you'll find a great story about Callum Hunt, a "special" boy at magical boarding school who just happens to have a female best friend, Tamara, and male best friend, Aaron, who are also part of the story. There's just more than a bit of role reversal in who represents the bad guys and who represents the good guys.I would say that the story's a bit darker than Harry Potter. In fact, it's almost hard to accept who Callum Hunt really is supposed to be as you read the story. Almost as hard as the character himself finds it to accept. That's what sucks you in. It's really unexpected and nothing like Harry Potter at all once you get past the boarding school parts. I actually kept expecting there to be a joke about HP but there wasn't. Callum Hunt's wit drives the story a bit and it's all a bit dark with some twisted humor.All in all, I think this series is not just darker but for older teens than Harry Potter was initially meant for. I would offer it to older tweens and early high school students. The first book in the series set things up well character-wise and story-wise and "The Copper Gauntlet" is named after the mission all the 2nd year students must survive but you're really into this second book because you want to know how Callum fares and who he will or WON'T become. And what happens IS surprising and will keep you reading into the third book.In in way, this is like Harry Potter if Harry Potter hadn't been the hero but the villain.

Magisterium The Copper Gauntlet, Is a book written by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is a fictional story set in modern day Virginia. The second book in a five part series follows the life of Callum Hunt who has magical abilities along with many people including his father, Alastair Hunt. The Magisterium is a mage school hidden from the rest of the world designed to help teach all children who are found to have magical powers similar to Call. In this book it begins during the summer time after Call’s first year at the Magisterium. After his Chaos-ridden dog that Call had kept from the school has seemingly run away, one night call hears whimpers from his basement. He finds his dog and suspects that his father had been the one to lock Havoc up as his father had an apparent disliking for the animal. His father then finds Call, which he desperately tries to keep there and locks him in what seems to be shackles for a boy the size of himself. When he escapes his house he takes a bus to his schoolmates house who lives just outside of D.C. When he arrives he is welcomed by his friends who have a very expensive estate and wealthy family. He then stays there for the last few days of summer before there next year at the magisterium. Once school starts it is fairly normal and almost the same as it was the previous year. However this time Call has a secret and after Tamara and Aaron see that call is acting very strange they make him tell them whats wrong. After initially denying anything he gives in and states that his father is in danger and that he may have stolen something from the mages that can be used to hurt the Maker who happens to be Aaron, One of Call’s closest friends and classmates. Although they think his Dad is being falsely accused so they decide to run away and try to find Alastair in the interest of helping him. They reach a barn which Call had been to with his father before but Alastair is not there. Late that night as they are starting to go to sleep a metal elemental finds them who says he was sent by the Magisterium to come find them. They then fight the monster and defeat him by sending him into the void with Aarons chaos magic. After their encounter with the elemental who has burnt down the barn they decide to go that night to chase down Alastair who has traveled to Maryland. They take one of Alastair's old vehicles and drive all night to the coordinates they found in letters sent by an enemy mage of the Magisterium to Alastair. On their way they are found by the Masters from the Magisterium and narrowly escape their capture. The book ended with all of them destroying The Enemy of Death’s body and Master Joseph escaping with the alkahest. Returning to the school with thunderous applause as they had unofficially ended the war. The first thing that stands out to me that has changed from the first book is the likeness of Call’s father. In the first book he seems like a very well off and great father figure but straight away in this book he has gone into a seemingly insane state. What caused this was the possibility that Call may become evil as his soul had been switched when he was still an infant with the Enemy of Death as he is referred to in the book. Because of this he wanted to try and stop the possibility of another mage war beginning. As the book progresses the conflicts and the fighting begin to become more and more intense from some arguments and small disagreements to the point where the main characters are running across multiple states fighting masters and magic creatures witnessing some casualties along the way. To see some kids barely 13 years old go through what they are going through becomes very intriguing and make you wonder if something more extreme can happen. The ending of this book has been the best part of the story so far as it is very intense throughout the final chapters closing off a very critical time in the story. Throughout the ending there are many places when you really feel like you are one of the characters who are experiencing the events unfold. You feel the pain that Call’s father felt when he struck the Enemy’s chest with the alkahest and it burnt his hand and arm due to the intensity of the magic. You feel the fear that everyone in the room felt when the chaos magic was released and started consuming the tomb. Then in the final chapter you feel the excitement and the pride the characters felt as they faced their classmates who applauded and cheered for them like they were heroes. I would recommend that anyone reads this book because it follows a very intriguing story line that doesn’t take a long time to develop in the beginning. Although the plot seems very simple there are a lot of creative elements that make it much more interesting than it might seem at its core. The book does a great job of focusing on character and making you feel the emotions Call does as he experiences all of these events but simultaneously makes you feel the tension and the emotions Call, Aaron, and Tamara feel towards each other.

Had the first book not been available from the Library, I doubt I would have read it, however it was and I did. Very enjoyable. However second book was a minimum of 5 weeks wait and I was impatient--so I ponied up the $10 to buy it-- only to find it was about 40% shorter than first book. This is a wonderful book and Call, the main character, is brave thru his fears, loyal to his friends, and even begins developing a love interest. There is even a Nature versus Nurture dilemma shaping up with Call. Love the way Tamara is also shaping up to be more than just the rich spoiled brat, Aaron's past saves them in a surprising way. And Jasper May be starting to be a bit more tolerable.But since the third of the series won't be released until August 30, 2016, I think I will take the time to arrange with the Library to borrow it as it, too, will be $10+ . Thanks, Scholastic Book Services, for setting prices so high--I'll remember that fact the next time you send a folder home from school--we will go through it and then try putting books on hold at Library. You're ripping off young people and their families.

Call has had a miserable summer. his dad hates Havoc and there is so much uncomfortable silence between them. and when some frightening things happen, Call flees. meeting up with the rest of his school mates he cannot wait for the school year to begin. not so fast. he finds that self-knowledge and the shocking news of what his father is really up to will propel he and his friends on a terrifying mission with what could be deadly consequences.with their magic growing, their personas are growing too. the cast is expanding and the avenues of deception are growing. i think this was an excellent follow-up to the first book.

A bit of context... I'm in my 40s but love Harry Potter, the shadow hunter series and loads of other fab YA books like skullduggery and the mercy Thompson series. I read a lot. This series feels a bit too "young" but then it is aimed at 9 - 11 year olds. I find the plot just doesn't engage me enough. It feel a a bit ploddy. This happens, then another thing happens - just one thing at a time. Repeat until the end. Overall it took me a while to get through it and at the end it didn't feel like much had happened. I sort of want to know what happens next so may buy the next book but not really that enthusiastic! The simplicity is great for the age group. Easy to follow. Not too many characters. So not a terrible book just not for me.

Some of the plot seems illogical, such as the Joseph not just taking Alkahest for himself when he was with Alastair, or the Devoured listening to Joseph over Call. Also, Call being another Makar. I feel cheated! The whole hook from the first novel was how Call wasn't a chosen one, but he is!Apart from that, it was an enjoyable read, and I am happy to say it deviates more from Potter than the first. There are still some similarities, though.

This is great fun - a lovely continuation of the series, delving more into Callum's story. There are still Harry Potter links here, but it's a great exploration of both the good AND the bad that magic can do in the world. I just love the originality at play in the story world, and how much fun both the authors seem to be having writing this!

Arrived quickly and in good order. An OK follow-on to the 'Mortal Instruments' series. Took a bit long to get up to speed, lots of setting the scene, but enjoyed the characters and plot eventually.

Quite an interesting and easy read. The story is rather practicable and you can tell who the real bad guy is going to be well before the next book is out. A fan of Cassandra but the these books lack the depth of the mortal instruments.Still a quick easy read on the train... I'm over thirty and have read everything so it was nice to have a non stressful read