Fantasy authors combine talents for 2nd in a series

Black, H., Clare, C., & Fischer, S. M. (2015). The copper gauntlet. New York, NY: Scholastic. Holly Black, author of the highly popular Spiderwick Chronicles, and Cassandra Black, the writer of The Mortal Instruments series, team up in this second installment of the Magisterium series. Callum, a small 12 year-old boy with a slight physical disability, has been accepted into the Magisterium, a school for magicians (a.k.a. mages). His father, a mage himself, has turned his back on the magical community for reasons Callum doesn't understand. Callum is preparing for his second year at school in spite of being earlier informed by Master Joseph that he carries the reborn soul of Constantine Madden, the Enemy of Death. His choice of pet, his wolf Havoc, suggests that indeed, Call must be an Evil Overlord. So Call spends much of his time thinking about how evil overlords behave, then trying to do the opposite. Call's problem is complicated enough on its own, but the relationship between him and his single father has become strained because of his choice to attend the Magisterium.

I did not have the opportunity to read the first installment, The Iron Trial, and I would highly recommend readers do so because I felt a little lost not knowing Callum's complete backstory. Callum must uncover the mystery of his father's reluctance to support his education, while also facing the possibility that he is merely a vessel for the soul of Constantine Madden. The story builds to a surprising climax with multiple twists and turns, and I found myself enjoying The Copper Gauntlet more than I anticipated at the outset.

#fantasy #magic