Planet
Planet
Planet
Planet
The Iron Trial book cover
Find This Book on Amazon

The Iron Trial

by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

Middle Grade Fantasy4.1/5295 pagesSeptember 2014

About This Book

Callum Hunt's biggest fear is attending the Magisterium, a school for young mages. Having grown up believing magic is evil, Call wants nothing more than to fail the trials and go home. But when he's chosen by Master Rufus, Call discovers his destiny is darker than he ever imagined.

Call has spent his whole life being warned by his father that magic is dangerous and evil. So when he's forced to take the Iron Trial for admission to the Magisterium, he does everything possible to fail. But Master Rufus sees promise in Call's chaotic magic and selects him anyway. At the magical underground school, Call makes friends with Tamara and Aaron, but he also discovers a terrible secret about his past that connects him to the war's greatest enemy.

Why Percy Jackson Fans Will Love It

Like Percy Jackson, this series features a young protagonist discovering his magical abilities at a specialized school. The themes of friendship, destiny, and balancing good and evil will resonate with Rick Riordan fans. Both series blend humor with serious stakes and feature protagonists who must come to terms with their unexpected magical heritage.

Publication Details

Series: Magisterium Series
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 978-0545522250
Publication Date: September 2014

Key Themes

Magical SchoolDark DestinyFriendshipGood vs EvilIdentity

If You Liked This

Harry Potter
Percy Jackson
The School for Good and Evil
Septimus Heap

Memorable Quotes

"We are all more complicated than the roles we are assigned in stories."

"Magic is not good or evil in itself. It's how it's used that matters."

"Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself."

What Works

Compelling magical school setting with unique elements
Strong friendship dynamics between main characters
Interesting twist on chosen one tropes
Well-developed magic system
Engaging plot with unexpected revelations
Great collaboration between two talented authors

Room for Improvement

Some similarities to Harry Potter
Pacing can be uneven
Some plot twists feel rushed

Ready to Enter the Magisterium?

Join Call on his reluctant journey into the world of magic in this compelling series that puts a fresh spin on magical school stories.