The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

A book written by both Holly Black and Cassandra Clare?  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!

Release Date:  September 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Protagonist:  Callum Hunt

The Story:  For as long as Callum can remember, Callum's father has made it clear that all magic and mages are dangerous and not to be trusted.  Forced to attend the Iron Trial to determine his admission into the Magisterium, Callum is determined to fail the tests spectacularly so that he can continue his life of normalcy.  Despite his best (or worst) efforts, Call is chosen to attend the Magisterium to learn how to control his magic.  Grouped with two other students, Aaron and Tamara, Call learns for the first time what friendship is and what a person can overcome in the name of loyalty and friendship.  Along the way, Call discovers a shocking secret that explains his father's suspicion of the Magisterium.  Faced with the ultimate choice between good and evil, Call must make an irreversible decision that will put him on the path to his destiny.

Reaction:  Any time you see to power house authors paired up like this, readers are going to have high expectations.  I love both of these authors, and I think they've done a really bang up job of crafting a fun new fantasy series for middle grade students.  The majority of The Iron Trial is focused on world building and character building, which is extremely important in a fantasy novel where the universe is so profoundly different from our reality.  Callum's background and character development are effectively crafted to help us develop sympathy; Callum is the boy bullies pick on, the one chosen last for team activities, and the person others choose not to associate with.  After we've learned to care about Call and have sympathy for his situation, the authors drop a bomb on us and leave us wondering about what will happen next.  What other choices will Callum make, and how will those decisions impact not only his friends, but the world?  Those last few lines of the book, that wicked little twist, is a cliffhanger designed to make you want to read the second book in the series...and I say to the authors:  Hurry up, please!  

If You Liked... Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles,Fablehaven and Howl's Moving Castle, then The Iron Trial is right up your alley!

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes: Put this with Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Fablehaven, and Howl's Moving Castle.  Fans of high fantasy and fantasy will eat this one up!

Intangible (Piercing the Veil #1) by C.A. Gray

Release Date:  November 2013

Genre:  Fantasy

When and Where:  Modern time period, Britain

Protagonist: Peter Stewart, teenager

The Story:  Intellectually gifted by socially stunted, Peter Stewart is the consummate high school nerd; he has few friends and is bullied by the coolest kids in school.  When Lily Portman transfers into his school, Peter's life drastically changes, and there's no way things can possibly go back to the way they were before.  When an unexpected car accident allows Peter to break the laws of physics, Peter's adventure begins.  Peter discovers he is the latest in a long line of descendents of King Arthur, and all the magic of King Arthur's story is based on a truth that is hidden for most people.  Worse, Peter has a target on his back because of his lineage, and King Arthur's enemies are determined to destroy Peter at all costs.  Interestingly, Peter is in denial about the existence of magic and of his own role in the tale, which makes Intangible all the more fun to read.

Reaction: Intangible had many strengths, but the greatest appeal to the novel is its correlations to the Arthurian legends and the unexpected physics references.  Readers need not be experts at physics to appreciate the inclusion of the scientific connections, as the physics references are embedded more as a way to characterize Peter and his reactions to the magical events going on around him than they are to explain the magic to the reader.  I found most of these references to be funny, as they really showed just how much Peter was trying to find a rational explanation for the unexplainable.  

The main characters were engaging and I'd like to know more about them, particularly Kane and Lily.  Other characters were archetypical characters that are found in similar novels.  Isdemus reminded me quite a bit of J.K. Rowling's Dumbledore, just as Brock's parents reminded me of the Dursleys, also created by J.K. Rowling.  I did think that the villain's presence was not strong enough throughout the book, though it does seem that, as the first in a series, Intangible was intended to set the stage for a bigger villainous presence in future novels.  There were a few parts that were a bit redundant, such as when the same part of King Arthur's story was told twice in the tale, however, as a whole, Intangible was very entertaining and I really was curious to find out how the conflict would be resolved.  The teaser for the next book in the series really has me excited to find out what happens next!

If You Liked...  The Revenge of the Shadow King, The Once and Future King, or Harry Potter,  then Intangible is probably right up your alley.  Fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians will also appreciate Intangible, though the text may be too complex for less sophisticated readers.

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes:  Intangible would be a strong addition to your fantasy collection; the novel would be nicely paired with literature circles using The Revenge of the Shadow King or The Once and Future King, as the series follows the hero's journey and incorporates the archetypes and structures of the genre.

Defy (Defy #1) by Sara B. Larson

Release Date:  January 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Protagonist:  Alexa (Alex) Hollen, 17 years old

The Story:  After the violent death of her parents, Alexa hides her gender, changes her identity, and joins her twin brother as a member of the king's army.  Alex's talent with a sword and her incredible ability to fight land her a special place as a member of Prince Damien's guard.  In extreme proximity to the prince, Alex learns that she is not the only one living a lie.  Along with the prince and a fellow guardsman, Alex is abducted by a powerful sorcerer who is determined to use the prince as a way to coerce the king into changing the outcome of the war between two kingdoms. Alex's identity becomes increasingly more difficult to hide as works to ensure the safety of the prince and the kingdom.

Reaction:  Likely to be classified as high fantasy, Defy is what I like to call "light" fantasy; the structure of the tale has a lot of similarities to "high" fantasy novels, including magic, a quest, and a coming-of-age theme.  Much of the plot focuses on romance, which detracts from some of these "high fantasy" elements.  Despite the heavy handedness with romance, Defy is not a book to be missed by fans of the YA/Fantasy genre.  Reader beware:  this book is written from a female perspective and addresses romance the same way; if you don't want to read about abs and kisses, in addition to sorcerers and magic, look elsewhere. Defy is not so much about an epic physical journey, but instead is about Alex's epic emotional journey as she learns to accept all aspects of herself.  Alex is a serious, kick-butt heroine who is a star of all the action scenes.  Both male protagonists are interesting in different ways, making the love triangle aspect highly engaging. 

If You Liked...  Graceling, Incarceron, Dragonfly, or Grave Mercy, then Defy is a must-read.

Rating:  5 stars

Teacher Notes: This book contains misogynistic characters and abuse towards women. References to abuse towards women  are prevalent.  Recommended for grades 8 and up.

The Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Cycle #2
Scholastic
ISBN:  978-0545424943
September 2013
Young Adult

THE DREAM THIEVES, by Maggie Stiefvater, is an incredible continuation of The Raven Cycle series.  Told in the same haunting, mysterious voice as THE RAVEN BOYS, book two focuses on Adam’s transformation following his sacrifice to the ley line, Ronan’s ability to remove objects from his dreams, and Blue’s determination to not fall in love.  New characters, The Gray Man and Kavinsky, add tension and unexpected twists to an already complex story.  

Book one in the series, THE RAVEN BOYS, was a complicated novel which focused primarily on establishing background, setting, and purpose for the series. If you have not read THE RAVEN BOYS, I highly recommend you do so before reading the second book, as THE DREAM THIEVES picks up where the first book left off and is grounded in showing the outcome of the young group’s pursuit of the slumbering Welsh king.  As revealed in the previous book, Blue’s connection with the boys who attend Aglionby are centered on her knowledge that Gansey is going to die within the year, and Blue hopes to prevent Gansey’s death.  Befriending the boys is contradictory to Blue’s beliefs, as she doesn’t usually like the wealthy boys who attend the boarding school, but for some reason she fits in nicely with this motley crew.  Trying to avoid a deeper emotional connection to both Adam and Gansey is challenging, despite the knowledge that if she kisses her true love, the boy will die.  However, she finds herself drawn closer and closer to these boys as they seek tomb of the sleeping king. 

 

Unlike THE RAVEN BOYS, THE DREAM THIEVES starts at a much faster pace, and though is purposefully meanders at times, the story definitely hooks you and moves quickly.  Relationships between Gansey and Adam, as well as Gansey and Blue undergo major transformations, and Adam’s role in the group changes drastically.  Ronan’s ability to bring the objects from his dreams into the physical world makes him even more dangerous.  Supporting characters, such as psychic women with whom Blue lives, provide both a sense of normalcy in the lives of the group, but also add mystical elements throughout.  Each character, each action they take, and each thought that is voiced is important and moves the plot forward, however, the reader is still completely unable to anticipate what will happen next.  Stiefvater’s writing is beautiful and complex, and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the third installment of The Raven Cycle.

Rating:  4