{{short description|2014 novel by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox book | name = The Iron Trial | image = The Iron Trial cover.jpeg | image_size = | border = | alt = | caption = United States cover | author = [[Holly Black]], [[Cassandra Clare]] | audio_read_by = | title_orig = | orig_lang_code = | title_working = | translator = | illustrator = [[Scott Fischer (artist)|Scott Fischer]] | cover_artist = Alexandre Chaudret | country = [[United States]] | language = [[English language|English]] | series = [[The Magisterium Series|Magisterium]] | release_number = Book One | subject = | genre = | set_in = | publisher = [[Scholastic Corporation]] | publisher2 = | pub_date = September 9, 2014 | english_pub_date = | published = | media_type = | pages = | awards = | isbn = | isbn_note = | oclc = | dewey = | congress = | preceded_by = | followed_by = [[The Copper Gauntlet]] | native_wikisource = | wikisource = | notes = | exclude_cover = | website = }} '''''The Iron Trial''''', written by [[Holly Black]] and [[Cassandra Clare]] and published September 9, 2014, by Scholastic Corporation, is the first book in [[The Magisterium Series]].
== Plot == The protagonist of [[The Magisterium Series]] is twelve-year-old Callum (Call) Hunt, raised by his mage father, Alastair Hunt. After the Third Mage War against "The Enemy of Death," also known as Constantine Madden, and the death of his wife Sarah at the Cold Massacre, Alastair decided to spurn magic and raised Call to do the same. Call participates in a test to see whether he has sufficient magic to attend the Magisterium and train to be a mage using the four elements: fire, water, air, and earth.<ref name="Chilton 2014">{{cite web | last=Chilton | first=Martin | title=Magisterium: The Iron Trial, by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare: review | website=Telegraph.co.uk | date=2014-09-08 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/children_sbookreviews/11081571/Magisterium-The-Iron-Trial-by-Holly-Black-and-Cassandra-Clare-review.html | accessdate=2016-02-14}}</ref>
==Reception == ''The Iron Trial'' received a starred review from ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Children's Book Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. Scholastic Press, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-545-52225-0|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-545-52225-0|access-date=2022-01-06|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}}</ref> as well as positive reviews from ''[[Kirkus Reviews|Kirkus]].''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2014-07-16|title=The Iron Traial|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/holly-black/the-iron-trial/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Kirkus Reviews}}</ref>
''Kirkus Reviews'' called the book "[a] promising beginning to a complex exploration of good and evil, as well as friendship’s loyalty."<ref name=":0"/>
Maggie Reagan, writing on behalf of ''[[Booklist]]'', provided a mixed review, stating, "Expectations are bound to be high for this powerhouse duo’s first co-written effort, and although it doesn’t quite live up to the authors’ respective works...and there are several missed opportunities, the end offers a few intriguing twists and perspectives that hint at what's to come in the next installments."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reagan|first=Maggie|date=August 2014|title=The Iron Trial|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Iron-Trial-Holly-Black/pid=6909363|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Booklist}}</ref>
In 2016, the [[American Library Association]] named ''The Iron Trial'' one of their top ten [[Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=2017-12-28|title=2016 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers|url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2016-top-ten-quick-picks-reluctant-young-adult-readers-0|access-date=2022-01-06|website=Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)|language=en}}</ref>
==References == {{reflist}} {{Holly Black}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Trial}} [[Category:Children's fantasy novels]] [[Category:Novels by Holly Black]] [[Category:2014 American novels]] [[Category:Children's books about magic]] [[Category:Novels about magic (supernatural)]] [[Category:Novels set in boarding schools]] [[Category:2014 fantasy novels]]
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