The Trap (Magnificent 12 Series #2)

by Michael Grant

Overview

In the thrilling second book of the Magnificent 12 series, Mack MacAvoy is challenged by his spectral mentor, Grimluk—who only appears in the shiny chrome pipes of bathrooms.

Mack must find the ancient ones, the great forgotten forces. Some will help; some not so much. But above all—

• Learn the ways of Vargran!
• Assemble the twelve!
• Go to the nine dragons of Daidu.
• Go to the Egge rocks.
• Beware of . . . the trap.

Time is short! The wicked Pale Queen’s three-thousand-year banishment ends in thirty-five days, and she will be free to destroy the world. It’s up to Mack to stop her return. But what do all of Grimluk’s clues mean? Can Mack achieve everything he must do without getting killed by the evil Risky—and escape the trap?

The Magnificent 12: The Trap is another fast-paced episode in bestselling author Michael Grant’s hilarious fantasy-adventure series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062093370
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/23/2011
Series:	Magnificent 12 Series , #2
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Grant, author of the Gone series, the Messenger of Fear series, the Magnificent Twelve series, and the Front Lines trilogy, has spent much of his life on the move. Raised in a military family, he attended ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France. Even as an adult he kept moving, and in fact he became a writer in part because it was one of the few jobs that wouldn’t tie him down. His fondest dream is to spend a year circumnavigating the globe and visiting every continent. Yes, even Antarctica. He lives in California with his wife, Katherine Applegate, with whom he cowrote the wildly popular Animorphs series. You can visit him online at www.themichaelgrant.com and follow him on Twitter @MichaelGrantBks.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3–6—In this well-written and hilarious sequel to The Call (HarperCollins, 2010), 12-year-old Mack MacAvoy's destiny as leader of the Magnificent Twelve, aka the "Magnifica," takes him to China, Germany, and a rundown Asgard. He is on a mission to gather the rest of the Twelve and stop the dreaded Pale Queen from escaping her 3000-year imprisonment and destroying the world. Risky, the Pale Queen's beautiful and dangerous daughter, and Paddy "Nine Iron" Trout are trying to stop him. Many of the same elements that made the first book such a success are still prevalent here. The action moves at a breakneck pace but never seems rushed. The characters are consistently entertaining and engaging. Grant knows when to dial down the humor and let the gravity of the plot take center stage. As with many other action adventures, some of the situations and dangers in this title come across as over the top, but the escapes work within the context of the story. Since Mack has only found fewer than half of the Magnifica and there are still 30-some-odd days before the Pale Queen escapes her bonds, this installation ends with plenty left for sequels to come. To help make the wait between books easier on his readers, Grant has established a website at www.themag12.com that offers several features that are entertaining, informative, and interactive.—Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

School Library Journal

Mack has but 35 more days to find 11 other preteens who...can together prevent the world-destroying Pale Queen from escaping 3,000 years of imprisonment... in this above-average, distinctly nonserious quest fantasy.

ALA Booklist

Mack is an unlikely twelve year old hero laden with phobias who has been sent by Grimluk, an apparition who only appears in bathroom fixtures, to assemble the Magnificent Twelve and save the world from the resurrection of the Pale Queen. Unfortunately, chrome bathroom fixtures aren't the most reliable methods of communication and Grimluk's directions require quite a bit of decoding. Also, Mack and his friends only have thirty-six days to assemble the twelve, learn the ancient Vagran language and save the world all the while being stalking by Paddy "Nine Iron" Trout (an underworld hit man hired by the Pale Queen). Several plot lines unfold simultaneously to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. In the present, Mack and his friends race to save the world while his clone Golem at home tries to avoid bullies and detention. Alternately, Paddy "Nine Iron" Trout's ascent into evil and subsequent climb through Nafia ranks to assassin for the Pale Queen is set over the course of several hundred years. Grant has achieved a perfect balance of anachronism, mythology and humor making this an engagingly funny laugh-out-loud read perfect for readers who are not quite ready to tackle Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books but exciting enough to grip any fantasy lover. This is book #2 in the "The Magnificent 12" series. Reviewer: Jackie Fulton

Children's Literature - Jackie Fulton