Artemis Fowl (Book 1)

Artemis Fowl is a twelve year old child prodigy who comes from a long line of criminal masterminds. He has turned his considerable mental talents to fairies; it turns out they do exist. He wants gold and everyone knows that where there is a leprechaun there is gold. Only "leprechaun" is actually

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LEPrecon, an elite branch of the Lower Elemements Police that retrieves renegade fairies who have escaped above ground. Artemis captures a LEP agent named Captain Holly Short, the first female fairy on the force. He holds her for ransom prompting a clash between humans, known to the fairies as Mud People, and the advanced technology of the fairy police force.

The fairy characters in this novel reminded me of Terry Pratchett's Disc World. They are fanciful and silly, yet they are human in many ways. They are stubborn, sarcastic, greedy, ambitious as well as caring.

Artemis is very smart but he is a lost little boy with a missing father and a mother who spends all her time pining for her husband. The only person in his life that he feels close to is his butler named Butler who is part bodyguard and friend. In the end he gets what he really wanted all along and it isn't gold.

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I read this out of an interest in popular children's fantasy. The Artemis Fowl books had gained enough popularity to show up on my radar (and I am around children basically none of the time), so I figured I might as well check it out. Artemis is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind with a faithful

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bodyguard named Butler, a missing father, and a mother who has completely lost touch with reality. Despite this, there remains a good deal of humor in Artemis's kidnapping of a fairy and her people's attempts to retrieve her. Artemis, while believable as a criminal genius, is not very convincing as a 12-year-old boy. Holly the fairy is pretty one-dimensional, but her comrades Root and the centaur Foaly are entertaining enough to keep the plot moving forward. In short, this is a decent story for children but not engaging enough to convince this adult reader to check out the sequels.

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I think the Artemis Fowl series have to be some of the most underrated books that there ever were. They are highly inventive, and they have everything that a good book needs. They have great action, witty dialogue, hilarious humor, and some of the coolest characters you will ever read about.

These

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books are probably the most FUN books I have ever read. Colfer does an amazing job shifting the mood of the book from lightheartedly humorous to serious and deadly.

So don't get me wrong, these books are excellent in terms of quality, but the main thing I will remember these books for is the way you can just sit down with no worries and flat out enjoy reading them and have fun.

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Read at my son's behest, he really loved it and is reading more in the series. I thought it is very well suited to the interests of 12 year olds, with it's ground eating dwarves and cranky LEPrecon officers. A few good ideas, but definitely a book for children rather than adults.

I have a bad habit of picking out books to buy for my classroom, reading them, and buying another copy to keep at home all for myself! This first book in the Artemis Fowl book blends modern concepts and folk stories together into a wonderful tale. Artemis is an anti-hero, a 12-year-old criminal

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mastermind. Helping Artemis is Butler, his bodyguard. On the other side are the technologically advanced fairies. There's a paranoid centaur, a kleptomaniac dwarf, a short-tempered police commander, and Captain Holly Short. Short is destined to become Artemis' nemesis, being willing to bend the rules slightly for the right reasons. Colfer tosses in references to morals, ethics, environmentalism, and a host of other topics that make this an interesting book to read and discuss with my children!

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Artemis Fowl is a criminal mastermind, who’s twelve. He hatches a scheme of kidnapping a fairy and holding her for a ransom of gold. This took about a day to get through, and it was an enjoyable fast-paced adventure story. The reader bounces between Artemis and the fairy world – all of the

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characters being sympathetic in one manner or another. I’m not sure if I will continue on with the series, but this was a fairly enjoyable way to pass a rainy day.

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Fantastic start to the series. I am loving the dry, quirky humor Eoin Colfer infuses the story with. The set-up of the story with the file notes and the history is clear enough to keep the story from being confusing, but still complicated enough to make you want to figure out what is going on.

What

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I've noticed as I read through the story was how realistic Artemis was - especially for being a 12 year old "genius". In spite of his advanced technological knowledge and his masterminding schemes, he still is an insecure boy that needs reassurance and his parents. I loved the very human side of him.

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While reading Artemis Fowl I never got bored. It is a really big page turner. I can't wait to read Book 2 and see if Artemis learns his lesson, or if more is revealed about the deal he made with Holly. Artemis Fowl is exciting and riveting. All of the characters have a unique voice that's

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well-developed and doesn't just stay one-dimensional for the protagonist's point of view. I found myself not liking Artemis that much, but I really related a lot with Holly Short and the position she was in. I am not a fairy, but this book was about humility and doing the right thing despite an unpleasant situation you may be faced with.
I am not sure why Eoin Colfer has chosen to characterize Artemis as inhumane almost toward fairies, for the mere inheritance of more wealth. It's evident that Artemis already has a lot of wealthy by mere association of his name and thus his relations, such as his parents. Why on earth does he speak to Butler about wanting to be notorious and not promising that their next adventures won't be illegal? Artemis' upbringing is alluded to as being sketchy since his father was mostly away for most of it and his mother was in a 'fog.' Even still now, this time in his development at 12 years old is when he critically needs a family, but Butler, Juliet, and the fairies, dwarfs, and troll(s) (even though those of the Lower elements, are his enemies) appear as a makeshift family. Artemis Fowl can control this 'game.' In my opinion, it's also the reason why he wants his own wealth because he wants his own importance and his own independence within his own family.

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The Artemis book was a great book. I liked it because a 12 year old boy worte it. The book was about how most people own hospitals. The other thing about the book is that it is a case. The name of the book is Artemis Fowl. His name is Eoin Colfer. The genre is fiction. Artemis was always sitting in

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of his computer screen and it was bleaching his skin. The setting was in his house. The book was about a case that Artemis is trying to sovle. It might be a bit harder to crake this case. To find out you will have to read to find out.

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This is a popular book amongst some of the school children I've taught, and it's not hard to see why. It's a fantastical, humourous adventure - full of fairy folk, bulky bodyguards, a troll and a rather interesting main character.

Artemis Fowl is the youngest member of a family of master criminals.

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He's hungry for gold, and believes that the fairy folk are the best way to get it. So he kidnaps the LEPrecon Captain, Holly Short in order to get a ransom. The fairy folk will do anything to get her back . . .

There's some really funny bits in the book - some for children (bum flaps come to mind), and some more sophisticated. Artemis would be tiresome if he was the only main character, but Holly Short makes for an excellent co-main. Fantasy still isn't my favourite genre - and it took me a little while to get into it - but towards the end I couldn't put it down.

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Die Hard with fairies? Well, pretty much the latter, maybe not so much the former. Closer to The Thomas Crown Affair, only the criminal mastermind is a twelve-year-old prodigy and the mark is a good chunk of leprechaun gold.Despite having his name in the title, Artemis Fowl isn't the most

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well-developed character in the cast when compared to the members of the fairy task force assembled against him, or even his bodyguard, the ubiquitous master-of-arms. Perhaps it's the fact that technically being a villain, giving Artemis a dearth of personality helps to balance out the good vs. evil storyline, which would otherwise be unfairly skewed towards the fairyfolk's crusade, a sometimes not-so-subtle parallel to the environmental movement.Colfer writes with speed and wit, interspersing by-the-book military sequences with Michael-Bay-esque wisecracks from supporting characters. He excels in meshing the disparate elements of the human and fairy worlds; both mapping out magic-rich sites on the Earth's surface as well as decking the underground denizens with space-age technology.Harmless and fun enough for kids, but with enough substance for grown-ups to tolerate as well.

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“Artemis Fowl” is a great book for all fantasy lovers. “Artemis Fowl,” by Eoin Colfer, brings its readers into a different world where magic comes to life.

Artemis Fowl is a devious 12-year-old boy who lives in a mansion with his sorrowful mother and does not know where his father

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disappeared to. He has his helper, Butler, a man with an endless supply of military weapons, help him through the whole story.

Artemis Fowl cons his way into getting a book which is like a key to a lock on the secret underground world of fairies. With that information, Artemis sets out a diabolical quest to capture a fairy for ransom. Little does he know that these fairies are ready for combat.

I would give “Artemis Fowl” five out of five stars. It has well-described and developed characters and a great plot. Also, it has a great ending, making the reader want to continue to the next book in the series, “Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident.” Overall, “Artemis Fowl” is a great book for all ages to read.

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I have no problem with a story being told from an alternative point of view - that of the bad guy. However, this book simply didn't hook me in at all. I disliked the style, and thought it was trying too hard to be funny. For me, the jokes fell flat. Excluding that, there wasn't much other substance

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in the book to appeal to me. Any fantasy content has already been done before.

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A fun family read. Magic, adventure and some discussion of morality, plus a plot that satisfies adult and older readers. We "read" this one on a family trip, but I'll get the next one for my family commute.

This is the first of six books in the Artemis Fowl Series and refers to the audiobook version read by Nathaniel Parker. Parker's Irish accent is perfect for the story, and he creates memorable voices and accents for each of the story's mostly hard-boiled characters and moves seamlessly between the

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voices of the large cast. This story downloads in 5 parts and is about 6 1/2 hours in length. The author confirms that a movie deal is in the works. A great choice for fantasy fans looking for something with a bit of an edge.

My library classifies this series as YA (young adult), but older J (Juvenile fiction) readers should enjoy it as well.

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A disturbed young man. Ender and Artemis should get together. Fun read.

Artemis Fowl, young heir to the Fowl criminal dynasty, has searched all over the world for the answer to his question; do fairies exist. this may sound like a little kid book already but it is full of wit and action as you read the story of a young genius and his formidable bodyguard, Butler.

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Artemis cheats a fairy out the book that all fairies carry that contains their rules in their language, Gnomish. After deciphering the book, Artemis kidnaps a young police captain elf named Holly Short. The entire fairy police force goes against artemis and are trapped in a dealock at his private estate. This novel is a fun read for all and after you read the first you'll wnat to read the next.

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I fell completely in love with the characters, the world, the language, the writing. Way to go, Colfer.

I absolutely adore Colfer's combination of traditional fantasy characters with science fiction. It really works!

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a criminal mastermind descended from a family of wealthy criminal masterminds. After the family fortune is lost, his father mysteriously disappears, believed dead, and his mother goes mad from grief. Artemis decides to get the family fortune back in the most unusual

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way―by kidnapping a fairy and holding her for ransom. But as it turns out, Artemis may have underestimated the power of the fairies, and the lengths they would go to hold on to their gold. He also may not have anticipated the cunningness, and intrigue, of his captive fairy.

What I liked: great story! So unusual and compelling. The characters are so well written and diverse, everything from goblins to centaurs, and they each have their own unique personalities and attributes. The plot is outlandish, but so interesting and different.

What I didn’t like: the main character comes off a bit stoic, especially at first. True, he is an anti-hero, but he was almost too unrelatable at first. Still, his character improves as the book progresses, and by the end, the reader wants to know what happens to him (and the other characters) in the next book.

5 out of 5 stars

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Summary: Artemis Fowl is a strategic genius, a technological prodigy, and a budding criminal mastermind... and he's only 12 years old! His latest scheme involves the acquisition of gold, and lots of it. He's got his hands on a book of fairy secrets, and he uses it to kidnap a fairy and hold it for

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ransom. But the fairy in question is one Captain Holly Short, a member of the L.E.P. reconnaissance (LEP re-con, for short) team, and her commanding officer is going to use every magical resource at their disposal to see her rescued safely... and see Artemis dead in the process.

Review: I think most people start reading Eoin Colfer with the Artemis Fowl series and branch out from there; I've done things backwards, reading several of his stand-alone books first and only now getting around to his main series. What I've discovered, so far, is that while Colfer's books might never knock my socks off, they are always a reliable source for a fun, engaging, and imaginative read. Artemis Fowl was no exception; while it was geared towards a little younger of an audience than I typically prefer (more mid-grade than young adult, I think), there were still lots of clever bits and sly jokes that made me giggle, and the story was fast-paced enough with enough exciting action to keep me engaged, and to allow me to overlook things like the farting dwarf. There was also a surprising emotional core running throughout that made the book something more than just a light and fluffy story. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Overall, it's a good combination of fantasy, action, and humor; geared towards the younger set but with enough cleverness to the worldbuilding and the jokes that it should hold the attention of adults, too. I'll definitely be reading the sequels.

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This book counts as my favourite book of all time for a million reasons. One of those would be how fun it is to read, as it goes from one perfectly ridiculous event to another. It is also an easy read, makig it perfect for reading over and over again. But the greatest reason is, that this book is

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the beginning of an amazingly awesome series.

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Artemis Fowl is a middle school age boy who is an evil genius with a father who is missing and a mother who is bedridden with depression and delusions. Artemis discovers that fairies exist and sets out to steal on of their books - which contains all their secrets. His end game plan is to steal

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fairy gold but there are some complications. A smart LEP agent, a determined LEP captain, and a troll. An enjoyable read and a nice break from the regular fantasy series.

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Artemis Fowl has been a longtime favorite series of mine. From the first pages, Colfer lures you into the criminal world with Artemis’s dealings with faeries, continuous outsmarting of them, and the first inklings of his awakening conscious.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of

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Artemis and Holly Short, but two of the many memorable cast of characters that Colfer introduces. Others include Butler (Artemis’s… butler!), Commander Root heading Recon, Foaly the technological genius of a centaur, and Mulch Diggums the kleptomaniac dwarf.

Artemis is a criminal mastermind and speaks at an advanced level for any age. Still, there are telltale signs that he’s only twelve. He worries over his mother, and he’s desperately seeking out his father to restore the Fowl family’s status. He also believes in faeries. Plus his genius brain, and he possesses the power to do one thing no Mud Man (faerie jargon for humans) has ever done before: part the faeries from their gold.

Opposing him is Captain Holly Short, the first female member of Recon and also someone who is continuously getting into trouble. While she’s definitely one of the best officers under Root, he pushes her to excel above the others to her dismay at the unwonted prejudice. She has a colorful nature and will never fail to amuse readers with her smart aleck comments.

As someone who has read further installments in the series, I can say that while this first book seems clichéd with the whole humans are bad deal, you can see the stirrings of potential development. Holly Short jeopardizes her life to save humans even after they hurt her, and Artemis is beginning to soften up. He realizes that what he’s done is evil. Remember, he’s a kid despite his genius nature.

Forget lollipops, rainbows, and sunshine. Artemis Fowl’s dark brilliance and criminal exploits will leave you hankering for the next installment in the series. With his wit and great sense of humor, Colfer brings to readers of all ages a genius antihero, futuristic technology, mind games, and a bit of magic.

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