Status
Available
Local notes
Fic Col
Collection
Series
Publication
Hyperion (2008), 423 pages
Description
Artemis's mother has contracted a deadly disease -- and the only cure lies in the brain fluid of African lemurs. Unfortunately, Artemis himself was responsible for making the lemurs extinct five years ago. Now he must enlist the aid of his fairy friends to travel back in time and save them. Not only that, but he must face his deadliest foe yet...his younger self.
Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
British Book Award (Shortlist — shortlist — 2009)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2009)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2012)
Independent Booksellers' Book Prize (Winner — Children's — 2009)
Language
Original publication date
2008-07-15
Physical description
423 p.; 7.8 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member virginiahomeschooler
By the time a sixth book in a series rolls around, many authors seem to get a bit lazy, or at the very least to run out of fresh ideas. Eoin Colfer, though, is in top form with The Time Paradox. The plot is exciting and action packed. It speeds along from start to finish, brimming with Colfer's
Fans of the previous books will be delighted to see familiar characters with a few new additions. One of the things Colfer does best is developing his characters. Readers have seen Artemis grow from an awkward megalomaniacal child into a young adult with a conscience. His relationship with Holly Short has grown over the years, and The Time Paradox allows a glimpse at possible romantic feelings between the pair.
While there is a bit of an environmental moral to this story, it's mostly a fun and entertaining read that is sure to be a hit among young and old.
Show More
witty style. Fans of the previous books will be delighted to see familiar characters with a few new additions. One of the things Colfer does best is developing his characters. Readers have seen Artemis grow from an awkward megalomaniacal child into a young adult with a conscience. His relationship with Holly Short has grown over the years, and The Time Paradox allows a glimpse at possible romantic feelings between the pair.
While there is a bit of an environmental moral to this story, it's mostly a fun and entertaining read that is sure to be a hit among young and old.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SamuelW
It's book number six, and our favourite criminal mastermind has come a long way since Eoin Colfer penned his first adventure in 2001. For starters, he's no longer criminal. He's now devoted to doing what's right for his family, for the fairy people, and even for the environment! But let's face it;
The danger with this, of course, is that the novel turns out a little like one of those Zelda games, where each game is essentially the previous game fed through a blender. Every tried and true element of the Artemis Fowl series turns up somewhere, but the precise mechanics of the plot are mixed around. There are moments which conjure up images of Colfer sitting at his desk, ticking off a list of "things my fans like" which has been compiled over the course of the first five books. (Like the completely arbitrary kiss between Artemis and Holly. What's that all about?) Still, I suppose I shouldn't knock the Fowl formula too much; it does make for an enjoyable novel.
There is, however, one key Fowl element in short supply here. Action and humour may be fun, but my favourite part of an Artemis Fowl novel has always been the genius schemes, full of second-guessing and complex twists. With two Artemis Fowls on the loose, I expected plenty of these – but somehow, Colfer's premise doesn't quite elicit the level of highly intelligent mayhem that it should. Time Paradox is certainly clever – every time I found myself thinking 'this needs to be trickier', Colfer stepped it up a notch – but at the end of the day, it just didn't manage to get quite clever enough.
For Fowl veterans, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox can be summed up in four words: more of the same. It may not be Colfer's best, but it's still good fun.
Show More
evil Artemis has so much more charisma than good Artemis. So, what does Colfer do about it? He brings evil Artemis back into the picture. Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox is everything its title suggests – a fast, clever and slightly confusing adventure through time, in the true style of an Artemis Fowl novel. By travelling back to the uncertain past, Colfer basically hands himself a blank canvas – a canvas which he takes full advantage of, filling in scores of pre-plot details and involving just about every character his fans have ever been introduced to.The danger with this, of course, is that the novel turns out a little like one of those Zelda games, where each game is essentially the previous game fed through a blender. Every tried and true element of the Artemis Fowl series turns up somewhere, but the precise mechanics of the plot are mixed around. There are moments which conjure up images of Colfer sitting at his desk, ticking off a list of "things my fans like" which has been compiled over the course of the first five books. (Like the completely arbitrary kiss between Artemis and Holly. What's that all about?) Still, I suppose I shouldn't knock the Fowl formula too much; it does make for an enjoyable novel.
There is, however, one key Fowl element in short supply here. Action and humour may be fun, but my favourite part of an Artemis Fowl novel has always been the genius schemes, full of second-guessing and complex twists. With two Artemis Fowls on the loose, I expected plenty of these – but somehow, Colfer's premise doesn't quite elicit the level of highly intelligent mayhem that it should. Time Paradox is certainly clever – every time I found myself thinking 'this needs to be trickier', Colfer stepped it up a notch – but at the end of the day, it just didn't manage to get quite clever enough.
For Fowl veterans, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox can be summed up in four words: more of the same. It may not be Colfer's best, but it's still good fun.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rj_anderson
I have nothing intelligent to say about this book. I mean, it was a fast-paced, complicated (but ultimately well-plotted) story with lots of action and high stakes, but really the whole time my brain was all stuck on "Artemis/Holly! SQUEE!!!"Seriously, I never thought it would really happen that
Show More
the two of them would admit an attraction to each other even to themselves, let alone act on it (however briefly). I figured the growing UST* I'd perceived between them was mostly in my deranged imagination. What a surprise to find the author apparently agreeing with me!And yet, nothing was really resolved. Next book, please?Yes, I am twelve.--* Unresolved Sexual Tension. Show Less
LibraryThing member Crewman_Number_6
This is probably one of my favorite in the Artemis Foul series. I was tempted to pass on it because I was a little disappointed in the last book, but I'm glad I didn't. I loved seeing the old Artemis (or rather the young coniving Artemis) I kind of miss him.
LibraryThing member fantasymag
The Artemis Fowl series is about a teenage former sociopathic genius criminal and an Elven hot-shot, loose-cannon cop. They fight crime. No, really.
In Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, the titular character’s mother has fallen deathly ill with a strange and seemingly incurable disease that the
It’s Artemis’ fault the thing went extinct in the first place. And his parents have both been environmentalists all along, especially his former supercriminal father. Really.
Here’s my biggest problem with the book: it reads like Colfer found out that the Green movement is popular now and wasted no subtlety in targeting that audience. The book’s main villain is the leader of The Extinctionists, a group dedicated to wiping out animal species so as to leave more resources for humans. The whole thing is so anvilicious that it’s hard to take seriously.
I was also disappointed with the shoe-horning in of Mulch Diggums the Dwarf. It felt very forced–as if Colfer just couldn’t stand the idea of leaving out the fart jokes this time around. Plus, a few of the plot twists were a little too out of nowhere.
Apart from that, though, the story isn’t so bad. It’s got its twists and turns and I admit to gasping aloud near the end. There aren’t any horrendous breaches of Time Travel rules, and the whole thing is fairly tight and explained. The writing style is as easy to read as ever and tough to put down. And, frankly, it’s nice to go back and see the bastard that Artemis used to be, in the form of his ten-year-old self. The villain protagonist of the first book was one of its charms, and that element has been missing in the later books. Thankfully, most of the bad-fanfic traits that I was afraid of were avoided–Miss Sue from the last book didn’t show at all, and the twins only appeared as lighthearted fun for a few minutes, rather than taking over the story.
If you’re a newcomer to the series, don’t start here. It’s certainly not the best that Colfer has put out. But if you’re a fan and you get a chance to read it, the story is mostly engaging and the writing is fine. The Artemis Fowl series still has some spark to it.
In Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, the titular character’s mother has fallen deathly ill with a strange and seemingly incurable disease that the
Show More
doctors have never heard of. Science isn’t working, so Artemis brings in Magic in the form of Holly and Co. The fairies identify the symptoms as Spelltropy, a virus that wreaked havoc on the fairy community some five years ago. The only cure: the brain fluid of the now-extinct “Silky Sifaka lemur”. So off they go into the time stream to chase an admittedly adorable McGuffin and rescue the little critter along with Angeline Fowl.It’s Artemis’ fault the thing went extinct in the first place. And his parents have both been environmentalists all along, especially his former supercriminal father. Really.
Here’s my biggest problem with the book: it reads like Colfer found out that the Green movement is popular now and wasted no subtlety in targeting that audience. The book’s main villain is the leader of The Extinctionists, a group dedicated to wiping out animal species so as to leave more resources for humans. The whole thing is so anvilicious that it’s hard to take seriously.
I was also disappointed with the shoe-horning in of Mulch Diggums the Dwarf. It felt very forced–as if Colfer just couldn’t stand the idea of leaving out the fart jokes this time around. Plus, a few of the plot twists were a little too out of nowhere.
Apart from that, though, the story isn’t so bad. It’s got its twists and turns and I admit to gasping aloud near the end. There aren’t any horrendous breaches of Time Travel rules, and the whole thing is fairly tight and explained. The writing style is as easy to read as ever and tough to put down. And, frankly, it’s nice to go back and see the bastard that Artemis used to be, in the form of his ten-year-old self. The villain protagonist of the first book was one of its charms, and that element has been missing in the later books. Thankfully, most of the bad-fanfic traits that I was afraid of were avoided–Miss Sue from the last book didn’t show at all, and the twins only appeared as lighthearted fun for a few minutes, rather than taking over the story.
If you’re a newcomer to the series, don’t start here. It’s certainly not the best that Colfer has put out. But if you’re a fan and you get a chance to read it, the story is mostly engaging and the writing is fine. The Artemis Fowl series still has some spark to it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Poppisima
I adore the Artemis Fowl books, but I was disappointed with this one. Many of the previous books' strengths were missing: the humor, the strong sense of place, and the sense that Artemis is in control of the situation. Favorite characters from past outings , like Mulch and Foaly, make only cameo
Show More
appearances, and much more time is spent on Artemis's interior monologue, whereas in previous books, Artemis is more enigmatic. In addition, the writing is less elegant, and the plot is confusing. I didn't hate it, and I'll probably re-read it just to get the sequence of events straightened out, but it's not Colfer's best. (Oh, and I've heard that Nathanial Parker isn't going to do the audiobook for Listening Library--take thy beak from out my heart! Parker would have been able to give this story a much-needed energy boost.) Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
One of the things I have really enjoyed about these books is the development in Artemis's character as he grows and becomes a much more likeable character. In the book you really get to see this as Artemis goes back in time to battle his 10 year old self in order to stop him selling the last of a
Show More
species of lemur to a group of mad extinctionists and save his mother's life. He travels back in time with Holly and meets up with old, new friend, Mulch Diggins. Like Harry Potter it seems that Artemis Fowl is growing up with his readers and this book is less funny and gag ridden than some of the previous instalments but raises some interesting questions. Show Less
LibraryThing member DawnDavis
Artemis Fowl's past crimes have come back to haunt him. Artemis' mother is dying from a uncurable fairy disease. The cure lies in a lemur-an extinct lemur. Artemis is responsible for the demise of the last lemur. Now, with Holly Short on his side and a lillte help from Foaly and a demon, he must go
Show More
back in time to prevent his younger self from stealing the lemur! Will he be able to outwit himself and save his mother's life? Show Less
LibraryThing member wahoofan
Love the twists and turns I could not stop reading it!
LibraryThing member snapplechick
I love the Artemis Fowl books, but this one was a bit disapointing because there wasn't a really interesting story behind it. The other books were much more exciting, but this was still interesting.
LibraryThing member beserene
I really enjoy this series, but as I was explaining to a friend the other day, it has changed significantly. It started out as funny fluff -- a clever redux on the idea of fairyland (LepRECON is a division of the fairy police force), neatly threaded with the dreams of any 12-year-old boy (hey, who
Show More
doesn't want to be a criminal mastermind?) -- but these days, after several volumes and the passage of years within the series, the tone has mellowed from fairy-tale-on-speed to a calmer, though still clever, attempt at emotional maturity. Whether this makes the later books better, worse, or simply different depends, I suppose, on the reader. Certainly, the fact that, by this volume, Artemis has "gone straight" and is trying to save his mother's life instead of gleefully wreaking havoc in order to reap illicit fairy technology for joy and profit makes this newest book less wickedly delightful. But the story, and the way Colfer deals with the title issue, is a fresh concoction with characteristic sharp twists. For those familiar with the series, the climactic scene has both predictable and surprising elements. The reappearance of a familiar villain did not bring me much joy (eligible for Most Annoying Villain Ever award), and I'm not sure how I feel about the fleeting romantic tension between two of the main characters; still, there were laugh-out-loud moments and hilarious mental visuals, as well as the sheer pleasure of having to figure out what's REALLY going on. Ultimately, one may not feel the same mischievous satisfaction as in previous installments, but especially for those attached to the characters, this is still worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member savageknight
Not as gripping as I had hoped/ expected.
LibraryThing member hjjugovic
Colfer turns out another fun Artemis Fowl novel, but I found this one to be weaker than the previous ones. An older Artemis, stumbling through his dealings with his past, younger self is just less compelling than the always-on-top-of-it Artemis that we know and love. I also found the changing
Show More
relationship between Holly and Artemis to be a bit odd - what happened to his female admirer from the previous book? However, a Colfer book that's a bit off is still better than most of the books than I've been reading lately. This series is enjoyable for both adults and young adults. Parents can recommend this book to their children with no qualms - the values of nonviolence (even in violent circumstances) and conservationism are well-done and worthy. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I miss Nathaniel Parker as the narrator! It just wasn't the same - Butler in particular seemed like a completely different character, and not to his advantage! Otherwise, the plot was mind-bending in it's time twisting plot. But it was done in a playful way, and Artemis is definitely a sympathetic
Show More
character now. Very enjoyable! Show Less
LibraryThing member fooslay
The Artemis Fowl series is thrilling and can be very fast paced at times. It is about a fourteen year old boy who is a criminal mastermind. In this book he travels back in time to save a lemur whose brain fluids are the cure to a now incurable disease because the lemur is extinct. Of the series,
Show More
this happens to be my favorite book and hope that there are more in the series. It is my favorite book because it has a lot of twists in it and that I can completely fall into the story and feel like I’m standing watching everything. That is why I enjoyed this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member raizel
Artemis Fowl has to outwit not only baddies but himself when he was younger and less nice as he and Holly go back in time to find the last of a species of lemur to save his mother's life. Adventure stays at a high level and the book is fun and dwarfs continue to do things that are not discussed in
A coded message runs along the bottom of each page; I have no idea what it says.
Show More
polite company and friendship and kindness and trust are important. A coded message runs along the bottom of each page; I have no idea what it says.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lewispike
Not the best outing for Artmeis Fowl, but still satisfying. He's still clever and manipulative although he's becoming less of a criminal mastermind and more of an immoral genius with some elements of a moral code.
The explanation of how clever Artemis is grates rather than makes me think "Oh yes"
That said, it's still a fun romp and well worth a read if you liked the earlier books.
The explanation of how clever Artemis is grates rather than makes me think "Oh yes"
Show More
this time - perhaps because some of the explanations were obvious and the rest were just ludicrous in their underlying assumptions.That said, it's still a fun romp and well worth a read if you liked the earlier books.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Number 6 in the Artemis Fowl series includes time travel, endangered species, evil extinctionists and an evil pixie.
LibraryThing member bell7
Artemis, Holly, and the rest are back. This time, Angeline Fowl has a debilitating disease that no specialist can figure out...because it's caused by infected magic. To save his mother, Artemis and Holly must go back in time to out-trick the trickster himself...10-year-old Artemis. As might be
Personally, I found the time travel explanations (not that it existed, but how things happened) just...well, convoluted for lack of a better word. It's very confusing. And the villains are a bit over the top. One of the things I enjoyed about the first few books was how the sides weren't clearly drawn -- neither Artemis nor the fairies were completely "right," and you could see things from each point of view. Also, the author seemed to expect a certain amount of sophistication from his audience to be able to figure out that Artemis is not as tough as he pretends to be, but there are people he cares about and fights for. The first three books especially (from what I remember) are like that, but The Time Paradox seemed to say things bluntly about the characters rather than letting the reader figure things out for himself. It was a light, fun read but these things bothered me and kept me from really falling into the story and loving it.
Show More
expected from an Artemis Fowl book, there are lots of twists and turns, evil villains attempting to outsmart each other, and just plain silliness.Personally, I found the time travel explanations (not that it existed, but how things happened) just...well, convoluted for lack of a better word. It's very confusing. And the villains are a bit over the top. One of the things I enjoyed about the first few books was how the sides weren't clearly drawn -- neither Artemis nor the fairies were completely "right," and you could see things from each point of view. Also, the author seemed to expect a certain amount of sophistication from his audience to be able to figure out that Artemis is not as tough as he pretends to be, but there are people he cares about and fights for. The first three books especially (from what I remember) are like that, but The Time Paradox seemed to say things bluntly about the characters rather than letting the reader figure things out for himself. It was a light, fun read but these things bothered me and kept me from really falling into the story and loving it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
Faced with his mother's unusual and probably fatal illness, Artemis Fowl calls on his magical friends to travel eight years into the past to undo something he did as a 10-year-old boy. Full of adventure, magical creations, humor, and even a budding romance. By seeing himself as he was 8 years ago,
Reidel's voices fit the characters nicely.
Show More
Artemis is able to make some interesting observations about how and why he has changed. Also, a subplot stretched to absurdity illustrates the danger mankind poses to the animal kingdom. As always, the power and importance of true friendship is evident.Reidel's voices fit the characters nicely.
Show Less
LibraryThing member callmecayce
I think this probably was the best book of the series so far. I found myself not so much caught up in the story as the characters themselves. I think Colfer does a good job with his character study (of a sort) of Artemis and how he's changed over the books. Probably the most interesting parts
Show More
involved Artemis looking back on the person he used to be as well as when he thinks about how much he's changed. His relationship with Holly changed as well and I thought that Colfer did a fine job exploring that relationship without going too far into some sort of happy romantic ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member msafarik
Book Report on Artemis Fowl: the Time Paradox
Ever since I was younger, I’ve loved reading the Artemis Fowl series. I think Eoin Colfer is an amazing writer, and I’ve always enjoyed his works. Ever since his first Artemis Fowl book came to shelves, I found the way he wrote very interesting,
Normally, I like to read books that fall around my level of difficulty. By no means was the language and development of the plot in this book difficult, but when reflected on, reveals a much bigger and more important picture that stumped even me at times. I’ve read Colfer’s entire Artemis Fowl series so far, and seeing as this is the sixth book and counting, I still love to read them. It doesn’t matter how old the reader is, anyone can get a kick out of reading this type of a book; it’s definitely not just restricted to the younger audience. I still remember a scene from the first book that was written so well, that it remains one of my favorite sections I’ve ever read.
To write this book off as simply for children would be a mistake. I’m 17 years old, and still get entranced by the fantastical story and characters. I would recommend not only this book, but this series to anyone who wants to have a great time and be surprised by the end of every chapter. This book falls into place with an amazing series, written by an even greater author, one that deserves to be among the ranks of J. K. Rowling and other similar writers. It astounds me how Harry Potter is so widely known, and yet Artemis Fowl still lurks in the shadows.
Ever since I was younger, I’ve loved reading the Artemis Fowl series. I think Eoin Colfer is an amazing writer, and I’ve always enjoyed his works. Ever since his first Artemis Fowl book came to shelves, I found the way he wrote very interesting,
Show More
being both simple and complex at the same time. This newest book of hi showed this element quite clearly. Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, is written in such a way that a younger reader can understand it, yet keep the older readers thinking deeply about the situations presented. In this book, Colfer showed his prowess with his development into time travel and different selves in the same time. Throughout the book, I was fixated on the plot, and it was very difficult for me to stop reading. I read the entire book in a span of 3 days; no easy task considering the book totaled at just over 400 pages. Normally, I like to read books that fall around my level of difficulty. By no means was the language and development of the plot in this book difficult, but when reflected on, reveals a much bigger and more important picture that stumped even me at times. I’ve read Colfer’s entire Artemis Fowl series so far, and seeing as this is the sixth book and counting, I still love to read them. It doesn’t matter how old the reader is, anyone can get a kick out of reading this type of a book; it’s definitely not just restricted to the younger audience. I still remember a scene from the first book that was written so well, that it remains one of my favorite sections I’ve ever read.
To write this book off as simply for children would be a mistake. I’m 17 years old, and still get entranced by the fantastical story and characters. I would recommend not only this book, but this series to anyone who wants to have a great time and be surprised by the end of every chapter. This book falls into place with an amazing series, written by an even greater author, one that deserves to be among the ranks of J. K. Rowling and other similar writers. It astounds me how Harry Potter is so widely known, and yet Artemis Fowl still lurks in the shadows.
Show Less
LibraryThing member chris-m-hess
For my choice summer reading I chose the 6th Artemis Fowl book in the series called the Time Paradox. I had read the first five quite a few years ago when I enjoyed much more simplistic novels. Needless to say I was very disappointed with this book. It was centered around fairies and time traveling
However, the one thing that made me continue reading this book was its impressive use of description. Every page at least a quarter of it was used by describing settings, objects, and characters that vividly invade your mind and created its own image in your head. The book slowly began to feel like a movie rather than words on a page. However, the words that were used were very simplistic. They could describe the scene and what was happening but there were not colorful adjectives and no words that jumped of the page and really stood out. This made the book a very simple read and felt like I was watching a simple cartoon show versus something that was actually challenging my mind and entertaining it.
However what really disappointed me with the book was the point of view that it was depicted through. It based around how a 12 year old was acting throughout the whole story. It was very childish and immature and it got even more unrealistic as the book went on. The Time Machine did a great job describing what was going on throughout the whole book with the time traveling aspects and really made the book interesting and entertaining to read. My choice book was definitely a little too simple for what I was looking to read. Next time I will definitely pick a much more mature book to read next time.
Show More
to the past and future. I know that the book the Time machine also contains a similar plot but it was depicted by a much more mature point of view making it much more interesting. However, my choice novel lacked these qualities and was better suited for someone in middle school. However, the one thing that made me continue reading this book was its impressive use of description. Every page at least a quarter of it was used by describing settings, objects, and characters that vividly invade your mind and created its own image in your head. The book slowly began to feel like a movie rather than words on a page. However, the words that were used were very simplistic. They could describe the scene and what was happening but there were not colorful adjectives and no words that jumped of the page and really stood out. This made the book a very simple read and felt like I was watching a simple cartoon show versus something that was actually challenging my mind and entertaining it.
However what really disappointed me with the book was the point of view that it was depicted through. It based around how a 12 year old was acting throughout the whole story. It was very childish and immature and it got even more unrealistic as the book went on. The Time Machine did a great job describing what was going on throughout the whole book with the time traveling aspects and really made the book interesting and entertaining to read. My choice book was definitely a little too simple for what I was looking to read. Next time I will definitely pick a much more mature book to read next time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jacobabear
This was an extremely great book. Artemis Fowl it back, and this time his mother has come down with a deadly case of spelltropy, which was Artemis own doing. Only this time, he's powerless, as the only cure resides in an extinct lemur's brain - and Artemis gave him to the extinctionists personally.
Show More
Now Artemis has to travel back in time with the help of the demon warlock No1, but he's up against the most clever of his enemies yet - Artemis Fowl age 10 Show Less
LibraryThing member MrFClass
The Time Paradox is a fast paced action book about a boy who is forced to go back in time to save his mother from a terminal fariy illness. His main enemy in the book is his younger self which causes an interesting conflict, although you do have to read the other 5 books first.
Similar in this library
Pages
423