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FOWL PLAY WITH FAIRIES
I have one thing to say about this book- fantastic. I haven't been so enthralled by a fantasy book for a long time (enjoyed many, but not quite enthralled). Colfer has created one hell of a character in Artemis Fowl, one whose exploits everyone, young and old, will enjoy reading.
The Fowl family has lost its billionaire status, and twelve-year old Artemis Fowl has come up with a perfect plan to restore it- kidnap a fairy and get his hands on their gold. He steals the fairy secrets by decoding their Book, and then kidnaps LEPrecon Captain Holly Short, forcing Commander Root to send in his LEPrecon and Retrieval teams to the rescue. What ensues is a battle of wits between the fairies and Artemis, which could prove fatal to the young criminal mastermind.
I had so much fun reading this book. It combines smart writing with an explosive plot. The fairies are intelligent, but Artemis is one step ahead of them, and the tension makes for great reading. One of the coolest things about the book is all the tech stuff- the high-class gadgetry the fairies use and the ways in which Artemis manages to surpass them. The time-stop and the fairy helmet (oh, how I'd love to get one for my birthday) are the best gadgets I've read about in a long time. Colfer uses some age-old myths and rehashes them to come up with some of the plot elements, especially the climax. I love the devious Fowl, but my favorite character would have to be Foaly, the eccentric yet brilliant techie (his interactions with Root are hilarious). An ultra-cool book (I'm using 'cool' a lot, but I can't help it), with fireworks from start to finish.
Read the book? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?
Read another review at: A Reader's Journal
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You know, for some reason I've been on the fence about this series - might be because the description I keep hearing, "Die Hard with fairies", doesn't do much for me :P But your review definitely makes me want to give this a try!
I've had this on my pile for a while, but wasn't completely sure I'd like it - now I think I'm feeling better about it.
Don't say Die Hard! I didn't like the movie at all. I know the author keeps calling it that, but I don't agree. I thought it was more "Ocean's with fairies"
Artemis Fowl sounds absolutely delightful. I love your review. This book is calling to me. I must get it and read it. Thanks for the review.