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Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1)

Eoin Colfer

3.83 · Rating details · 423,268 Ratings · 8,984 Reviews

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

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Paperback, 316 pages

Published March 31st 2003 by Miramax (first published 2001)

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Oct 17, 2007 Percy rated it really liked it

i managed to decipher the code written below the book so for those who are interested...read on:

THE PROPHECIES OF OHM PHLEGM POT CLEANER TO FROND ELFEN KING:
I AM OHM PHLEGM POT CLEANER TO THE KING. BUT I AM MUCH MORE THAN THAT FOR I SEE THE FUTURE WRITTEN IN THE PHLEGM. FOR CENTURIES, WE PIXIES HAVE READ THE PHLEGM, BUT I AM THE BEST THERE HAS EVER BEEN. MY VISIONS ARE GENERALLY OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE. I FORETELL OUTBREAKS OF TROLL POX OR GAS SPASMS AMONG ELDERLY DWARFS. BUT SOMETIMES EVEN A POOR i managed to decipher the code written below the book so for those who are interested...read on:

THE PROPHECIES OF OHM PHLEGM POT CLEANER TO FROND ELFEN KING:
I AM OHM PHLEGM POT CLEANER TO THE KING. BUT I AM MUCH MORE THAN THAT FOR I SEE THE FUTURE WRITTEN IN THE PHLEGM. FOR CENTURIES, WE PIXIES HAVE READ THE PHLEGM, BUT I AM THE BEST THERE HAS EVER BEEN. MY VISIONS ARE GENERALLY OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE. I FORETELL OUTBREAKS OF TROLL POX OR GAS SPASMS AMONG ELDERLY DWARFS. BUT SOMETIMES EVEN A POOR POT CLEANER CAN SEE WONDROUS THINGS. A VISION CAME TO ME TWO MOONS AGO, WHEN I WAS GAZING DEEP INTO HIS MAJESTY’S OWN PHLEGM POT. I WAS HEATING THE POT OVER A FLAME WHEN THE SIGN APPEARED. THIS VISION WAS MORE VIVID AND DETAILED THAN ANY I HAD PREVIOUSLY SEEN. BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE, I DECIDED TO WRITE IT DOWN FOR POSTERITY. AND SO I CAN SAY I TOLD YOU SO. I SAW AN AGE WHEN THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN UNDERGROUND BY THE MUD MEN. THIS IS WHAT THE PHLEGM TOLD ME: IN THIS TIME, ONE SHALL COME AMONG US. FOWL BY NAME AND FOUL BY NATURE. A MUD MAN UNLIKE ANY OTHER. HE SHALL LEARN OUR SECRETS AND USE THEM AGAINST US. I SEE HIM NOW AS PLAIN AS DAY. HIS FACE IS PALE, HE HAS DARK EYES AND RAVEN HAIR. YET IT MUST BE A MISTAKE FOR HE SEEMS A MERE YOUTH. SURELY NO MUD BOY COULD OUTWIT THE PEOPLE. BUT NOW I SEE THAT THE BOY IS NOT ALONE. HE IS AIDED BY A FORMIDABLE WARRIOR SCARRED FROM A THOUSAND BATTLES. THIS FOWL SHALL HOLD THE PEOPLE TO RANSOM FOR THEIR MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION. GOLD. AND IN SPITE OF ALL OUR MAGIC, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT HE WILL PREVAIL. FOR HE HAS DISCOVERED HOW TO ESCAPE THE TIME FIELD, UNFORTUNATELY, HOW THE STORY ENDS I CANNOT SAY. BUT THERE WAS MORE TO SEE. THERE IS ANOTHER STORY TO COME, SOMEONE WILL BRING THE PEOPLE AND MUD MEN TOGETHER. THE WORST OF BOTH RACES. THIS: FAIRYS’ GOAL IS TO GRIND ALL THE CREATURES OF THE EARTH BENEATH HIS BOOT. AND WHO IS THIS TRAITOR, IT IS NOT CLEAR. BUT HE SHALL START A WAR UNLIKE ANYTHING THE PEOPLE HAVE EVER SEEN. THOSE WHO WERE ENEMIES SHALL BE UNITED AGAINST HIM. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE WILL BE MUD MEN BELOW GROUND. I HAVE ONE CLUE TO HIS IDENTITY, A RIDDLE: GOBLINS SHALL RISE AND HAVEN SHALL FALL, A VILLAINOUS ELF IS BEHIND IT ALL TO FIND THE ONE WHO SO DISAPPOINTS LOOK YE TO WHERE THE FINGER POINTS. INSTEAD OF ONE FACE THIS ELF HAS TWO. BOTH SPEAK FALSE AND NONE SPEAK TRUE. WHILE PUBLICLY HE LENDS A HELPING HAND, HIS TRUE AIM IS TO SEIZE COMMAND. I KNOW IT’S NOT VERY PLAIN IS IT I DON’T UNDERSTAND EITHER. BUT PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE ALL WILL BECOME CLEAR. LOOK FOR A POWER HUNGRY ELF WHO HAS A FINGER POINTED TO HIM DURING OUR TALE. AND SO THIS IS OHM’S LEGACY. A WARNING THAT MAY SAVE THE WORLD FROM TOTAL DESTRUCTION. THERE’S NOT MUCH TO WORK WITH I KNOW. THE DETAILS ARE A BIT SKETCHY. MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO CONSULT THE PHLEGM. IT MAY BE THAT YOU ARE SENSITIVE. I HAVE BURIED THIS PROPHECY WITH MY PHLEGM POT. IF YOU ARE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK AS A POT CLEANER, THEN THERE IS USUALLY A SUPPLY OF PHLEGM EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A COLD. HERE END ETH THE FIRST PROPHECIES OF OHM. BUT BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MY VISIONS, I SHALL REPEAT THE PROPHECIES ONCE MORE. IF YOU HAVE JUST BEGUN TO UNDERSTAND THE TEXT THEN READ ON. IF YOU HAVE WORKED OUT THE ENTIRE MESSAGE THEN CONGRATULATIONS. NOW GO AND SAVE THE WORLD.

this was written in the book at least 3 times. ...more

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Aug 10, 2013 Jayson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-juvenile-fantasy, author-irish, 200-299-pp, genre-science-fiction, read-in-2013, genre-young-adult

(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: Ironically, it's the supernatural characters that follow familiar archetypes, while the humans are strange and atypical.

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Jun 11, 2008 Crew rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: NOBODY

I had heard some mothers in a bookstore talking about Artemis Fowl and how good it was, so I finally gave in and bought the first book.

Summary: Artemis Fowl is a child genius/billionaire/criminal mastermind who has discovered that fairies (and the like) are real and is seeking to exploit them. He does this by kidnapping a LEPrecon (for Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance). The Lower Elements live underground, having been driven there by the Mud People (or humans).

I decided that the book was n ...more

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Oct 24, 2008 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: The sophisticated reader of YA books, Faery lovers

Shelves: faerie, antihero, fantasy, humor, favorites, owned-copy, part-of-a-series, charismatic-villain, young-adult, favorite-or-autobuy-author

Want to meet the guy who's smart enough to take over the world? Well he's twelve years old. And his name is Artemis Fowl. I have two words for this book: GREAT FUN.
If you are at all young at heart or you just want to read something different from your usual fare, then check out this book. Artemis will keep you entertained with his hijinks. At the age of 12, Artemis is keeping his family afloat as they suffer from grief at the disappearance of Artemis Fowl, Sr, his father. His mother has retreat ...more

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Aug 29, 2011 J.G. Keely rated it it was ok

Shelves: uk-and-ireland, novel, fantasy, reviewed

Colfer has described this series as “Die Hard, with fairies”, which is a reference to an old Hollywood joke. After the phenomenal success of that movie, a lot of writers started pitching their scripts as ‘Die Hard, with [blank]”, such as Speed: “Die Hard on a Bus”, or Air Force One: “Die Hard, on Air Force One”, or, as the joke goes, the unfortunate who wanted to make "Die Hard, in a building".

If you have actually seen Die Hard, you might recall Hans Gruber, the wealthy, cunning, erudite, Europe ...more

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Jan 10, 2014 Jason Koivu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi, fantasy

From the get-go it appears Artemis Fowl is going to be about Artemis Fowl, a criminal boy genius with Sherlock Holmes-like powers of deduction, but then bomb squad-esque faeries take over the story and we end up spending just as much time, if not more, reading about them. That's fine since they're interesting and their story moves with a good dash of fun and excitement.

This is another of those books with a redeemable bad-guy protagonist. We shouldn't, but we do root for him, at least in some wa ...more

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Sep 15, 2016 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 21th-century, fantasy, fiction, yong-adult, childrens-young-readers

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1)
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: اول ژانویه سال 2006 میلادی
عنوان: آرتمیس فاول و گروگان گیری - کتاب 1؛ نویسنده: یون (ایون) کالفر؛ مترجم: شیدا رنجبر؛ ویراستار: شهرام رجب زاده؛ تهران، افق، 1382؛ در 454 ص؛ کتاب نخست از سری آرتمیس فاول؛ چاپ سوم 1385؛ چاپ چهارم 1386؛ چاپ پنجم 1387؛ چاپ ششم 1389؛ چاپ هشتم 1391؛ چاپ نهم 1392؛ شابک: 9789643690847؛ موضوع: داستانهای دنباله دار برای نوجوانان از نویسندگان انگلیسی - قرن 21 م
عنوان: آرتمیس فاول - کتاب 1؛ نویسنده: یون (ایون) کالفر؛ مترجم: حسین ...more

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Aug 12, 2017 Montzalee Wittmann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Artemis Fowl: Artemis Fowl, Book 1
By Eoin Colfer
Narrated By Nathaniel Parker
I borrowed this book from the library. I figured everyone in the world has read this but me and thought I would catch up. What a hoot! Loved it! I don't know what I thought it was going to be but I didn't expect a 12 year old genius villain! My goodness, I thought it was great! The fairies, dwarves, trolls, and the silly things that happen, I giggled so much. It was so silly I can see why kids love this book. I am defini ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Ahmed Ejaz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, full-lengths

SPOILER FREE review if you will not open the spoiler tags

How does one describe Artemis Fowl? Various psychiatrists have tried and failed.

WORLD-BUILDING
All the fairies, elves, dwarves, goblins, trolls live in the underground world. This world has its own technology which is beyond our comprehension and have their own laws.

CHARACTERS
Artemis Fowl [ of course ]
(Doesn't this name sounds Awesome!!!)
No need to say, he is a super genius criminal. You know how old he is? Just 12 YE ...more

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May 13, 2008 Drew Nelson rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: people on airplanes

Artemis Fowl, though entertaining and often well told, is one of those books that has bound itself with the shackles of pandering to a perceived audience and thus will never rise above a certain level. For example, the dwarf character defeats his enemies with the help of his terribly powerful flatulence more than once. The whole race tunnels with the power of poop. The main faerie character, Holly, is a girl trying to break her way through a glass ceiling that no one seems to notice throughout t ...more

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Aug 31, 2010 Juan Valera rated it really liked it

First and foremost, let it be said that I am reading a book intended for someone half my age. Artemis Fowl is the kind of book that grabs a kid by the eyeballs because of the pretty, shiny cover. But once the cover's open and the story laid out, Artemis Fowl is an incredibly gripping story about growing up, equality and acceptance. This was exactly the case when I first read Artemis Fowl; I immediately loved the intelligent, resourceful, but ultimately unhappy Artemis. A better character a teena ...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Stephanie (Bookfever. ♥) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, owned-physical-books, favorite-authors, fae, humor, magic, paranormal, middle-grade, fantasy

"A genius. A criminal mastermind. A millionaire. And he is only twelve years old."

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is my favorite book ever. EVER! I read it for the first time when I was fourteen years old and have been reading the series ever since. I've re-read the book over and over again. I can't even remember how many times I have read it but by now this book feels like an old friend and it's just as amazing as when I read it the first time. Now that I've re-read it once again, I think it's ti "A genius. A criminal mastermind. A millionaire. And he is only twelve years old."

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is my favorite book ever. EVER! I read it for the first time when I was fourteen years old and have been reading the series ever since. I've re-read the book over and over again. I can't even remember how many times I have read it but by now this book feels like an old friend and it's just as amazing as when I read it the first time. Now that I've re-read it once again, I think it's time for a review!

When Holly Short gets abducted by Artemis Fowl II, a child prodigy from Ireland because he wants to ransom her for fairy gold, the book really gets going. The fairies are amazed by everything that Artemis knows about the People but they're definitely not giving up on Holly and are determined to rescue her and keep the gold in the meantime. But it seems that Artemis is always two steps ahead of them...

Artemis sort of is an antagonist. He's no hero, and as is stated in the book: you can't romanticize him. This is absolutely true. And yet, I can't help but root for him. But on the other hand I also end up rooting for the fairies, especially Holly. Because she's so badass. You kind of just want both Artemis and Holly to win, whatever they're fighting for. Artemis definitely is a one of a kind character. I have never read about any character like him. He's twelve years old and a prodigy. No matter how many times I read this book, I'm always blown away by his genius (of should I say Eoin Colfer's genius?). In any case, he's probably my favorite fictional character ever created and I'm pretty sure it will never ever change.

Holly is also one of my favorite characters. I love everything she stands for and even though there aren't that many female characters in his books, when there is, you can bet she'll end up having a very strong personality and being able to kick butt. So, yeah... that's Holly. She may be small but she can kick anyone's ass and is the first female on the LEPrecon squad + she has a feisty and reckless personality. Gotta love her!

Personally, I think that this book has the greatest set of characters ever. Artemis and Holly aside, we also have Butler, Juliet, Commander Root and Foaly. I just love Butler. He always has Artemis's back and to me, he feels more like a father to Artemis than anything else. Juliet is Butlers teenage sister and she's a riot! Commander Root is simply epic. You definitely don't want to get on his bad side and Foaly is just brilliance itself. He's a centaur, a bit crazy and I love his wit!

So do I have to say more? Artemis Fowl is a brilliant book. That's the way it just is. Eoin Colfer writes fast-paced, witty and sometimes even touching scenes. Is it any wonder he's my favorite author ever? ...more

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Jun 27, 2017 Wanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fae-fairy, fantasy, childrens-books, read-in-2017

Artemis Fowl (or should that be Foul?) is an interesting mix of Lex Luthor and Encyclopedia Brown. He’s a boy genius with designs on leprechaun gold and he is willing to kidnap and deceive his way to his goal. But the fairy world is not going to just roll over and submit to Artemis’ demands, especially not Captain Holly Short, who is being held captive in Fowl Manor.

It’s a quick read, well written. If I was part of the intended demographic, I would probably be more impressed, but it’s a bit tame ...more

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Oct 04, 2016 Maruf Hossain rated it really liked it · review of another edition

বয়স সবে ১২! কিনতু এরই মাঝে অপরাধ জগতের এক বিসময় ছেলেটা। হবে না-ই বা কেন? এটাই যে তার পরিবারের ঐতিহয। ফাউল পরিবার অপরাধ জগতের রুই-কাতলা পরিবার। কিনতু কালের বিবরতনে বিপুল সমপততির উললেখযোগয অংশ হারিয়ে বসেছে ফাউল পরিবার। সেই ফাউল পরিবারের সরবকনিষঠ সদসয আরটেমিস ফাউল এ বইয়ের পরদান চরিতর। বাবার অনতরধানের পর থেকে একাই পারিবারিক বিষয়আশয় সামলাচছে ছেলেটা। পরিবারের হৃত সমপততি আবার আগের মতো ফুলিয়ে ফাঁপিয়ে তুলতে চাইছে সে। আর সেজনয অবলমবন করবে একেবারে ভিনন এক পথ!

মানুষের অতযাচারে জরজরিত হয়ে এখন পাতালে বাস করে র বয়স সবে ১২! কিন্তু এরই মাঝে অপরাধ জগতের এক বিস্ময় ছেলেটা। হবে না-ই বা কেন? এটাই যে তার পরিবারের ঐতিহ্য। ফাউল পরিবার অপরাধ জগতের রুই-কাতলা পরিবার। কিন্তু কালের বিবর্তনে বিপুল সম্পত্তির উল্লেখযোগ্য অংশ হারিয়ে বসেছে ফাউল পরিবার। সেই ফাউল পরিবারের সর্বকনিষ্ঠ সদস্য আর্টেমিস ফাউল এ বইয়ের প্রদান চরিত্র। বাবার অন্তর্ধানের পর থেকে একাই পারিবারিক বিষয়আশয় সামলাচ্ছে ছেলেটা। পরিবারের হৃত সম্পত্তি আবার আগের মতো ফুলিয়ে ফাঁপিয়ে তুলতে চাইছে সে। আর সেজন্য অবলম্বন করবে একেবারে ভিন্ন এক পথ!

মানুষের অত্যাচারে জর্জরিত হয়ে এখন পাতালে বাস করে রূপকথার প্রাণী—ফেয়ারিরা। প্রযুক্তি ও জাদুকরি ক্ষমতায় মানুষের চাইতে যোজন যোজন এগিয়ে ওরা। ওদের কাছে রয়েছে ধনসম্পদের অফুরন্ত ভাণ্ডার। সেই ফেয়ারিদের একজনকে কিডন্যাপ করে মুক্তিপণ হিসেবে বিপুল পরিমাণ সোনা বাগিয়ে নিতে চাইছে আর্টেমিস! কিন্তু সেজন্য প্রথমেই চাই ফেয়ারিদের আবাসস্থলের খোঁজ জানা। যে ভাবা সেই কাজ! কর্মচারী বাটলারকে নিয়ে মাঠে নেমে পড়ল ধানী মরিচ। কিন্তু ফেয়ারিদের প্রযুক্তি আর ক্ষমতা সম্পর্কে কোনো ধারণা ছিল না ছেলেটার! তাই এক রক্তক্ষয়ী যুদ্ধের সূত্রপাত হয়ে উঠার যোগাড় হয়ে গেল ছেলেটার এহেন হঠকারী কাণ্ডের ফলে!

ফ্যান্টাসি আমার খুব পছন্দের একটা জনরা। তাই বইটা নিয়ে আগ্রহ ছিল অনেক। ওয়েন কোলফার চমৎকার দক্ষতায় রূপকথার বিভিন্ন প্রাণীগুলোকে আধুনিক পৃথিবীতে ছেড়ে দিয়েছেন, আধুনিক প্রযুক্তিসহ। আর্টেমিস ফাউল এমন একটা বই, যা ১২ থেকে ৭২—যেকোনো বয়সী পাঠকের পড়ে ভালো লাগবে, যদি তার ফান রাইডে আপত্তি না থাকে। বইয়ের কাহিনি তত গভীর না। তবে লেখকের লেখনী আর কাহিনির বুনটে টানা পড়ে ফেলা যায়—পড়তে মজাও লাগে দারুণ। গতিশীল গল্পের ফাঁকে ফাঁকে বেশ দক্ষভাবে হিউমারের প্রয়োগ করেছেন লেখক। সব মিলিয়ে সময় পার করার জন্য, পড়ে আনন্দ পাওয়ার জন্য এবং ফ্যান্টাসিপ্রেমীদের জন্যে দারুণ এক বই এটি।

যেকোনো বই-ই এক ভাষা থেকে অন্য ভাষায় রূপান্তর করা খুব কঠিন একটা কাজ। আর এক ভাষার হিউমার অন্য ভাষায় নিয়ে আসা তো আরও অনেক কঠিন একটা ব্যাপার। আর আর্টেমিস ফাউল -এর মূল আকর্ষণগুলোর একটি হচ্ছে এ বইয়ের হিউমারগুলো। হিউমার ছাড়া পড়তে গেলে বইটা পুরাই পানসে লাগবে। তাই হিউমার-সম্বলিত অংশগুলো রূপান্তর করা অনুবাদকের জন্য বিরাট একটা চ্যালেঞ্জ ছিল! আর সেই কাজে (আমার মতে) একদম সফল অনুবাদক। বোধ করি এটুকুই যথেষ্ট অনুবাদকের সাফল্য বোঝানোর জন্য যথেষ্ট। চমৎকার কাজ দেখিয়েছেন অনুবাদক। বইটা দেখতেও হয়েছে বেশ কিউট—বার বার হাতে নিতে ইচ্ছা করে। ছোটখাটো মুদ্রণপ্রমাদ যে নেই তা না—তবে দারুণ গেটআপ, আর সুপাঠ্য অনুবাদের গুণে ছোটখাটো ত্রুটি উপেক্ষা করাই যায়। কালেকশনে রাখার মতো একটা বই।

...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Andrew rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

We were on holiday, and the little cottage we were staying in had a huge range of books. Unfortunately most of the adult books were colossal monsters that there was no way I was going to read in a week. So instead I decided to see what modern kids books were like and picked up Artemis Fowl, a book aimed at boys of about 11 years of age.

The character of Artemis is 12, and a crime lord. Helped by his trusty bodyguard Butler he has discovered that fairies are real, and also really do have a pot of We were on holiday, and the little cottage we were staying in had a huge range of books. Unfortunately most of the adult books were colossal monsters that there was no way I was going to read in a week. So instead I decided to see what modern kids books were like and picked up Artemis Fowl, a book aimed at boys of about 11 years of age.

The character of Artemis is 12, and a crime lord. Helped by his trusty bodyguard Butler he has discovered that fairies are real, and also really do have a pot of gold that he can steal. The main problem is that they live miles underground, and are more technologically advanced than humans. So he has to hatch a plan to trick them and kidnap a fairy to get the gold.

Artemis has the devious criminal mind of Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes’s adversary), and none of the lack of self confidence or lack of experience of a normal 12 year old. He can think he way around anything, and his bodyguard can do anything. All in all, a perfect bit of escapism for the adolescent male reader.

However reading it as an adult you tend to start rooting for the fairy he is trying to kidnap, as Artemis really is a little a***hole. This is perhaps deliberate on the part of the author but I am not sure. There is not really enough meat on the plot either; it is difficult to remember that far back but I am sure that when I was the right age for this book I would have wanted a bit more detail about the hows, whys and wherefores to his great plan. Mind you my favourite books at this age were probably Enid Blyton or The Hardy Boys so I probably wouldn’t have been the right audience anyway. :-)

The most successful books of this kind tend to have a tightly-knit group of child characters who are friends and become closer as their adventure continues. Us against the world and all that. In contrast this book has a character that really has no friends and so no chance as a reader to see his true personality.

OK it seems ironically childish that an adult finds a children’s book disappointing, but as it has won numerous awards I had hoped for better.

...more

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Apr 06, 2018 Alaina Meserole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, fiction, fantasy, mystery, april-challenge-2018, contemporary, favorites, humor, paranormal

Not going to lie.. this book has been on my radar for a while.. but once I saw that it was becoming a movie... well I jumped on this book quicker than a bottle of wine being uncorked!

Artemis Fowl was such an interesting and enjoyable book. Artemis is basically your best nemesis ever! He's brilliant, evil as fudge, and a ruthless bastard all wrapped into one! Oh, did I forget to mentions he's also en evil millionaire mastermind?!?! He's like the Doctor Evil and the Mini Me all combined into one p ...more

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Dec 02, 2015 Aoife rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade, my-bookshelf

I loved rereading this! It's been a long, long time since I read this when I was a child and it was great returning to the world of the 12-year-old Artemis Fowl - a child genius and criminal mastermind - who has decided to make the fairy world fall down at his feet and give up their gold so he can rebuild his family fortune.

I had forgotten a lot of the details about this story so for most of the book it was like reading it for the first time, and gradually in a great way the memories came back t ...more

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May 14, 2009 Meridyforgot rated it did not like it · review of another edition

To be honest I haven't read the whole book, and there is a slim chance that I might try to continue and so I post this review.

The problem is that the onslaught of cheap jabs at the "barbarian humans" destroying the earth is becoming extremely irritating. And miraculously Ireland is still nice and green, but give those humans a few hundred years and it will be destroyed. Please. It completely distracts from the story. Why do we have to spoon feed children dogmatic propaganda? Don't get me wrong. ...more

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Apr 29, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it it was amazing

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner, read-personally-by-moi

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I've been trying to find a new series to hold me over until the next Harry Potter book--and I've finally found it. Meet Artemis Fowl the Second, a twelve-year old genius who doesn't want to go to school, is worried about his mother's fragile mental health, is preoccupied with his father coming back from the dead, and who is determined to add to his family's coffers by any means possible. In a word, Artemis is an evil genius, and you just can't help but love him Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I've been trying to find a new series to hold me over until the next Harry Potter book--and I've finally found it. Meet Artemis Fowl the Second, a twelve-year old genius who doesn't want to go to school, is worried about his mother's fragile mental health, is preoccupied with his father coming back from the dead, and who is determined to add to his family's coffers by any means possible. In a word, Artemis is an evil genius, and you just can't help but love him. Or hate him. Or love to hate him. Or hate to love him. Or...well, you get the picture.

Artemis, along with his bodyguard/manservant/butler ironically named, of all things, Butler, Artemis sets out on his greatest, and most ambitious, scheme to date--discover the secrets of the fairy world, and relieve some of said fairies of their precious gold. After all, they have plenty to spare, and after Artemis Fowl the First lost a vast majority of their fortune, the Fowl family needs to pad the coffers.

So off Artemis sets on a world jaunt to discover the secrets of the fairies, and his ambitions and delusions finally pay off--he meets an alcoholic sprite who, in exchange for the return of her magic, lets Artemis get a good look at her Book. The Book, you see, contains all the mandates, rules, and regulations (along with a slew of secrets) of the fairy world--and now Artemis Fowl is able to hatch his nefarious scheme.

Artemis discovers that the fairies must adhere to very specific rituals to renew their powers, so along with Butler, he sets out on a stakeout to catch himself a fairy. Hoping, of course, that he can hold said fairy for ransom in exchange for some gold.

What Artemis didn't include in his calculations, however, was Captain Holly Short. A member of the LEPrecon Unit, Holly, although a small sprite, is very human looking--and can be extrememely wily and dangerous. As Artemis implements his evil plan, Holly uses her own military-type background to hatch her own plan of escape. The results are both disastrous and hilarious.

I read ARTEMIS FOWL in one sitting. Once you get started on this story of the human world of the Mud People mixing with that of the magical beings who live below ground, you just can't stop! The magical quality of the book is that it is all too believable--and so much fun! You envy Artemis his brilliance at the same time you can't believe how undenianably evil he is. You pity him, and you despise him. As for Holly Short, you love the fairy, admire her tenacity, yet hope at the same time that she spares the lives of Artemis, Butler, and Butler's sister, Juliet. I have to admit that I loved Foaly, the centaur in charge of computers and technical equipment. Actually, I loved ALL the characters of ARTEMIS FOWL, and can't wait to read the next book! Pick up a copy today! ...more

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Oct 28, 2013 Jonathan Peto rated it liked it

Shelves: children-chapters, debuts

If I had thought of this story, I would have told it, but I would have done quite a few things differently, if possible. In other words, I like the story itself: with his family's wealth dangerously on the wane, criminal mastermind and 12 year old boy, Artemis Fowl, formulates a bold plan to kidnap a fairy and seize a ransom of gold. But his is not the only point of view on either side of the incident. We hear from his loyal employee, Butler, as well as the fairies. This equal billing actually u ...more

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Sep 04, 2007 Heather rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, childrens-youngadult

I've seen these books in the stores for a while, but had actually steered clear of them because I thought they were just a Harry Potter knock off. The other day, I was in the kid section with Daniel while he was playing with the train table, and they caught my eye again. As they had the first 3 books in the series for $9.98, I decided to give them a try. Who am I to pass up a bargain?

Well, let me just say, it is not a Harry Potter knock off! Yes, it deals with sprites, dwarves, leprechauns, and ...more

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Mar 13, 2016 Aurora rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be: fun, fast-paced and entertaining. It has an original and action-packed plot, compelling characters and very interesting world building. I flew through it and if I owned the rest of the books in this series there's a real chance I wouldn't be getting much else done today.

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Jan 05, 2017 José rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: group-reads, kindle, fantasy-read, sagas-leídas, clubdelecturauy

Una lectura ligera y entretenida.
El sentido del humor de Colfer me resultó similar al de Terry Pratchett (salvando las distancias, claro; Terry es único) y el hecho de que el protagonista fuera un villano me gustó mucho.

(Reseña pendiente)

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Apr 05, 2017 Leona Carstairs rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-books, fantasy

OMG I HEARD THEY'RE MAKING A MOVIE WHAT THE FRICK!!!

Are you one of the people who are obsessed with antiheroes? (Like me lol)

Ahhh, hi, nice to meet you. I think I've found the perfect book/series for you!

This is a book about an evil, millionaire mastermind kid called Artemis. He's honestly evil and ruthless and a total bastard and I LOVE it. This series also has magic and a super cool, badass LEPrechaun called Holly. Freaking fabulous! (And it just gets better with each book!)

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Aug 14, 2016 George Jankovic rated it it was amazing

This book is an interesting mix of fantasy and scifi. Hi-tech meets the fairies. I loved its world building especially all the lore on the fairies, their location, their rules and regulations etc.

Artemis a genius, but my favorite characters were Butler, his butler, and Captain Holy Short, a fairy who is his victim.

The book is a quick read. It will be hard to put it down even if you have to. :)

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Nov 06, 2013 Kimberley doruyter rated it liked it · review of another edition

much better then i thought it was going to be,
but there were no surprises in the plot.

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Dec 31, 2012 Stephen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: percy jackson fans

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

Artemis Fowl, a nefarious 12 year old criminal mastermind, and scion of a wealthy and feared family, tangles with fairies in order to make the ultimate score but these aren't the fairies you heard about in the nursery. What results is a rollicking roller coaster adventure that owes more to Die Hard than to the Brothers Grimm. With a bit of attitude borrowed from the Percy Jackson school of myth re-invention.

As with any NY Times best seller aimed at the youth market, this book will be loved by so ...more

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Aug 27, 2017 Adibah Atiqa (elentiyareads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

the only thing i hate while reading this book is that I have TO STOP BC I WAS HUNGRY

dude, I can't put this booookk dowwwnnn !! It's a total mental breakdown to decide whether to continue in hunger or eat so I can put a silence to that ungrateful stomach hahaha

For the sums up, this book leave me rooting for mooooreeee. Definitely, I'll continue this series and I AM ON FOR THE RIDE !

Oh, Artemis Fowl...you young little devious creature that I've come to fond of you because I know you're actuall ...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Megan Baxter rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this more than I expected too, coming right on the heels of reading one of the Percy Jackson books, which are okay, but nothing special. (Sometimes the universe just throws books at me in clumps like that. Or, to be more precise, the London public library system.)

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook

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Jan 15, 2017 Stephie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Es ideal para pasar el rato, una lectura ideal para verano, aunque no me lleno lo suficiente. Puede que el problema sea que es un libro introductorio a este mundo y sus personajes, no sé, habrá que ver en el próximo. Igual me gusto, me desarrollaré más en la reseña al libro.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
The Book Was Better: ARTEMIS FOWL	18	146	Apr 27, 2018 08:11PM
Artemis and holly together	46	354	Apr 07, 2018 09:13AM
greed	5	10	Mar 16, 2018 12:28PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Artemis Fowl #1: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer ---> Starting 7th March	37	18	Mar 09, 2018 04:24PM

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About Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer

8,288 followers

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.

He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the A ...more

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