Review: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl

Author: Eoin Colfer

Publisher: Hyperion

Series: Artemis Fowl, Book 1

ISBN: 9781423132172

Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

*Novel provided by the publisher via NetGalley

For more information please visit Eoin Colfer's website.

Artemis Fowl should never have kidnapped the fairy. Instead of a pleasant little bedtime story creature, this sprite turned out to be an unholy terror. All of Artemis's genius for crime was challenged by this irritating hazel-eyed little elf. It requires the entire novel to get things back under control.

Artemis Fowl by Eoine Colfer is an oldie, but a goodie and the first in the Artemis Fowl series. Geared towards children and young adults, this novel is insanely fun, masterfully clever and able to capture the whimsy of children and the attention of older readers. With a great cast of a characters this novel manages to be a quick read that is witty and action packed ensuring that you'll be wanting to return to this colorful world again and again!

The world development was wonderfully done spanning both the mortal and the fairy realm. Each side is cleverly written with great details and flourishes creating a fun atmosphere that is mildly complex leaving a lot of territory to be explored throughout the series. As this is a children's series, it's not all that deep, mainly only going in to details that pertain to the story, but there is a lot hinted at showing that Colfer has a great depth and understanding of the world in which he's writing about. It goes without saying that Colfer had some great ideas about what was to come and those small hints that he drops throughout definitely makes you want to continue deeper into these two very dissimilar cultures.

The characters themselves were quite interesting and for lack of a better word colorful. They are witty, intelligent and have a sense of humor that is subtly adult without being too outrageous for younger readers. In fact, I found a lot of moments that I surprised about and quite frankly pleased to see showing that Colfer tried to be accessible to readers of a ll ages. Fowl and Butler, however, were my favorites and their connection was very well developed creating an interesting dynamic of trust, loyalty and love that wasn't like anything that I'd really seen before. In truth, while Butler may be Fowl's man servant and body guard, there is a very definite sense of family and trust that goes beyond anything that I've known. But equally amusing are the fairies, from the over eager Holly Short to her fuming boss to the hilarious Mulch Diggums, there is never a shortage of wild and wacky nonsense going on, despite being told in a very serious manner.

The writing was amazing, far superior to most novels written for younger readers. Nothing is dumbed down, but instead approached in a way that was intelligent and clever with great wit and action. The pace is great with lots of action happening within a short amount of time and tempered with just the right amount of comedic flair. In truth, I can see this being a movie-one that I would very definitely go and see-because of the simple fact that it's such great fun! Every creature, every step of the story is intricately delved in to creating a wonderful three dimensional experience which only makes me more eager to search out the next installment to this series.

In the end, this is a wonderful read for children and adults alike. Smart and fun, there is a little something for everyone to enjoy creating a series that is light yet has substance. If you haven't taken the time to finally sit down and read this novel, I highly suggest you do. It's worth it!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars