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#2: THE ARCTIC INCIDENT
by Eoin Colfer
Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 0786808551
Ages 9-12
277 pages

In this follow-up to the series's bestselling first book, the fairy people of the Lower Elements are forced to seek the help of their archrival, Artemis Fowl, a year after he cunningly relieved them of some fairy gold.

When a routine underground surveillance mission uncovers an illicit stash of weapons and evidence that goblins have been trading aboveground with humans, Commander Root and Captain Holly Short are convinced that Artemis is masterminding the illegal activity. After all, no other humans know of their existence and Artemis is constantly deriving schemes to enrich his family fortune.

But when Holly brings Artemis and his bodyguard Butler in for questioning, fairy mind-reading technology determines that he is not the culprit and they grudgingly seek his assistance in an aboveground reconnaissance mission to find the real perpetrator. In exchange for his cooperation, Artemis enlists fairy aid in a daring rescue attempt to extract his beloved father from the clutches of Russian kidnappers in Mermansk. This unlikely partnership forms the basis of a harrowing adventure that will have enormous consequences for both human and fairy alike.

After finding and neutralizing the human element involved in the illicit trading, the interspecies team sets off to the arctic to track down the Russians responsible for the capture of Artemis Fowl Senior, missing and presumed dead for the past two years. But as the team arrives in the frozen tundra, they discover that their weapons have been mysteriously de-activated just as they are faced with a nasty surprise attack by murderous goblins. Some quick thinking on behalf of Holly Short saves the day, but the team is forced to abort their mission and return underground to save the fairy empire from goblin revolt.

They soon learn that the mastermind behind the goblin coup is none other than Captain Root's former colleague, defrocked police commander Briar Cudgeon, whose career was derailed in the disastrous Artemis Fowl incident a year earlier. Cudgeon is intent on extracting revenge by toppling the fairy regime and installing himself as monarch. Aided by evil sidekick Opal Koboi, whose company supplies weapons to the Lower Elements Police, he very nearly succeeds.

In a race against time and without the aid of their usual high-tech gadgetry, the unlikely human and fairy alliance must race to put a stop to Cudgeon and Opal's dastardly plan, and then rescue Artemis's father before it's too late.

   --- Reviewed by Joni Rendon

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#3: THE ETERNITY CODE
by Eoin Colfer
Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 0786819146
Ages 9-12
336 pages

Artemis Fowl is up to his old tricks again in his third adventure, which finds him taking advantage of stolen fairy technology to develop a revolutionary miniature device called a C Cube that can hack into any computer and threatens to render all existing technology obsolete.

Although Artemis Fowl Senior, recovering from a near-death experience at the hands of kidnappers, has resolved to take the Fowl family legitimate, his son can't resist one last criminal coup while his father is recuperating. But his plan to strike a deal for the C Cube with evil Chicago industrialist Jon Spiro goes horribly awry after Spiro escapes with the Cube and Artemis barely escapes with his life. His faithful bodyguard Butler is not so lucky, and it is only through some fairy intervention that he has a chance of being revived.

The fairies are none too happy to get involved with human matters, but given that fairy technology used in making the Cube would unleash disastrous consequences in the wrong hands and lead to exposure of their underground world, they don't have much choice. Artemis plans an ingenious but potentially deadly retrieval mission in Chicago with the aid of Captain Holly Short; Mulch Diggums, the dwarf; and Juliet, Butler's bodyguard-in-training sister.

Turning the tables on the double-crossing businessman, Artemis convinces him that the cube is useless without the code that unlocks it, which only he possesses and which could take another human years to decipher. Spiro takes the bait and brings Artemis into his fortress-like headquarters where the heavily guarded C Cube is located. Once inside, Artemis and his allies set his plan in motion, facing several close calls from Spiro's clever tricks and traps.

THE ETERNITY CODE contains plenty of the high-tech wizardry, magic and humor that make the series so entertaining. And just as in Book Two, the characters continue to evolve and grow, particularly Artemis, who actually seems to be developing a conscience. In fact, the book ends with doubt in sight about the very continuation of his criminal enterprises.

In exchange for the fairies' help, Artemis had agreed to be "mindwiped," which will render him, Butler and Juliet without any recollection of the fairy people and their experiences of the past few years. But one can only imagine what clever tricks Artemis has up his sleeve to prevent this from happening, which won't be revealed until Book Four.

   --- Reviewed by Joni Rendon

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#4: THE OPAL DECEPTION
by Eoin Colfer
Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 0786852895
Ages 9-12
320 pages

HE OPAL DECEPTION marks the grimmest turn of events yet in the Artemis Fowl series, with the occurrence of a devastating and irreversible incident that will shake the very foundations of the fairy underworld.

It soon becomes clear that while fairy mindwipe from the last book has successfully removed Artemis's memories of his fairy adventures, it has also erased the burgeoning conscience that he'd been developing. Disappointingly, he's back to his old criminal ways, this time enlisting the aid of his bodyguard Butler to steal a painting from a German bank vault; little does he know that this heist may well be his last.

Evil pixie genius Opal Koboi, defeated by Artemis and Holly in Book Two, has been in police captivity for a year, cleverly biding her time in a self-induced coma while hatching a devastating plan. In addition to destroying her enemies, Opal intends on ending fairy civilization by leading humans to the underground world and instigating an interspecies war.

Her dastardly plan is set into motion with the aid of two pixie sidekicks who replace her comatose body with a clone, thereby insuring she can carry out her evildoings in peace while setting up Holly to take the fall for her actions. After laying a deadly trap for Holly and Commander Root, Opal short-circuits their communication systems so that no one can come to their rescue or even witness the unfolding events. Holly manages to escape and warn Artemis about Opal's plan, but the evil pixie is one step ahead, capturing them both and abandoning them to bloodthirsty trolls.

Thankfully, escaped convict Mulch Diggums and Butler arrive on the scene in the nick of time. With little weaponry and the LEP Police hot on their heels, the unlikely foursome must try to thwart Opal's plan and stop a human probe from making its way down to the earth's core where the fairies reside.

THE OPAL DECEPTION is by far the most harrowing Artemis Fowl adventure to date --- never have the stakes been higher for Holly and her fellow underground dwellers. Readers who have grown attached to the lovable cast of characters will be immensely saddened by the book's turn of events. Its finale ushers in a new and different era in the series, with Holly resigning from the LEP to become a private investigator and Artemis back on the straight and narrow. Readers will have to await Book Five to find out where these momentous changes will lead.

   --- Reviewed by Joni Rendon

#5: THE LOST COLONY
by Eoin Colfer
Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN-10: 0786849568
ISBN-13: 9780786849567
Ages 9-12
400 pages

Ireland, we all know, is a land of magic. Long before we were here to read the trials and tribulations of Artemis Fowl, the mystical island was a battleground. Fairy and human waged war for control, and as the fairy came to realize that their fight was a lost cause, they fled, burying themselves underground. The 8th Family of fairy, the Demons, refused to surrender Ireland to the humans, and instead crafted a devious and savage plan: by means of a magical time spell they warped out of time and into Limbo. There they waited, plotting and growing in power until one day they could return and destroy the humans and claim Ireland as their own.

Foaly is concerned. The spell of time displacement is unwinding and Demons are beginning to return to Earth, threatening the hidden fairy world. For all his wits, Foaly cannot comprehend the mathematical temporal equations that will aid the fairy in preventing impending attack. Artemis, however, is just the one needed to decipher such things. While he has figured out the codes and is actively seeking to prevent the unraveling of time and re-emergence of the Demons, he has a slight problem.

Artemis is becoming more interested in females, and it's distracting. Not only does he find the limo driver, Maria, alluring, he is now finding himself drawn to a girl he sees while in Spain. Moments later he is pulled through time by a materializing Demon, only to be brought back to real time by Butler. Continuing to calculate materialization dates and cities, Artemis and Butler must set off trotting the globe in an effort to save time. And, of course, none of this would be possible without the assistance of Holly Short and pixie fish smuggler Doodah Day. The girl, oh does she surprise Mr. Fowl.

Only 12 years old, Minerva Paradizo looks on Artemis as her idol when in truth she is more his equal. She, too, has calculated the time spell deterioration and succeeds in kidnapping (Demon-napping?) a Demon. Her plan is to study him and win the Nobel Prize for her efforts. Her paths cross with Artemis and he must take on the Paradizo family's "security," a murderer known as Billy Kong, in order to rescue the Demon, return with him and Captain Holly to the Demon island of Hybras and fix the time spell once and for all.

Eoin Colfer does a marvelous job of mixing his humor and action throughout THE LOST COLONY, which he has admitted will be the next-to-last installment in the legend of Artemis Fowl. His assortment of characters, from Artemis and Holly to Doodah Day and the Demon No. 1, are all interesting and curious. One thing that really plays well is Artemis as a growing boy and his distractions as he begins to move closer to manhood. His continued fixation on girls, which even he feels is a waste of brain power, is unstoppable, as it should be for someone his age. Unlike most teen boys, however, he must find a way to save humanity at the same time, which is no simple task in and of itself.

Twists and turns abound within the pages of the story. Not only is Artemis having his own issues with hormonal imbalance, life and death for his friends are constantly at play, and in fact Artemis himself is in for a life-altering experience before all is said and done. In more ways than one.

THE LOST COLONY is an engaging and fun read. Colfer has presented a terrific adventure story with great anchor characters while being able to introduce new ones to help aid or hinder as needed. With the conclusion leaving several points waiting for resolution, the followup is sure to be exciting and eagerly expected.

   --- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

#6: THE TIME PARADOX
by Eoin Colfer
Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 9781423108368
Ages 9-12
432 pages

A lot has changed in the three years that Artemis Fowl was missing, battling demons in Limbo. In the sixth installment of Eoin Colfer's series about the teenage genius, we find that the ruthless Artemis has turned over a new leaf. He now has two little brothers to teach the ways of the world and friends he cares about. But his new and tranquil world is thrown into swirling chaos when his mother contracts a rare disease, a disease that can only be cured by the brain fluid of an extinct lemur --- an animal that was wiped off the face of the earth by a younger and desperate Artemis.

With the help of his fairy friends, Artemis and Captain Holly Short travel back in time where they must match wits with a younger Artemis. Colfer uses the battle of the Fowls to show just how much Artemis has changed over the course of five novels. The young boy genius is utterly ruthless. He will do whatever it takes to save his father, demonstrate his intelligence and, most importantly, win. Older Artemis is also desperate to save a parent, his mother, but he retains a basic humanity.

While the younger Artemis has the loyal super agent Butler on his side, Artemis the elder has a familiar cast of friends like Captain Short and the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums. Possession of the last lemur on Earth changes hands between the two Artemises until the younger Artemis is willing to let the lemur go. He's after bigger and even more rare prey, like a real-life fairy, that he can sell at a significant profit.

Dr. Damon Kronski is the leader of a new group of villains in the Fowl mythos. The Extinctionists are a cabal of super wealthy tycoons from around the world. All the traditional thrills and vices hold no more excitement for The Extinctionists. They get their kicks by extinguishing the last flame of life from an entire species. They are after the lemur for their yearly meeting, but Kronski knows that a new species of intelligent life will get even more attention and press coverage for the gathering. The younger Artemis is going to sell not only the lemur but Captain Holly Short herself to the lunatic Kronski. Only the future Artemis can save Captain Short, his mother and the entire planet. When Artemis infiltrates The Extinctionists, he realizes that Kronski is only the front man for an even more dangerous opponent.

Colfer is at his best here, with his trademark blend of sly humor, fairy magic and a dynamic and fast-moving plot. He is a master at keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger of sorts, as Artemis and friends continue to escape from a myriad of impossible situations. The book, humming along so nicely, falters a bit with the revelation that a hidden enemy is the secret mastermind behind the entire plot and Colfer isn't quite able to neatly tie together a very complicated conclusion. Some fans might also be disappointed in the new and more mature Artemis Fowl. Although we get treated to a vintage 10-year-old Artemis, the older Artemis has lost his trademark witticisms and smug manner.

Still, there is much to enjoy here for fans of the series, and Artemis continues to grow and mature right alongside his readership. Colfer has indicated on his blog that this may be the final installment in the series, and it is definitely the last Artemis Fowl book for at least three years as he concentrates on other projects.

    --- Reviewed by Jonathan Snowden

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THE ARTEMIS FOWL FILES: The Ultimate Guide to the Bestselling Series
by Eoin Colfer
Miramax/Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 0786856394
Ages 9-12
187 pages

In this companion book to the bestselling series, humans will be able to upgrade their fairy knowledge through interviews with the main characters, a "spotter's guide" containing helpful identifying characteristics of the inhabitants of the Lower Elements, and top-secret diagrams of LEP technology. Humans can also use the book's handy Decoder to gain access to the Gnomish alphabet as well as take part in some fairy fun and games.

THE ARTEMIS FOWL FILES also includes two brand-new short stories that fans of the series won't want to miss. The first is a prequel to ARTEMIS FOWL that shows how Captain Holly Short became the first female member of the LEP, and the second is a story that teams Artemis with flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums in a quest to steal a jeweled tiara from a band of circus dwarfs.

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