Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl is a one of the greatest criminal minds the world has ever seen. He is heir to the Fowl family empire—a centuries old clan of international underworld figures and con artists. He is arguably the most cunning Fowl of all. He is also twelve years old.
Artemis' interest in mythology and an obsession with the Internet leads him to discover proof of the existence of "The People"- otherwise known as fairies, sprites, leprechauns and trolls. He learns every fairy has a magical Book. If he can find the Book, it will lead him to "The People's" vast treasure of gold.
With his brutish sidekick, Butler, he sets his plans in motion. Artemis tricks a drunken old fairy woman into loaning him her Book, a tiny golden volume, for thirty minutes. He scans it with a digital camera and emails it to his Mac G6 computer. Back in his mansion in Ireland, he is the first human to decode the secrets of the fairies.
Artemis needs a leprechaun to help him with this plan. He and Butler hunt down Holly Short, a tough, female LEPrecon, part of a gung-ho Fairy commando unit, who is on a reconnaissance mission. He kidnaps her, and a major battle begins. It's satyr against gnome, man against elf, and for the first time in his life, Artemis must decide what he values most.

I have heard nothing but good things about Eion Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. So, when I saw it listed on 101 Fantasy Reading Challenge, I knew I had to read it, or at least the first book of the series.

Well, here's another series that both children and adults can enjoy. I was hooked right from the beginning. I found the story entertaining and funny as well. It has a darkness to it that really appeals to me, but not so dark that I wouldn't let my nine-year-old daughter read. I loved the way that the author brings out the evil genius of Artemis but also the child quality that he doesn't show too much. And there's the kick-ass fairy, Holly, who has a very strict code of conduct but also a tender heart. And then you add a whole bunch of secondary characters that interesting and comical. The story cannot go wrong.

Artemis Fowl by Eion Colfer (4.5/5) Children Fiction: Fantasy; Published: Miramax (4/2001); Series: # 1, Artemis Fowl; New Author; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (129); Young Readers Challenge (7); 101 Fantasy Reading Challenge (1);