Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
2001
Disney-Hyperion
Artemis, born millionaire, is
not an ordinary kid. He is a genius, and brilliant tactician plus negotiator.
After he had deciphered the book with the help of his sophisticated computer,
he began to plot a plan to acquire every last bit of the fairies’ gold. Around
the ancient trees, there has been an issue for the fairy to do some kind of
ritual to renew their magic, but there is one fairy named Holly Short, the
captain of the LEPrecon unit of the fairy police that goes into the wrong tree,
and was kidnapped by Artemis and his trained Butler. The fairies, knowing that
they are dealing with just another human that wanted their fares, think that
they had just enough weaponry, but they have yet to know anything about
Artemis.
I liked the steampunk feeling
that this book gives. It gives me a sense of real world while in another hand gives
me just-right feeling of fantasy where humans and fairies live together in the
same earth. The witty character and plot of Artemis are very intriguing for us
to follow, and it’s very rare to see a boy that decides to bend to the rule of
any negotiations, while later on wins every negotiation with a way we never
thought. Artemis is a contradicting character too, while shown no mercy on
winning the negotiations he had gotten into, he also still loves his addled mother
and his big bodyguard, the Butler. You might want to ask yourself sometimes
though, is Artemis just another overpowered character despite his flaws, or he
is just always one step ahead of his enemies like Batman?
Just as I said before about
Artemis, many other characters in this story are intriguing too. Like Holly
Short the fairy, who maybe in a mission of vengeance after being kidnapped, she
risks her life for an innocent person, even she is not on the side of this
innocent person. Then, there is the Butler, who is strong, dedicated, and will
do anything that he can to protect his sister, the Maid.
There might be no comparison
available that is on par with the theme this book given; magic and fairies,
power, wealth, dominance, wit. There might be none or I just happened to know
no book that can be compared with Artemis Fowl, since my knowledge is very limited and yet to be challenged.
This book is suitable for everyone
above 9. It’s a fantasy themed book with fine language after all, though the
part where there are fights with the troll are quite violent, and there are
such actions such fraud, kidnapping, and even assassination and killing.
