Bookboxed

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl by the Irish author Eoin Colfer is one of the all time favorites of many (Including mine). Artemis is a twelve-year-old genius who just happens to be the sole controller of rapidly dwindling finances of a criminal empire once controlled by his missing father.

Artemis, like any child genius decides that it’s his job to get his family back on the millionaire’s list. And just like any other child genius, he unearths a civilization of fairies living underground. Artemis couldn’t resist and just had to exploit them, so he obtains the “book” of the fairies, which contains all their secrets. After translating it and gaining valuable information, he plans to use it against them. He kidnaps a fairy for ransom with the help of his massive bodyguard, ‘Butler’.


Artemis holds the fairy called Holly, (who happens to be a police officer in her fairy world) for ransom. Her fellow officers come to her rescue and after many unsuccessful attempts to retrieve her, which are successfully thwarted by Butler end up negotiating with Artemis who coolly demands a ton of gold as ransom.

Artemis smugly sets his plan in motion with only a few what he calls “blips”. Which happen to be the fairies setting a primeval beast loose in his house, Holly causing havoc in his house, and a dwarf discovering the fairy book in his house.

Artemis, finally earns a whole load of gold (Which happens to be only a half ton, you’ll have to read the book to find out why) after escaping the fairies’ desperate attempt to kill him.

The book is extremely hilarious with verbal sparring between the chief fairy commander, Root and the fairy technician Foaly. They humor continues when the captain of the fairy team directed to retrieve Holly, is constantly annoyed by his little brother who always finds a reason to annoy his brother with complaints.

This is a book, which takes you through Eoin Colfer’s unique style of writing interspersed with humor all through the book. He also describes the fairies’ cool high-tech gadgets, which have helped keep the fairies hidden from humans. The story is unpredictable and displays of Artemis’ genius is sheer delight.

A highly unpredictable plot with humor makes the book a unique and entertaining book. And I say, go read it with no second thoughts.