Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1)

by Eoin Colfer

Twelve-year-old villain, Artemis Fowl, is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. His bold and daring plan is to hold a leprechaun to ransom. But he's taking on more than he bargained for when he kidnaps Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance Unit). For a start, leprechaun technology is more advanced than our own. Add to that the fact that Holly is a true heroine and that her senior officer Commander Root will stop at nothing to get her back and you've got the mother of all sieges brewing! If you had to describe this book in one sentence, then it would have to be: ARTEMIS FOWL - DIE HARD with fairies.

Reviewed by nitzan_schwarz on

2 of 5 stars

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Well, Artemis Fowl has been on my To-Read list for about... six years, when I was twelve myself. And, in all fairness, had I read it back then I would've enjoyed it... not so much now, though.
The only reason I picked it up--aside for the conviction I had to at least read the first of this loved series--was because I found myself in school, waiting two hours for a friend to finish her class - and was bored as hell. A quick swift around the library proved to come up with nothing interesting to pass the time with, aside for Artemis Fowl, and so I figured I can kill two birds in one stone - pass the time with a book and cross this one of my list, once and for all.
It wasn't a very good way to pass the time, though. It is not a bad read, but I can't say it was a good read, either. I had to struggle with the pages, while chanting to myself "finish this book! Don't give up!". The fact I had to convince myself to continue lowered the stars dramatically.
The idea behind the characters is intriguing enough, I'd give it that; A genius criminal of twelve years old, fairies and Centaurs, Trolls and Bodyguard butlers... But I had not seen any development in any of the characters, and felt that many times - the book was plain boring. It got to a point where I said: Okay, I won't be able to read this book at home while I have so much better things to read, and I started reading through this book, a few pages at a time, in school breaks and free periods, where I had nothing else to really do. That says something.
Again, in all fairness, I would've been pretty satisfied--even given it more stars--had I read it when I was twelve, which is the main audience of this book. But I didn't, and at my age, 18, this was no longer something I could really enjoy reading. Too bad, really, but hey - at least it's off my list now...

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 3 May, 2012: Finished reading
  • 3 May, 2012: Reviewed