Review : Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox

Title : Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 18 Oct - 22 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From goodreads : Grade 4–8—Fourteen-year-old genius and mastermind Artemis Fowl realizes that he has a problem. His mother is nearing death and the only thing that can save her is the brain fluid from a species of lemur that he forced into extinction eight years earlier. He decides that he must travel back in time to right this terrible wrong but his younger self is present in the past and proceeds to challenge the older Artemis's every move. At the older Artemis's side is elf Captain Holly Short of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance (LEPrecon) and Mulch Diggums, a dwarf known for his potent flatulence and ground-munching abilities. The trio struggle to circumvent destiny but find the past fraught with deception. The story flows with quick-witted humor and action-packed scenes, and Colfer's love of science shines through in the story's inventions and clever use of engineering. The dueling technology and a game match between clashing masterminds make for an exciting, modern-day fairy tale. There is no integration of previous story lines; while this does not take away from the resolution, it does leave readers questioning some backstory. The author once again offers an exhilarating ride through the fantastical world of Artemis Fowl.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL

Book Review of Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox.

Despite all the good vibes I had for the early Artemis Fowl books, I still approached The Time Paradox with a little bit of trepidation. After all, this was the Artemis Fowl book that I disliked and for a certain time discouraged me from picking up the next book in the series.

So, did I change my mind with this re-read ? Maybe, but just a little. The Time Paradoxstill ranks as the Artemis Fowl book I like the least. The reason is a simple one. In the first half, Artemis simply isn’t up to his usual standards. All of which may be intentional but annoying none the less. Artemis doesn’t seem so much to be using his strategic skills as simply blundering from one escapade to another.

Fortunately, Artemis does buck up at the end with a short display of his usual flair. In this case though, it comes a bit too late to make me like this one.

However the first few books makes me want to write this one off as a blip. And so, despite some misgivings, I still picked up Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Probably, but only as a part of the series.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes, just to complete my collection though.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? In some part, this depends on the next book. I'll reserve judgement until then.

Books alluded to :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge

Review : Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony

Title : Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 15 Oct - 18 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From goodreads : Ten thousand years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the magical island of Ireland. When it became clear to the fairy families that they could never win, they decided to move their civilization underground and keep themselves hidden from the humans. All the fairy families agreed on this, except the eighth family, the demons. The demons planned to lift their small island out of time until they had regrouped and were ready to wage war on the humans once more. However, the time spell went wrong, and the island of Hybras was catapulted into Limbo, where it has remained for ten thousand years. Now the tainted time spell is deteriorating and demons are being sucked back into the present space and time. The fairy council is concerned about this and is monitoring any materializations. But when the spells deterioration accelerates, the materializations become unpredictable. Even the fairy scientists cannot figure out where the next demon will pop up. But someone can. Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, has solved temporal equations that no normal human should be intelligent enough to understand. So when a confused and frightened demon pops up in a Sicilian theater, Artemis Fowl is there to meet him. Unfortunately, he is not the only one. A second, mysterious party has also solved the temporal equations, and has managed to abduct the demon before Artemis can secure him. Once again, Artemis will have to pair up with his old comrade, Captain Holly Short, to track down the missing demon and rescue him, before the time spell dissolves completely and the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth.

Book Review of Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony.

There are a few reasons why I enjoy this particular entry in The Artemis Fowl series.

The first are the new additions to Artemis Fowl’s team of specialist troubleshooters. It would definitely be interesting to see how the new members fit into their little family and what they could contribute to it. It helps of course that all of them have a smart mouth on them leading to some very funny conversations between them.

The other is the little twist at the end of the tale. Artemis’s new found abilities certainly opens up some interesting possibilities in the future even if both his enemies and allies alike won’t like it. As a reader though, I definitely wanted to read the next book just to see what Artemis has up his sleeve.

Finally, of course, is that Artemis gets to show off that big brain of his again. Look out for the scene where he saves one of his companions from certain death. That is definitely not something that could be done by any ordinary person.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Books alluded to :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge

Review : Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception

Title : Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 14 Oct - 15 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From goodreads : This fourth outing for Eoin Colfer’s teenage criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl, is--as ever--full of dramatic action, explosions, treachery, high speed chases, windy escapes from Trolls and a generous helping of fairy magic. There are plenty of laughs amidst the action and more new technical gizmos than you could fit into James Bond’s latest car. At the end of Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, Artemis was left with his memory erased of all previous dealings with the fairy folk, any underground realms he may have visited, a certain LEPrecon police officer called Holly Short he may have been acquainted with--even the flatulent, burrowing, kleptomaniac dwarf, Mulch Diggums. Everything. It was part of the deal he struck when he helped save the fairies and they aided his rescue of Fowl Snr. from captivity. But, having been accused of a heinous crime, Holly now needs Fowl’s expertise once more to clear her name and save Fairykind from oblivion. Opal Koboi, the most dangerous pixie who ever lived, has eluded capture and is out for revenge. She’s framed Holly and tried to kill Artemis and his trusty bodyguard Butler. Holly must try to bring Artemis up to speed quickly in order to foil Opal’s dastardly plan to expose the fairies down below to the humans on top. Like J K Rowling, Colfer has complete mastery over the cast of characters he has created in this popular series of novels. Half of the pleasure of the Harry Potter novels is to be had by simply enjoying how the familiar characters interact--savouring their established foibles and characteristics and revelling in all the new things they get up to. In The Opal Deception, Colfer pairs up his heroes and villains brilliantly and has the same amount of tremendous fun with them. It’s witty and enjoyable and will be appreciated by all. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay

Book Review of Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception.

The Opal Deception was another hit for me in the Artemis Fowl series.

Thus far, Opal Koboi is probably Artemis’s best adversary. Best as in, she really is smart enough to be Artemis’s foe and still leave me laughing with her over the top and ridiculous notions. Most of the laughs I had here was due to Opal’s unbelievable instructions to her underlings. Especially since the Brill brothers are not your run-of-the-mill brainless muscle men.

The other reason to rejoice here is of course Artemis’s decision at the end of the book. I really like the idea of Artemis saving the world in his own unique way.

And not only that. It seems nothing is too outrageous whenever he and Butler get together with Holly, Mulch and Foaly. I can’t wait to see what their team gets up to next. Whether official or not, these 5 already make up an extraordinary team of troubleshooters.

I’m definitely reading more of Artemis Fowl.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Books alluded to :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge 4

Review : Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

Title : Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 11 Oct - 14 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From Amazon : In this third installment to Eoin Colfer's funny, fast-paced, fairy-filled adventure series, boy genius and arch criminal Artemis Fowl once again can't resist plotting the perfect crime--and, once again, he can't keep from stirring up so much trouble that the fate of the entire fairy world teeters in the balance. The once hard-boiled Artemis has softened a bit between his bestselling debut and the seat-of-your-pants Arctic Incident, and that trend continues in The Eternity Code: He's still plotting for a billion-dollar-plus payoff for the Fowl family, but now his enemies are human (chiefly Jon Spiro, a ruthless businessman Artemis tries to blackmail using stolen fairy technology) and he has to turn to his old adversary-turned-friend Captain Holly Short and cutpurse dwarf Mulch Diggums for help. The dialogue and action prove as smart and page-turning as ever this time around, with Artemis struggling to bring his faithful bodyguard Butler back from the dead before racing Mission Impossible-style to triple-cross the double-crossing Spiro. Colfer's young antihero might be getting more likeable all the time, but that hasn't taken the edge off the Tom-Clancy-meets-Harry-Potter action. Artemis has to agree to a memory-erasing "mind wipe" from the People after helping them recover their technology, but only a foolish fan would count Artemis out after this blockbuster "final heist." Book four can't come soon enough.... (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

Book Review of Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code.

While I found The Eternity Code enjoyable it is also the first Artemis Fowl book in which I have something to quibble about.

I simply had a difficult time accepting that Jon Spiro could have at any time outsmarted Artemis. The man is just not intelligent enough to be a worthy adversary for Artemis. I thought it would have been much easier to swallow the thought that Artemis might be mellowing rather than that Jon Spiro could have been one step ahead of him at any time.

Other than that though, I still enjoyed the tale. This story certainly offers plenty of chances for Artemis to shine. Considering that Artemis usually has a good grasp of the psychological makeup of his opponents and allies, it is funny how he can be lacking in the most basic of social skills at times. Yet, again and again I find it is his ability to predict how everyone will react which helps in plotting his way to success.

And of course, the undeniable rapport forming between Artemis and his allies is always fun to watch. Reading how these disparate characters learn to work together had me chuckling most of the time.

In short, The Eternity Code is another enjoyable addition to the Artemis Fowl series.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Books alluded to :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge

Teaser Tuesdays : Fantasy In Death and Indulgence In Death

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted at Should Be Reading.

Share 2 teaser sentences from your current read. Be careful not to include spoilers.

"I don't understand it. I can't. We were together all these years, every day. We worked together, studied, played, ate, laughed, cried. I don't know how he could do what he did. I'll never understand it, so he doesn't matter to me. He won't ever matter to me again."

"Look there. The sun's breaking through."
She studied the miserly opening in the gray, and the watery beam that struggled through. "Wow, the light. It's blinding."

It's Monday, What Are You Reading ?

It's Monday What Are You Reading ? is hosted at Book Journey.

Where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

What I Read:

• Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb

What I Reviewed:

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

What I’m Reading:

• Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

What I Plan to Read next:

• The Stand by Stephen King

Review : Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident

Title : Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 9 Oct - 10 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From Amazon : Artemis Fowl receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya: his father. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by a familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Now, instead of battling the fairies, Artemis must join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.

Book Review of Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident.

Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident is a fun addition to the Artemis Fowl series. In it, we glimpse a different side to Artemis plus the beginnings of his future cooperation with the faeries.

As I’ve mentioned in my review of Artemis Fowl, I love the series simply because of Artemis himself. Even when he develops a conscience as the series progresses, he simply can’t help continuing to scheme and I often find the story is at its best when Artemis is coming up with another of his devious plots. This is no different for The Arctic Incident. While Artemis doesn’t have much of an opportunity to shine in most of The Arctic Incident, the finale of the book more than makes up for it. This is one kid that both sides of the law need beware.

Also, The Arctic Incident is fun because the adults finally get to strut their stuff. Here we readers finally get to see why Butler and Captain Holly Short are considered the best at what they do. Artemis too gets a dose of humble pie as he realizes how much he’s actually relying on the people around him.

After this book, I definitely want to see more of this team of humans and faeries working together.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Books alluded to :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge

Review : Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Title : Artemis Fowl Author : Eoin Colfer Reading Dates : 6 Oct - 8 Oct 2011
Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian
From Amazon : Eoin Colfer describes his new book, Artemis Fowl, as "Die Hard with fairies." He's not far wrong. Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough to believe in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knows that the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnap one of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back. Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring, 21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooled by the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --Susan Harrison

Book Review of Artemis Fowl.

Artemis Fowl is another book I’ve enjoyed since I first picked it up. This re-read was just as fun as ever.

What I’ve always liked about the series is the titular character himself. I’ve found Artemis to be at his most charming self when he’s plotting his nefarious schemes. It is simply fun to watch the precocious Artemis confound all the adults around him. Especially since the adults aren’t idiots either. Even knowing the storyline as I do, I still had plenty of laughs as Artemis plots his way towards his pot of gold.

Then, there’s Artemis’s relationship with Butler. Together, they make a formidable team. Artemis might be a genius but without someone as capable and loyal as Butler to execute his orders, none of his plans would have come to fruition.

And things get better from here onwards. The only worry I have is of Artemis Fowl turning good. *Laughs*

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Definitely. I've already re-read the book twice.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Already planned to.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy readers. If you like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, you might try this out too.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

Anyone can participate. IMM is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

I' currently in a reading slump ... but that still didn't stop me from buying these books when I saw them. *Laughs*

Bought:

• Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
• Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

[ What I spent on the books : RM 86.70 ]