Book Review: Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer is the visionary connoisseur of children’s fantasy who allures the childlike minds of adults, drawing them back to their youthful joy.

He is best known for his superbly natural portrayal of the extraordinary Artemis Fowl series. His brilliance in delving into the peculiarities and unconventional behaviors of young minds is a wonder. Rather than depicting children with typical characteristics, his characters are vivid, colorful, and burst with unbelievable wit and humor. For his exceptional contribution to children’s literature, he served as Laureate na nÓg (Ireland’s Children’s Laureate) between 2014 and 2016.

Eoin Colfer’s “The Artemis Fowl” series, comprising eight novels in the science fiction fantasy genres, features Irish folklore with a twist, centering on the unfathomably anti-heroic teenager Artemis Fowl who evolves from a criminal mastermind to a complex character with a blend of goodness.

The Artemis Fowl series includes:

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If you are ready for a fast, funny, and intriguing deep dive into a chaotic world of good and evil, fasten your seatbelt and prepare yourself for a journey filled with ruthlessness and sarcastic fun. Let your soul become a child again with twists and turns of an unimaginable quest in the world of fighter fairies and demons.

About the Author:

Eoin Colfer is one of the most remarkable children’s writers in Ireland, globally applauded for his highly original imagination, fast-paced plots, and incredibly dynamic characters. He infuses his novels with creative humor that is refreshingly different and brimming with wittiness, which neutralizes the severity of serious topics like death and misery.

Born in 1965 in Wexford, on the southeast shore of Ireland, Eoin Colfer was raised alongside his four brothers by his father (a historian, elementary school teacher, and artist) and mother (a drama teacher). As both his parents were dedicated educators, he developed a love for children’s literature from an early age. He began writing stories inspired by Vikings and Irish historical legends in elementary school. This passion for writing rippled through his imaginative mind and propelled his artistic vigor, helping him craft the mind-blowing and witty Artemis Fowl. After graduating from Dublin University, he returned to Wexford to teach elementary school. For the next four years, he traveled in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Italy, writing the children’s book “Benny and Omar” based on his experiences. From 1999 to 2001, he wrote a series of books for children aged six to eight years. His love for Irish history, myths, and legends inspired the writing of “Artemis Fowl” in 2001. Following the groundbreaking success of Artemis Fowl, he gradually moved away from teaching to concentrate on writing full-time. To date, Eoin is famed for the 8 Artemis Fowl books, which have sold over 12 million copies worldwide. His other notable works for younger children include science fiction thrillers and extremely amusing tales, such as “The Legend of Spud Murphy” (2004), “The Legend of Captain Crow’s Teeth” (2006), “The Legend of the Worst Boy in the World” (2007), “The Supernaturalist” (2004), and “Half Moon Investigations” (2006). Another breakthrough publication is the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” novel published in 2009, and the adult crime novel “Plugged” in 2011. In 2014, his children’s book “Imaginary Fred” won The Specsavers Ireland Children’s Book of the Year Junior Award. Eoin retired from teaching and now concentrates as a full-time writer, living in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Spoiler-Free Summary of the Series:

In 2021, Artemis Fowl celebrated its twenty-year journey since its initial publication on April 26, 2001. The series is about the growth and development of Artemis amid the catalysts of good and evil surrounding him. He must make choices between good and evil. Despite the mixed existence of good and evil, Artemis must balance and influence his choices with greed, trust, and sometimes indifference towards the combination of good and evil. As a 12-year-old prodigy, Artemis kidnaps elf captain Holly Short in an attempt to ransom her for fairy gold. To his surprise, fairies are dangerous and armed, ready to fight back. Can he outmaneuver the fairies, restore his family’s fortune, and navigate the moral dilemmas he faces? Will he survive the perils of fairyland, or play it safe with demons and battle-hardened goblins? Artemis is a ruthless criminal mastermind with an unwavering determination to save the day and avert the chaos of the worlds of humans, fairies, and demons. Will he manage to stay safe amid the chaos and be reunited with his family?

Critical Acclaim:

“Fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek… laugh-out-loud” – Sunday Times

“A fast and furious ride, jam-packed with wit, invention, and magic” – Elle

“It reads like the fastest, punchiest comic strip you’ve ever come across” – Daily Telegraph

“Grips like an electromagnet until the last word” – Independent

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Opinion About the Series:

Colfer’s Artemis Fowl is a “Die Hard with fairies” and is diversely powered by an alchemy of ingredients from Sherlock Holmes, The Simpsons, and Batman comics, smoothly blended with Colfer’s intense knowledge of Irish mythological legends and folk tales. As a result, the series feels like a reengineered contemporary and high-tech fairytale. Stimulated by the rich, egotistical children Colfer taught in Saudi Arabia, Artemis is a two-dimensional, multifaceted, and enthralling character whom readers love and hate for his criminal intellect and anti-hero actions. ‘When I started to write, I had no intentions of making Artemis the central character; he was just the bad guy Holly was up against, and that was it. My real anxiety was whether readers would want to go on reading about someone they were meant to hate. But then parts of myself started to go in, and he developed a conscience, and it became a very interesting book to write.’ (The Times, January 10, 2005). Artemis’s scuffling partner, Holly Short, is a sarcastic tool of anti-heroism and a dynamic figure with a bad attitude. She reflects the Celtic fairies as Colfer shared in his interview: ‘It would more generally be a girl thing…. But I was into fairies with axes; I was never into them flitting around the garden. Because the fairies of Irish mythology are not like that at all, they are very warlike. Always up for a fight.’ (Dina Rabinovitch, The Guardian, June 29, 2005). Thus, Colfer’s fairies are more legendary and authentic, armed with modern technologies and creative intelligence, rather than relying on traditional fairy “magic powers”. His characters lean more towards futuristic science fiction than inexplicable super fantasy.

In summary, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series stands out as a groundbreaking blend of science fiction and fantasy, redefining children’s literature with its ingenious characters and engaging storytelling. The series has not only captivated young readers but also garnered acclaim from adult audiences, thanks to its clever plotlines and a mix of humor and depth. It remains a notable example of how children’s literature can appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, merging whimsy with more complex, mature themes.