reviewed by
ELIZABETH CATO
I don't understand why the Artemis Fowl books haven't gotten more attention than they have. Perhaps it's because Harry Potter books take up so much shelf space. The Artemis Fowl books certainly aren't as long in length as the Harry Potter books, but the stories are truly engaging and darn witty.
Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year old super genius criminal, descended from a long line of criminals. Artemis already has a file at Scotland Yard, and you can usually find him in the study, plotting his next scheme.
Artemis finds himself taking care of very adult matters. With his father missing and presumed dead for a year now, Artemis must see to his mother's well being, especially since she's retreated into herself in an effort to cope with her husband's absence.
What happens when you give a boy genius unlimited power and responsibility? Why, he tries to take over the world, naturally.
In the first book, Artemis and his trusty bodyguard Butler track down a fairie's book--the handbook all fairies keep on them at all times. Artemis' goal is to separate a fairie from his gold, and this brings him into contact with Captain Holly Short, the first female elf to be assigned to LEPrecon--Lower Element Police Recon. See, this is how that whole nasty leprechaun business got started, but that's another matter.
Artemis' schemes threaten to unmask the Lower Elements to the world, and this could prove disastrous for Holly's people. They live beneath the earth, the last place that has proved safe from the Mud People (humans). As the story progresses, Artemis begins to realize that his needs are not the most important, and in return he and Butler strike a very shaky truce with the Lower Elements.
Holly and other LEP folks make an appearance in "The Arctic Incident." Artemis receives a ransom note from his father's kidnappers and he sets out to find him. Meanwhile, the Lower Elements has an uprising on its hands and their only suspects are Artemis and Butler.
The Lower Elements proceeds with caution, because after all, Artemis is no longer the twelve year-old boy he was during their first encounter; he's thirteen. Both sides agree to work with one another. Artemis will help Holly and her friends track down the Mud People responsible for invading the Lower Elements, and in return, the Lower Elements will help Artemis rescue his father.
This all sounds easy and reasonable in theory, so naturally things go awry early into the story. Artemis is still learning the value of trust and friendship. He is smart, but he makes mistakes, and he learns from those mistakes. Butler is as big and hulking as ever, and Holly continues to give the reader a healthy dose of girl power.
What I do like about these books is that while Artemis is the main character, Holly isn't drawn as a helpless girl sidekick. She's smart, funny, and capable of taking care of herself, which means that these books should appeal equally to boys and girls.
Fun, fun read.
