Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident by Eoin Colfer

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Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident by Eoin Colfer
pub: Puffin (2002). in hardback and now in paperback. Price: Ł12.99 (UK). ISBN (hardback): 0-670-89963-1

Looking for something to read over the summer? Waiting for the new Harry Potter? Already read it? You might like to check out the young pretender to the Potter throne, ‘Artemis Fowl’.

Artemis is now the 'hero' of three books of which this is the second. This book picks up the story of the Fowl Boy one year after his run-in with the fairy police. Not to spoil Number 1, called simply 'Artemis Fowl', this book takes the main characters from that and plunges them as unwilling allies into another thrilling adventure.

Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident by Eoin Colfer This book is aimed at pre-teens through teens, the earliest I would recommend it is late 9/10 but as you may have guessed from the phenomenal sales of Potter books they aren't just for kids. ‘Artemis Fowl’ is thirteen, just pre-pubescent, and I'm sure that Book Three will deal with some of those issues!

The strange pale boy has to deal with the possibility that his father may still be alive after 'the arctic incident'. Someone is asking for a ransom on Mr Fowl Senior. Coincidentally, there are problems in the fairy world that require some co-operation from Artemis.

It looks like a human has been selling batteries to the goblins. As the goblins are incredibly stupid it can only end in tears. If humans have breached the fairy world it is bad enough but worse than that there is something or someone rotten at the heart of fairyland.

Captain Holly Short, member of the LEPrecon Squad, has dealt with Artemis before. An unwilling ally now, she was bested by him before and is grudging of her trust. He is old enough to realise that she may give him sleepless nights once puberty hits.

Meanwhile, Foaly the centaur, the brains at the centre of computer control of Tara, has been framed and the fate of the fairy world is resting on young shoulders. If Artemis helps the fairies he thinks he is justified in asking for a reciprocal favour.

In addition to the young 'people', add on Butler who is actually Artemis' bodyguard and cigar-chomping Commander Root, head of the LEP. Being a young person's book, we are also treated to the mining dwarf, Mulch, with incredible gas and, of course, the required amount of jokes about said gas.

I'm looking forward to these books being made into films with gadgets galore and fast-moving action sequences. Mr Colfer has an eye for the cinematic and with the technology available this could be a high profile franchise appealing across the age groups. His protagonists are witty and intelligent.

They all mesh well in the narrative with just the right amount of distrust between human and fairy. By Book Three, there will be new issues to deal with. Artemis not only growing up but also maturing thanks to his encounters with the non-humans, I feel sure that the next instalment will be just as engrossing.

Sue Davies

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