Artemis Fowl

Unabridged
Author: Eoin Colfer
Narrator: Nathaniel Parker
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Children's, Fiction, Harry Potter & Fantasy
Publisher: Listening Library, Inc.
Date: April 2004
Length: 6 hours, 7 minutes
Ratings:
Formats:
  • CD

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Overview

Artemis Fowl is a one of the greatest criminal minds the world has ever seen. He is heir to the Fowl family empire—a centuries old clan of international underworld figures and con artists. He is arguably the most cunning Fowl of all. He is also twelve years old.

Artemis' interest in mythology and an obsession with the Internet leads him to discover proof of the existence of "The People"- otherwise known as fairies, sprites, leprechauns and trolls. He learns every fairy has a magical Book. If he can find the Book, it will lead him to "The People's" vast treasure of gold.
With his brutish sidekick, Butler, he sets his plans in motion. Artemis tricks a drunken old fairy woman into loaning him her Book, a tiny golden volume, for thirty minutes. He scans it with a digital camera and emails it to his Mac G6 computer. Back in his mansion in Ireland, he is the first human to decode the secrets of the fairies.

Artemis needs a leprechaun to help him with this plan. He and Butler hunt down Holly Short, a tough, female LEPrecon, part of a gung-ho Fairy commando unit, who is on a reconnaissance mission.
He kidnaps her, and a major battle begins. It's satyr against gnome, man against elf, and for the first time in his life, Artemis must decide what he values most.

For fans of J.R.R.Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and Philip Pullman, Artemis Fowl is a high-tech fantasy, mixing faries, leprechauns, and computers, in a brilliant, thrilling story that is destined to become a cult favorite.

Selected Reviews

Artemis Fowl

by TVVesselsJr
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Artemis Fowl

by Tony Ca.
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 33

Reviews (33)

Artemis Fowl

Written by TVVesselsJr from Petaluma, CA on July 23rd, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

WOW! What an imagination Eoin Colfer has: magic, fairies and all of those mythical creatures. I loved the Lep-Recon operatives, the story within the story. I loved all of it, every bit: the boy-master-mind of crime, the elves and ... everything. What a great read, or listen in my case. Thank you. I am delighted to learn there are four more in the series. T.V. Vessels, Jr. - author.

Artemis Fowl

Written by Tony Ca. from Anaheim, Ca, CA on July 8th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This is a great story, really enjoyed it, was just to short, but he has more Artemis Fowl, so I have a couple more comin. Kinda cool about Fairies, etc; and I am an old guy too.

Worth the read

Written by Diana Conley on April 29th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 3/5

This was a fun book, but it just didn't live up to all the hype.

Artemis Fowl

Written by Anonymous on April 13th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This was a good book to listen to, I have acutally bought two books since. I really like the idea of the fairys underground taking care of us

Artemis Fowl

Written by Laura Larson on January 29th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I am in my late fifties and I loved listening to this imaginative adventure while commuting to work. Great fun!

Clever!

Written by Dewey Stevens on November 20th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Very good narration, clever plot, and quite entertaining. Recommended for adults and young adults alike! Wish Artemis had been around when I was younger, but I am enjoying it now!

Suspend all belief and just be a kid again.

Written by Anonymous on November 10th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This was just a fun book. From the beginning, the author started to build almost ridiculously painted characters with colorful personalities that really helped you appreciate them. It is a fairy tale, of sorts, and while there are parts that could have been flushed out much more, it is a book that kept me entertained and engaged, and enjoying the sometimes simple but snappy banter.

Enjoyable for Adults/Kids

Written by Anonymous from Vacaville, CA on October 17th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Fantastic narrator, fantastic story. My only gripe is why would a race of faeries who use magic need so much advanced technology as well? The whole thing seems far fetched, and yes, I realize its a fantasy and should be far fetched; but I require some common sense as well, and this is an area lacking in this book. I'm still getting the rest of the books though because its so enjoyable to listen too.

Artemis Fowl

Written by Anonymous on September 1st, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I thought this book was entertaining and am interested in hearing the rest of the stories. I found the narrator to bring the characters to life and I was impressed with him specifically. Fun book to read!!

Artemis Fowl

Written by Anonymous on August 29th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Amusing book. It's an interesting combination of genre's...young adult meets fantasy meets combat. Also had some subtle military references that were laugh-out-loud funny (at least to those of us who know how the Air Force really feels about pilots). I loved the ways the author overlaid our culture on the fairy world.

Selected Reviews

Artemis Fowl

by TVVesselsJr
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Artemis Fowl

by Tony Ca.
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 33

Author Details

Author Details

Colfer, Eoin

"Eoin Colfer (born May 14, 1965, Wexford, Ireland) is an Irish author. He is most famous for having written the Artemis Fowl series and the novel The Wish List along with The Supernaturalist.

Colfer deplores comparison of his popular, pseudo sci-fi fairy tale to the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Artemis Fowl was written as a modern 'fairy tale', paying homage to Raymond Chandler and James Bond as much as Cinderella.

The title character, Artemis, is a child prodigy and heir to a fortune gained largely through crime. At the onset of the series, his father (having unsuccessfully tried to go straight) is missing and his mother, distraught, is bedridden and suffers from nightmares and delirium. Artemis, naturally, does the responsible thing and formulates a fiendish scheme to boost the family fortunes (somewhat lessened in the elder Fowl's aforementioned ill-fated move towards legitimacy). Fowl Jr., along with his manservant and ultra-competent bodyguard Butler set out to kidnap a fairy. The Fairies of myth and legend, who call themselves ""The People"" (Artemis deduces from some web-surfing) have been in hiding deep underground since the beginning of recorded history to stay out of mankind (the Mud Men)'s wars and environmental disasters. Not that Fowl would be interested but for the legends of gold at the end of rainbows. What Artemis finds, though, is that while fairies were out of sight they have largely replaced magic with advanced technology. His appeal as a more knowledgeable, science-oriented author has made many prefer his works to Rowling's more traditional fairy tales.

However, Colfer has been criticised for being ""too modern"", for dropping acronyms and names without reference, and for slight inconsistencies within the books. In addition, some believe that Colfer's books are too violent for the young adult audience, which has sparked heated debates between fans and those opposed to his books.

Colfer's books are largely humorous, but Artemis does have pangs of conscience regarding his criminal activities, and his character develops significantly over the course of the trilogy. Not that he reforms entirely, either."