Artemis Fowl is back!

Colfer, Eoin (2012) Artemis Fowl:  The Last Guardian.  New York:  Hyperion. (not a graphic novel)

Okay, if you haven't read the Artemis Fowl books, go read them.  These are not a harry Potter rip off and not a hunger games rip off -- this is something different.  Artemis Fowl is this kid genius who, in the first book, is out to steal a huge amount of gold -- from the leprechons and fairies.  And I know, that would be ridiculous, except the way Eoin Colfer writes, Captain Holly Short (she is actually a faerie) of the Lower Elements Police Recon (LEPRecon -- get it?) and senior tech genius of the fairy world, Foaly (he is a centaur) are utterly believable characters.  And they are smart too.  So the story that follows is a gripping contest of wits peppered with humorous moments.  Mostly, though, it is just the sort of book you can't put down.  And in the sequels, that is even more true. 

In this latest novel, Artemis is called in when evil pixie genius and terrorist Opal Koboi puts in motion a plot involving clones, deadly radiation, and the possible destruction of both the hidden underground fairy world, and the surface world as well.  Artemis, with the help of his hulking bodyguard Butler, and his Dwarf Associate Mulch, needs to outwit Opal, and quickly.

Does it sound silly.  Sorry.  That is my fault.  Actually it is an excellent story -- but you just have to read it.  This stuff is excellent for either gender (boys will identify with Artemis, girls with Holly) and probably good for good readers in fifth grade through me (If I have it figured out, a couple of years ago I finished 30th grade).  Check it out, folks.  Good stuff!

(Oh, and although these are regular novels, there are also graphic novel version of the first few out already.  Also, math teachers will be interested in the symbolic code that runs at the bottom of every page (and would be a good one for young cryptographers to crack.) Physics teachers might be interested in some of the weird physics stuff involving extradimensionality and time-stop theory.  English/Language Arts teachers will be excited because their students will be totally absorbed in these books.