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Book Review By Cloud City
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old mastermind.   He lives with his senile mom in a large machine.   A few years ago his dad was captured by the Russian Mafia and is now being held hostage for ransom.   In the first book of the series, Artemis Fowl, comes in contact with the LEP, a group of fairies that live underground near the earths core.   In this book, Artemis has to put aside his pride and beg the LEP to help him rescue his dad from the mob. The LEP kidnapped Artemis and then gave him a chance to explain.   After a little convincing, Holly Short and Commander Root, members of the LEP, decide to help Artemis... on one condition.   To get there help, Artemis has to help them stop a goblin invasion, headed by an evil pixie.   They go to check out the pixie and Butler, Artemis's bodyguard, almost gets killed.   

Next they go to Russia to try to free Artemis's dad.   While they are there, they have to jump onto a moving train to escape an ambush alive, but it doesn't go as smoothly as planned.   In the process of jumping, Holly's finger got cut off, but when both she and Artemis went unconscious, Artemis fell on her, and drained all of her magic.   This made it so that unless she replenished her magic, she would be missing a finger forever, so they jump off the train and plant an acorn to replenish Holly's magic, and she is able to reconnect her finger.   When everyone is rested, then they go and try to free Artemis's dad   

Next, they turn there attention to the evil pixie and her plan to take over the LEP headquarters.   They know that there is only one animal that can help them and he is a dwarf criminal named Mulch.   He helps them break into the evil pixies lab, but Artemis is the only one small enough to access the area they need to get to, to turn off the security, so he has to go into poisonous liquid by himself and try to make it out alive.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)
Descript. of chases or violence - 10 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 %
If enemy is a group... - crime ring

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - a kid
Really unusual traits?

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Dumb

Setting
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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