When hi-tech fairy cop meets criminal prodigy

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
By Eoin Colfer
Scholastic Inc.
277 pages
Available at Goodwill Bookstore

When talking about good fantasy reads, avid readers no doubt point to the current big titles in the genre, thanks, in part, to their cross-over to film: The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. But here’s one more winning addition to the fantasy reading list, one that will surely make readers sit up (or stay up) and notice: Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series, which combines the magical appeal of J.K. Rowling’s works with a fantasy world that is comparable to Tolkien’s. The delightful difference, however, is that it is set in a modern world. Think police fairies flying on motorized wings, wearing helmets with thermoscan. Or fairy cops with mesmer power and nuclear-powered stun guns.

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, the second installment of the series, brings back Artemis Fowl, now 13, the brilliant criminal mastermind who dared to take on the secret world of fairies in Book One. In his latest adventure, Artemis once again finds himself involved with the secret hi-tech underground community of fairies, centaurs, trolls, and gnomes as he endeavors to rescue his kidnapped father from the hands of the Russian Mafiya, setting him up for a head-on collision with his arch-nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police force.

Artemis is at his Ireland boarding school when he suddenly receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. Attached to it is an MPEG file that shows a man Artemis had feared was dead after a tragic shipwreck, his beloved father. Meanwhile, down in the underground world, Captain Holly Short is thrown into an investigation of the Goblin triads’ possession of contraband human technology. Captain Short immediately assumes they are getting help from humans, and all clues point to Artemis and his right-hand man, Butler.

An ensuing interrogation, with the help of a Retimager (which scans Artemis and his bodyguard Butler’s retinas for factual proof of contact with goblins), reveals the suspects’ innocence. A reluctant alliance is forged between the two one-time adversaries: Artemis needs magical assistance to rescue his father, and only Butler, with his connections and expertise, can help the LEPrecon track down the goblin’s suspected human partner. What they soon discover, however, is a larger and dangerous plan to take over the underworld.

The Arctic Incident is action-packed and filled with ingenious plots and lively battle scenes, like its precursor. The most notable development, however, is in Artemis’ character, who becomes more likable in this sequel. Remaining as diabolically clever as ever, he nevertheless proves he has a heart after all, baffling even his supremely intelligent self. It would be interesting to see how this anti-hero turns out in the next installments.

Colfer’s creation undoubtedly offers a perfect blend of fantasy, magic, conflict and humor. The wise-cracking characters are unforgettable and the vivid world the author creates is worthy of exploration. Readers would do well to introduce Artemis Fowl to their bookshelves. – Althea Lauren Ricardo