Book Review: Artemis Fowl and the The Lost Colony

Book Review: Artemis Fowl and the The Lost Colony


Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Puffin books
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction


Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony is another addition to the Number One Bestseller series, Artemis Fowl. It revolves around a criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl and his Bodyguard, Butler. Artemis Fowl is a genuine genius who has exploited a race that is not known to mankind, even kidnapping a species of that race, an elf, demanding a ransom of fairy gold. Later, he has a change of heart and let the elf, Captain Holly Short go.
After a few "close shaves", Artemis Fowl develops a close friendship with the fairy race, especially Captain Holly Short. Helping them during the goblin revolution. However, he still continues to keep his criminal side.
Later, he gains a change of heart after the events of The Eternity Code, and feels that living a criminal life isn't really the right thing to do. However, he is forced to undergo a mind wipe which erased all fairy knowledge from his mind. Fortunately, Artemis Fowl had planted a device to trigger his and his bodyguard's memories, just in time to save the fairy race from ultimate destruction.
In The Lost Colony, Artemis Fowl is following a trail of demon, another fairy race, apparitions which has happened in different parts of the world. He fears this might lead to the exposure of the fairy race which will prove disastrous. Also, he finds out that the time spell on the demon world is disintegrating and is determined to stop it. However, he does not know that another genius, Minerva Paradizo has her eyes on his own project and is eager to exploit the demons to gain a Nobel Prize at the cost of the extinction of the demons.
Artemis Fowl is soon caught up in the event and finds that Minerva Paradizo is indeed very cunning and clever and decides to use his own ingenuity to stop her. Meanwhile, while Minerva is still observing her specimen, her guard, Billy Kong has another plan. Artemis Fowl unleashes his plan and steals her demon away from her, much to her disdain. However, Billy Kong steps in and takes over after the entire fiasco. He demands to Minerva that he must have a demon despite her protests and threatens to the head of security of the Paradizo family. Fortunately, he is stopped once again by the entrance of Artemis Fowl, who insists a trade of the demon with Minerva. Billy Kong agrees, not knowing what Artemis Fowl has up on his sleeve. He uses the power of suggestion to lure Billy Kong to the place of his choice and after giving up his demon, steals it back after having the girl.
He explains to Minerva the enormity of her actions and tells her to stop her plans. She agrees and Artemis Fowl begins the second part of his plan to save the demon world, Hybras. Hybras has once been frozen into time by some warlocks, but the spells is now disintegrating and the only survivor of the time spell has been frozen to stone. Only a warlock can turn him back and it turns out that the demon Minerva stole is a warlock who has powers to turn the warlock back to life. However, he does not know how to control his power.
Meanwhile, Billy Kong is enraged by Artemis Fowl's deception and vows to take Minerva back. He sets up a bomb to explode and Artemis Fowl is forced to teleport himself and a few other magical beings into Hybras to continue his plans.
His plan succeeds and he gains some magical power on the way. However, he did not return to his own time, but 3 years in the future. Fearing he had caused the depression of his parents, he returns to see the wreckage he had caused. Butler greets him warmly and tells him of Minerva friendship between him and her. He also tells him that the Fowls has two new family members, and the story ends on the enigmatic note: What will happen when he uses his magic powers?

I feel that he storyline is superb and the character development and pace of story is fantastic. However, the story tends to drag at parts when they describe the development and the cause for panic for the problem in the story. Furthermore, they tend to add to overly describe and sometimes under describe the process and plan that Artemis carries out. The story also tends to blind us a little with science. However, the book still carries out its purpose and gives a refreshing read. Overall, if you are looking for a new book or are a fan of fantasy or science fiction, this is the book for you. However, you might need to read the earlier series or you may not understand what is going on.

Rating: 7.5/10
Great book!