Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer (Audiobook)

Bibliographic Information:
Colfer, E. (2004). Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. Read by Nathaniel Parker. Listening Library. ISBN-10: 1400085926

Book Awards:
None.

Plot Summary:
Fairy cop Holly Short is holding a serious grudge against Artemis for kidnapping her the previous year. So it's a hard pill to swallow when the fairies send her to ask for his help in finding a traitor in their ranks. It's even more annoying when Artemis demands reciprocal help in rescuing his father, and Holly is the one assigned to help him! The goblins are on the loose, however, and strangely enough, all of the fairy police's weapons won't work. Artemis must not only use his formidable brain, but also his questionable physical skills to solve everyone's problems.

Critical Evaluation:
Colfer's early career as a comedian shows in his sly humor and adroit phrasing. Nathaniel Parker does a fabulous job with the various accents, ranging from Irish to Russian to French to Goblin. This is not a particularly thought-provoking novel, but it is highly entertaining and well-written. Colfer's high-tech, peace-loving, and law-abiding fairies are a very different interpretation from the norm. The humor and action scenes are appropriate for the younger tweens, but still gripping enough to hold older teens and adults. There are subtleties that, while not crucial to the plotline, add the depth that will interest the older readers/listeners.

Reader's Annotation:
Can Artemis rescue his dad from the Russian mafia, save the Fairies from the goblins, and evade the school psychologist?

About the Author:
Eoin Colfer was born on May 14, 1965 in Wexford county, Ireland. He received his degree from Dublin university and returned to work in Wexford as a primary school teacher. He married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. In 2001, the first Artemis Fowl book was published and became so popular that he was able to write full time.

Genre:
Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:
None

Booktalking Ideas:
What if someone turned off police weapons?
How do you imagine fairy society?

Interest Age:
10+

Challenge Issues:
None
However, if a challenge should occur,
Read the book! Urge parent to do the same. Cite reviews. Refer to collection development policy. If dispute continues, parents' wishes regarding their own children will be respected.

Reason Included:
The Artemis Fowl books are wildly popular, and this one was available on the audio shelf.