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Eoin Colfer's bestselling antihero is back in Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident--the superb sequel to the hyper-hyped Artemis Fowl, shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year. The Arctic Incident sees the slightly older, perhaps slightly more mellow arch-criminal Artemis recovered from his last adventure, richer now that he has his half of a hoard of fairy gold, and happier since the Clarice Starlingesque superfairy Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon returned his mother's ailing mind to full health.

But there is still much unfinished business: Artemis Fowl Sr. disappeared when a daring escapade designed to free his family from their criminal--not to mention deeply lucrative--past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterprises went horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafiya (the Russian organized crime syndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but Artemis Jr. knows in his heart (yes, he does have one) that his beloved father is still alive, and he is determined to find him. Meanwhile Captain Short is temporarily on assignment to Customs and Excise as punishment for letting Fowl separate her and her People from their gold and is finding her stakeout duties a little dull. It soon becomes obvious that the pair have need of each other's considerable skills, and before long they are on track for an adventure that will ultimately have far-reaching consequences for both of them.

If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be disappointed by the second. Initially the pace is a little slower, and the slightly more mellow Artemis is certainly a tad unnerving at first (particularly as one of the things that made him such an unusual character was the fact that there was something distinctly unlikable about him), but once the sparks between Holly and Artemis begin to fly, and the adventure that tests their endurance to their emotional, physical, and intellectual limits begins, the pages just keep on turning.

The high-tech hocus pocus, the complex underworld, and the James Bond-style storyline will keep even the most reluctant reader enthralled. Add to the mix a fair dollop of humor, the occasional sprinkling of right-on commentary about the state of the planet, and enough hooks in the story to ensure you will be clamoring for the next book. This chilling, thrilling adventure is a seriously cool (in more ways than one!) must-read for anyone age 9 and older. --Susan Harrison


From Publishers Weekly
Rocketing readers back into a world of modern fairies (they pack heat and wear motorized wings), Colfer here reunites 13-year-old antihero Artemis with his former kidnap victim, Captain Holly Short, an elf officer with the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance) squad. As the erstwhile arch enemies join forces to squelch a power-hungry pixie's coup attempt in one world and to rescue Artemis's long-missing father in another (he's being held for ransom by the Russian Mafiya), the boy proves he has a heart after all, even as he builds his reputation as a world-class criminal mastermind. Once again, the roller coaster of a plot introduces a host of high jinks and high-tech weaponry as Colfer blends derring-do with snappy prose ("The broad grin disappeared like a fox down a hole") and repartee ("Hey, Mulch, if you listen really hard you can just about make out the sound of nobody giving a hoot"). The resulting fantasy hosts memorable characters, many of whom (such as the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums) reprise roles that helped attract fans to the first adventure. The author ratchets up the body count in this return engagement (perhaps too steeply for some tastes), and the high-concept premise may be a tad slick for others, but Colfer's finger is firmly on the pulse of his target market, and along with extra helpings of sly humor ("The sprite's breathing calmed, and a healthy green tinge started to return to his cheeks") he delivers a cracking good read. Ages 10-up. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8 In this entertaining sequel, Artemis Fowl tries to rescue his father from Russian Mafiya gangsters. Here, the criminal mastermind teams up with Captain Holly, the same leprechaun officer whom he battled in the first book. He needs her fairy magic and technology to help with his mission, while she and her friends enlist the boy to aid them in preventing a goblin revolt. The action is brisk, with fiendish plots, ingenious escapes, and lively battle scenes. Though still diabolically clever, Artemis loses some of his edge as the story proceeds, and even commits a few selfless acts along the way. His own bafflement at these sentimental lapses is amusing, and he develops into a more likable figure. His unbridled greed and ambition were essential to his antihero appeal in the first book, and a gentler Artemis is not quite as engaging. Still, it's fun to see him run rings around a school counselor, and his verbal jousts with his fairy allies keep some of that spark alive. Many characters from the first book return, though none develop much beyond their basic personality traits. The satisfying conclusion resolves the fate of Artemis's father and sets the scene for future sequels. -Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
[Editor's Note: This is a combined review with THE ARCTIC INCIDENT and ARTEMIS FOWL.]--Colfer's series features two complex societies: the wealthy, if felonious, above-ground world of the human Fowl family and the elaborate, technologically advanced underground world of the fairies. Artemis Fowl, the 12-year-old scion of a famous Irish crime family, sets out to restore the ancestral fortunes depleted by his father's supposed death at the hands of the Russian mafia. The young criminal mastermind's plan rests on the kidnap and ransom of a fairy. The ransom demanded will be fairy gold. Into this world of adventure, corruption, and extraordinary technology comes narrator Nathaniel Parker, who has a distinct voice for everyone--from the young Master Fowl to the kidnapped LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police) Captain Holly Short and the astonishing computer genius of the fairy world, the centaur Foaly. Parker creates a complete pantheon of accents and pacing to complement Colfer's worlds. The sequels, in which Artemis--strangely developing what appears to be a conscience--invokes the help of the fairies to save his father (THE ARCTIC INCIDENT) and to rescue both the humans and fairies from the evil Jon Spiro (THE ETERNITY CODE) maintain the impeccable voicing and pacing developed in the first book. The recurring characters are instantly recognizable from one book to the next, encouraging the listener to suspend disbelief and become completely immersed in the escapades, often laced with humor, of Artemis and his various companions. While the pronunciation the Vietnamese surname "Nguyen" may startle some listeners, and the 1940s-style Asian accent is somewhat stereotypical, this does nothing to diminish the rip-roaring adventure. Parker's splendid narration should lead to family listening that might just encourage discussion of truth, friendship, and loyalty. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Artemis Fowl, the brilliant teenage criminal mastermind created by author Eoin Colfer, returns for another adventure in The Arctic Incident, Book Two of this exciting new series. Colfer's mythical world, which features a secret underground community populated by fairies, satyrs, trolls, and gnomes who frequently find themselves at odds with the above-ground humans, offers a perfect blend of humor, magic, fantasy, and conflict.

In the first book of the series, Artemis battled both the underground inhabitants and Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police force. He also lost his beloved father, who is assumed to be dead. Now, after receiving a mysterious video email, Artemis finds himself in need of help from his recent enemies. The video shows a man bearing a striking resemblance to Artemis's father, sitting in the wasteland of arctic Russia. Artemis sets off to rescue the man, but first he must enlist some magical assistance.

Down in the underground world, chaos has arisen. An unknown traitor has stolen forbidden weapons and armed a horde of trolls, setting them loose to wreak havoc on the citizens. Clues lead Captain Holly Short straight to Artemis, and she exacts a small bit of revenge by kidnapping him, just as he once kidnapped her. But soon she learns that Artemis isn't behind the chaos, and if she's to have any hope of stopping it, she will need his help. As a result, these onetime adversaries must now join forces -- a mix that proves to be both charming and volatile.

Colfer has combined the magical appeal of Rowling's Harry Potter series with a fantasy world reminiscent of Tolkien's. By stirring a few intriguingly conflicted characters and lots of nonstop action into the mix, he's created a winning recipe guaranteed to keep young readers glued to the pages for hours. (Beth Amos)

ANNOTATION

In order to free his father from the Russian Mafiya, Artemis must join forces with the fairy police and his familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Artemis is at boarding school in Ireland when he suddenly receives an urgent video e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from his father, who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by Captain Holly Short of the Leprecon fairy police. But this time, instead of battling the fairies, he is going to have to join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.

FROM THE CRITICS

Entertainment Weekly

The world that Colfer creates is as vivid and fantastical as any shire, gotham, or galaxy far, far away in recent memory. Grade: A-.

Publishers Weekly

In the second and third books in the series about the 13-year-old criminal mastermind, he proves he has a heart after all (in the former), and, in the latter, craves one more adventure before he turns to the straight and narrow. "Rapid-fire dialogue and wise-acre humor ensure that readers will burn the midnight oil," said PW in a starred review of Eternity Code. Ages 10-up. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Heidi Hauser Green

Thirteen-year-old genius Artemis Fowl is at St. Bartleby's boarding school in Ireland when he receives an important and unexpected message. His father is being held captive by the Russian Mafiya. A ransom is demanded. Artemis knows he will have to act fast if he is to save his beloved father; the video that accompanied the message showed he was in pretty bad shape. At the same time, in the fairy world, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police has found goblins engaged in suspicious criminal activity. She knows they have help from somewhere, since goblins themselves are dumb as boards, and her #1 suspect is fairy enemy #1, Artemis Fowl. It is only by working together that Holly Short and Artemis Fowl, previously enemies, will be able to figure out what is really going on, both above ground and beneath it. Eoin Colfer's sequel to the popular Artemis Fowl is as action-packed and irreverent as the first. A witty blend of fantasy, spy tale, and action movie, readers are sure to enjoy the fast-paced adventures of Artemis, his powerful sidekick Butler, Foaly the centaur, and fairies Holly and Root. As soon as they turn the last page of this book, they'll be hungering for the next one. 2002, Talk Miramax Books/Hyperion,

VOYA - Michael Levy

The thirteen-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, his supercompetent manservant, Butler, and Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police all return in this sequel to last year's high-spirited romp Artemis Fowl (Hyperion, 2001/VOYA August 2001). In the first book, the young protagonist￯﾿ﾽone can hardly call him a hero￯﾿ﾽtook over the family's criminal enterprises after his father's disappearance at sea. Now, however, Artemis has discovered that his father is still alive and is being held for ransom in the Arctic by the Russian Mafiya. Simultaneously, Captain Short is investigating the possession of contraband human technology by the dangerous B'wa Kell Goblin triads. She assumes at first that Artemis must be involved, until when he proves innocent￯﾿ﾽof this crime at least￯﾿ﾽshe enlists his services to catch the real criminals. In return, the fairies agree to help Fowl rescue his father. None of them realizes, however, that the human contraband case actually is part of a much larger and more dangerous plot, formulated by the power-mad fairy industrialist who supplies all of LEPrecon's newest weapons technology to take over the underworld. Like its predecessor, this book is carefully positioned by the publisher to attach itself to Harry Potter's coattails, and with an amazing

School Library Journal