Artemis Fowl »

In the summer of 2001, Eoin Colfer was a teacher in Ireland who had just finished up a book called Artemis Fowl -- about a boy in search of fairy gold. Colfer struck gold himself when his high-tech fairy tale starring the intrepid 12-year old "criminal mastermind" became a blockbuster bestseller that many considered to be the heir apparent to Harry Potter.

From a strikingly original voice in fiction comes the story of Artemis Fowl, a very unusual hero. Artemis combines the astuteness of Sherlock Holmes with the sangfroid of James Bond and the attitude of Attila the Hun. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories. These fairies are armed and they're dangerous. Artemis thinks he's got them just where he wants them, but then they stop playing by the rules . . . Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl opens up a riveting world of magic, mystery, and humor.

New York Times Book Review

Colfer has done enormously, explosively well.