Rating: 
Summary: A new age of fantasy
Review: Undoubtedly this will be constantly compared to Harry Potter, but for crying out loud, just because a book might become as highly-liked as HP doesn't mean that the plot has to amble along the same lines. Irish author Eoin Colfer makes an amazing debut in the US with this book.Artemis Fowl is an astonishing criminal mastermind (he's also twelve), the end of a line of criminals, who now plans to rob the fairies/elves of their gold. The way that he plans to do so is kidnapping of an elf and subsequent ransom. Enter Captain Holly Short, a member of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance--a cute touch that had me laughing out loud) and elvish Commander Root. And Holly is just perfect for the scheme. Though there are folklore, fairies and fantasy, this is no ancient-themed tale -- but wholly of the 21st century, with a bit of high-tech stuff thrown in. Forget the usual wands, cauldrons and spells: There's a magical Book, but also powerful computers and a digital camera (dare you to find one of those in other modern juvenile fantasies...) The characters -- especially peppery Holly and intelligent, wily Artemis -- are full of pizzazz and sparkle. The appearances of the otherworldly characters -- done to death in conventional fantasy -- were tempered by the 21st century nature of the setting, and the natures of their jobs and interactions. All are given a slightly twisted, smiling slant. The pace is high-speed, with few lags in the plotline. Occasionally I lost track of what was going on, but a backtrack of a few pages fixed that. The writing style is a little too stark and undescriptive for my personal taste, but I suppose it would not be high-speed if there were a great deal of description. Will Harry Potter fans like this? I truly cannot tell, they might not like the vast differences between the two -- but fans of quirky, imaginative fantasy will love it for sure.
Rating: 
Summary: Harry Potter meets Tom Clancy
Review: I guess I was expecting a story that was a little bit "nicer" than what I found. I have a hard time saying this book would be a good read for kids when the twelve year old main character uses deceit and blackmail to get what he wants, not mention the fact that he seems to have a full arsenel of weapons to choose from and no reservations about using them.
Rating:
Summary: should not be compared to potter
Review: As a children's book buyer in the UK I was able to read this prior to release. I don't think it should be compared to Harry Potter as the book deals with totally different areas of fantasy literature. I really enjoyed the book, as did my son and husband, we all thought it was a grittier read than Potter and we all found it extremely funny. I hope Eoin Colfer becomes a household name, as he deserves to be, and I will certainly be recommending it in the UK. FANTASTIC.
Rating: 
Summary: Harry Potter it Ain't!
Review: Like the first individual reviewing this book, I too was excited by the possibility that I might be able to read something comparable to Harry Potter. Certainly the hype surrounding this book led me to believe that this might be the case. Much to my great disappointment, I found Artemis Fowl to be far less entertaining, or imaginative than Harry Potter. Eoin Colfer does have a talent for description. He paints with words beautifully. Unfortunately, most of his leading characters lack a great deal in the "likeability" department, especially the main character, Artemis Fowl. His last name should actually be "Foul". Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I really don't find a twelve year old child who lies, cheats, steals...and even tortures some of the other players in this story...endearing...even if it's in an attempt to replenish his family's diminished fortune. This is due to the fact that his father, a notorious criminal, has been missing for months and is presumed dead...murdered...and his mother is in a drugged stupor in a darkened upstairs bedroom, unable to recognize her son or surroundings. Nor do I find tunneling dwarfs who use exploding farts...(yes, you read that correctly)and other secreted bodily fluids as weapons as entertaining. However, to give Colfor his due, the characters of Holly, Root and Foaly are winners. Had he written the book entirely about them, I would have enjoyed it a great deal more...to say the least. This book is only the first in what is obviously intended as a series. A "Leprechaun" code which appears at the bottom of every page can be decoded to win prizes, the first prize being a part in the already planned movie. So, even if this is far from being great literature, it will have it's avid fans and followers, I'm sure. I for one will not bother with the next book and will instead wait patiently for the next Harry Potter.
Rating:
Summary: Not the next Potter
Review: Artemis Fowl is often compared to Harry Potter but it doesn't live up to the hype. Sadly, Colfer isn't as good of a writer as Rowling. His writing was both dull and cliché ridden, and the main character mean-spirited and unlikable. This is besides the fact that Artemis Fowl promotes and glorifies extortion, which will not thrill watchful parents. Admittedly, Harry Potter has its faults but is a more enjoyable read. I advise Potter fans to look elsewhere for a substitute until book five is published.
Rating:
Summary: Believe the hype!
Review: Being an avid reader, I bought this book based on an initial article that I had read about it being the next big thing since Harry Potter. I was anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Potter series, so I decided to give it a try. I am glad that I did. I could not put the book down! My biggest letdown is that the book is over, and when I reread it, I know what will happen. The intermingling of magical elements into modern society was very believable. The contrast of technology and magic is an interesting tangent. The characters are believable and lovable, even the villians, and they all show their strengths and weaknesses. The book had action, warmth, and humor. It is a book that I will read and reread!
Rating: 
Summary: Artemis Fowl
Review: I thought that Artimes Fowl was a great book. The beginning is a little bit confusing but you get it later on in the book. I finished it in three days. It is a book you do not want to put down. Reccomended to all.
Rating:
Summary: Three Generations Entertained:
Review: Colfer's newest work, Artemis Fowl, is a delightful, energetic piece of science fiction posing as fantasy. He introduces technology and asks the age old question, "What if?"
Colfer's witty writing style makes this piece a delight for all ages. While recommended for grades 6 and above, due to the reading skills required, this book provides the perfect opprotunity for parents (or grandparents in my case) to read to their children. The plot and clever use of language is sophisticated enough for the reader to enjoy; while the high energy, vivid, even graphic descriptions, fully engage the over eight year old crowd who have outgrown many books they are capable of reading. In my case, reading this book to my 10 year old grandson allowed me to not only spend time with my grandson, but to also elicit giggles from him and his hard to please mother. We were each engaged by the story's wit and pace. Like the Harry Potter books, reading this book causes both reader and listener to ask, "When is the next book coming out?"
Rating:
Summary: one of the best books ever
Review: Artemis Fowl was fun and exciting. I couldn't put this book down. Who knew fairies could be so tricky, especially the LEP officers. These aren't your regular fairytale fairies. I was so enchanted by it that I immediately started book 2 in this series. I have to know what happens next!
Rating: 
Summary: Artemis's genius was a bit much to swallow
Review: The book opened beautifully, but the more I read the more I realized I was just waiting for Artemis Fowl to screw up. I liked the appeal of a dignified and intelligent prodigy when I began, but the glamour quickly wore off. Artemis and his mansevernt's infallibility becomes annoying and finally unconvicning, and the author seems to be dumbing everyone down to make Artemis look smarter. Another big problem I have with this book is the fairy world is much too parralel to that of the human one. Fairies supposedly think humans barbarians, but the author depicts them just the same as an average homosapien: they can be nagging, decietful, greedy, squablish, and backstabbing, and I was beginning to wonder what made fairies different from man, apart from Colfer insisting they were. The fact that the fairies have a long lifespan of thousands of years doesn't seem to reflect in the way they act at all, with a colloquial speech that matches that of a regular human. As a matter of fact, everyone talked with the same "voice"; Colfer didn't spend much time creating individual personalities.
The book is full of humor delievered at the wrong time. I never was gripped by the action which seems to lack gravity or convincibility, because the author feels he must lighten it with a mistimed joke. All events are predictable and the characters themselves are very sterotypical; they even have the angry, cigar-smoking head-hancho "cop" who really cares, deep down inside.
My parting words are I fell asleep during the last five pages.
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