Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian

Sadly, "The Last Guardian" is advertised as the "Final Installment" of this truly marvelous YA series for young and old alike! When Eoin Colfer first introduced our young, evil genius-hero in 2001, I was no where to be found. It was years later (around 2007) at the urging of some of my junior English students who encouraged me to try this series. Reluctantly, I did, and I was hooked! Colfer created a world of humans, fairies, trolls, elves, and others that challenges some of the best: Hogwarts, Middle Earth, to the more recent Camp Half-Blood or even Panem. With great creativity, Colfer has brought to life a collection of characters literally from all walks of life who we meet through out the series of Artemis Fowl books. Some we "boo", while others we cheer for and want them to succeed. Colfer's "The Last Guardian" brings together many of the characters who have been introduced at different times during the series: Artemis, Holly, Butler, Foaly, Mulch and others come together to oppose the dark forces lead by the ever sinister Opal Koboi. This becomes a battle to save humanity and the world as we know it. Opal's masterful plan is to open the ancient gate which holds the spirits of the ancient berserkers and unleash forces that will destroy all human life. The book is fast paced and reads even more quickly the further you read. "The Last Guardian" provides a satisfying ending - not a traditional trite one. Furthermore, the reader realizes just how much Artemis has changed from Book #1 to the ending; Artemis has finally learned what being a human is all about. Sadly, it is the end of a brilliant series; gladly, this series will live on in the pages of books forever. If you enjoy some action, adventure, with a touch of fantasy, then I strongly recommend this series to you. You can read this book without having read the others, but quite honestly you would lose the introductions and the building of relationships of the characters. Additionally, many events build on one another as one book leads to another. Therefore, I do recommend that you do try the series in order beginning with the first book, "Artemis Fowl." This is a brilliant series for youth or adult; I will gladly share it with my grandson which I hope will help create a spark of interest in reading within him.

I just finished reading the final installment in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series and though to myself, "Hey, why not add book reviews to my review site?" So here we are! These probably won't be as frequent as my other reviews, but I'll try not to let this section of the site stagnate too much. I first started reading about the adventures of the teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, his trusty bodyguard Domovoi Butler, and the spunky LEP Captain Holly Short back in 2004 or so. I first picked up The Eternity Code, the third book in the series, and was hooked from the start. I went back and read through the first two and became a loyal follower of the series over the years. The first three or four books were excellent, and the next few, while not as good, were still quite enjoyable. But The Last Guardian...wow. Colfer's writing is as top-notch as always; he never fails to make me laugh. His books always feel so smart, from the dialogue to the jokes made when the narrator is simply describing the situation. The pace is set in the first chapter and it doesn't slow down until the very last chapter, when just about everything is resolved in the best ways possible. My only complaint is that it seemed that Colfer was explaining things a lot of the time, particularly in the first half, and a lot of it, such as an ancient game of the People that involved chewing on worms, simply didn't need explaining; I would like to assume that the only people reading this book have read the previous 7 already. This complaint is small, though, because the rest of the book was everything I could have wished for. I don't want to spoil anything (a spoiler I am not!), but I'll say this: we are given an excellent villain appropriate for the final book of the series, the characters that we all know and love all have their shining moments, and the plot is one of - if not the - best out of all eight books. I wouldn't hesitate to say that this is my favorite book of the series. If you're a fan of Artemis Fowl, this book is a must-read! If you haven't read any of the young Artemis Fowl's adventures, you're missing out! Start from the beginning and read on...you won't regret it! Rating: 10 (out of 10) -Chad [...] P.S. - Goodbye, childhood.

Coming back to this book was still so sad for me. I continue to love this world and these characters. Even when they have their down moments, and the not-so-awesome seventh book (imho), I still love them. When you find a series like this one - or like Harry Potter, or the Grishaverse - it's so hard to say goodbye. Even when it's done well. As far as endings go, I'm happy with the way Eoin Colfer left this series. It's absolutely heartbreaking, don't get me wrong, but it's also beautiful. I think all the characters are at their most vulnerable here. I'd like to see more from Miles, Beckett, and Juliet... but I think on that front Colfer has left himself an opportunity for a spinoff series that could be fun should he decide to go that route. As for our old friends - to use a phrase of Artemis's - we get to say goodbye. They're stretched to their limits, each and every one of them. Even Mulch gets a bit of unexpected glory. It's a dazzling way for them all to go. This series remains very close to my heart, and I continue to recommend it all over the place. It's one that was popular in its time, but seems to have faded since then. I desperately hope that this film coming in August is successful, because I would love to see this series gain some more popularity. It holds up. And it was a wonderful journey.

How could the Artemis Fowl saga come to a close? Artemis has grown older throughout the series, but he is still very young. How then to bring closure to a story when the protagonist may still have many years ahead of him? Or does he? Colfer takes advantage of having developed all his characters over so many books. He doesn't waste time with backstory; we all know them well enough. At the same time, the characters are almost too familiar. They don't surprise us anymore, even when they do extraordinary things. I wonder if maybe the series went on one book too long. Don't get me wrong, this was my favorite series growing up, but I'm not sure if there was really reason enough for one more story. Despite a certain basic predictability, the plot is quite original, and the story has all the usual twists and turns, technology and myth, and all our favorite characters have their place. There are new characters as well. We learn a little more about Artemis's brothers, and we learn more about the Warlock fairies who first appeared in book five. The chief villains of the story are more vicious than anything we've come across before. All previous villains have been sort of funny, but these ones are just evil. It's a natural turn for an author trying to lend an extra bit of gravity to a story that must bring the series to a close, but it definitely feels like a different kind of Artemis Fowl book. The ending is final, no doubt about that. Was it satisfying? That's an entirely personal judgment. All I can say is, I don't regret one moment of the time I've spent pouring over these books, and I don't think I'm alone.

From the get-go it appears Artemis Fowl is going to be about Artemis Fowl, a criminal boy genius with Sherlock Holmes-like powers of deduction, but then bomb squad-esque faeries take over the story and we end up spending just as much time, if not more, reading about them. That's fine since they're interesting and their story moves with a good dash of fun and excitement. This is another of those books with a redeemable bad-guy protagonist. We shouldn't, but we do root for him, at least in some way, shape or form. In the natural (or "typical") way of things, that would mean the antagonists are good guys, who we're hoping won't succeed, at least not 100%. I haven't tired of this formula just yet, plus Colfer has handled it well and crafted a fast, short read that doesn't give you much downtime to reflect on any potential faults. I found this book to be very similar to Jonathan Stroud's The Amulet of Samarkand with its snarky protagonist, its magic-in-a-modern-setting, its fantastical creatures and its infusion of light-hearted comedy (Things slowing down due to necessary exposition? Throw in a fart joke!). You can tell Colfer did a bit of research into mythology and magical beings, as we see some creature attributes from the old traditions. For instance, I like his portrayal of a burrowing dwarf. He also had fun with meshing the modern aspects with these old notions, technology with mythology. I've not always been a big fan of that genre (parts of the Ralph Bakshi movie "Wizards" annoyed me the first time I saw it), but Colfer balances and blends the two together pretty well, almost seamlessly.

I started reading the Artemis Fowl books last fall. I was looking for another fun quick young adult series and I have been surprised how much I have liked these books. I bought The Last Guardian last Tuesday, when it came out and read it in a day. This was a very good conclusion of the series. Of course it has the villan Opal Koboi and all of the characters from the previous books that you have come to love. I always hate to spoil the story in a review, so I will not get into the plot line. The book opens with Artemis finishing up treatment for the Atlantis Complex that he had at the end of the last book. Opal Koboi has figured out another way to escape and she is headed to Artemis' home. From there the action does not stop. Artemis is very different from the 11 year old master criminal he was in the first book. He is older, more responsible and much more self-less in outlook. He now has a whole group of people that he feels responsible for, not only his family and the Butlers, but also Holly, Diggums and a number of other fairies. His age and the change are really the star of this final book. Overall, this is one of the best endings to a young adult series I have read.

I've pre-ordered the last five books of this series. And it's been an exciting ride. This last book was a great culmination to Artemis's daring-do. A bit predictable? Yeah, you'll probably have it all figured out well before the end, but read it anyway, it's worth every turned page. Be warned, there are some gruesome bits, and a pretty big body count. Artemis has recovered from the Atlantis Complex, and just when he thought he could continue on as just a boy genius, Opal Koboi does the unthinkable, and the impossible, bringing humanity to its knees while she sets about to complete the annihilation of the race she hates so badly. Only Artemis, Holly, and Butler stand in her way, but she has a band of resurrected fairy warriors at her command. (Well, sort of.) They're sufficient to the task at least, and Artemis must go beyond himself for a chance to stop the evil pixie's plans. Can he save the world one last time? And if he can, will he be willing to pay the price? We get a few glimpses of Artemis's brother's (Myles and Beckett), and Butler's sister (Juliet)along with a quick good-bye to Demon wizard No 1, and we spend some quality time with Foaly and his run-down work van.(Wish I had one!) We meet new creatures, old enemies, and attacking bunnies. And somehow, in Artemis's world, they all make sense. Enjoy the read.

When I first got my Kindle, my dad downloaded a few start-up books for me. Artemis Fowl was one of those books. I must admit I was reluctant to try it, but the saying, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover' was about to come true-literally. I was instantly immersed in the plot-twisting, risk-taking, wonderful world of Artemis Fowl. When I finished it I introduced it to my friend, who introduced it to her friend, who, well…you get the idea. Since then I have finished the entire series twice and reread my favourites a third time. This last book has the complex plot of all the others, 3-dimensional characters, and a dash of humour. These, in my opinion, make the perfect story. In this world of farting dwarves, vibrating elves, criminal masterminds, and stubborn trolls, the main character goes from kidnapping fairies for gold in the first book to sacrificing himself for the world in this last one. Altogether an awesome read. Definitely recommended. :)

Funny all the way and very suspenseful. Really enjoyed reading this book and the rest of the series. Highly recommend regardless of your age!

After finishing the book, I had a quick flick thru some other reviews of AFLG before starting this review. Obviously I've grown up with this series and everyone else sharing their opinions had their own ideas of how this should end (is this the end?) - I struggled for a while to decide on my rating. So here's my logic on going for the full 5 star treatment. First of all, thanks to Eoin Colfer for putting together a truly imaginativeand memorable series. Some of it has required some serious concentration to disentangle the story, a great deal of suspension of disbelief, and sometimes an infuriating resorting to convenient story lines to get from one point to another (my personal bugbear was the squandered opportunity of Artemis' memory wipe circa book 3 which could have led to all sorts of fun and conflict, but was reversed far too quickly) But what has kept me hooked throughout is the development of character and elegance of writing style. Artemis Fowl starts as a precocious, mean spirited, cold and calculating 11 year old who sees an opportunity to gain supremacy at the expense of an entire race of people. It takes considerable literary guile to develop him into a multi-faceted and admirable anti-hero who ,by the end of AFLG, has no hesitation in carrying out the ultimate act of selflessness. I've also been drawn in by the colourful and sharp-witted team around him, his loyal elf ally Holly Short, ever self-sacrificing bodyguard Butler, and the many characters who 've come and gone along the way. The death of Holly's commander Julius Root was a poignant and painful reminder that this was no child's play that Artemic Fowl frequently found himself drawn into. Mulch is welcome light relief here as he has frequently been. It has been noted that his appearances in AFLG have been somewhat convenient for our heroes' escape from peril, but there has rarely been a literary hero who hasn't relied on a little luck to emerge victorious. To the book itself, and with some relief I read the first few pages to be met with the reassurance that, following the disturbing lack of our hero through Atlantis Complex, (I've reviewed that elsewhere, and found it more than a little disappointing) Artemis is well and truly back with us, and this time we're straight into the action as all the jetsetting and dimension-hopping has been discarded in favour of getting back to the place it all started, the Fowl Manor outside Dublin, where super villainess Opal Koboi is preparing her ultimate plan for world domination. In true Mission Impossible 4 style, our heroes are cut off from their high-tech support system and have to rely on their own wits and courage to save the day. Unlike some of the other books, I found the narrative quite straightforward and direct this time. No space-time continuum quandaries or paradoxes to deal with here. There are enough clues from the start to piece together how Artemis will try and outwit his opponent, but it is still satisfying to see him stay one step intellectually of everyone including his firends, and they all recognise this, but this matured Artemis recognises also the qualities of his friends that he has come to rely on in his many adventures. I've noticed that some were hoping for more loose ends to be tied up - I'm not sure this necessarily leads to a more 'satisfying' conclusion than otherwise it might be. JRR Tolkein spent a lot of time on loose ends with LOTR and that just resulted in a great story that went on for far too long. Would we be happier if the last chapter of AFLG hadn't been written? Is 'The Sopranos' any less of a TV show given that we never find out what happens to Tony? Personally, I think the nuanced and complex relation ship between Artemis and Holly makes far more interesting reading than any Mills and Boon nonsense. So, 5 stars to Eoin Colfer for delivering the characters we love, doing what they do best, and for coming up with the goods with AFLG after coming off the rails a bit with the previous book. Artemis Fowl, boy genius, we'll miss you

Der letzte Wächter ist bisher nur in englischer Sprache erhältlich. Die deutsche Ausgabe erscheint am 08.03.2013 unter dem Titel "Das magische Tor". Ich versuche, möglichst wenig zu verraten, daher fällt die Inhaltszusammenfassung etwas kürzer aus. Artemis Fowl ist inzwischen nahezu vollständig vom Atlantis-Komplex geheilt, währenddessen öffnet Opal Koboi ein uraltes Portal, das nach dem Kampf um Irland vor 10.000 Jahren errichtet wurde. Die Familie und Freunde von Artemis Fowl werden von den Geistern, die aus dem Portal kamen besessen. Es beginnt ein Kampf um das Tor, da Artemis unbedingt verhindern muss, dass das zweite Portal geöffnet wird. Das Ende soll an dieser Stelle nicht verraten werden, nur soviel: Erstens kommt es anders und zweitens als man denkt. Kurz gesagt: Das Buch ist ziemlich großartig. Es ist ein mehr als nur würdiger Abschluss der Artemis Fowl Reihe. Alle Handlungsplätze werden konsequent zu Ende geführt, aber es wirkt nicht erzwungen. Es ergibt sich einfach aus den Ereignissen im Buch. Das Ende ist wirklich unerwartet. Es ist ein großartiges aber eigentlich nicht wirklich passendes Ende. Mir gefiel es (meiner Freundin übrigens auch!), es ist sehr lesenswert, jedoch sollte man an dieser Stelle wirklich die Vorgänger gelesen haben, da es direkt an Band 7 anknüpft. Ich gebe dem auf Englisch ab 13,95 erhältlichen Buch (auf Deutsch wird es 19,99€ kosten) als das “Grande Finale” volle 5/5 Sternen.

I just finished the series and have started reading another book by colfer'the fowl twins'. i found the series engaging and rather eccentric. the author's peculiar writing style compes one to continue reading for hours at a stretch. i thik of this last book to be a touch more interseting than the others. The ending is jaw dropping and is tesimony to artemis's brilliance.

As described Good company to deal with