Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

(Cover picture courtesy of Sarah’s Reviews.)

Artemis is at boarding school in Ireland when he receives an urgent e-mail from Russia.  It is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya: his father.  As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by a familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police.  But this time, instead of battling 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.

The Arctic Incident is the second book in Eoin Colfer’s bestselling Artemis Fowl series and it really improves upon the first novel.  It picks up with a plea from Artemis’ father, who has been missing for the past two years and because of this, we really see the side of Artemis that is still a twelve-year-old boy.  This vulnerable side gives him a lot more depth and makes him much easier to relate to than he is in the first book.  Holly Short, who joins him on this quest after he helps the LEP with the goblin rebellion, is also given more depth.  Her dislike of Artemis is evident (he did kidnap her after all), but by the end of the novel she has warmed up to him a lot more.  The dynamics of their ‘friendship’ are very interesting and Eoin Colfer plays up this “unlikely friends” angle a lot, much to his readers’ delight.

As for the plot, well, what can I say?  There’s always a sense of urgency and the point of view switches at all the right places to keep the novel moving along very quickly.  Seeing the story from a few different perspectives is really interesting because each one is so unique.  when it comes to switching writing styles quickly, Eoin Colfer is king.

The characters and plot are excellent, but what I love most about The Arctic Incident is all of the technology the fairies have developed.  In most fantasy, creatures that have magic are far behind in science and technology, but this is definitely not the case.  The Neutrino 2000, the Moonbelts and even the suits the LEP use for above-ground missions are truly amazing.  Yet it’s magic, not science, that heals Holly when she’s badly hurt in Russia.  This combination of science and magic is probably my favourite part ofThe Arctic Incident.

I give this book 4.5/5 stars.

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My Interview with Krystal Wade

Krystal Wade is the author of Wilde’s Fire, one of the few fantasy books that I love.  So imagine my delight when she agreed to do an interview!  For all you folks out there that might want to buy Wilde’s Fire, it’s coming out on May 13 of this year.  Go ahead and pre-order it; you won’t regret it.

The fantasy world you’ve created is definitely one of the more unique ones.  Where did you get the idea from?

Wilde’s Fire started off as an image of a girl in a dense, green forest, reaching out her finger to touch something shimmering. The image of this girl wouldn’t go away, so I decided to write. When it came time to figure out where this shimmering thing (the portal) was leading her to, I was clueless . . . in the dark, if you will. I couldn’t see anything in my head, so I made Encardia a world ravaged by Darkness! Hey, if you can’t see it, make it dark! 😉 Continue reading →

Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz

(Cover picture courtesy of English I Book Reviews.)

Teen superspy Alex Rider’s world shatter when he discovers that the father he never knew may have been an assassin for Scorpia, the deadliest terrorist organization in the world.  And now Scorpia wants Alex on their side, and will stop at nothing to get to him.

Alex Rider’s doubts about MI6 have resurfaced in this book, this time with extraordinary consequences.  Just like Yassen told him before he died in Eagle Strike, he seeks out Scorpia in Italy.  This leads to a whole series of dangerous adventures, interesting characters and incredibly tough decisions.  Will Alex choose between working for Scorpia like his father supposedly did or will he continue to work for MI6, an organization that has manipulated him again and again?

Scorpia is probably the best book in the whole Alex Rider series because Alex finally acquires some depth.  He’s still a bit too perfect for a fourteen year old boy, but he is more of a three dimensional character now than before.  The villain, Julia Rothman, is better than many of the villains in the previous novels, but she will still never make my list of good villains.

As for the plot, it’s very fast-paced and showcases Anthony Horowitz at his best.  He has achieved the perfect balance between description and dialogue for an action novel and there is never a dull moment in Scorpia because of this.  As usual, he has done his research well and transports readers to each exotic location in the novel very well.

I give this book 4/5 stars.

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YA News and Upcoming Releases

Secrets of the Time Society by Alexandra Monir is yet another tie-in ebook.  This time, it’s all about answering the questions from Timeless, like how the main character travels through time and such.  It’s available from many different ebook sellers for $1.99, if you’re interested.  I won’t buy it, mainly because I don’t actually own an e-reader, but looking at the synopsis, I wish I did.

 

 

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer is the last book in the Artemis Fowl series.  Personally, I can’t wait for it to come out!  Thankfully, it is going to be released July 10, 2012.  From the blurb on Amazon, you can tell that this is going to be a thrilling conclusion.

 

 

As many of you know, I have Carolyn Meyer to thank for getting my little sister interested in history.  So, as a sort of thank you, I would like everyone to know that Ms. Meyer is publishing yet another book in her series of diaries of famous women.  This one, The Wild Queen, is about Mary, Queen of Scots.  It will be published in June 2012, according to her website.

 

You can probably tell from my review that I’m pretty excited about the release of this book.  Through NetGalley, I was able to read an ARC of this in e-book format (on my computer, not an e-reader).  And you know what?  This is actually a really good book that I would recommend to any lover of fantasy!  So if you’re interested, the release date is set for May 13, 2012.  Go on, check it out.  You know you want to.

 

I’m a Michael Scott fan, so I’m also pretty excited about this book’s release.  I’ve pre-ordered it from my local bookstore, but like everyone else, I’m going to have to wait for May 22 until I can get my hands on this book.  Sigh.  I’m not a patient person.

 

 

 

Wilde’s Fire by Krystal Wade

(Cover picture and blurb courtesy of Krystal Wade’s blog.)
“There is no pain in this death, only peace, knowing I am going to die with the one I love the most.” — Katriona Wilde

Katriona Wilde has never wondered what it would feel like to have everything she’s ever known and loved ripped away, but she is about to find out. When she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, she finds herself faced with more than just the frightening creatures in front of her. She’s forced to accept a new truth: her entire life has been a lie, and those closest to her have betrayed her. What’s worse, she has no control over her new future, and it’s full of magic and horrors from which nightmares are made. Will she discover and learn to control who she really is in time to save the ones she loves, or will all be lost?

[Full disclosure: I received a free book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

After my rant about the lack of diversity in fantasy, I took a break from the genre for a bit, knowing that a return would prompt another rant.  Now that I’m through my cooling off period, I decided to give fantasy another chance.  And you know what?  I’m glad I did because I found Wilde’s Fire by Krystal Wade.

Romance, fascinating characters, a love triangle with a huge twist and superb world-building…what more could you ask for in fantasy?  Well, this first book in the Darkness Falls series will leave you anxious for the second book, but nothing else because it is such a satisfying read.  Wilde’s Fire is a fast-paced roller coaster that will keep you quite literally on the edge of your seat.  The book starts out slow, but I guarantee that after the second chapter, you won’t want to put it down.

Katriona “Kate” Wilde, the main character, is pretty much your typical female lead in the beginning, but as she becomes more sure of herself and falls in love, she becomes a very strong protagonist.  I would call this more of a character driven novel than a plot driven novel, which I actually don’t mind because Kate is such a good character.  She stays strong, but she has her vulnerable, more human moments and she doesn’t fall in Insta-Love.  It’s a nice change, actually.

For those of you that love good world-building, I would recommend this book.  The daemons, the magical animals, the different humanoid races…they are partly clichés, but Krystal Wade had put a spin on these old fantasy tropes.  For a first time writer, she really does have amazing world-building.  Heck, she’s better than most experienced writers when it comes to world-building.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

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