Tagged: eoin colfer
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
(Cover picture courtesy of Tighe Chemidlin.)
In the future, in a place called Satellite City, Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He’s sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. Freight class.
Here, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. Cosmo realizes that he must get away, and escapes with the help of the Supernaturalists, a group of kids who have the same special abilities as Cosmo—they can see the supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrols the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what is left of humanity in Satellite City. But soon they find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they’d imagined, and they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in.
As a book reviewer, I hate to use clichés, but there really is only one word to describe The Supernaturalist: unique. Eoin Colfer’s more famous Artemis Fowl series and even his stand-alone novel, The Wish List have overshadowed his brilliant science fiction novel. Written with the humour and imagination I have come to expect from him, The Supernaturalist is absolutely brilliant.
Cosmo is pretty much your stereotypical protagonist in the beginning, but as the story progresses, he develops at a very natural pace. And as he slowly finds out the truth about the Parasites, we really do see an interesting side of him: the brave, more daring side. His struggle to fit in with the Supernaturalists, who have a group dynamic similar to that of The Thief Lord, also makes him identifiable with pretty much every adolescent in the world.
Eoin Colfer inserts so many plot twists and turns in The Supernaturalist that I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t be able to guess the ending, which is a huge surprise. The surprise ending is a whopper, but it’s also incredibly satisfying and brings some closure to this novel. For once, I have nothing to criticize about a book’s ending because Eoin Colfer was able to finish it in a pinch.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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.
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.
The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
(Cover picture courtesy of tabbed books.)
Cast out of her own home after her mother’s death, Meg is a drifter, a troublemaker. But after a botched attempt to rob an old man, Meg ends up in a very sticky situation. Her soul is up for grabs as the divine and demonic try every underhanded trick imaginable to claim it. Meg’s only chance to redeem herself is to help the old man she robbed fulfill his list of last wishes…before time runs out.
Eoin Colfer is probably best known for his Artemis Fowl series, but The Wish List deserves equal recognition, in my opinion. It is a wonderful, occasionally hilarious tale of forgiveness and redemption. The Wish List is a book that can be enjoyed by the young and old alike.
It starts off with Meg, the protagonist, and Belch (her accomplice) robbing an old man, injuring him badly. When Meg hesitates and wants to stop the burglary, Belch fires a shotgun at Meg, which explodes the gas tank behind her and kills them both. This may sound like a horrible beginning to a YA book, but it gets a lot better. Meg’s list of good and bad deeds is completely equal, which means she has to go back to Earth and help the old man she injured fulfill his bucket list (aka, his wish list) in order to get into Heaven.
While Meg helps atone for her bad deeds, we learn more of her story as well as why both the devil and St. Peter are battling for her soul. Of course, Eoin Colfer uses his creativity to create very interesting versions of Heaven and Hell. He also uses his writing prowess to make a plot twist and turn in such a way that the ending will leave you pleasantly surprised.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
(Cover picture courtesy of TweenCity.)
Stay back, human. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren’t the fairies of bedtime stories—they’re dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.
Artemis Fowl may be a twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, but readers of all ages will be able to identify with him. He can be cold and ruthless, but we see hints of the boy inside when he is with his mentally ill mother or thinking of his father, who has been missing for over a year. And while he may be a genius, he is flawed and does make a mistake that almost ends his fairy ransoming scheme.
Eoin Colfer’s amazing characterization is second only to his world-building. He has created a compelling history of fairies by mixing folklore with his own highly creative ideas. The technology described in Artemis Fowl is highly futuristic and some of it expands upon older ideas in science fiction. The Neutrino 2000, a laser gun is just one example of this. His explanation for the origin of the word ‘leprechaun’ is also slightly humourous.
Spectacular characters, fantastic world-building and a riveting plot…what more can YA readers ask for? Artemis Fowl certainly deserves to be among the YA greats, therefore I would recommend it to both tweens and teens.
I give this book 5/5 stars.