Eoin Colfer - "Artemis Fowl The Eternity Code"




The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3)

      Well, ol' Artemis is at it again.  This thirteen-year-old criminal mastermind is once again looking for a grand scheme to increase the holdings of the Fowl family coffers.  This time though, he's less motivated by money and world domination and much more motivated to save the life of his long-time bodyguard, Butler. 

     The book opens with Artemis negotiating a deal with a greedy businessman, and it goes very very wrong!  Artemis has created a C-cube, that uses fairy technology (gleaned from previous encounters with the fairy folk) to basically scan all kinds of electronic devices and allows the user to basically commandeer them.  During this scene Artemis realizes that the cube is capable of "tracking" the underground fairy technology and is therefore very dangerous to the magical creatures below.  The deal goes poorly, and ends in a shooting match.  Butler ends up saving Artemis' life (again) by literally taking a bullet to the chest.  Artemis is then highly motivated to retrieve the stolen cube so as to protect his friends, but he also needs them to help save his beloved Butler's life.  In exchange for using fairy technology to save Butler and get the cube back, Artemis agrees to succumb to a mind wipe which will eliminate all memories and knowledge of The People. 

     With Butler on ice (literally), Juliet Butler, Mulch Diggums, Holly Short, and Foaly all work together to not only to get the cube back, but to get the greedy, tricky businessman put behind bars.  As always, our favorite juvenile criminal mastermind has concocted a genius plan that covers all bases, and accomplishes all that he sets out to do.

     I have to give Mr. Colfer props for being so imaginative in his books.  He does a good job of marrying the real and fantastical worlds into an interesting and fun read.  I love how Artemis is this amazing genius mastermind, yet he still isn't old enough to drive; he has so much knowledge, but he still has to experience "growing up."  Another theme that runs throughout the book is that Artemis Fowl Sr. has regained consciousness and is healing nicely, and as he's returning to health, he vows that the Fowl family will be putting their life if crime behind them.  He introduces the idea to his son that there are more important things in the world than money.  This idea is brought to the forefront for young Artemis as he experiences the possible loss of Butler, his friend. 

     As in all Fowl books, there is a unique code along the bottom that adds another level to the story.  I had to buy a book from New Zealand (thank you Abebooks.com!) to get the edition with the "non-Gnomish" code.  Apparently the American versions are all in Gnomish, so I had to do some research to get the unique code.  Thank you for not commenting on how ridiculous I can be sometimes ;)

Happy summer reading!