[HPFGU-OTChatter] Artemis Fowl - is it good?

[Richelle Votaw]

Dumbledad wrote:

> Is Artemis Fowl any good? Are the audio versions good? How come the 
> cassette version is on two casettes for 5-8 year olds while the CD 
> is 3 CDs for 5-12 year olds, and the book is 5-16? Why are there 
> Puffin versions of the audio read by the author, and Cover to Cover 
> versions read by Nathaniel Parker, both in the UK?

I LOVE Artemis Fowl.  He's no Harry Potter by any means, but a worthy substitute to read while waiting.  I had the second book for the longest time, but couldn't read it until I got the first.  The first book moves a bit slow, a lot has to be worked out and things established that you'll simply understand over the next books.  Sort of like SS/PS.  The second is much better and the third simply flew by.  In fact, I've been reading like crazy since school's been out, it's not often I have time to do something other than grade papers, etc.  I finished the second book last Friday night.  Saturday I went straight to the bookstore to buy the third (which hasn't been out too long) and finished it by Sunday night.  It was very good.  

As for the ages, I can't see a five year old on Earth that would enjoy Artemis Fowl.  The problem with Artemis is, well, he's a criminal plain and simple.  He even admits it.  It's what he does, it's how he thinks.  So I'd hesitate to have a younger child reading it unless they had a clear understanding that wrong is wrong no matter what Artemis Fowl does.  

As for the audio's, I've not heard any of them so I can't say.  That seems rather odd to have multiple versions, unless the author one is abridged, which wouldn't make sense, why abridge a 300 page book?

Anyway, I would recommend Artemis Fowl, a great deal of thought does go into the books, and they're an interesting read.

Richelle


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