Artemis Fowl

Introduction

Artemis Fowl is the title character in a series of five novels (to date, with a sixth on the horizon), revolving around this child prodigy. They are written by Irish author Eoin Colfer.

Artemis Fowl's full title is in fact, "Artemis Fowl II," he being the son of "Artemis I," a rich and powerful criminal. After the fall of Communist Russia this semi-legitimate businessman decided that new markets would need new products. He left Dublin harbour on a large cargo ship, laden with 250,000 cans of Cola. The Russian Mafia's reply was that of a Stinger missile. The ship was destroyed and Artemis Fowl I, was lost.

This tragedy left his wife, Angeline Fowl, bedridden with depression. Artemis as he matured inherited, unknown to his mother, the empire his father had built. His achievements are amazing perhaps suggesting he is possibly the greatest child prodigy since Mozart.

• He wrote a computer program which diverted money from Swiss bank accounts on a small level. The money was then transferred to his own account and as only a few thousand was stolen it wasn't noticed as he was always sure to rob millionaires.

• He "discovered" one of Mozart's lost operas.

• He forged and sold the "Lost Diaries of Leonardo Da Vinci."

• He has patented 27 inventions.

• His design won the competition for Dublin's new opera house.

• He beat the European Chess Champion, Evan Kashoggi.

• He has a talent for forging Impressionist period paintings.

Story

When we first meet this young genius, in his debut novel - "Artemis Fowl," he is ruthless, a true example of naked ambition, he is sarcastic and cynical, capable of reducing pyschologists to tears. His goal in life is to restore his family's fortune. When younger he became interested in arcane websites, about aliens, the unknown etc. He eventually noticed shreds of information on fairies here and there, throughout history an odd mention in a book. He pieces these together realising that they exist. One of the few things he notices is that most sources agree on the existence of what they call "the Fairy Book," a Bible of sorts if you will. He then begins searching and eventually a contact informs him of what he believes to be a fairy in Ho Chi Minh city. The contact is Nguyen Xuan.

Artemis arrives accompanied by his butler, simply referred to by his surname, Butler. Xuan's information proves reliable and Artemis finds a drunken fairy. Drink dampens their magical ability. He tricks the fairy and gains access to the Book. He makes a copy of every page, it is written in Gnommish, language of the Fairies. Upon arriving home he deciphers it, a task thought impossible. He realised that in existence there is a ransom for Fairies who are captured for whatever reason.