Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Artemis gets Kraken, August 1, 2008
Those who have been faithfully following this series will know that this is book six of the adventures of the teenaged criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl II.
Picking up at Fowl Manor, we learn that three years have passed while Artemis was otherwise occupied, and that he now has two brothers, twins named Beckett and Myles. This book goes in a different direction to the previous plot, making no mention of some of the characters introduced in The Lost Colony. There are references to certain events, but other than the main characters, most of the story is new material.
As the title implies, an older and more mature Artemis Fowl enlists the help of his friend Captain Holly Short, dwarf Mulch Diggums and the imp warlock No.1 to journey to the past to correct a mistake he made earlier in his eventful life. His mother has contracted a rare disease that can only be cured by an extract from the brain of an extinct lemur, and ironically, the extinction was hastened by young Fowl himself.
The time trip gets very complicated when Artemis matches wits with his younger self, and rescuing the lemur from Dr. Damon Kronski, leader of the Extinctionists cult, proves to be much easier planned than achieved. To make it more complicated, there's now a fledgling romantic situation in play, and the return of an enemy from the past who also wants possession of the lemur.
Artemis isn't as devious and diabolical as in earlier books, but to his credit, the kid is growing up and has other things on his mind. This book is action-packed with the usual gadgetry and humor, but as is the case with time paradoxes, it is sometimes hard to keep things straight. The plot also has several twists, obviously getting even twistier in the final chapters. The story ends with an obvious hint for another book.
And "What about the Kraken?" you may ask. Well, that part of the story is explosive, to say the least.
Amanda Richards, August 1, 2008
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41 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genius vs. genius, July 15, 2008
I couldn't put The Time Paradox down. Like the previous Fowl books, this one is brimming with sly humor, re-imagining fairies that pack heat and have super-cool gadgets. What kept the pages turning for me, however, was the idea of traveling back in time to interact with yourself.
In The Time Paradox, instead of plotting the perfect crime as in earlier installments, this time Artemis Fowl races to undo one of his previous criminal acts. This sets in motion a showdown between the teenage genius and his younger, more heartless self.
My favorite Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, dealt with the same intriguing situation. Harry and Hermione went back in time to right a terrible wrong, and had to save the day while occupying the same time and space as their earlier, clueless selves. They were successful in part because they never directly faced themselves. In The Time Paradox, Artemis Fowl doesn't have that good fortune.
Fans of the Fowl series will recognize many of the memorable characters here. Antihero Artemis Fowl himself, an autocratic teenage genius. Plucky elf Captain Holly Short of the elite LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance). The explosively flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums. Evil pixie Opal Koboi.
This book has something for everyone. It's a fairy tale with high-tech James Bond gadgetry. The action is nonstop. Author Colfer handles the fledgling love story between elf Holly and human Artemis with delicacy. It's a bit of a tearjerker, with Artemis's beloved mom near death. It's a morality play, about the extinction of a sweet and curious lemur species.
It may be a bit hard to follow if you haven't read the previous books, but it's still plenty diverting. It will make you want to pick up the earlier installments.
Other Eoin Colfer books include Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code, Artemis Fowl (The Opal Deception), The Lost Colony, Airman, Half Moon Investigations, The Supernaturalist and The Wish List.
Here's the chapter list:
Prologue
1. Espresso and Treacle
2. The World's Biggest
3. Echoes of Magic
4. Monkey's Uncle
5. I Now Pronounce You
6. I to I
7. Talk to the Animals
8. A Blob of Phlegm
9. The Prince Frog
10. A Fowl Mood
11. Pigeon Droppings
12. Gone Forever
13. The Hairy One is Dead
14. The Hole in the Ace
15. Murder Most Fowl
16. A Team of Hairdressers
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A True Delight (minor spoilers), July 16, 2008
I began reading these books when I was Artemis's age and having more-or-less grown up with him, I adored Time Paradox more than the other recent additions to the series. Three years passed in our world while Artemis was in Limbo in book five, so even though he is physically 14, he should be almost eighteen. It was wonderful to see a more mature Artemis, one with hormones, especially when he was interacting with his more ruthless, cold-hearted, ten-year-old self. I enjoyed the romance the most, as in my opinion, it's the only element this series has been lacking, and the pairing was one I have waited for since book one (no Minerva or even mention of her in this book!). Though we didn't get to see as much of Butler or Foaly as I would have liked, Holly and Mulch as the main supporting characters were excellent as usual. The contrast Colfer presented in the two Artemis was well done, and Artemis the Elder's introspection was interesting to read and showed how the character has matured over the series. We even get to see Root again, which was lovely. Truthfully, I am a little sick of Opal Koboi, and my one complaint is that the epilogue doesn't make sense (time paradox issues). The Extinctionists were hilarious (and creepy) and were the epitome of cartoon-esque bad guys. This book had AF trademark wild escapades, witty dialogue, plot twists, and it made me laugh aloud many times, something that none of the previous books have done. I recommend it to anyone, young or old, who has ever been a fan of AF.
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