Loved reading these stories and loved hearing them

Fantastic narrator. His ability to portray different characters is phenomenal. Great pace to the story as well. This series is amazing.

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book is a childhood favourite

I absolutely hate the movie and it ruins everything good about the books, the cover should be classic cover and not movie cover

otherwise, the story is fantastic, can still hear it at 21 years old and love it like I did when I was 10

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3 people found this helpful

Boi that was awesome

Sooo guess what I love the movie it was awesome I loved it boi :D

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love the book

love the way the gentlemen gets in to your hed of the reader and the characters

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A good book with a fantastic performance

I think this is a very good book but isn’t actually very deep. It tries to seem smart, but isn’t actually because it just comes up with stuff out of nowhere with no particular rules to follow however, if you’re willing to look past that it is worth.

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A Rip-Roaring Good Time

I'm 23, but have super fond memories of reading the Artemis Fowl books as a kid, and for good reason. The plots are well put together, the sci-fi/fantasy setting of an technologically advanced fairy society living under our feet is very well done, the characters are all- on the whole- memorable and likable, and the humor is top-notch. It's something that's always a delight to come back to, even all these years later.

That said, that's my opinion of the series as a whole; this book specifically isn't my favorite in the series, but it's an engaging way to begin one, I'll say that. The story of the 12 year old criminal mastermind is a bit of a dark one- particularly given the motives for his crimes, and the life-or-death struggles his plot in this book causes- but it's exciting, engaging, and a fun ride all the same. He and his bodyguard/manservant Butler are well characterized, making you like them despite their criminality; as are the fairy people, particularly Holly Short but the rest of her comrades as well, who feel strangely human and relateable despite their difference in biology and custom. And of course the ever present, sometimes dark, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes juvenile but usually chuckle worthy humor is here too, and will keep the book from feeling like it's taking itself too seriously.

The only thing I have left to add here in relating to the audiobook specifically is that Nathaniel Parker does an excellent job as narrator; he has a distinct and fitting voice for each character, and gets really into whoever he's playing. I could almost swear that there's a whole cast behind this production instead of a single narrator, it's that well done. The only downside to this audiobook is that the sound quality is not the best at times, and moreover it's not fully divided into chapters like most audiobooks are these days; both however are common enough for Listening Library books produced in the early 2000s, so I can't fault the book specifically.

All in all, this is a real treat of a listen; try it out if you have the time :)

#Audible1

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3 people found this helpful

Loved it!

Such a well written and wonderfully preformed story. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

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Fantastic series!

I absolutely love this series. The story is so exciting and the characters are wonderful!

The narrator was really great.

A definite must listen!

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Clever and Entertaining

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I went into it actually thinking it would probably be unimpressive - but it was most enjoyable. I stumbled onto the 'Artemis Fowl' series of audiobooks after listening to J.K. Rowlings' excellent Harry Potter books - and thought I would give them a try (I no longer have small children but I enjoy books aimed at young audiences). This series from Eoin Colfer is original.. it combines an antihero of sorts (a 12-year-old genius criminal mastermind trying to re-establish his family's pre-eminence in the underworld) with a world of Faë hiding among us (magical creatures living underground in a strikingly modern society). The book incorporates the fantastic (monsters, magic, and mythical creatures), but also includes such real-world issues as addictions, mental illness, and familiar forces like government and police services - even among the fairies. Unfortunately, the execution - after establishing a brilliant framework - is largely lacking: despite skillfully weaving fantastical conjecture into modern-day mundanity, this book is fairly superficial (the plot and characterization are weak)
..but it's still undeniably fun. Colfer writes well-conceived and often humorous dialogue and events. The result of the author's efforts is a diverting foray into an immersive world ideal for kids aged 8-12.

Nathaniel Parker is an excellent (if imperfect) reader. His narration can be annoying at times (he hyperventilates and noticeably rushes his way through action scenes), but his voice-acting - particularly memorable characterizations and accents - is brilliant.. and his pacing overall is spot-on.

Taken altogether, this first in an intriguing series merits 8.5 stars out of 10. I am curious where Colfer takes the idea. I will be downloading Book 2.

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Amazing

It was way better than the movie. The voice actor is phenomenal!!! From the first few lines I was hooked!!

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