Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

Published Information

Author:	Eoin Colfer
Series:	Artemis Fowl #4
Published:	May 2005
Genre:	Fantasy
Pages:	352

Ratings

Violence:	PG-13 (Very intense scenes, one death of main character)
Sexual Content:	G
Language:	G
Reading Age:	Junior High
Buy Recommend:	Hardbound (EXPLAINATION)
Overall Rating:	7 out of 10 (Very enjoyable)

Plot Summary

Upon helping stop the goblin revolution, Artemis had his mind wiped. This book begins with Artemis not remembering much of fairies, but still a better person (with morales, etc). However, Opal, who was one of the masterminds of the goblin revolt, has arranged to escape from her prison. She faked a coma for a year, and then replaced herself with a clone.

Once freed, she plans to wreck revenge on all those her spoiled her plan. Specifically, she wants to kill Holly, Root, Artemis, and Fouly. Since they all think she is encarcerated, they miss clues that they are being led into traps specifically designed to ruin each of them. Holly, in particular, is framed for killing Root, but told, by Opal, that she still has a chance to save Artemis. So after "killing" Root, she flies as fast as she can toward Artemis, thus looking like she is fleeing a crime scene.

Holly is able to track down Artemis, but arrives there just as a bio-bomb is going off. Bulter, though, was able to save Artemis. So Holly now must work with Artemis, who doesn't remember anything, and Mulch, who is now her partner in a private detective agency, to find Opal. Once they do find her, they unravel a plot that would put humans and fairies on a collison course that can only end with fairies being discovered, and then, destroyed. They have saved fairies before, but now they are running from the LEPrecon force, Artemis doesn't remember anything about fairies, and they are running out of time.

Comments

Once again, a great installment in the series. I am having a hard time keeping all the books separate, at least when making comments, but here goes. As I was reading this book, I found a comment online critizing the book for being too focused on technology. That is very true. Very little of the book relies on magic to keep the story line flowing. Rather, it is the new LEP suits, or fairy cloning.

As with all books in the series, the story line is well thought out, and if you are sharp or are looking, you will find the clues left by the author to explain how Artemis figures out his ways out of the problems. Of course it is easiest to find them on later readings, once you know Artemis' solutions. As always, a great and quick read.