Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian

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Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian
Artemis Fowl and the The Last Guardian UK cover.jpg
UK cover
Author Eoin Colfer
LanguageEnglish
Series Artemis Fowl
Genre Fantasy
Publisher Viking Press/Disney Hyperion
Publication date
10 July 2012
Media typePrint
Pages336
ISBN 1-4231-6161-0
Preceded by' The Atlantis Complex  

Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian in Europe) is the eighth and final novel in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. [1] Colfer had previously alluded to the novel being the final entry when he stated that the previous book, The Atlantis Complex, was the penultimate in the series. [2] The Last Guardian was released 10 July 2012 by Viking Press and Disney Hyperion. The novel received generally positive reviews.

Eoin Colfer Irish author of childrens books

Eoin Colfer is an Irish author of children's books. He worked as a primary school teacher before he became a full-time writer. He is best known for being the author of the Artemis Fowl series. In September 2008, Colfer was commissioned to write the sixth installment of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, entitled And Another Thing ..., which was published in October 2009. In October 2016, in a contract with Marvel Comics, he released Iron Man: The Gauntlet. He served as Laureate na nÓg, or Ireland's Children's Laureate, between 2014-2016.

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex is the seventh book in the Artemis Fowl series. It was published on 20 July 2010 in the United Kingdom and on 3 August 2010 in North America. It was followed by Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian, which was confirmed to be the final book in the Artemis Fowl series.

Viking Press publisher

Viking Press is an American publishing company now owned by Penguin Random House. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim and then acquired by the Penguin Group in 1975.

Contents

Plot

Just as Artemis leaves his final session of therapy for Atlantis Complex, he and Butler are summoned by Holly to the office of Commander Trouble Kelp, where they witness the next plan of Opal Koboi; she has two of her underlings kill her past self, who had survived the Kraken blast in The Time Paradox . Her past self's death creates a paradox, causing Opal's creations from the past five years to violently explode. To prevent the destruction of Atlantis, Opal's prison, the Fairies place Opal in the containment chamber of a nuclear reactor. The blast destroys most Fairy technology, which Koboi labs had controlled or created, and human technology, since black market Koboi chips had been used in their development and construction.

Opal Koboi is a fictional character from the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. After the character's introduction in the second book in the series as a supporting antagonist, Colfer again used Koboi as the main antagonist of the fourth, sixth, and eighth books in the series, giving her the status of archenemy to Artemis Fowl II.

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox is the sixth book in the series Artemis Fowl by Irish writer Eoin Colfer. It was released in the U.S. on 5 July 2008, and on 7 August in the U.K. At 432 pages, it is the longest book in the series. In Colfer's video blogs, he mentioned the book, saying it may not be the last, but the last one for at least three years. It is followed by Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex.

Grandfather paradox paradox of time travel in which inconsistencies emerge through changing the past; as a person who travels to the past and kills their own grandfather

The grandfather paradox is a paradox of time travel in which inconsistencies emerge through changing the past. The name comes from the paradox's common description: a person travels to the past and kills their own grandfather before the conception of their father or mother, which prevents the time traveller's existence. Despite its title, the grandfather paradox does not exclusively regard the contradiction of killing one's own grandfather to prevent one's birth. Rather, the paradox regards any action that alters the past, since there is a contradiction whenever the past becomes different from the way it was.

As explosions throughout the world blow out most vehicles, buildings, satellites, and cell phones, killing many people in the process, human communication systems shut down, and the human world falls into chaos. During her stay in the nuclear reactor, Opal furthers her ability to use black magic and opens The Berserker's Gate, a portal located on the Fowl estate, behind which dwell the spirits of fairy soldiers killed in the Battle of Taillte, an ancient war fought nearly ten thousand years previously. The spirits rise and possess Beckett and Myles, Artemis's twin brothers, Juliet, corpses, and woodland critters. Queen Bellico is the spirit possessing Juliet.

When Artemis, Holly, and Butler arrive on the estate after a last-minute escape from Haven, they immediately try to foil Opal's plan, but they end up in hiding with Mulch Diggums, who was trying to rob Fowl Manor. After several more battles, Bellico permanently cripples Butler's heart with a bolt of Opal's black magic, and Mulch rides a rampaging troll to assist Artemis' plan to prevent Opal from opening the second gate with a laser cannon from a solar plane Artemis developed in a shed. Artemis and Holly release some of the spirits to heaven before Opal opens the second lock.

Artemis Fowl II fictional human

Artemis Fowl II is the title character of the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.

Holly Short character of the Artemis Fowl novel series by Eoin Colfer

Captain Holly Short is a character of the Artemis Fowl novel series by Eoin Colfer.

Using Opal's dying clone, Nopal, which Opal had created in The Opal Deception , Artemis closes the second lock on the Berserker's Gate, since only Opal's genetic fingerprint can close the second lock forever. The possessed humans are released, but not before the group's leader, Oro Shaydova, uses Beckett's body to kill Opal once and for all. The closing of the second lock destroys all fairies within the boundaries, killing Artemis due to the fairy eye he received from Holly in The Lost Colony .

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception is a teen fantasy novel published in 2005, the 4th book in the Artemis Fowl series by the Irish author Eoin Colfer. Preceded by Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code and followed by Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, it is centred on the brilliant pixie Opal Koboi's second try at rebellion and Artemis Fowl II and his fairy comrades' efforts to stop her. Critical reception was mixed, with some reviews praising the book but others pointing out confusion and poor writing. Artemis Fowl is not seen in the book as much as Opal Koboi.

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony is the fifth book in the Artemis Fowl Series by Irish writer Eoin Colfer. The book, originally expected to be published in the UK and Ireland on 7 September 2006, was shipped to stores early. On 12 September of the same year, The Lost Colony became available in the US, and was released soon to other countries. It is followed by Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox.

Six months later, in a recovered human world, Foaly clones Artemis using DNA from Artemis' saliva from when he kissed Holly's forehead just before he began the final plan to stop Opal. Artemis's soul, which clung on through sheer willpower and intellect at the Fowl Estate, then inhabits the mindless clone. As a result of Artemis' resurrection, he has suffered heavy temporary memory loss. Holly begins to tell the clone the story of how she met the original Artemis, starting the opening line of the first book in the series: "It all started in Ho Chi Minh City one summer. It was sweltering by anyone's standards. Needless to say, Artemis Fowl would not have been willing to put up with such discomfort if something extremely important had not been at stake. Important to the plan..."

Foaly is a fictional character in the Artemis Fowl series written by Eoin Colfer. He is the technical consultant to the Lower Elements Police (LEP). He is the most intelligent centaur on and under the Earth, considers himself to be an unappreciated genius, and is the inventor of most of the advanced technology possessed by the fairy world, rivaled only by commercial tech giant and former classmate Opal Koboi.

DNA Molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known organisms and many viruses

Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids; alongside proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), nucleic acids are one of the four major types of macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life.

Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease, but it can also be caused temporarily by the use of various sedatives and hypnotic drugs. The memory can be either wholly or partially lost due to the extent of damage that was caused. There are two main types of amnesia: retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is the inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date, usually the date of an accident or operation. In some cases the memory loss can extend back decades, while in others the person may lose only a few months of memory. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to transfer new information from the short-term store into the long-term store. People with this type of amnesia cannot remember things for long periods of time. These two types are not mutually exclusive; both can occur simultaneously.

Background

Colfer stated that he wanted the novel to deal with Artemis' transformation "from being a selfish criminal to a hero who is prepared to sacrifice everything for a good cause." [3] Colfer had intended the series to be a trilogy but wrote more novels since the series spawned more ideas. He then "decided that I could only write a book about Artemis if the story was strong enough, so I planned one at a time. After eight, I concluded it was time to move on." [4]

Reception

Critical reception for The Last Guardian was positive, meeting with praise from most reviewers. Kirkus Reviews praised the book, writing: "Colfer pits his resourceful crew against an army of killer bunnies and decomposed corpses (most of the estate's other residents being off for Christmas). All this is on the way to a smashing set of climactic twists and turns, just deserts and life-changing sacrifices." [5] Entertainment Weekly gave the book a grade of "A−" and wrote that "pseudo science, overly complex schemes, and the requisite dwarf flatulence jokes abound, but the heart of the series remains with Artemis and his evolution from spoiled but brilliant teenager to thoughtful, self-sacrificing, still brilliant young adult." [6] The Irish Times commented on the series' international popularity, attributing it to the series' "quick-moving and highly charged narratives" and "mischievous sense of humour," and states the final volume was "particularly successful in delineating young Artemis’s move away from self-regard". [7] Sharon O'Niell of Irish Independent praised the book as "a unique creation, blending fairytales and folklore with hi-tech gadgetry" and further wrote: "[book is] one of the best in the series and will not disappoint young fans. The ending is appropriately climactic – and to give anything away would be far more criminal than anything Artemis has got up to in the past." [8] Another positive review came from Philippine Daily Inquirer's Ruel De Vera, who wrote: "Eoin Colfer's 'Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian' is a most fitting final caper for the ever-planning young genius who brought the readers along with him as he went for mere smart bad person into something much, much more." [9] The Last Guardian won the 2012 Irish Book Award in the "Irish Children's Book - Senior" category. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code is the third book of Irish children's fiction author Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. It is preceded by Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident and followed by Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception. The storyline follows Artemis Fowl and his companions as they struggle to recover the "C Cube", a supercomputer Artemis had constructed from fairy technology, when Jon Spiro manages to steal it. Critical response was generally favourable.

<i>Artemis Fowl</i> (novel) book

Artemis Fowl is a young adult fantasy novel written by Irish author Eoin Colfer. It is the first book in the Artemis Fowl series, followed by Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. Described by its author as "Die Hard with fairies", it follows the adventures of Artemis Fowl, a twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, as he kidnaps a fairy for a large ransom of gold.

<i>Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident</i> book by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident is a young adult and fantasy novel written by Irish author Eoin Colfer, published in 2002. It is the second book in the Artemis Fowl series, preceded by Artemis Fowl and followed by Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code. It follows the adventures of the thirteen-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl II, as he thwarts a goblin rebellion and rescues his father, Artemis Fowl I. The third-person narration switches back and forth constantly, allowing the reader to understand more of what is going on. A New York Times bestseller, the novel was well received by critics, and reviews compared its quality and success to those of its predecessor.

Mulch Diggums is a fictional kleptomaniac dwarf from the Artemis Fowl series by Irish fiction author Eoin Colfer.

<i>The Artemis Fowl Files</i> book by Eoin Colfer

The Artemis Fowl Files is a companion book to the Artemis Fowl series written by Eoin Colfer.

The Fowl Family is a criminal family in the fictional teen series Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. It currently consists of Artemis Fowl I, his wife Angeline Fowl, twins Myles and Beckett and the main character of the Artemis Fowl series, Artemis Fowl II.

The Butler family is a family of martial arts masters in the fictional series Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. There are only four characters who are mentioned: Domovoi Butler ("Butler") and his younger sister Juliet, who are major characters, and Butler's uncle, known only as "the Major", and Virgil Butler.

References

  1. "Guardian children's books podcast: Eoin Colfer on the last Artemis Fowl novel". Guardian. London. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  2. Lea, Richard (26 July 2010). "Eoin Colfer to bid farewell to Artemis Fowl". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  3. Minzesheimer, Bob. "Exclusive excerpt: Artemis Fowl Book 8, 'The Last Guardian'". USA Today. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  4. Lodge, Sally. "Artemis Fowl Takes His Final Bow". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  5. "Review: The Last Guardian". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  6. Orvino, Rachel (17 August 2012). "Review: The Last Guardian". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  7. Dunbar, Robert. "Goodbye Artemis, hello Barnaby". Irish Times. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  8. O'Neill, Sharon (2 December 2012). "Review: Children's fiction: Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer". Irish Independent . Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  9. De Vera, Ruel. "Review: Artemis Fowl's final caper". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  10. Rosita Boland (23 November 2012). "Banville wins novel of year at awards". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 November 2012.