The Opal Deception: The Graphic Novel

Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novels #4

by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin (Adaptation), Giovanni Rigano (Illustrator)

The adaptation of his genre-busting, award-winning Artemis Fowl series has been a labour of love for lifelong graphic novel fan Eoin Colfer, and Andrew Donkin. Art by Giovanni Rigano and colour by Paolo Lamanna.

Evil pixie, Opal Koboi, is back and she's more dangerous than ever. This time she doesn't just want power over the fairy People - this time she wants the humans too. Captain Holly Short is the only fairy with a hope of stopping her, but as Holly knows, it takes one genius criminal mastermind to fight another. But the 14-year-old genius that Holly is thinking of doesn't even remember that fairies exist. How is she going to convince Artemis Fowl to help her stop Opal? Gold usually does the trick, and this time is should be no different. Or is Artemis changing?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2014

About the author

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.

He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Adibah Atiqa (persephtiyareads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have come to love the series in novel's form and how I cannot be more in love to see all the characters coming alive in illustration in graphic novel

Great art by Giovanni Rigano and colour by Paolo Lamanna. Everything that I read before in words had sharpened the imagination with the illustration. So, thank you so much

[Sally906 · Rating 3 out of 5]

After being thwarted in her attempt to take over the world Opal the evil pixie is imprisoned in a secure section of fairyland. But she escapes and is ready to take revenge on both the fairy folk and Artemis. Captain Holly of the fairy police is the only one to stop Opal as Artemis had his mind wiped at the end of the last book. Can Holly save the world?

I found the graphics to be quite lurid at times to the extent that it was quite off putting - I also didn't bond with the characters as they didn't look how I imagined them. I read the full book version quite a few years back and I think I preferred the 'real' book to the graphic version

[Stephanie (aka WW) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fool for the Artemis Fowl graphic series. I loved reading the books with my boys when they were younger and the graphic adaptations are excellent. I honestly don’t know how they could be improved. I have no business reading, let alone loving, what are basically comics aimed at teens and pre-teens, but there you have it.

[Chelsea Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adaptation itself is pretty great. But the colors seem really dark and muted in this one versus the previous graphic novels in the series. Almost hard to see everything you want to see.

[BigTreesAndBigBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit, the illustrations of the characters are much better in this one (this is to say that Butler has a normal-sized neck in this one, rather than the gigantic, tumor-ridden monstrosity that was he had in the first two graphic novels). The real issue was once again the tendency to tell rather than show what was happening. It got a bit frustrating at times having to read through every single action the characters were shown to take in the panels, or even worse skipping illustrating what happened and just having a bubble describing it to you.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little better, but this series of adaptations is not all that great. I’d rather just read the novels, which are a lot more satisfying.

[Stacey Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception' captured a lot of Artemis's progression from this slightly-evil, detached, cold, child genius to a teenage boy who has empathy for others. I remember this to be a very important part of the series and I think this is what charmed me so much: Artemis Fowl continues to change - evolve - so much that meeting him in every book is like rediscovering him all over again. The graphic was a good attempt at trying to capture the emotion and transition of Artemis Fowl into a human being, but it did loose some things along the way. I would highly recommend to everybody to pick up the novel series before the graphic series: it makes the experience so much BETTER!
Congratulations to Eoin Colfer on publishing the FOURTH volume in the 'Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel' series!

[Soobie is expired · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars.

Is this the last adaptations of the Artemis Fowl series? Boh. I'll tag is as the last of the series.

Anyway. This one is probably the best of all four adaptations. I could understand everything that was happening and what's more I could recognize all the characters, which is usually very difficult for me.

The art is, as usual, a bit dark but the drawings are really nice.

I would like to read more adaptations of Artemis Fowl... Yeah, I abandoned the series somewhere along the way but I don't actually remember why. The graphic novels would be an interesting way to refresh my memory.

So, please, more adaptations!!

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I’m still not a fan of the smaller format for these graphic novels, I was able to read this volume with much more pleasure than previous attempts - mostly because I chose to read this during my lunch hours at work where the lighting is much brighter than my bedroom. Of all of the books in the series, I think this one has the widest range of scenery, which made the story very visually enjoyable to read alongside the mad-cap adventure that pitted Artemis Fowl and company against Opal Koboi (for the second time). With Artemis regaining his memories (as predicted) to help his fairy allies readers will be unsurprised that Artemis spends much of this volume struggling to reconcile the warring factions within his own mind - his old conceited self had re-emerged when he lost his only “friends” alongside his memories of the fairy race - but thankfully his better self wins out and he manages to save the day. The artists seem to have had a lot of fun with the design work in this volume as well, since we have such a focus on Opal (who might be passing for human, but seems to maintain a strange and slightly awkward appearance to readers) and one of the key points of action revolves around Artemis’ and Holly’s encounter with a gang of trolls (who are certainly creative in their styling). Overall, an interesting read, but it seems that this may be the final book in the graphic novel adaptations to the Artemis Fowl series since it has been a few years since it was published...

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opal’s Deception
Brief Synopsis: With the help of the Brill Brother, Opal is able to use a clone to sneak out of Argon’s Clinic and also contact a surgeon. Artemis (with the help of Butler) is able to “acquire” an infamous painting known as “The Fairy Thief”. Using Scalene as a decoy she leads Holly and Root to one of the tunnels and traps them inside. Root dies when Opal switches a bomb planted on Scalene to his chest as a result of Holly missing a certain spot that will slow the device. Opal hints that she plans to go after Artemis. But Butler is able to save them both-throwing them out a window-. Holly then takes Artemis and flies him to safety. The Brills and Opal show up and after hinting of something sinister to come stun Holly and Artemis. Mulch escapes custody and arrives at Fowl Manor. Using the gold disc Artemis gave him he restores Butler’s memories. Artemis and Holly find themselves at the Seven Wonders where they’re sprayed with hormones and go up against a pack of hormonal trolls. But Mulch rescues then in the nick of time after confessing one of the LEP officers to “borrow” a shuttle. They then find out Opal’s plan. Opal revealed to Holly that she was now human. Now she’s mesmered a billionaire environmentalist to developed a probe that will expose all the fairies and the probe is taking effect now. Matters are complicated when Root’s replacement suspects Holly of Root’s death and then finds her helmet and detonates it. In the end, Mulch is able to sneak Opal’s ship, distract her and the Brills, and place the detonator in the booty box. Opal ejects her and the twins and she ends up on a farm. But without her mesmer powers, she can’t manipulate the farm owner and she’s more than willing to go with the LEP when they find her. Holly is cleared but not allowed to go to Root’s funeral but she quits (realizing she can’t work with Sool breathing down her back twenty-four-seven). She and Mulch start a P1 business. And Artemis is made a consultant. I hope I didn’t miss anything.

My Thoughts: I just have a rant. WHY THO?! Why would you go to Book 4 with these graphic novels and then just not continue with the other 4 books in the series? I mean what’s up with that? And I looked and looked and looked and I could not find any news or updates of when the Lost Colony Book 5 would be released. I know to some people it probably isn’t a major thing, but these have really helped me get through this series. I even struggled with the decision of taking a break from this series until the next graphic novel was announced. However, I decided to tough it out. Even tho with this one I found that some illustrations that needed to be emphasized that I felt were important weren’t done clearly. For example, Opal’s clone on the screen I felt could have been given more definition Other areas really delivered, such as the illustrations of Opal in her fairy and new human forms. I had really gotten use to having these. I

Rating: 7

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opal has escaped, and her plan begins with a horrifying loss for Holly, forcing her to find Artemis II before their enemy does - but with his and Butler's memories, wiped and the faerie police reeling, can they figure out a way of stopping such a brilliant nemesis with so much stacked against them? Rigano and Lamanna will keep fans pleasantly enthralled with their final Artemis Fowl adaptation, a familiarly fun time both fast-paced and humourous. Can Holly catch Artemis up to speed in time to save the world?

[Katy Keough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meme

Meme even though the yard and a few others that I can think about it a little more time with the kids to school in your home is that you will not only make a days work,but they were going for it,I was just about every year and then the other hand in a bit of the yard,but it's a great 👍I and the kids are going well,I have been using the kids to get to work on it tomorrow morning and a little bit ago I I can do the yard h.

[Tom Sankovitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me think about friendship when the main character Artemis thinks "I have friends."

The writer is teaching us about friendship because friends are important to have in life for support and other things.

In my opinion, friendship is an extremely important thing to have with people. Without friends life is really kind of boring.

[Sachin Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the format and the visuals. Graphical novels do a great job at creating a more systematic world-building that the author desires. But it's a two-edged sword. Some like to create their own world and for them, a novel would be a go-to. But this one did satisfied my desire to read sprite fiction and whetted my appetite for more. Might try the novel someday too.

[Franceska · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the art is somewhat better in this one it's still, in my personal opinion, ugly as fuck. The story adaptation itself is also just not good with it often telling rather than showing- I'd much rather read the book and I completely understand why the publishers did not comission more of the series in this graphic novel format.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all four graphic novel adaptations I think that I enjoyed this one the most - the pacing is good, the high stakes are reinforced by the death of Commander Root, the lack of full memories for Artemis himself add a certain humanity to his character and the small moments of humour are weaved in well by Andrew Donkin. Recommended 👍

[Favour · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been a while since I've read the graphic novel version, but it was astounding how comparable it was to the book.

...erm, Holly looks 12. So that was a bit awkward for me. However, it was still good, even if she seemed a whole lot nicer in this one than in the book.

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good volume.

[Glaiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel hurt a lot less than the book did, and maybe that's not so bad considering how much the book hurt.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment!

[Larissacherpeski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite one.

[Adrienna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one from start to finish.

[Triandhika Anjani · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drawing just got better and better with each novel. I love rereading one of my favorite childhood novel as a graphic novel now!

[William_Furneaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

....why are all the female character so sexualized what purpose does this serve

[BB · Rating 4 out of 5]

And he never stole another piece of art 😭

[jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

book= good

[Jack T · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Marcia Van Camp]

Eldest read

[Konrad Nowak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghggg

Fffggg g g g gby. G y g g h h h h h h g h h b g.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate how the graphic format helped to visualize portions of the book that were difficult to imagine, for me. Also, I know, that I am aware of what is missing from the story, yet, taken as its own entity, I very much enjoyed it. I am even more excited for the remaining volumes to be printed.

_______
Second Reading

It is a brief moment at the beginning, yet one of the best parts for me from this book is the legend of the fairy paintings of the fictional Impressionist Pascal Herve, and how each thief that steals "The Fairy Thief" painting keeps it, whilst being named the greatest thief of a generation. Artemis plans to steal it.
The novels always have a fantastically strong start to them.

After such a great opening, on to one of the most intense moments of the entire series. A scene that I didn't expect because it is a young reader's book-- clearly I haven't read enough young reader's books. Commander Root is killed in a plot twist that is intense, and core to the story. Before I can recover, Artemis is saved by Butler in one of the more dramatic moments, by hurling them out of a hotel window atop a mattress in hopes to cushion the landing. I love seeing the visual in the graphic novel. Opal Koboi, at the core of both attacks, now goes for Holly....and the intrigue continues. What a great birth of a story..even if it includes one of my least favorite characters.

Opal has her eyes on humans meeting fairies, and assuring by tunneling into the earth, the near total destruction of the fairies--leaving those that remain to be tested, and studied by humans. Opal's cloned self in a coma, Opal's mesmer of a billionaire to fund her schemes, and surgery to alter her appearance all to get revenge upon those that put her into custody, and sunk her rebellion.
Again, the assistance of Mulch Duggins is indispensable to the plan, and their victory. Holly, because of LEP politics decides to quit the force, and join Mulch as a private investigator.

Despite the amazing launch of the story, this is one of my least favorite novels. The graphic novel's omissions made the story more enjoyable. I do hope there will be more editions.