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The Fowl Twins #1
The Fowl Twins
With all the hallmarks that made the New York Times best-selling Artemis Fowl series so popular, this hilarious spinoff adventure stars Artemis' younger brothers, along with a nefarious nobleman, a shadowy nun, and a fairy intern, and a maverick troll.
One week after their eleventh birthday, the Fowl twins--scientist Myles, and Beckett, the force of nature--are left in the care of house security (NANNI) for a single night. In that time they befriend a troll who has clawed his way through the earth's crust to the surface. Unfortunately for the troll, he is being chased by a nefarious nobleman and an interrogating nun, who both need the magical creature for their own gain, as well as a fairy-in-training who has been assigned to protect him.
The boys and their new troll best friend escape and go on the run. Along the way they get shot at, kidnapped, buried, arrested, threatened, killed (temporarily), and discover that the strongest bond in the world is not the one forged by covalent electrons in adjacent atoms, but the one that exists between a pair of twins.
And don't miss the movie, Artemis Fowl, now streaming on Disney+!
Praise for Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl Series:
ARTEMIS FOWL"Will grab your interest, no matter what your age."--The New York Post
"Kids will absolutely love it." Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America
THE ARCTIC INCIDENT"The world that Colfer creates is as vivid and fantastical as any shire, Gotham, or galaxy far, far away in recent memory."--Entertainment Weekly (grade A-)
"A cracking good read."--Publishers Weekly
THE ETERNITY CODE"Agile prose, rapid-fire dialogue and wise-acre humor ensure that readers will burn the midnight oil to the finish."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The kid's still got it . . . Harry had better watch his back."--Entertainment Weekly (grade A-)
THE OPAL DECEPTION"This book is magical."--The Washington Post
One week after their eleventh birthday, the Fowl twins--scientist Myles, and Beckett, the force of nature--are left in the care of house security (NANNI) for a single night. In that time they befriend a troll who has clawed his way through the earth's crust to the surface. Unfortunately for the troll, he is being chased by a nefarious nobleman and an interrogating nun, who both need the magical creature for their own gain, as well as a fairy-in-training who has been assigned to protect him.
The boys and their new troll best friend escape and go on the run. Along the way they get shot at, kidnapped, buried, arrested, threatened, killed (temporarily), and discover that the strongest bond in the world is not the one forged by covalent electrons in adjacent atoms, but the one that exists between a pair of twins.
And don't miss the movie, Artemis Fowl, now streaming on Disney+!
Praise for Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl Series:
ARTEMIS FOWL"Will grab your interest, no matter what your age."--The New York Post
"Kids will absolutely love it." Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America
THE ARCTIC INCIDENT"The world that Colfer creates is as vivid and fantastical as any shire, Gotham, or galaxy far, far away in recent memory."--Entertainment Weekly (grade A-)
"A cracking good read."--Publishers Weekly
THE ETERNITY CODE"Agile prose, rapid-fire dialogue and wise-acre humor ensure that readers will burn the midnight oil to the finish."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The kid's still got it . . . Harry had better watch his back."--Entertainment Weekly (grade A-)
THE OPAL DECEPTION"This book is magical."--The Washington Post
354 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
672 people are currently reading
6464 people want to read
About the author
Eoin Colfer
156 books11.8k followersEoin 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 701 reviews
October 14, 2019
Anyone who has ever read Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series will have a good idea what this new series is going to be like, it features Artemis's younger 11 year old fraternal twin brothers, Myles and Beckett. There is plenty of humour, adventures galore, dastardly villains, and the introduction of a new blue fairy, a pixel (pixie and elf hybrid) Lazuli Heitz, Lower Elements Police (LEP) specialist, ambitious, with no magic powers. Myles is a suit wearing, intellectual genius, scientist, fastidious, smug, a know it all, with a tendency to enjoy lecturing others. His brother, Beckett, is nothing like him other than in appearance, he is reluctant to wear clothes, takes delight in poking fun at Myles, is disordered and disorderly, keen on learning languages spoken by animals and it is not certain what his intelligence levels are. The twins live on the well fortified Fowl Irish Dalkey Island, under the protective eye of NANNI (The Nano Artificial Neural Network Intelligence) an AI system devised by Artemis himself, with input from Myles.
There is a miniature troll, found by Beckett, who assumes it a toy, naming it Whistle Blower, but the troll is sought by the monstrous 150 year old Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye, an immortalist seeking ways to live forever. He wants the troll's venom which he feels is the answer to his quest, and has the Fowls under surveillance, he doesn't care what he has to do to lay his hands on Whistle Blower, including murdering the Fowl twins. However, the Fowl twins have another villain after them, with the goal of getting hold of a fairy, an secret international intelligence agency called ACRONYM. In charge of the operation of getting the Fowl twins, torturing and interrogating them is a nun, Sister Jeronima, the nunterrogator, well resourced and backed by governments. The twins find themselves detained in Amsterdam, in Verona and taken to the well defended island of St George, in the Scilly Isles as they face an unholy alliance, death and danger, joining forces with Lazuli and Whistler Blower, and referring to themselves as The Regrettables.
Artemis is in space, but there in the background of this novel and Holly Short makes an actual appearance in the thrilling finale. This is the kind of reading fare that is likely to appeal to many, children, particularly to many boys who have a particular aversion to reading and to many a adult too. I think it is a ideal book for parents to consider reading to or with children, as it offers the potential of enjoyment for both parties. Fans of Artemis and Eoin Colfer are likely to enjoy this foray in a new but familiar direction from the author, the twins are quite the double act. This is a highly entertaining read, inventive, comic and witty which had me keenly anticipating the next in the series. Many thanks to HarperCollins Childrens Books for an ARC.
There is a miniature troll, found by Beckett, who assumes it a toy, naming it Whistle Blower, but the troll is sought by the monstrous 150 year old Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye, an immortalist seeking ways to live forever. He wants the troll's venom which he feels is the answer to his quest, and has the Fowls under surveillance, he doesn't care what he has to do to lay his hands on Whistle Blower, including murdering the Fowl twins. However, the Fowl twins have another villain after them, with the goal of getting hold of a fairy, an secret international intelligence agency called ACRONYM. In charge of the operation of getting the Fowl twins, torturing and interrogating them is a nun, Sister Jeronima, the nunterrogator, well resourced and backed by governments. The twins find themselves detained in Amsterdam, in Verona and taken to the well defended island of St George, in the Scilly Isles as they face an unholy alliance, death and danger, joining forces with Lazuli and Whistler Blower, and referring to themselves as The Regrettables.
Artemis is in space, but there in the background of this novel and Holly Short makes an actual appearance in the thrilling finale. This is the kind of reading fare that is likely to appeal to many, children, particularly to many boys who have a particular aversion to reading and to many a adult too. I think it is a ideal book for parents to consider reading to or with children, as it offers the potential of enjoyment for both parties. Fans of Artemis and Eoin Colfer are likely to enjoy this foray in a new but familiar direction from the author, the twins are quite the double act. This is a highly entertaining read, inventive, comic and witty which had me keenly anticipating the next in the series. Many thanks to HarperCollins Childrens Books for an ARC.
November 11, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a spin off of the popular Artemis Fowl series, featuring the younger twin brother’s of my childhood favourite morally grey mastermind. However, don’t let the idea that this is a ‘spin off’ put you off if you’ve never read any of the Artemis Fowl books. This is completely enjoyable without having read anything before it (although you’ll miss out on squealing at a few cameos).
This was everything I was expecting. Adventure, technology and fighting, with the twins (polar opposites of each other) bouncing off each other’s personalities with the usual snarky wit I’ve come to expect from Eoin Colfer. They’re well rounded characters, with layers to their personalities that sets them apart from your average middle grade character. I fully admit I did sometimes feel there was an elephant in the room, with the absence of Artemis. He was such a big personality to these stories, and at times I really felt his absence acutely.
The story itself is also fast paced, and full of fancy technology talk that I’ve come to love with the Fowl novels, without dumbing down the language for a younger audience. The writing overall also still retains a lot of humour, and is so easy to read. The threats and scrapes the boys get into feel realistic too, and the villain of the piece is great.
Great adventure tech story, that is original enough to stand up on its own without the shadow of it’s big brother hanging over it - although at times I did feel it was missing a bit of that Artemis shine.
This is a spin off of the popular Artemis Fowl series, featuring the younger twin brother’s of my childhood favourite morally grey mastermind. However, don’t let the idea that this is a ‘spin off’ put you off if you’ve never read any of the Artemis Fowl books. This is completely enjoyable without having read anything before it (although you’ll miss out on squealing at a few cameos).
This was everything I was expecting. Adventure, technology and fighting, with the twins (polar opposites of each other) bouncing off each other’s personalities with the usual snarky wit I’ve come to expect from Eoin Colfer. They’re well rounded characters, with layers to their personalities that sets them apart from your average middle grade character. I fully admit I did sometimes feel there was an elephant in the room, with the absence of Artemis. He was such a big personality to these stories, and at times I really felt his absence acutely.
The story itself is also fast paced, and full of fancy technology talk that I’ve come to love with the Fowl novels, without dumbing down the language for a younger audience. The writing overall also still retains a lot of humour, and is so easy to read. The threats and scrapes the boys get into feel realistic too, and the villain of the piece is great.
Great adventure tech story, that is original enough to stand up on its own without the shadow of it’s big brother hanging over it - although at times I did feel it was missing a bit of that Artemis shine.
November 19, 2019
mr colfer, no pressure but please blow me away with my favorite twins
—
4.5 | Myles stopped counting aloud and opened his eyes. "How much do you trust me, Beck?"
Beckett smiled. "How big is the universe?" he asked.
—
4.5 | Myles stopped counting aloud and opened his eyes. "How much do you trust me, Beck?"
Beckett smiled. "How big is the universe?" he asked.
June 17, 2021
After really loving the Artemis Fowl series, I couldn't help but be disappointed in this sequel series.
My main problem with sequel series is when they aren't independent enough from the original. Because then as a reader of both, I can't help but make comparisons and see all the ways in which it falls short to the original series. Myles felt like a discount Artemis who wasn't as good... Beckett a discount Butler (where was their Butler? Doesn't every Fowl have a Butler according to the original series?). Lazuli a discount Holly... and therefore none of them could compare in ym eyes, and they couldn't help but disappoint me. There was discount Mulch and Foaly too...
I liked that it continued on with some of the subtle good messages and morals, such as being environmentally friendly. Always good for children reading.
I liked seeing the twins interact. We have Myles supposedly being the smart one and Beckett supposedly being silly but instinctive. And yet sometimes we see Beckett being thoughtful, or Myles needing emotional support, etc etc. And I liked the way they interacted and complimented each other. The way they both clearly loved each other as brothers was cute too. Their dynamic was the best part about the book!
The writing style was absolutely infuriating to read. I didn't like the way it was so overdone. Breaking down the actions of the plot at times, telling things ahead of time and then looping back, the way things were explained. It felt like Colfer tried to write the way he did in the previous series but tried too hard and made it annoying.
They read a lot younger than Artemis did in his first book even though they are supposed to be just a year younger than him. I liked that they made more mistakes which were befitting of their age. But it also meant there were more timely coincidences that seemed a bit too convenient for my liking.
I sadly won't be continuing on with the series :/
My main problem with sequel series is when they aren't independent enough from the original. Because then as a reader of both, I can't help but make comparisons and see all the ways in which it falls short to the original series. Myles felt like a discount Artemis who wasn't as good... Beckett a discount Butler (where was their Butler? Doesn't every Fowl have a Butler according to the original series?). Lazuli a discount Holly... and therefore none of them could compare in ym eyes, and they couldn't help but disappoint me. There was discount Mulch and Foaly too...
I liked that it continued on with some of the subtle good messages and morals, such as being environmentally friendly. Always good for children reading.
I liked seeing the twins interact. We have Myles supposedly being the smart one and Beckett supposedly being silly but instinctive. And yet sometimes we see Beckett being thoughtful, or Myles needing emotional support, etc etc. And I liked the way they interacted and complimented each other. The way they both clearly loved each other as brothers was cute too. Their dynamic was the best part about the book!
The writing style was absolutely infuriating to read. I didn't like the way it was so overdone. Breaking down the actions of the plot at times, telling things ahead of time and then looping back, the way things were explained. It felt like Colfer tried to write the way he did in the previous series but tried too hard and made it annoying.
They read a lot younger than Artemis did in his first book even though they are supposed to be just a year younger than him. I liked that they made more mistakes which were befitting of their age. But it also meant there were more timely coincidences that seemed a bit too convenient for my liking.
I sadly won't be continuing on with the series :/
October 14, 2020
content warnings:
"Myles is the smarty-pants, but I [Beckett] am the smarty-fists."
"I do apologize for my brother's egregious mangling of the language, but he is, in essence, correct. I think, and he does."
★ 3.5 stars ★
With the caveat that I am significantly older than the market audience, I found this is a quick, fun read and an enjoyable return to the world of Fowl and fairy (friends forever).
You don't need to have read the Artemis series to keep up, but I appreciated the references to Artemis's schemes and it definitely did help to have that base familiarity with the worldbuilding and a preliminary fondness for the twins. Also, I imagine that might get a bit tiring if you don't care.
Beckett Fowl is a sweetheart, mischievous and deceptively smart; he's got such a big heart and lots of creativity. Myles Fowl is neurotic and brilliant and ambitious ... and somehow even worse than his older brother ever was. Honestly I wish the narrative had focused even more on them than on Lord Teddy Whatever; they're the titular characters after all, and I would've loved to see so much more of Fowl Argot, their relationship with each other and with the rest of their family (especially, of course, their infamous brother), how they're coping with their first save-the-world adventure.
(An aside: It is so weird to realize that Artemis is a young adult now, in his twenties. But in any case I find it difficult to believe that . Also, just to put it out into the universe, I would absolutely read about Artemis's adventures .)
Lazuli is basically the second coming of Holly, — her character is less exciting or revolutionary, but she's likable enough. is absolutely fascinating, and I hope he'll stick around through the series. I was delighted by the cameo appearance by .
By all metrics, though, the unsung hero here (to borrow Foaly's words) is absolutely ; I look forward to seeing how she continues to grow and snark and quite probably save everyone's bacon.
I am a bit concerned about the fact that, with , the only people of color are villains: ... though the main antagonist is an English duke.
And the writing style is a bit more intrusive than I remember, with the narrator often pausing to editorialize about an upcoming plot development or backtrack to explain the mechanics of a plan or wander off on a tangent. Overall it's still funny — good to know my own sense of humor hasn't changed much since elementary school, I guess — though if I wanted to spend so much time in the head of a vainglorious power-chasing rich dude, I'd reread The Eternity Code instead.
-----------
CONVERSION : 9.2 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 7 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
----------------------
[pre-review]
Between this and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages, apparently 2019 is The Year My Childhood is Resurrected. And that's definitely okay by me.
"Myles is the smarty-pants, but I [Beckett] am the smarty-fists."
"I do apologize for my brother's egregious mangling of the language, but he is, in essence, correct. I think, and he does."
★ 3.5 stars ★
With the caveat that I am significantly older than the market audience, I found this is a quick, fun read and an enjoyable return to the world of Fowl and fairy (friends forever).
You don't need to have read the Artemis series to keep up, but I appreciated the references to Artemis's schemes and it definitely did help to have that base familiarity with the worldbuilding and a preliminary fondness for the twins. Also, I imagine that might get a bit tiring if you don't care.
Beckett Fowl is a sweetheart, mischievous and deceptively smart; he's got such a big heart and lots of creativity. Myles Fowl is neurotic and brilliant and ambitious ... and somehow even worse than his older brother ever was. Honestly I wish the narrative had focused even more on them than on Lord Teddy Whatever; they're the titular characters after all, and I would've loved to see so much more of Fowl Argot, their relationship with each other and with the rest of their family (especially, of course, their infamous brother), how they're coping with their first save-the-world adventure.
(An aside: It is so weird to realize that Artemis is a young adult now, in his twenties. But in any case I find it difficult to believe that . Also, just to put it out into the universe, I would absolutely read about Artemis's adventures .)
Lazuli is basically the second coming of Holly, — her character is less exciting or revolutionary, but she's likable enough. is absolutely fascinating, and I hope he'll stick around through the series. I was delighted by the cameo appearance by .
By all metrics, though, the unsung hero here (to borrow Foaly's words) is absolutely ; I look forward to seeing how she continues to grow and snark and quite probably save everyone's bacon.
I am a bit concerned about the fact that, with , the only people of color are villains: ... though the main antagonist is an English duke.
And the writing style is a bit more intrusive than I remember, with the narrator often pausing to editorialize about an upcoming plot development or backtrack to explain the mechanics of a plan or wander off on a tangent. Overall it's still funny — good to know my own sense of humor hasn't changed much since elementary school, I guess — though if I wanted to spend so much time in the head of a vainglorious power-chasing rich dude, I'd reread The Eternity Code instead.
-----------
CONVERSION : 9.2 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 7 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
----------------------
[pre-review]
Between this and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages, apparently 2019 is The Year My Childhood is Resurrected. And that's definitely okay by me.
November 7, 2019
Look, I know I’m not the target audience for this book. But I’m the target audience for this book. Hear me out, this book is a spin-off, it’s relying on a basic familiarity with the Artemis Fowl world and it’s characters. I have been reading Artemis Fowl since it was first published which makes me, in a way, the exact person you want this book to appeal to because I’m the kind of person who last read all the books a year ago (at 30) and was still finding them clever and witty and well-rounded.
I had no idea this book was coming, in fact I was gifted it by a friend as an ARC, so I had zero time to build expectations. And it still sucked.
Myles and Beckett fell flat. Myles is supposed to be Artemis but he never quite feels like the super genius because he’s got all of Artemis’ smarts but he’s even better because he’s younger and actually smarter and frankly bordering on that level of OP that is tedious.
Beckett is a joke. Don’t get me wrong, he’s my favourite of the twins buts it’s not because he’s a fantastically written character, it’s just that he’s not an attempt to do Artemis 2.0. He’s just an attempt to be a cross between Holly and Buttler.
Which brings me to the complete and utter lack of any Butlers in this book. What the hell?! Where is Juliet? Where is some random Butler relative tasked with watching over the twins?
(What parent in their god damn right mind leaves twin boys alone under watch of an AI when they both epically failed to properly parent their first kid?!?!)
So, I disliked the characters, the plot was so basic it should have been a novella, Lazuli was boring, the bad guys were laughable cartoon types and I couldn’t have cared less about any of it.
The best part occurred on page 404 (anything previous to this is negligible) and was a single throwaway line spoken by Holly: “I have one of my own”. This line is about the only hope I had that things were still good with my beloved characters because Holly is the only original to make a cameo.
To make a rather unfortunate comparison, this book is Minerva Paradizo.
Let’s all hope it’s gets tossed aside just as easily.
I had no idea this book was coming, in fact I was gifted it by a friend as an ARC, so I had zero time to build expectations. And it still sucked.
Myles and Beckett fell flat. Myles is supposed to be Artemis but he never quite feels like the super genius because he’s got all of Artemis’ smarts but he’s even better because he’s younger and actually smarter and frankly bordering on that level of OP that is tedious.
Beckett is a joke. Don’t get me wrong, he’s my favourite of the twins buts it’s not because he’s a fantastically written character, it’s just that he’s not an attempt to do Artemis 2.0. He’s just an attempt to be a cross between Holly and Buttler.
Which brings me to the complete and utter lack of any Butlers in this book. What the hell?! Where is Juliet? Where is some random Butler relative tasked with watching over the twins?
(What parent in their god damn right mind leaves twin boys alone under watch of an AI when they both epically failed to properly parent their first kid?!?!)
So, I disliked the characters, the plot was so basic it should have been a novella, Lazuli was boring, the bad guys were laughable cartoon types and I couldn’t have cared less about any of it.
The best part occurred on page 404 (anything previous to this is negligible) and was a single throwaway line spoken by Holly: “I have one of my own”. This line is about the only hope I had that things were still good with my beloved characters because Holly is the only original to make a cameo.
To make a rather unfortunate comparison, this book is Minerva Paradizo.
Let’s all hope it’s gets tossed aside just as easily.
October 13, 2025
What to say about The Fowl Twins? It is difficult to think wittily about silliness or consider with some depth the implications of a daftness that copes without rules. One may as well dwell on the Dandy or the Beano. Is there some philosophy worth contemplating on man's place in nature behind Desperate Dan licking his lips over a cow pie that has the animal's horns sticking up out of the pastry lid? Or does the violence of the Bash Street Kids shine a light on juvenile crime and potential sadomasochism in the human soul? Of course not. It's just silliness.
It is a take it or leave it world in which injuries, even the most horrific and death inducing, can be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders and an old-fashioned mutter, “It's only a scratch. I'll stem the blood later.” A world in which fairies and trolls are alive and well, villains can command private armies and live to immortality – or nearly so – and eleven-year-old heroes can have the intellect of great genius or the athletic and martial skills of a seasoned ninja.
The whole book requires a suspension of belief comparable to watching Tom and Jerry and not being bothered about the potential injuries being inflicted. Myles and Beckett Fowl, the brothers of Artemis Jr., play their parts well and the author keeps their relationship sharp and sympathetic. It is the one thing which saves the story from becoming a total fairy tale. The other characters are very mono-personality.
Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye is a villainous English aristocrat without a redeeming feature – he could have fought with Oliver Cromwell with a smile on his face. An absolute cartoon, like Bluto in Popeye, ever doomed to painful failure yet always bouncing back to plot again. Sister Jeronima Gonzalez-Ramos de Zarate of Bilbao, the nunterrogator, a nun of violent intent, reminded me of that old Monty Python sketch about the Spanish Inquisition, only nowhere near as funny. Lower Elements Police Specialist Lazuli Heitz, the pixel – that's a cross between a pixie and an elf – who ends up helping the twins in their fight for survival is sadly no more than a token brave female, as good as any boy, and does her share of the fighting, of which there is a great deal. Whistle Blower, the toy troll – it's not his real name – is no more than a comedy prop who occasionally keeps the story moving along.
You either enjoy Eoin Colfer's humour and his writing style or you don't. Most of the jokes are not in any way sophisticated and the occasional long word, quote from Shakespeare, or rolling phrase - “Another interesting point about trolls is that fairy scholars of their pathologies have realized that trolls are highly susceptible to chemically induced psychosis” - simply show there is an adult imagination behind all the frantic playground activity. As an eleven year old I would have loved it, even though it is 442 pages long and has no illustrations. However, I have grown up - more than grown up - and that is sad because now I don't have the open mind, the wonderful idea of blue sky thinking I remember from my days in Civil Service seminars, to really enjoy its frivolity and harmless nonsense.
It is a take it or leave it world in which injuries, even the most horrific and death inducing, can be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders and an old-fashioned mutter, “It's only a scratch. I'll stem the blood later.” A world in which fairies and trolls are alive and well, villains can command private armies and live to immortality – or nearly so – and eleven-year-old heroes can have the intellect of great genius or the athletic and martial skills of a seasoned ninja.
The whole book requires a suspension of belief comparable to watching Tom and Jerry and not being bothered about the potential injuries being inflicted. Myles and Beckett Fowl, the brothers of Artemis Jr., play their parts well and the author keeps their relationship sharp and sympathetic. It is the one thing which saves the story from becoming a total fairy tale. The other characters are very mono-personality.
Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye is a villainous English aristocrat without a redeeming feature – he could have fought with Oliver Cromwell with a smile on his face. An absolute cartoon, like Bluto in Popeye, ever doomed to painful failure yet always bouncing back to plot again. Sister Jeronima Gonzalez-Ramos de Zarate of Bilbao, the nunterrogator, a nun of violent intent, reminded me of that old Monty Python sketch about the Spanish Inquisition, only nowhere near as funny. Lower Elements Police Specialist Lazuli Heitz, the pixel – that's a cross between a pixie and an elf – who ends up helping the twins in their fight for survival is sadly no more than a token brave female, as good as any boy, and does her share of the fighting, of which there is a great deal. Whistle Blower, the toy troll – it's not his real name – is no more than a comedy prop who occasionally keeps the story moving along.
You either enjoy Eoin Colfer's humour and his writing style or you don't. Most of the jokes are not in any way sophisticated and the occasional long word, quote from Shakespeare, or rolling phrase - “Another interesting point about trolls is that fairy scholars of their pathologies have realized that trolls are highly susceptible to chemically induced psychosis” - simply show there is an adult imagination behind all the frantic playground activity. As an eleven year old I would have loved it, even though it is 442 pages long and has no illustrations. However, I have grown up - more than grown up - and that is sad because now I don't have the open mind, the wonderful idea of blue sky thinking I remember from my days in Civil Service seminars, to really enjoy its frivolity and harmless nonsense.
March 5, 2020
2.5 Stars
Hey, remember Artemis Fowls' baby twin brothers? They're back! With a series of their own. And it's… okay.
This book was set over 45 hours, and took 425 pages. If someone wrote 425 pages about me, it would be set over an entire year. Basically it was. Too.Bloody. Long.
➽Beckett - 'Speaks' with animals, the best, purest
➽Myles - Genius, suits, has to come to terms with plans not working
➽Lazuli - pixel, no powers because she's a hybrid
➽Nun - Honestly, she could've been written out
➽Teddy - Villain, wants to be immortal (very child-ish goal, but this is a children's book)
➽Artemis - Is on Mars? Way to make sure he isn't in the story
➽Holly - I want moOoOoOre. But like that plot twist? Slapped. So hard.
➽That Seagull - I don't know why, but I got weirdly attached to that Seagull even though it was in like half a page
In conclusion, the plot was structured in a way I didn't particularly like, the pacing was wild , but Beck and Myles saved it because they are pure.
Trigger and Content Warnings: talk of past depression, talk of bullying, a smidge of aphobia, alcohol consumption, violence, torture, experimentation's, panic attack
Hey, remember Artemis Fowls' baby twin brothers? They're back! With a series of their own. And it's… okay.
"Fowl and Fairy, Fairy and Fowl, as it is now and will ever be. Fowl and Fairy, Friends Forever"The structure was weird. I don't know if it did that with the A.F. books but it would be like 'This happens. NOW LET'S PAUSE AS THEY FALL OFF A CLIFF TO SEVEN HOURS BEFORE HAND'. Chances are A.F. did to, but I enjoyed it more then. The audacity of times changing.
This book was set over 45 hours, and took 425 pages. If someone wrote 425 pages about me, it would be set over an entire year. Basically it was. Too.
➽Beckett - 'Speaks' with animals, the best, purest
➽Myles - Genius, suits, has to come to terms with plans not working
➽Lazuli - pixel, no powers because she's a hybrid
➽Nun - Honestly, she could've been written out
➽Teddy - Villain, wants to be immortal (very child-ish goal, but this is a children's book)
➽Artemis - Is on Mars? Way to make sure he isn't in the story
➽Holly - I want moOoOoOre. But like that plot twist? Slapped. So hard.
➽That Seagull - I don't know why, but I got weirdly attached to that Seagull even though it was in like half a page
"'How much do your trust me, Beck?'I adored Beck and Myles relationship. I adored how Myles called Beck, Beck, instead of Beckett, even though he calls Artemis, Artemis instead of Arty. And Beck lightly making fun of Myles knowing Latin names of stuff, and being all science-y. And that quote above, made me cry.
'How big is the universe?'"
In conclusion, the plot was structured in a way I didn't particularly like, the pacing was wild , but Beck and Myles saved it because they are pure.
Trigger and Content Warnings: talk of past depression, talk of bullying, a smidge of aphobia, alcohol consumption, violence, torture, experimentation's, panic attack
November 20, 2019
"Fowl and fairy, friends forever."
The Artemis Fowl series has always meant a lot to me and it has also always been my favorite series ever. So it's not surprising that The Fowl Twins was my highest anticipated book of the year. Ever since this book was announced I was beyond excited to get back to the magical world of Artemis Fowl. But of course there's always that tiny voice inside the back of your head thinking, what if this spin-off book is not as good as the original series or what if it's just a disappointing book in general and so on. I should've known not to doubt Eoin Colfer one bit because I absolutely loved The Fowl Twins. It was one fantastic read!
At the start of this book I didn't think it would be a 4 star read. I was a little bit sad about Artemis being on a space mission to Mars. It took me a chapter or three to really get into the story, but once I did I was hooked and didn't look back. So this story is obviously about the Fowl twins, Artemis' 11 year-old younger brothers who are named Myles and Beckett. Myles and Beckett are both very different characters even though they're twins. Myles is the genius out of the two, resembling Artemis and Beckett is the energetic, silly action-taker. But their twin bond is unbreakable. Personally I really liked Beckett especially.
In typical Eoin Colfer style we have some baddies with hilarious names that are out to get magic, money, both and even more. So of course we have a new fairy character coming to the twins rescue. This new character is called Lazuli Heitz and she is an elf and pixie hybrid called a pixel. I really missed Holly Short (even though I shouldn't have fretted so much about her absense...), did really love Lazuli. She was the perfect addition to the twins and the three of them made a pretty good team.
Overall, The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer was an action-packed story, laugh-out-loud funny and full of magic. It was a real page-turner and I can't wait to see where the Fowl twins' adventures will take them next.
The Artemis Fowl series has always meant a lot to me and it has also always been my favorite series ever. So it's not surprising that The Fowl Twins was my highest anticipated book of the year. Ever since this book was announced I was beyond excited to get back to the magical world of Artemis Fowl. But of course there's always that tiny voice inside the back of your head thinking, what if this spin-off book is not as good as the original series or what if it's just a disappointing book in general and so on. I should've known not to doubt Eoin Colfer one bit because I absolutely loved The Fowl Twins. It was one fantastic read!
At the start of this book I didn't think it would be a 4 star read. I was a little bit sad about Artemis being on a space mission to Mars. It took me a chapter or three to really get into the story, but once I did I was hooked and didn't look back. So this story is obviously about the Fowl twins, Artemis' 11 year-old younger brothers who are named Myles and Beckett. Myles and Beckett are both very different characters even though they're twins. Myles is the genius out of the two, resembling Artemis and Beckett is the energetic, silly action-taker. But their twin bond is unbreakable. Personally I really liked Beckett especially.
In typical Eoin Colfer style we have some baddies with hilarious names that are out to get magic, money, both and even more. So of course we have a new fairy character coming to the twins rescue. This new character is called Lazuli Heitz and she is an elf and pixie hybrid called a pixel. I really missed Holly Short (even though I shouldn't have fretted so much about her absense...), did really love Lazuli. She was the perfect addition to the twins and the three of them made a pretty good team.
Overall, The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer was an action-packed story, laugh-out-loud funny and full of magic. It was a real page-turner and I can't wait to see where the Fowl twins' adventures will take them next.
July 27, 2022
4.25⭐
An enjoyable and amazing read. I haven't read the Artemis Fowl series, hence didn't know what to expect considering I didn't like the movie. I love the Fowl twins, Artemis you are next.
An enjoyable and amazing read. I haven't read the Artemis Fowl series, hence didn't know what to expect considering I didn't like the movie. I love the Fowl twins, Artemis you are next.
March 31, 2023
The story takes place after the events of the original Artemis Fowl series (which I loved!), and the twins find themselves in the middle of an adventure involving stolen artwork and mythical creatures.
Eoin continues to write with with plenty of humour and clever wordplay throughout the story. The characters are well-developed and each have their own unique personalities, making them easy to root for and relate to.
Eoin continues to write with with plenty of humour and clever wordplay throughout the story. The characters are well-developed and each have their own unique personalities, making them easy to root for and relate to.
January 13, 2022
Artemis Fowl holds a special place in my heart. I loved reading the original series, and I actually didn't finish it until I was a bit older, so when I found out there was a spin off series, I was very curious to check it out.
This technically COULD be read without the original series, but I wouldn't recommend it. I think it relies a bit too heavily on at least some knowledge of the original series. Plus, you'd miss out on references and cameos, etc.
That said though, I couldn't help but compare the two series together, especially since Myles seems like he is supposed to be Artemis 2.0. Myles is fine enough, but he's bland. He's the "smart" twin, while Beckett is the "athletic" twin, so he's charged with coming up with plans and whatnot. However, his planning was dry because of the way the novel is written.
The exposition and editorializing ruins twists and turns every chapter, so Myles never seems to be much ahead of anything because we're told ahead of time that "so-and-so is getting captured this chapter. Just wait." Not even interacting with the other characters made him interesting to me, and so I was really in this story for Beckett. Beckett is the impulsive, "dumb" twin, but he actually ends up thinking ahead more than Myles most times. It almost seems like Beckett feels bad for Myles and so has adopted this "dumb" persona to let Myles be the smart one. Give Beckett the spectacles, and we wouldn't need Myles in this story.
Lazuli is fine. I couldn't help but compare her to Holly though. Lazuli wasn't nearly as stressed as I remember Holly being, and the barrier of the Fowls being potential enemies isn't really a huge factor here. Holly was interesting because she was unsteady at her job and was constantly having to make the decision of whether to break protocol or not She additionally had good banter with Artemis and with Foaly. Here, Lazuli is just along for the ride, but it's cool because she doesn't have powers to help her out.
Whistle Blower was fun though. If I continue, I'll be curious what might be in store for or surrounding him. The villains are very mustache-twirly which was frustrating. I think I could have done without the nun sub-antagonist altogether. Also with her, her dialogue seemed a little forced to with her Spanglish. I don't speak Spanish anymore, but it seemed stiff. Teddy was the more prominent villain. He's such a cartoon, but he's the best we got. I always found the books more interesting when there was pressure from both the magical and human sides of the story. Maybe that will happen more as the series goes along, but it was lacking here.
This review ready very negatively, but it was a fun romp once the story really got going. NANNI is a fun new character, and I enjoyed being back in the Artemis Fowl world. I think it just didn't live up to what I was expecting for Artemis's brothers' spinoff.
This technically COULD be read without the original series, but I wouldn't recommend it. I think it relies a bit too heavily on at least some knowledge of the original series. Plus, you'd miss out on references and cameos, etc.
That said though, I couldn't help but compare the two series together, especially since Myles seems like he is supposed to be Artemis 2.0. Myles is fine enough, but he's bland. He's the "smart" twin, while Beckett is the "athletic" twin, so he's charged with coming up with plans and whatnot. However, his planning was dry because of the way the novel is written.
The exposition and editorializing ruins twists and turns every chapter, so Myles never seems to be much ahead of anything because we're told ahead of time that "so-and-so is getting captured this chapter. Just wait." Not even interacting with the other characters made him interesting to me, and so I was really in this story for Beckett. Beckett is the impulsive, "dumb" twin, but he actually ends up thinking ahead more than Myles most times. It almost seems like Beckett feels bad for Myles and so has adopted this "dumb" persona to let Myles be the smart one. Give Beckett the spectacles, and we wouldn't need Myles in this story.
Lazuli is fine. I couldn't help but compare her to Holly though. Lazuli wasn't nearly as stressed as I remember Holly being, and the barrier of the Fowls being potential enemies isn't really a huge factor here. Holly was interesting because she was unsteady at her job and was constantly having to make the decision of whether to break protocol or not She additionally had good banter with Artemis and with Foaly. Here, Lazuli is just along for the ride, but it's cool because she doesn't have powers to help her out.
Whistle Blower was fun though. If I continue, I'll be curious what might be in store for or surrounding him. The villains are very mustache-twirly which was frustrating. I think I could have done without the nun sub-antagonist altogether. Also with her, her dialogue seemed a little forced to with her Spanglish. I don't speak Spanish anymore, but it seemed stiff. Teddy was the more prominent villain. He's such a cartoon, but he's the best we got. I always found the books more interesting when there was pressure from both the magical and human sides of the story. Maybe that will happen more as the series goes along, but it was lacking here.
This review ready very negatively, but it was a fun romp once the story really got going. NANNI is a fun new character, and I enjoyed being back in the Artemis Fowl world. I think it just didn't live up to what I was expecting for Artemis's brothers' spinoff.
April 18, 2020
This is the first book of a spin off series. The original series was the Artemis Fowl series that was aimed for younger children but was a pure delight for anyone who read them. In this one, we follow the adventures of Artemis' younger twin brothers Myles and Beckett.
I was a little hesitant about this new series as I was a fan of the original series. I was hesitant because I was nervous if a new series could stand on its own and I was quickly dispelled of that notion. I did think this one started off slow but that was the author really introducing these new characters even though we have met them before in the original series. But when the adventure finally kicks into gear I felt like I was once again back in this universe and once again I was on a fun ride of magic, fairies, and adventures of younger children attempting to complete a mission. I did think the new characters were a step down from the original series and that is why I could not give this five stars. I loved Beckett as he is more action than brains. To me, Myles was a little flaw in character as he seemed too much like Artemis in the beginning of his series. I believe if his character was different but still maintained his genius identity this book would have been perfect.
That being said, I did love being in this universe again and I look forward to more adventures of the Fowl twins. The stories in this universe are just plain fun. Even though they are meant for younger children I strongly believe readers of any age will have a fun, entertaining time with this latest offering.
I was a little hesitant about this new series as I was a fan of the original series. I was hesitant because I was nervous if a new series could stand on its own and I was quickly dispelled of that notion. I did think this one started off slow but that was the author really introducing these new characters even though we have met them before in the original series. But when the adventure finally kicks into gear I felt like I was once again back in this universe and once again I was on a fun ride of magic, fairies, and adventures of younger children attempting to complete a mission. I did think the new characters were a step down from the original series and that is why I could not give this five stars. I loved Beckett as he is more action than brains. To me, Myles was a little flaw in character as he seemed too much like Artemis in the beginning of his series. I believe if his character was different but still maintained his genius identity this book would have been perfect.
That being said, I did love being in this universe again and I look forward to more adventures of the Fowl twins. The stories in this universe are just plain fun. Even though they are meant for younger children I strongly believe readers of any age will have a fun, entertaining time with this latest offering.
March 10, 2022
Giving this a 2.5*s in the end. I absolutely loved the Artemis Fowl books when I was younger as he was a super-genius who was also a criminal. Very exciting to see a world of faeries and magic and see then through a criminal mastermind’s (who also is a kid) eyes. This is a spin-off series which follows Artemis’ brothers who are twins and each one has some similar traits to Artemis so together they make a good team.
The annoying thing here is I felt the characters to be lacking massively and the plot is a bit more mundane and simple than I hoped for. I loved the way the original series included the magic so often but this one if focused largely in our own world instead of the magical one and that was a bit of a drag.
We have got toy trolls, bad buns, crazy dukes and mad inventions throughout this which kept my interest whilst reading but sadly I feel that I am just unlikely to actually remember much of the plot or story with some time. I wanted a fair bit more than I got from this and I hope that the rest of the series picks up but I don’t know if I would consider continuing at the moment. 2.5*s
The annoying thing here is I felt the characters to be lacking massively and the plot is a bit more mundane and simple than I hoped for. I loved the way the original series included the magic so often but this one if focused largely in our own world instead of the magical one and that was a bit of a drag.
We have got toy trolls, bad buns, crazy dukes and mad inventions throughout this which kept my interest whilst reading but sadly I feel that I am just unlikely to actually remember much of the plot or story with some time. I wanted a fair bit more than I got from this and I hope that the rest of the series picks up but I don’t know if I would consider continuing at the moment. 2.5*s
October 29, 2020
The Fowl Twins was a fun read.
August 24, 2019
Neutral four? 3.5? Fun but not like fantastic? :)
The notorious Fowl family is back, and now we get to hang out with Artemis's twin brothers, Myles and Beckett. Boy are these two kids a hoot! Kidnapped by a nefarious organization called ACRONYM and interrogated by a nun, the Fowl boys are generally having a bad day. As Eoin Colfer is known to do, there's plenty of humor and goofiness paired with realistically evil villains. There's some LEPrecon action in here too, but I can't give away too much. It was great to jump back into this world with fresh eyes and another exciting adventure.
The notorious Fowl family is back, and now we get to hang out with Artemis's twin brothers, Myles and Beckett. Boy are these two kids a hoot! Kidnapped by a nefarious organization called ACRONYM and interrogated by a nun, the Fowl boys are generally having a bad day. As Eoin Colfer is known to do, there's plenty of humor and goofiness paired with realistically evil villains. There's some LEPrecon action in here too, but I can't give away too much. It was great to jump back into this world with fresh eyes and another exciting adventure.
January 11, 2020
Myles und Beckett sind besondere 11-Jährige. Nicht nur weil sie Zwillinge sind, sondern weil sie den Nachnamen Fowl tragen und damit in eine Familie voller Genies hineingeboren wurden. Ihr Bruder Artemis befindet sich gerade auf dem Weg zum Mars und das mit einem Raumschiff, dass er im Schuppen zusammenbaute. Daher müssen die Zwillinge allein Stellung halten und begegnen auf ihrer Insel einem Zwergtroll. Doof nur, dass der Bösewicht Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye ein Auge auf den Troll geworfen hat, denn dieser könnte die Quelle des ewigen Lebens sein, von dem Lord Teddy so sehr besessen ist.
Mir war der Name Artemis Fowl zuvor schon ein Begriff. Allerdings habe ich keine seiner Geschichten gelesen. Das tat diesem Hörvergnügen aber keinen Abbruch. Dies ist der Start einer neuen Reihe, an die man ohne große Vorkenntnisse herangehen kann.
Was mich an der Geschichte sofort faszinierte, war die Art, wie sie erzählt wurde. Sehr clever gibt der Autor Ausblicke in die unmittelbare Zukunft, streut Anekdoten ein und besticht vor allem mit seinem Einfallsreichtum und Wortwitz. Das Buch strotzt vor tollen Figuren und großartigen Ideen, dass es einfach Spaß machte, der Handlung zu folgen.
Beckett und Myles waren geniale Protagonisten, die, obwohl sie Zwillinge sind, total unterschiedlich waren. Beide sind Genies für sich und dabei sehr gut ausgearbeitet. Ich kann nicht sagen, wen von beiden ich lieber mochte.
Ihnen gegenüber wurde der Bösewicht Lord Teddy aufgestellt. Mit seinem absurden Namen verfolgt er das Ziel ewig zu leben und hat dafür schon abstruse Mittel ausprobiert. Es passiert so viel in dem Buch, dass die Aktion niemals ausging und zu keiner Zeit Langeweile aufkam. Das Ganze gepaart mit Fantasywesen wie Trollen, Elfen und Hybriden daraus, macht das Jugendbuch zu etwas ganz besonderem.
Robert Frank las das Hörbuch ein und machte dabei einen soliden Job. Schließlich muss er mit seiner Stimme 11-Jährige darstellen, aber auch Feen, eine Nonne, die ihren Job verfehlte und einen alterslosen Bösewicht. Dieser klang stellenweise sehr nach Udo Lindenberg, was ich ein wenig irritierend fand.
Eoin Colfers "Die Fowl-Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger" ist der Start einer atemberaubenden Reihe, die gerade als Hörbuch sehr viel Spaß machte. Wer außergewöhnliche und abenteuerliche Geschichten mag, wird hier absolut auf seine Kosten kommen.
Mir war der Name Artemis Fowl zuvor schon ein Begriff. Allerdings habe ich keine seiner Geschichten gelesen. Das tat diesem Hörvergnügen aber keinen Abbruch. Dies ist der Start einer neuen Reihe, an die man ohne große Vorkenntnisse herangehen kann.
Was mich an der Geschichte sofort faszinierte, war die Art, wie sie erzählt wurde. Sehr clever gibt der Autor Ausblicke in die unmittelbare Zukunft, streut Anekdoten ein und besticht vor allem mit seinem Einfallsreichtum und Wortwitz. Das Buch strotzt vor tollen Figuren und großartigen Ideen, dass es einfach Spaß machte, der Handlung zu folgen.
Beckett und Myles waren geniale Protagonisten, die, obwohl sie Zwillinge sind, total unterschiedlich waren. Beide sind Genies für sich und dabei sehr gut ausgearbeitet. Ich kann nicht sagen, wen von beiden ich lieber mochte.
Ihnen gegenüber wurde der Bösewicht Lord Teddy aufgestellt. Mit seinem absurden Namen verfolgt er das Ziel ewig zu leben und hat dafür schon abstruse Mittel ausprobiert. Es passiert so viel in dem Buch, dass die Aktion niemals ausging und zu keiner Zeit Langeweile aufkam. Das Ganze gepaart mit Fantasywesen wie Trollen, Elfen und Hybriden daraus, macht das Jugendbuch zu etwas ganz besonderem.
Robert Frank las das Hörbuch ein und machte dabei einen soliden Job. Schließlich muss er mit seiner Stimme 11-Jährige darstellen, aber auch Feen, eine Nonne, die ihren Job verfehlte und einen alterslosen Bösewicht. Dieser klang stellenweise sehr nach Udo Lindenberg, was ich ein wenig irritierend fand.
Eoin Colfers "Die Fowl-Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger" ist der Start einer atemberaubenden Reihe, die gerade als Hörbuch sehr viel Spaß machte. Wer außergewöhnliche und abenteuerliche Geschichten mag, wird hier absolut auf seine Kosten kommen.
December 10, 2020
Oletteko kuulleet juttua nunnasta, kääpiöpeikosta ja kahdesta identtisestä kaksosesta?
Jos vastauksenne on myöntävä, niin olette lukeneet todennäköisesti irlantilaisen Eoin Colferin uutuusromaanin "Fowlin kaksoset" (WSOY, 2020), ja haluatte siinä tapauksessa huomauttaa, että kirjassa merkittävää roolia näyttelevät myös ikuista elämää tavoitteleva herttua ja hybridikeiju.
Colferin fantasiatarina on turboahdettua toimintaviihdettä, jossa ei ole pahemmin hengähdystaukoja. Sankareina toimivat Artemis Fowlin pikkuveljet Myles ja Beckett, joista ensiksimainittu on huippuälykäs ja toinen vähän jotakin muuta. Kaksikko säntäilee pitkin ja poikin Eurooppaa, ja joka paikassa joudutaan hengenvaaraan tai sitten jotakin räjähtää tai muuten vaan tuhoutuu. Teknologiset vimpaimet näyttelevät yhtä suurta roolia kuin magia. Juonta on höystetty huumorilla, joka ei ole mitenkään ratkiriemukasta, vaikka myönnän hymyilleeni koko ajan inhimillisemmäksi muuttuvalle tekoälylle.
Luullakseni kirjaa voisi suositella alkuperäisestä Artemis Fowl -sarjasta nauttineiden lukijoiden lisäksi vaikkapa Rick Riordanin kirjojen ystäville.
Jos vastauksenne on myöntävä, niin olette lukeneet todennäköisesti irlantilaisen Eoin Colferin uutuusromaanin "Fowlin kaksoset" (WSOY, 2020), ja haluatte siinä tapauksessa huomauttaa, että kirjassa merkittävää roolia näyttelevät myös ikuista elämää tavoitteleva herttua ja hybridikeiju.
Colferin fantasiatarina on turboahdettua toimintaviihdettä, jossa ei ole pahemmin hengähdystaukoja. Sankareina toimivat Artemis Fowlin pikkuveljet Myles ja Beckett, joista ensiksimainittu on huippuälykäs ja toinen vähän jotakin muuta. Kaksikko säntäilee pitkin ja poikin Eurooppaa, ja joka paikassa joudutaan hengenvaaraan tai sitten jotakin räjähtää tai muuten vaan tuhoutuu. Teknologiset vimpaimet näyttelevät yhtä suurta roolia kuin magia. Juonta on höystetty huumorilla, joka ei ole mitenkään ratkiriemukasta, vaikka myönnän hymyilleeni koko ajan inhimillisemmäksi muuttuvalle tekoälylle.
Luullakseni kirjaa voisi suositella alkuperäisestä Artemis Fowl -sarjasta nauttineiden lukijoiden lisäksi vaikkapa Rick Riordanin kirjojen ystäville.
November 14, 2019
Wanted to give 3.5 stars, and couldn’t
make myself round it up to 4. Hence, the 3-star rating.
I had a lot of expectations from this book, having LOVED the Artemis Fowl series. But while the story is amusing, it has none of the finesse and tightness of plot that the original series possessed. Too many things ‘just happen’ because of magic or superior fairy technology or timing or coincidence. In the AF books, too, there was magic and technology, but it had it’s own laws and rules which made it believable. The best fantasy and world building is one where there are convincing explanations for places and things and actions and powers- there is no randomness. There is an inherent sense tying the fantasy together. The Fowl Twins does not have this discipline and logic - there is disarray and chaos. It’s sloppy writing, which is a shame.
The plot is also kind of haywire and unbelievable, unlike the tightly knit, logical (there’s that word again!) and believable narratives of the AF series.
Coming to the characters, the baddies are almost ridiculous in their badness. The villains in the AF series gave one the creeps, but the ones here, despite being vile are about as scary as a jack o lantern. Why, Eoin Colfer, why?! Coming to the good side, the characters I liked best were the AI nanny called NANNI (ha ha) and the toy troll Whistle Blower. Myles is fine, but lacks Artemis’s edge. And Beckett is, frankly, unbelievable as an 11-year old. He seems more like a kindergartener. Especially when you consider today’s 11 year olds who are so well read and precocious. Yet I found him loveable too- probably because my mind replaced his 11 year oldness with the sweet sturdiness of a 6-year old. The fairy protagonist is named Lazuli Heitz, which is such a clumsy reference to the original fairy captain, Holly Short, that it made me wince. Holly=Red with auburn hair vis a vis Lazuli=Blue with blue skin? And Short Vs Heitz? Really? And where is Foaly? And Mulch? And the Butlers? And Artemis?!
One last peeve- the constant breaking-away-from-the-narrative-to-address-the-reader-with-a-joke that Colfer indulges in. It breaks the flow of reading, sounds too self-consciously wry and is overall, irritating. Maybe it is wrong of me to compare this book with the original AF series, but that did not have the author’s wisecracks embedded all through the narrative. They were compartmentalised neatly into the epilogue or prologue or selectively scattered into the main story.
Phew. Now that all of that is off my chest, here are things I DID enjoy: NANNI’s personality which was so reminiscent of Holly; Beckett’s talent of the tongues and physical combat; the anarchitecture move; and the pace of happenings. It was a slow start for me, but picked up about 30% in.
In conclusion? A decent story, but not a patch on the original series. Perhaps readers who first read The Fowl Twins before Artemis Fowl will not find the book as lacking as I did.
make myself round it up to 4. Hence, the 3-star rating.
I had a lot of expectations from this book, having LOVED the Artemis Fowl series. But while the story is amusing, it has none of the finesse and tightness of plot that the original series possessed. Too many things ‘just happen’ because of magic or superior fairy technology or timing or coincidence. In the AF books, too, there was magic and technology, but it had it’s own laws and rules which made it believable. The best fantasy and world building is one where there are convincing explanations for places and things and actions and powers- there is no randomness. There is an inherent sense tying the fantasy together. The Fowl Twins does not have this discipline and logic - there is disarray and chaos. It’s sloppy writing, which is a shame.
The plot is also kind of haywire and unbelievable, unlike the tightly knit, logical (there’s that word again!) and believable narratives of the AF series.
Coming to the characters, the baddies are almost ridiculous in their badness. The villains in the AF series gave one the creeps, but the ones here, despite being vile are about as scary as a jack o lantern. Why, Eoin Colfer, why?! Coming to the good side, the characters I liked best were the AI nanny called NANNI (ha ha) and the toy troll Whistle Blower. Myles is fine, but lacks Artemis’s edge. And Beckett is, frankly, unbelievable as an 11-year old. He seems more like a kindergartener. Especially when you consider today’s 11 year olds who are so well read and precocious. Yet I found him loveable too- probably because my mind replaced his 11 year oldness with the sweet sturdiness of a 6-year old. The fairy protagonist is named Lazuli Heitz, which is such a clumsy reference to the original fairy captain, Holly Short, that it made me wince. Holly=Red with auburn hair vis a vis Lazuli=Blue with blue skin? And Short Vs Heitz? Really? And where is Foaly? And Mulch? And the Butlers? And Artemis?!
One last peeve- the constant breaking-away-from-the-narrative-to-address-the-reader-with-a-joke that Colfer indulges in. It breaks the flow of reading, sounds too self-consciously wry and is overall, irritating. Maybe it is wrong of me to compare this book with the original AF series, but that did not have the author’s wisecracks embedded all through the narrative. They were compartmentalised neatly into the epilogue or prologue or selectively scattered into the main story.
Phew. Now that all of that is off my chest, here are things I DID enjoy: NANNI’s personality which was so reminiscent of Holly; Beckett’s talent of the tongues and physical combat; the anarchitecture move; and the pace of happenings. It was a slow start for me, but picked up about 30% in.
In conclusion? A decent story, but not a patch on the original series. Perhaps readers who first read The Fowl Twins before Artemis Fowl will not find the book as lacking as I did.
May 18, 2021
“How much do you trust me, Beck?” Beckett smiled. “How big is the universe?” he said.
On my blog.
Galley provided by publisher
Artemis Fowl was easily one of my favourite series growing up. So when I found out there was going to be a sequel series, God knows how excited I was. And this, the first book in that series, does not disappoint.
The Fowl Twins follows Artemis’s younger twin brothers, Beckett and Myles. The narrative is somewhat of a collision course between four parties: the twins, Lazuli (a pixel), Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye (one of the villains, chasing immortality, and yeah, the name still makes me laugh every time I read it), and Jeronima (a nun working for a shady organisation searching for proof that fairies exist). And it’s a very enjoyable collision course, with several points where I started laughing out loud, subjecting me to strange looks from my mum and sister.
Because that’s what Eoin Colfer does best, creates a really good adventure story, where it doesn’t matter that you’re now twice the age of the protagonists (God….), you’ll still have a lot of fun reading it. Maybe I’ll just go back to reading books marketed at 9-12 year olds if this is how much fun I have compared to reading more adult books.
Part of it might have been some kind of nostalgia when it comes to Artemis Fowl, sure, because I definitely remember the first series having more action in it than this one (but obviously, it being the opening book may account for that). But even despite that, you’re never bored reading this book. Partly because you get to see everyone involved’s POVs throughout. Sometimes 5 POVs can seem like a lot, but not here because they’re all so distinct from one another and their plotlines are converging too.
All of which to say, you should definitely read this book, even if you haven’t read the original series.
March 31, 2020
As a HUGE Eoin Colfer fan I was a little disappointed.
I read this as an ARC copy and by the number of pages of the final publication I don't think much editing happened.
The author over explains situations and past events where it really isn't necessary for the understanding or enjoyment of the narrative.
I also think the book is a little long for many junior readers.
That being said, the fraternal twin brothers are a fun pair. Their adventure with technology, magic and two baddies was a fun story.
In subsequent adventures I hope the author can rein in allusions to the past and let the twins develop their own characters, natures and relationships instead of so often referring to big brother Artemis.
I read this as an ARC copy and by the number of pages of the final publication I don't think much editing happened.
The author over explains situations and past events where it really isn't necessary for the understanding or enjoyment of the narrative.
I also think the book is a little long for many junior readers.
That being said, the fraternal twin brothers are a fun pair. Their adventure with technology, magic and two baddies was a fun story.
In subsequent adventures I hope the author can rein in allusions to the past and let the twins develop their own characters, natures and relationships instead of so often referring to big brother Artemis.
April 1, 2024
Checking out if I still like this book as much as I did 4 years ago.
***UPDATE***
Even better than I remembered! This book holds up so well for kids and older ages, such as teens or adults, because just like the Artemis fowl books, it's humor and action just make you want to keep reading. This is probably the fastest I've read a book within recent memory. I'm excited to read the rest of this series soon, and reread the Artemis fowl books.
***UPDATE***
Even better than I remembered! This book holds up so well for kids and older ages, such as teens or adults, because just like the Artemis fowl books, it's humor and action just make you want to keep reading. This is probably the fastest I've read a book within recent memory. I'm excited to read the rest of this series soon, and reread the Artemis fowl books.
December 29, 2025
Passare alcune ore immersa nel mondo della famiglia Fowl è sempre un piacere. Una storia divertente, raccontata con lo stile arguto e un pò satirico di Colfer, che può essere letta sia da bambini che da adulti.
***
Spending a few hours immersed in the Fowls family world is always a pleasure. A funny story, told in Colfer's witty and slightly satirical style, which can be read by both children and adults.
***
Spending a few hours immersed in the Fowls family world is always a pleasure. A funny story, told in Colfer's witty and slightly satirical style, which can be read by both children and adults.
November 10, 2019
Another brilliant and fun book by Eoin Colfer! This was such an awesome companion to the Artemis Fowl books, with the signature humor and sass of the original series.
(The only problem: I have to wait a year for the sequel!)
(The only problem: I have to wait a year for the sequel!)
January 26, 2020
Artemis Fowl was one of my favourite series growing up, so to say that this book was nostalgic for me is actually under-selling how excited I was. In terms of comparisons to the original series, The Fowl Twins isn’t quite as good, and appears to skew towards a slightly younger demographic – but it was a great deal of fun and had some enjoyable references and cameos.
Though twins, Myles and Beckett are very different people, and this provides much of the humour throughout the novel, especially as they get on each other’s nerves. But in true sibling fashion, when outsiders threaten their world order, the twins will do anything to protect each other. What’s also great is that throughout the novel Colfer throws in little references to Artemis’ attempted protection of his younger brothers as well.
The world-building isn’t nearly as comprehensive as the original series, perhaps due to the assumption that most fans will have read the Artemis Fowl series first. This doesn’t hinder the reader’s understanding of the plot, though I personally felt that my prior reading made it more enjoyable. Although one could oppositely argue that a lack of knowledge of the People might possibly allow for more tension and surprise throughout The Fowl Twins, those readers not as readily able to anticipate the next move.
As always, Colfer’s latest novel is full of criminal hijinks and humour of both the witty repartee and physical comedy variety. For me, the most exciting part was when my suspicion that Holly was Lazuli’s mentor was confirmed towards the end of the novel.
Although I am not as attached to these characters as those of the original series, I am interested to see how Colfer continues The Fowl Twins series, particularly the character arc it is hinted that Myles goes on.
Though twins, Myles and Beckett are very different people, and this provides much of the humour throughout the novel, especially as they get on each other’s nerves. But in true sibling fashion, when outsiders threaten their world order, the twins will do anything to protect each other. What’s also great is that throughout the novel Colfer throws in little references to Artemis’ attempted protection of his younger brothers as well.
The world-building isn’t nearly as comprehensive as the original series, perhaps due to the assumption that most fans will have read the Artemis Fowl series first. This doesn’t hinder the reader’s understanding of the plot, though I personally felt that my prior reading made it more enjoyable. Although one could oppositely argue that a lack of knowledge of the People might possibly allow for more tension and surprise throughout The Fowl Twins, those readers not as readily able to anticipate the next move.
As always, Colfer’s latest novel is full of criminal hijinks and humour of both the witty repartee and physical comedy variety. For me, the most exciting part was when my suspicion that Holly was Lazuli’s mentor was confirmed towards the end of the novel.
Although I am not as attached to these characters as those of the original series, I am interested to see how Colfer continues The Fowl Twins series, particularly the character arc it is hinted that Myles goes on.
December 8, 2019
Myles und Beckett Fowl, die kleinen Brüder des berühmten Artemis Fowl!
Der eine hochintelligent und gerissen, der andere wild und abenteuerlustig - und beide besser nicht zu unterschätzen, nur weil sie erst elf Jahre alt sind.
Mit diesem Buch liegt ihr erstes Abenteuer vor, in dem natürlich Trolle, Elfen, fiese Bösewichte, und spektakuläre Befreiungen aus aussichtslosen Lagen nicht fehlen.
Nicht nur für Fans der "Artemis Fowl"-Serie etwas, sondern für jeden, der kuriose, fantastische Abenteuergeschichten zu schätzen weiß.
Der eine hochintelligent und gerissen, der andere wild und abenteuerlustig - und beide besser nicht zu unterschätzen, nur weil sie erst elf Jahre alt sind.
Mit diesem Buch liegt ihr erstes Abenteuer vor, in dem natürlich Trolle, Elfen, fiese Bösewichte, und spektakuläre Befreiungen aus aussichtslosen Lagen nicht fehlen.
Nicht nur für Fans der "Artemis Fowl"-Serie etwas, sondern für jeden, der kuriose, fantastische Abenteuergeschichten zu schätzen weiß.
October 25, 2020
Looks like cunning minds continue to run in the Fowl family. While centering on the now 11-year-old twins, genius Miles and daring Beckett, who are targets of corrupt criminals when they discover a magical presence. Surprisingly, it’s not nearly as different as Artemis’ adventures as it also has that same fantasy and action feel. The twins certainly might be heading in the same road as their big brother did. A- (91%/Excellent)
May 17, 2021
In itself, a cute fast-paced fantasy action book for children, but it has nothing on Artemis Fowl. The two main characters just aren't very interesting, but rather... a little annoying.
June 8, 2020
Mini Artemis Fowls, I personally think each of them are pretty much the two sides of him lol, they really crack me up!!
January 31, 2021
2 1/2 stars
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