Bookfever: Artemis Fowl

Showing posts with label Artemis Fowl. Show all posts

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Discussion: Literature & Translation

This post is going to be a little different than my usual stuff so bear with me, please. I don't usually do any discussion posts because I think I'm not very good at them but for once I'm gonna give it a shot.

I'm going to discuss one of my favorite books Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (because duh what else would I pick?) and talk a bit about my feelings towards translated books.

For those of you who don't know, I live in Belgium. My mother tongue is Dutch/Flemish so I haven't always read books in English. I actually started reading the Artemis Fowl series in Dutch. I think I read the first six books in Dutch before I switched to English reading in 2008.

Although I prefer English books myself I think that translated books are very important to the world. It gives readers from all around the world the chance to read the same book, even though it isn't the the same language.
Looking back on all the translated books I've read and what I've heard from friends there are quite a number of things that I feel should stay in said book.

There are a number of aspects, though, that should remain in a translated book. I've come across a number of things in Artemis Fowl (as well as other books I've read) that changed from the English version to the Dutch one.

The biggest aspect in translations that should never ever change for me is

Name Changes

First and last names, objects, places, etc...
I can't say enough how important names are. I don't like name changes in translated books at all. It's confusing and most of the time the name changes don't even make sense.

Even original objects get a totally different names
The same goes for places and lots more.

I've had it happen to me when I was discussing a book (before I had read it in English) with someone who's read the English version and it caused for quite some confusion between us because of the language barrier.

So I definitely think names, especially the names of characters, should remain the same in every book even though some names might not quite belong to the country you live in.

In the case of Artmemis Fowl, I think, that it was translated very well. It's been many years since I read the Dutch version, but from what I remember the names were pretty much the same. Of course if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.

But anyway, as far as translations go my Artemis Fowl was really great. I read it when I was fourteen, and the translater really captured the same magic I felt when I read it for the first time in English a few years back.

Translated books are a great way to share literature with the world and not only the English speaking countries.

I mean, I can't even imagine a world where certain books wouldn't get translated in almost every country or language.

It connects readers to each other and let's us share the same love for the written word.

That's where Smartling, a company that translates website content into many languages, comes in. Feel free to check it out.

So I want to know what you guys think about translation in literature. Don't hesistate to leave a comment!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Review: Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

Title: Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: Artemis Fowl #2
Publication: December 1st 2007 (first published January 1st 2001)
Genre: Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: 5/5

From: Colfer, Eoin (pronounced as 'Owen', by the way)
Sent: Yesterday
To: The World (above and below ground)
Subject: A message from Artemis Fowl's Official Biographer

The facts contained in this book are just that — facts.

It's all true, every word. Irish criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has discovered a fairy race living below ground. He has extorted gold from them and the fairy police have been on his tail for supplying power cells to the goblin gangs.

But that's not the half of it. The Russian Mafiya are holding his father to ransom in the Arctic Circle and only Artemis's bodyguard, Butler, stands in between him and an evil pixie. As an explosive situation threatens the entire fairy civilization, Artemis realizes that even a wicked genius needs help sometimes. And it can come from the most unlikely quarters...

Fowl will deny all of this, of course, as will his army of lawyers. But they haven't sued me, have they?

Read on if you must. But wrap up warm.
Things are about to get frosty...

Eoin Colfer

Re-reading Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident was once again fantastic! This shouldn't come as a surprise but Eoin Colfer manages to enthrall me again and again with his books, no matter how many times I have read them.

With re-reading this book, I have noticed a few things, actually. I noticed that Artemis definitely has a slightly more softer side. I'm not sure if this is just me, but it's what I think. He's more humane in this book for sure, with wanting to rescue his father and building friendships with Holly and Mulch. Or at least the start of a friendship that will turn into a strong bond.

Another thing I realized was that Trouble Kelp was a little more in the book. I never gave this much thought before but I suddenly noticed it. But god, his little brother is annoying. I love Trouble, though. He's pretty awesome.

I have to admit that the second Artemis Fowl book was never a favorite of mine. It always used to be the least favorite of all the books, but still a good one. Now I'm not so sure because the book was actually really great. Guess I'll have to re-read the others too, then!

Oh and Opal Koboi made her first (but not last) appearance in this book. She's evil but I kind of love her, in a villainy sort of way. It was definitely a nice introduction to her character. More to come with her, people!

Not surprisingly, Eoin Colfer engrossed me with his fast and witty writing, as he always does. The Arctis Incident was quick, yet full of detail and intrigue. I love Colfer's way of storytelling and how he can always almost pull me into his books and make me turn page after page non-stop!

Quotes:

“No, I don't think you understand just how stupid goblins are. Let me give you an example. One of the B'wa Kell generals, and this is their top fairy, was caught caught trying to pass off forged credit slips by signing his own name.”

The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. There was something morbidly fascinating about flying into an uncharted tunnel at a reckless speed with only a kleptomaniac dwarf's word for what lay at the other end.

“Well, young man, have you found anyone worthy of your respect?"
Artemis smiled back. "Yes," he said. "I believe I have.”

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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 (an elementary school teacher, historian and artist of note) and mother (a drama teacher). He first developed an interest in writing in primary (elementary) school with gripping Viking stories inspired by history he was learning in school at the time!

After leaving school he got his degree from Dublin university and qualified as a primary school teacher, returning to work in Wexford. He married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar, was published in 1998, based on his experiences in Tunisia; it has since been translated into many languages. A sequel followed in 1999, followed by some other books (see below). Then in 2001 the first Artemis Fowl book was published and he was able to resign from teaching and concentrate fully on writing.

He says, “I will keep writing until people stop reading or I run out of ideas. Hopefully neither of these will happen anytime soon. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Review: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Title: Artemis Fowl
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: Artemis Fowl #1
Publication: January 1st 2001
Genre: Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

Artemis Fowl. You've probably heard the name.
If Internet rumours are to be believed, he's responsible for every major crime of the new century. If you haven't heard of young Artemis, the you're lucky. You'll sleep better not knowing that someone like him is out there. But if you must know, if curiosity is eating away at you, as it did at me, then let's start at the beginning...

In this, the story of Artemis' first encounter with the fairy People, you'll find out how he hatched a plot to restore his family's fortune. You'll read how he discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous fairies, farting dwarfs and mind-blowing technology. And you'll learn how, by kidnapping Captain Holly Short of the Lower Elements Police, Artemis almost triggered a cross-species war.

Still with me? Well, strap in, adventurers - you've never read anything quite like this...

Yours in deep cover, Eoin Colfer.

"A genius. A criminal mastermind. A millionaire. And he is only twelve years old."

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is my favorite book ever. EVER! I read it for the first time when I was fourteen years old and have been reading the series ever since. I've re-read the book over and over again. I can't even remember how many times I have read it but by now this book feels like an old friend and it's just as amazing as when I read it the first time. Now that I've re-read it once again, I think it's time for a review!

When Holly Short gets abducted by Artemis Fowl II, a child prodigy from Ireland because he wants to ransom her for fairy gold, the book really gets going. The fairies are amazed by everything that Artemis knows about the People but they're definitely not giving up on Holly and are determined to resque her and keep the gold in the meantime. But it seems that Artemis is always two steps ahead of them...

Artemis sort of is an antagonist. He's no hero, and as is stated in the book: you can't romanticize him. This is absolutely true. And yet, I can't help but root for him. But on the other hand I also end up rooting for the fairies, especially Holly. You kind of just want both Artemis and Holly to win, whatever they're fighting for. Artemis definitely is a one of a kind characters. I have literally never read about any character like him. He's twelve years old and a prodigy. No matter how many times I read this book, I'm always blown away by his genius (of should I say Eoin Colfer's genius?). In any case, he's probably my favorite fictional character ever created and I'm pretty sure it will never ever change.

Holly is also one of my favorite characters. I love everything she stands for and even though there aren't that many female characters in his books, when there is, you can bet she'll end up having a very strong personality and being able to kick butt. So, yeah... that's Holly. She may be small but she can kick anyone's ass and is the first female on the LEPrecon squad + she has a feisty and reckless personality. Gotta love her!

Personally, I think that this book has the greatest set of characters ever. Artemis and Holly aside, we also have Butler, Juliet, Commander Root and Foaly. I just love Butler. He always has Artemis's back and to me, he feels more like a father to Artemis than anything else. Juliet is Butlers teenage sister and she's simply a riot! Commander Root is simply epic. You definitely don't want to get on his bad side and Foaly is just brilliance itself. He's a centaur, a bit crazy and I love his wit!

So do I have to say more? Artemis Fowl is a brilliant book. That's the way it just is. Eoin Colfer writes fast-paced, witty and sometimes even touching scenes. Is it any wonder he's my favorite author ever?

Quotes:

“If I win, I'm a prodigy. If I lose, then I'm crazy. That's the way history is written.”

“Too much damned TV. Thinks he's Sherlock Holmes."
"That's professor Moriarty," corrected Foaly.
"Holmes, Moriarty, they both look the same with the flesh scorched off their skulls.”

“Trust me. I'm a genius.”

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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 (an elementary school teacher, historian and artist of note) and mother (a drama teacher). He first developed an interest in writing in primary (elementary) school with gripping Viking stories inspired by history he was learning in school at the time!

After leaving school he got his degree from Dublin university and qualified as a primary school teacher, returning to work in Wexford. He married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar, was published in 1998, based on his experiences in Tunisia; it has since been translated into many languages. A sequel followed in 1999, followed by some other books (see below). Then in 2001 the first Artemis Fowl book was published and he was able to resign from teaching and concentrate fully on writing.

He says, “I will keep writing until people stop reading or I run out of ideas. Hopefully neither of these will happen anytime soon. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Review: Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

Title: Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: Artemis Fowl #8
Publication: July 10th 2012 by Hyperion Book CH
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 328 pages
Source: Purchase from The Book Depository
Cover Rating: 5/5
Content Rating: 5/5
First Sentence: The Berserkers lay arranged in a spiral under the rune stone, looping down, down into the earth—boots out, heads in, as the spell demanded.

~Synopsis~

Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In The Last Guardian, the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has somehow reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis’s little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don’t seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died—a battle against Artemis—is long over. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand?

New York Times best-selling author and comic genius Eoin Colfer will leave Artemis Fowl fans gasping up to the very end of this thrilling finale to the blockbuster series.

My thoughts:
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian is the powerful conclusion in the thrilling Artemis Fowl series by Irish writer Eoin Colfer. Full of enchanting magic, witty dialogue and the action we are used to with the Artemis Fowl series this final book was one explosive page turner.

I've been a huge fan of the series ever since I picked the first book up in a local library about six years ago when I was 14 years old. The shiny cover drew me in to pick it up and read the blurb. It sounded simply amazing and when I read it I knew I was hooked for life. Now all those years later the final book came out and I purchased it as soon as I could.

I wasn't hooked from the first page, no, I was hooked from the first word. Eoin Colfer has a way with words that just keeps you turning page after page and this is what I did. The start of the book to me started off with such a bang! And since I had read the first chapter that was released a few months ago I already knew this book was going to be astonishingly good.

The book started out with Artemis Fowl being cured from his Atlantis Complex, which we know from the previous book. But much rest Artemis and the others don't get because pretty much right away they find themselves in a critical situation once more. Opal Koboi once again has cooked up another diabolical plan, her most insane one ever. When everything falls apart, literally, in Haven but also in the human world, Artemis, Holly and Butler have to travel to Fowl mansion to try and stop Opal and safe Artemis's family and the world.

My favorite character as always is of course Artemis Fowl, our genius who we all love. In this book at times he was quite unsure about himself, until he got his act together and got to work on his most dangerous plan ever to safe all the humans. Holly, also one of my favorites was as always kickass and brilliant. She never backs down from a fight and is willing to break the rules, once more. There were also quite a few chapters revolving about Foaly and him trying to safe is wife. I loved that. All our other favorite characters were of course in it too. Butler, Juliet, Artemis's little brothers Miles and Beckett who got possessed by the Bezerkers, who Opal had released to destroy human population and also Mulch.
The world of Artemis Fowl I love extra because most of it is in Haven, the underground fairy world and Ireland where Artemis lives. I LOVE Ireland!
The plot was awesome and so damn exciting! I couldn't guess what to expect. Every page something different could happen, which made it so good!

The only negative thing I have to say is the ending. I'm not sure you can call it negative but I'm sort of confused and shocked over it. Or maybe I'm just sad that it's all over.

I'm not going to talk about the ending and what happening because I don't want to be too spoilery and ruin it for others. But let's just say I so didn't expect it. It was brilliant, nontheless, but damn... my heart kinda broke.

All in all this final Artemis Fowl book was brilliance in its most glorious way. Eoin Colfer has once again done it. I just want to thank him for giving us readers such magnificent books.
I am sure that everyone who has read all the previous books will love this one so much. And even if you haven't read the books yet, the Artemis Fowl books will blow your socks off! 5 stars way deserved!

~Favorite Quotes~

Onscreen, Foaly rubbed his eyelids with his index fingers.
"Yeah, yeah. Here we go. Captain Short goes rogue once more. Hands up who's surprised. Anyone?”

Chaos reigned, and the survivalists eagerly unwrapped the kidskin from their crossbows.
Phase one of Opal's plan was complete.

I feel like Alice falling into Wonderland.
A line came to him: It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.

~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 (an elementary school teacher, historian and artist of note) and mother (a drama teacher). He first developed an interest in writing in primary (elementary) school with gripping Viking stories inspired by history he was learning in school at the time!

After leaving school he got his degree from Dublin university and qualified as a primary school teacher, returning to work in Wexford. He married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar, was published in 1998, based on his experiences in Tunisia; it has since been translated into many languages. A sequel followed in 1999, followed by some other books (see below). Then in 2001 the first Artemis Fowl book was published and he was able to resign from teaching and concentrate fully on writing.

He says, "I will keep writing until people stop reading or I run out of ideas. Hopefully neither of these will happen anytime soon. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Find Eoin Colfer on: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Youtube ~ www.eoincolfer.com