Review: Iron Man: The Gauntlet by Eoin Colfer

Title: Iron Man: The Gauntlet
Author: Eoin Colfer
Publication: October 25th 2016 by Marvel Press
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 4/5★

Tony Stark is known throughout the world as many things: billionaire, inventor, Avenger. But mainly for being the Invincible Iron Man.

Just when Tony is about to add his pizzazz to an international eco-summit in Ireland, someone close to him forces him to question his role in making the world a more dangerous place with his high-tech weaponry. But Stark doesn't have much time to reflect before an old enemy presents him with an even greater challenge: the assassination of all the eco-ministers, and Iron Man himself. Just how invincible Iron Man is when he is stripped of everything remains to be seen in this breathless adventure by the bestselling author of Artemis Fowl.

Honestly, I don't know how to review this book. First of all, since Eoin Colfer is my favorite author ever I should've read this book ages ago but other books kept coming in between. And then it took me ages to post this review. I know, shame on me! Second, it was so very awesome. Just like I had hoped. 

I don't want to get too much into the story because then I'd be giving too much away for sure but I can say that it's partly set on Little Saltee, which is obviously is very familiar (fans of his other books will totally get this!!!). I felt like a lot of Colfer's personality was definitely written into Tony Stark. So you can imagine the snark and wit was so very much on point. 

I don't knwo why but I felt like it also had a lot of Artemis Fowl vibes. Another reason why I enjoyed this story so much. It's classic Colfer! I can't tell you enough how many times I laughed out loud. It was really hilarious.

Overall, Iron Man: The Gauntlet was yet another great read by Eoin Colfer. Funny, with a lot of high-tech action as usual and unforgetable and witty characters, it's a must-read for young and old.

About Eoin:
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.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: Plugged by Eoin Colfer

Title: Plugged
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: Daniel McEvoy #1
Publication: May 1st 2011 by Headline
Genre: Adult ~ Crime
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Daniel McEvoy is a scarred ex-Irish Army sergeant who is now the bouncer at Slotz, a seedy small-time casino and he has a problem. His favorite hostess and love interest, Connie, was murdered in the parking lot behind the club. And Zeb, the dubious plastic surgeon who implanted McEvoy's hair plugs, has disappeared. In no time at all McEvoy's got half the New Jersey mob, dirty cops and his man-crazy upstairs neighbor after him. Bullets are flying, everyone's on the take, and McEvoy still doesn't have a clue about what's happening.

Plugged sure was something different from the other books I've read by this author since this one is more for the adult crowd. And I'm really glad that I ended up liking it a lot, though it's not really surprising because it's Eoin Colfer. I would read anything by him.

This book is about the Irish Daniel McEvoy, who works as a bouncer at a crammy club in New Jersey. When the girl he likes, Connie, one of the clubs hostesses is killed is murdered and his good friend Zeb goes missing and possibily killed, Dan starts getting into all sorts of trouble. 

I really enjoyed the main character's voice. I don't know what it was about him but I just liked reading about Dan. I couldn't really help but like him and feel bad for him with all the trouble that was transpiring since Connie got murdered. 

The story was also pretty gritty, which again is so different from Colfer's usual work. I loved that.  And as per usual with Colfers books, it also had a good couple of side characters that you can't help but like.

Overall, Plugged was a great book. The story was solid, the conversations were witty and the characters were all interesting to read about. Although this really isn't my usual genre, I did enjoy the story. I'm pretty much convinced that Eoin Colfer can write anything that I will like. I can't wait to read the second book!

        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.

Review: The Forever Man by Eoin Colfer

Title: The Forever Man
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: W.A.R.P. #3
Publication: June 23rd 2015 by Puffin Books
Genre: Science-Fiction 
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

  

You can't outrun your own history . . .

Still trapped in Victorian London, FBI agent Chevie Savano is determined to help her friend Riley find his long-lost brother. But the WARP wormhole has other ideas . . .

Pulled two centuries into the past, Chevie and Riley find themselves in the village of Mandrake. Under siege from prowling monsters that have escaped from the wormhole, the village's only protector is the sinister Witchfinder - a man with a hidden past and deadly powers.

With Chevie branded a witch and sentenced to be burned at the stake, can Riley thwart the Witchfinder's plans before he destroys them all?

The Forever Man was a great ending to a fantastic series. As always Colfer managed to grab my attention from the first page and more than exceeded my expectations. This book was an action-packed as well as an emotional read. I loved it.

It seems like I've waited forever on this book but oh was it worth the wait! I don't want to say too much of the story otherwise there will be too much spoilers but as is stated in the synopsis Riley and Chevie get pulled back two centuries in the past. That was just one thing making this book soooo awesome. 

And of course a certain villain is back... which of course we all knew would be back. But anyway, I really liked the setting for this book. It was something different and there sure were some very intense scenes.

There really aren't enough words for how much I love Chevie and Riley. They're definitely two of my most favorite characters that Colfer has created. I adore their relationship. It isn't romantic per se but there's the promise that it could be something in the future and I just loved that. 

It's a bit too bad that Otto Malarkey wasn't in this book but considering how wrapped up his character was in the previous book and that most of this book takes place two centuries before then I guess it's okay. But still, I kinda missed him. And the ending was a bit bittersweet at some parts, though it ended good overall. 

All in all, what can I say that I haven't said before? I loved this book, I loved this series and I'll miss these characters so much. Reading some of the more emotional parts of this book I had a hard time not breaking down in tears, it affected me that much. And can I just say I can't wait to see what Eoin Colfer will come up with next! 

       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.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Forever Man by Eoin Colfer

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

--

The Forever Man by Eoin Colfer
W.A.R.P. #3
June 23rd 2015 by Disney-Hyperion

 

Riley, an orphan boy living in Victorian London, has achieved his dream of becoming a renowned magician, the Great Savano. He owes much of his success to Chevie, a seventeen-year-old FBI agent who traveled from the future in a time pod and helped him defeat his murderous master, Albert Garrick. But it is difficult for Riley to enjoy his new life, for he has always believed in his heart of hearts that Garrick will someday, somehow, return to seek vengeance.

Chevie has assured Riley on numerous occasions that Garrick was sucked into a temporal wormhole, never to emerge. The full nature of the wormhole has never been understood, however, and just as a human body will reject an unsuitable transplant, the wormhole eventually spat him out. By the time Garrick makes it back to Victorian London, he has been planning his revenge on Riley for half a century. But even the best-laid plans can go awry, and when the assassin decides to include Chevie in his retaliation, the three are tossed once more into the wormhole with no idea where-or when-they will end up.

Eoin Colfer is my favorite author of all time! So of course I'm super excited for the last book in the WARP trilogy. I have so many hopes and dreams for this book not the mention characters I want to be in this book or at least mentioned because it's in the same world as AIRMAN! Also, I loooove the cover!

What's your WOW pick of the week?

Leave me a link to your post so I can stop by!

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!

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.

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.

ARC Review: The Hangman's Revolution by Eoin Colfer

Title: The Hangman's Revolution
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: W.A.R.P. #2
Publication: June 24th 2014 by Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult ~ Science Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Young FBI agent Chevie Savano arrives back in modern-day London after a time-trip to the Victorian age, to find the present very different from the one she left. Europe is being run by a Fascist movement known as the Boxites, who control their territory through intimidation and terror. Chevie's memories come back to her in fragments, and just as she is learning about the WARP program from Professor Charles Smart, inventor of the time machine, he is killed by secret service police. Now they are after Chevie, too, but she escapes--into the past. She finds Riley, who is being pursued by futuristic soldiers, and saves him. Working together again, it is up to Chevie and Riley to find the enigmatic Colonel Clayton Box, who is intent on escalating his power, and stop him before he can launch missiles at the capitals of Europe.

"The old maxim that every action has a reaction is true, but when you start messing with time travel, that reaction could take place in a whole different universe." —Professor Charles Smart

Let me get straight to the point and say that The Hangman's Revolution was brilliant. Sure, I think every book I read by Eoin Colfer in the past was pretty brilliant too, but this one... it was simply fantastic. One of Colfer's best books so far!

This book takes us back to modern-day London after the events of the last book. Only now everything has changed. Europe is taken over by a movement called the Boxite Empire and even Chevie doesn't realize anything has changed, except for a little voice inside her head and her memories that come back slowly but surely. After Charles Smart is again killed, this time by secret service police called the Thundercats, Chevie escapes back to Victorian London to find Riley. 

I was so glad that Chevie and Riley got reunited. They're just so great together as a team. Riley has his street smarts from living in Victorian London his whole life and Chevie is an FBI agent who can kick some serious ass.  I was feeling a little sorry for Riley in some of the moments where he thought back about Albert Garrick and how scared he's still of him. I just can't help but wonder if Garrick will come back somehow... and knowing Eoin Colfer, he might just do.

There were times when there wasn't much involvement of both Chevie or Riley but another character that plays a bigger role this time was in it again and I couldn't be more excited about the turn of events Colfer had in mind for him. Otto Malarkey, people! Otherwise known as King Otto of the Battering Rams. He's my favorite character by far. Not only because he's simply awesome but also because he was in Airman. And let me just say, I can't tell you how many Airman references I have seen in this book. It was all pretty exciting for me because I'm such a huge fan of that book and I just want to bow down to Colfer for incorperating some hints to it. 

And then there were the Thundercats, Clover Vallicose and Lunka Witmeyer (gotta love those names); Boxite secret service agents. They were quite the pair of characters and yet again Colfer had something very special in mind for them both. I had never seen it coming actually. Especially not the thing with Lunka and Otto. Consider me very surprised. But again it shows how clever Colfer is in creating his stories. I loved it!
And as always, Colfer has a knack for writing such amazing action scenes. Think... explosions, tanks and guns in Victorian London. Just... wow!

Overall, The Hangman's Revolution was in my opinion a fantastic second book in the W.A.R.P. series. Chevie and Riley may not be able to replace Holly and Artemis completely but they're definitely very epic in their own way. Again I say, Colfer is a brilliant writer. His writing style, the way he tells the story, the mind blowing action and not to forget: the memorable characters, both heroes and villains. He does it all. In this book it was just the same and I must admit that I thought The Hangman's Revolution was an ever better book than the first one, The Reluctant Assassin. I can't wait where things are going to go next!

Favorite Quotes:

Garrick was the devil, thought Riley, as he thrashed and pulled for the surface. And the devil can never be banished so long as one soul fears him.

"A catch-up, at least. I like your cloak. The Great Savano, eh?"
"Do you approve of the moniker?"
"I am flattered, kid."
"I was considering a savage Injun costume."
"I am less flattered."

Malarkey shades his eyes against the nonexistent glare while he studied the fissure the RPG had put in the near side of the stone strut.
"You botched it, Ramlet. You shoot like a..."
Chevie was not in the mood for stereotyping. "Like a what, Otto?"
Witmeyer found herself in exactly the same mood. "Yes, he shoots like a what, darling?"
Malarkey had not gotten to be king for so long by being slow on the uptake. "Like a novice, my sweet. Like a total novice."

Chevie spoke to the planks. "You don't understand, kid. The future you remember: London city full of tourists, the FBI, Queen Elizabeth—that's all gone."
"Not Harry Potter too?" said Riley, horrified.

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.