Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Challenge #43 ~ “A book with elements of magic.”

timeparadox

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

My opinion in three sentences:

After the past couple of books in this series which have been fairly OK, this one was a pleasant improvement, with a novel plotline, strong and complex characterisation, and some great world-building. That being said, it wasn’t the most flawlessly written, and from a critical perspective, Colfer’s time travel conceptualisation is rather flexible and a little frayed around the edges. Nonetheless, this doesn’t overly detract from the engaging and thought-provoking narrative of the book, and definitely leaves the reader ready for the next instalment!

(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:

Colfer takes advantage of playing with time to really delve into the characters we’ve grown to love, and the juxtaposition with their past selves definitely hammers home their development over the past five books. Resorting back to past motivations and knowledge limitations also added a level of complexity and humour in a clever manner, and addressed some fantastic notions of morality, drive and responsibility. Not only is it a cunning device, but Colfer definitely uses it to its fullest potential, and the book is all the stronger for it.

A warning for the book:

When seeking out your copy, make sure it includes the extra content at the end. I’ll admit, I’m not normally one to seek out short stories associated with a major series or “between the numbers” books, as I feel they’re just an over-commercialisation of a good thing (by and large). I’m not sure if this addition has always been a part of the sixth book, or was a retrospective addition, but it firstly proved essential reading in preparation for book seven, and secondly brought to life the drama, fantasy and humour I remember well from the early Artemis Fowl books. Honestly, it’s a quirky and entertaining tale that’ll remind you of all the reasons why you’ve made it so far in the series.

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