The Last Guardian
(Artemis Fowl #8)
by Eoin Colfer
copyright 2012
read in December 2020
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
I came to Artemis Fowl from Highfire, an adult (or young adult) fantasy by the same author. I did not remember an earlier book, where Colfer failed miserably.
Impressed by Highfire, I tried the first Artemis Fowl. It was okay, not great. Does the Fowl series get better? I wondered. Unfortunately, it gets worse. Judged by this eighth book, anyway.
I'm surprised. In my memory I rate book one as a possible seven, at the time I rated it six. I rate this book as another six... perhaps it should be five? By itself, yes: Readable if there's nothing else. But worth an extra point for wrapping up the series.
The main character has certainly developed, not in a way that I like. We've lost the self-centred villain and gained a loyal and friendly Disney hero (see below). He has lost his edge. Yet everyone waits on him to develop a cunning plan which will save the day... Boring.
The book seems full of well-known characters appearing -- just in time -- to do whatever they do best. Plus regular flashbacks to explain why a previously unheralded "something" saves the characters from otherwise inescapable doom.
I'm an adult reading a children's book, perhaps I should not complain. Yet I would not read this book to a child. I have just done a strikethrough on the subadult category.
The overall threat is, that every single human being will be killed. Bad enough. There are also several meaningless deaths. Individuals whose only role is to be killed. Nasty :-( Not suitable for children.
There is also an overall feeling that the book is a series of set pieces, of climactic destruction which will make for an "exciting" movie. Look! lots of scenery blowing up, won't that thrill the audiences! The author seems to be writing for the big money, the movie rights.
And speaking of movies: I tried to watch the Disney movie of the first Fowl book. If I were rating that movie it would be three out of ten. So bad it's embarrassing.
At least the books are readable.
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17dec20: I looked at the cover from the first Fowl book: Artemis is a skinny, sneering child in a suit. As described in the book.
By this, the eighth Fowl book, Artemis has become a solid teen in a bright yellow space-age costume. A creepy, saccharine, Disney stereotype. It may not affect the book. The image change does, however, exemplify the disaster of the Disney movie.
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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The best part of [Triple J's Hottest 100] is watching everyone realise they've aged out of the demographic for [Triple J's Hottest 100] ... John Birmingham"
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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)
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