Eoin Colfer and The Books He's Written
Created | Updated Jun 4, 2008
Eoin Colfer1 is the writer of the highly successful Artemis Fowl series of books, he has also written The Supernaturalism, as well as books for younger children.
Eoin Colfer was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland. Eoin and his four brothers were brought up by their father, who was an elementary school teacher, artist, and a historian. Eoins mother was a drama teacher.
When Eoin left school he attended Dublin University and got a degree and qualified to be a primary school teacher like his father. Eoin worked in Wexford where he grew up. In 1991 Eoin Colder married Jackie, they now have a son called Finn. Between 1992 and 1996 Eoin and his wife spent approximately four years working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy.
The Artemis Fowl Series
The Artemis Fowl series is a series of books that Eoin Colfer wrote featuring the criminal Irish genius: 12 year old teenage boy Artemis Fowl.
Where The Two Species Live
The fairies and the humans, the fairies call human Mud Men because we live in mud, live in totally different places. Fairies bodies are tougher than human bodies, the can withstand grater pressure and more heat and so can live in places that human cannot.
The Fairies Home
The fairies live underground where the humans can’t get to them very easily. If the fairies want to get to the surface then they can use the heat from the Earth’s core to carry their pods to the surface, generally only the LEP get to go the surface on a regular basis. The city’s pressure is roughly the same as that of the surface so that if the fairies need to interrogate a human they can do without worrying about their captive being s flat as a manta ray.
The fairies did once live on the surface but they got driven underground, however the fairies are not as protected as they would like to be as human’s drilling operation may find them and then they will be out in the open, bad news for the fairies.
The Humans Home
The humans live where they do now, on the Earth’s crust, as opposed to in it. The humans and the fairies once lived in harmony but not anymore. The humans probably get the best place to live out of the two, daylight, beautiful scenery2, and seas.
The Characters
Captain Holly Short
Captain Holly short is one of the only females in the LEP. Captain Holly Short is not the best officer for following orders and this has landed her in trouble on a few occasions, however her commanding officer, Commander Julius Root, sees the potential in her and makes sure that she stays a useful member of the LEP.
Holly Short is the fairy that Artemis Fowl abducted and held to ransom and until they make friends, she really hates him.
Commander Root
Commander Root is Captain Holly Shorts commanding officer, he’s not the easiest person o get o with but he has great belief in holly and this has saved her job twice. Commander Root has several nicknames, none of them said to his face without a severe punishment, such as Beetroot, because his face is always a red colour from shouting a lot. Commander Root is the youngest commander in the LEP and he is a skilled fighter, when new recruits want to get into the LEP he tests them himself.
Foaly
Foaly is first and foremost a centaur, and a genius. Unlike other fairies, centaurs don’t have any magic sloshing around inside them, however centaurs are extremely intelligent. Foaly has built the computer system that the LEP use and if anyone else other than him tries to start up the system a hidden error or problem will crop up, this tactic has made sure that he still has job at the LEP, not that the LEP would fire him because if they did then human technology would soon be at the same level that fairy technology is at. There are very few centaurs left, only six can read the Centaurian language and only one can read the computer code, probably why Foaly has his password and important files written in Centaurian. All centaurs are paranoid that someone is about to steal their ideas and Foaly wears a foil hat to deflect any brain probing rays, even though they haven’t been invented yet.
Foaly also keeps a computer by his bed in case any ideas come to him in his sleep.
Artemis Fowl Junior
Artemis Fowl is a 12 year genius and is born in Ireland with no brothers or sisters, his parents are Angeline Fowl and Artemis Fowl Sr. The Fowl household is obscenely rich and Artemis grows up surrounded by that wealth, he has all of the technology he could want until he meets the fairies, then he wants their technologies as well. Artemis has a slight dust mite allergy, he hates suits that don't fit, has the highest tested IQ in Europe and doesn't like teenagers. Artemis also managed to convince a waiter that he was a vampire, this was because of his manner and his pale skin, Artemis rarely goes outside.
Domovoi Butler
Domovoi butler is a two metre tall bodyguard. Domovoi is very strong and has been trained in several martial arts by Madame Ko, he has a blue diamond tattooed on his left shoulder. Butler often has to face situations that normal bodyguards would never face. Butler has one sister called Juliet and is like a father to Artemis.
Juliet Butler
Juliet butler is Domovoi Butlers little sister, when Holly Short was captured by Artemis and brought back to the manor, she does the job of preparing the food for Holly. Juliet plans on following her brother into being a bodyguard until she decide that it is not for her, she then decides to do something a little different. Juliet can be described as not quite as calm as patient as her brother, she is more energetic and this trait sets her apart from her brother.
Angeline Fowl
Angeline Fowl is Artemis Fowl Junior’s mother. In the first book she suffers from depression when Artemis Fowl the First goes missing, presumed dead. Artemis does a deal with the fairies, they cure his mother and he lets Holly go free. However Commander Root isn’t the only one making this decision; Holly’s involved too and she’s not happy about being kidnapped.
Artemis Fowl Senior
Artemis Fowl Senior is Artemis Fowl Juniors father. Artemis Fowl Senior tries to set up a
Artemis Fowl
In his book Artemis Fowl, with the help of his manservant who is called Domino Butler, he captures a fairy and plans to hold her to ransom to get his hands on the furies ransom fund. However the plan doesn't quite work. The fairs stop time in order to get the kidnapped fairy Captain Holly Short back.
In this book Butler fights a troll and nearly dies, Artemis gets the tables turned on him and gets trapped in his own home and his mansion broken into. In the end Artemis does manage to get his hands on the fairy ransom fund but his house blue rinsed. The blue rinse is a fairy bomb that affects only living tissue and so unlike conventional bombs doesn't damage the surrounding landscape.
Artemis Fowl : The Arctic Incident
In this book Artemis Fowl's father has been caught by the Russian Mafia and is being held at ransom. But there's another problem coming Artemis's way that he hasn't caused. Yes the fairies think that 13 year old Artemis has been supplying human power sources to goblins. Classified by the Lower Elements Police as Class A illegal power sources this is a serious issue for the LEP. The fairies bring Artemis underground where they live and interrogate him, using the Ret imager, which is one of Foal’s devices. Artemis isn't the one responsible, it is actually pixie genius Opal Koboi that is behind the plan. Artemis agrees to help the fairies if they help him get his father back. A deal is struck and they set out to solve both of the problems.
Artemis ends up shooting his own father and nearly gets killed himself after crawling through plasma to stop the problem getting out of hand. This chapter of Artemis's life involves a betrayal and a nuclear train.
Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code
In this book Artemis has made a 'supercomputer' out of old fairy technology, this little computer is 50 years ahead of current human development and so is worth a fortune. Artemis wants to sell the computer to an American businessman with a shady side and Mafia connections. Halfway through the meeting a snag is hit and the meeting goes pear shaped. This time Butler is in serious trouble and he's about to get older very quickly indeed.
Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception
Opal Koboi is back and this time it's all or nothing. Opal plans to make the fairy world make contact with the humans, this would completely destroy the fairy way of life. Commander Root is dead, Captain Holly Short having shot him, while trying to save him. Artemis is also in trouble because the last time the fairies met they had him mind wiped. Artemis now can't remember who or what the fairy's really are. Could this be the end of the fairy world?
Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony
Another child genius has found out about the fairies, and wants to capture a demon, the most powerful fairy warlocks that live. Artemis and the other fairies have to convince the child genius to abandon the plan and to save the whole of the fairy race. It won't be easy especially as puberty is kicking in for Artemis.
Other Books
Eoin Colfer has also written the Supernaturalist, The Wish List and Half Moon Investigations. For young children he has written The Legend of Spud Murphy.
The Wish List
If you sin in life then hell, if you’re good in life you go to heaven. Simple. Not for Meg Finn, she’s 50:50, half good, half bad. So she has to go back to the person she sinned against and put things right. Meg however isn't alive again, she's a ghost like creature that only the person that she sinned against can see. Meg also has to deal with her father and some personal problems.
The Supernaturalist
A futuristic society, advanced technology, spooky blue creatures, a band of teenagers and Cosmo Hill. Cosmo is found on Cosmonaut Hill and is sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. For the next 14 years medical experiments will be tested on him and other orphans. The average life for an orphan is 14, if Cosmo doesn't break out he will die. However no-one said that life outside would be any healthier than inside the institute, can Cosmo survive and save his new friends lives?
Half Moon Investigations
Fletcher Moon is known 'Half-Moon' because of his size. Size never stopped anyone though and Fletcher has already qualified as a Private Eye after completing Internet classes. Fletcher has stuck to the playground so far using his skills to solve petty crimes with the reward of candy. Fletchers first case is to find out who stole a superstars lock of hair that April Deveraux bought on eBay. It looks like head of criminal family Red Sharkey is the culprit.
Sooner or later though something bigger happens, and it involves Fletcher and his skills. There's a conspiracy where Fletcher lives involving a local criminal family, a group of girls, a school talent show and various crimes such as arson, theft and assault. Fletcher finds himself blamed for arson and so flees custody with a known delinquent, who may be more than he seems.
Benny and Omar
Benny Shaw's father has a new job, in Africa, so Benny has to move. 12 year old Benny, moves to Tunisia where no one has heard of curling, and no one appreciates Benny’s sense of humour and sarcasm. That is no-one appreciates Benny’s sense of humour until Omar comes along.
Omar only speaks English that he has learnt from the TV and lives on his wits. Omar is an orphan and his sister is in a mental hospital and he is determined to get her out with Benny's help. The two become great friends.
Benny and Babe
In Tunisia Benny’s adventures have given him the confidence to take on the world. Omar suffers a blow to his pride however when he meets Babe.
Benny is with his grandfather and finds that being a 'townie' makes him the target of teasing by the locals. babe is the tomboy of the village and runs a business that collects the lost lures and flies that visiting fisherman have lost and selling them on.
Babe and Omar might just be starting to get on, but as usual something happens, things become difficult when Furty Howlin turns up wanting a slice of the action . However at a disco babe becomes a real girl, can Babe and Omar still get on?
