The Arctic Incident(2002)

Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl, the brilliant teenage criminal mastermind created by author Eoin Colfer, returns for another adventure in The Arctic Incident, Book Two of this exciting new series. Colfer's mythical world, which features a secret underground community populated by fairies, satyrs, trolls, and gnomes who frequently find themselves at odds with the above-ground humans, offers a perfect blend of humor, magic, fantasy, and conflict.

In the first book of the series, Artemis battled both the underground inhabitants and Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police force. He also lost his beloved father, who is assumed to be dead. Now, after receiving a mysterious video email, Artemis finds himself in need of help from his recent enemies. The video shows a man bearing a striking resemblance to Artemis's father, sitting in the wasteland of arctic Russia. Artemis sets off to rescue the man, but first he must enlist some magical assistance.

Down in the underground world, chaos has arisen. An unknown traitor has stolen forbidden weapons and armed a horde of trolls, setting them loose to wreak havoc on the citizens. Clues lead Captain Holly Short straight to Artemis, and she exacts a small bit of revenge by kidnapping him, just as he once kidnapped her. But soon she learns that Artemis isn't behind the chaos, and if she's to have any hope of stopping it, she will need his help. As a result, these onetime adversaries must now join forces -- a mix that proves to be both charming and volatile.

Colfer has combined the magical appeal of Rowling's Harry Potter series with a fantasy world reminiscent of Tolkien's. By stirring a few intriguingly conflicted characters and lots of nonstop action into the mix, he's created a winning recipe guaranteed to keep young readers glued to the pages for hours. (Beth Amos)