1986年欧因·科弗成为一名小学教师，业余时间坚持写作。1991年婚后的数年间，曾旅居意大利、突尼西亚和沙特阿拉伯等地，这段经历对他后来的文学创作产生了很大影响。

艾欧因·寇弗的儿童文学创作之路可谓一帆风顺，处女作《班尼和欧玛》一经出版即跃上畅销书榜。2001年夏天，他完成了后来风靡全球青少年的《阿特米斯奇幻历险》第一部。这部作品的巨大成功令他决心放弃教职专心写作。

《阿特米斯奇幻历险》系列是欧美畅销书榜的常客，获得很多奖项，已在43个国家和地区出版，全球销量1300余万册。36岁的爱尔兰中学老师欧因·科弗因此收到了英国历史上最高的儿童文学作品稿酬——70万英镑。他的《阿特米斯奇幻历险》系列如今在欧洲畅销榜的排名已超出《哈利•波特》系列，兴高采烈的Miramax出版公司随后又支付了25万英镑。前三册的电影版权已由迪斯尼购买。

J.K.罗琳和欧因•科弗被英国媒体津津乐道地做比较，都是教师、短时间内迅速成名、出版系列都非常畅销、内容和魔法有关、主角都是12岁左右的男孩。对此科弗不耐烦地说：“我喜欢罗琳，但我们的风格也有差异，苹果和橘子有什么好比的？”

Book Description

Artemis is at boarding school in Ireland when he suddenly receives an urgent video e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from his father, who has been kidnapped by the Russian Mafiya. As Artemis rushes to his rescue, he is stopped by Captain Holly Short of the Leprecon fairy police. But this time, instead of battling the fairies, he is going to have to join forces with them if he wants to save one of the few people in the world he loves.

Amazon.co.uk

Eoin Colfer's bestselling antihero is back in Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident--the superb sequel to the hyper-hyped Artemis Fowl, shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year. The Arctic Incident sees the slightly older, perhaps slightly more mellow arch-criminal Artemis recovered from his last adventure, richer now that he has his half of a hoard of fairy gold, and happier since the Clarice Starlingesque superfairy Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon returned his mother's ailing mind to full health.

But there is still much unfinished business: Artemis Fowl Sr. disappeared when a daring escapade designed to free his family from their criminal--not to mention deeply lucrative--past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterprises went horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafiya (the Russian organized crime syndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but Artemis Jr. knows in his heart (yes, he does have one) that his beloved father is still alive, and he is determined to find him. Meanwhile Captain Short is temporarily on assignment to Customs and Excise as punishment for letting Fowl separate her and her People from their gold and is finding her stakeout duties a little dull. It soon becomes obvious that the pair have need of each other's considerable skills, and before long they are on track for an adventure that will ultimately have far-reaching consequences for both of them.

If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be disappointed by the second. Initially the pace is a little slower, and the slightly more mellow Artemis is certainly a tad unnerving at first (particularly as one of the things that made him such an unusual character was the fact that there was something distinctly unlikable about him), but once the sparks between Holly and Artemis begin to fly, and the adventure that tests their endurance to their emotional, physical, and intellectual limits begins, the pages just keep on turning.

The high-tech hocus pocus, the complex underworld, and the James Bond-style storyline will keep even the most reluctant reader enthralled. Add to the mix a fair dollop of humor, the occasional sprinkling of right-on commentary about the state of the planet, and enough hooks in the story to ensure you will be clamoring for the next book. This chilling, thrilling adventure is a seriously cool (in more ways than one!) must-read for anyone age 9 and older.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Susan Harrison

From Publishers Weekly

Rocketing readers back into a world of modern fairies (they pack heat and wear motorized wings), Colfer here reunites 13-year-old antihero Artemis with his former kidnap victim, Captain Holly Short, an elf officer with the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance) squad. As the erstwhile arch enemies join forces to squelch a power-hungry pixie's coup attempt in one world and to rescue Artemis's long-missing father in another (he's being held for ransom by the Russian Mafiya), the boy proves he has a heart after all, even as he builds his reputation as a world-class criminal mastermind. Once again, the roller coaster of a plot introduces a host of high jinks and high-tech weaponry as Colfer blends derring-do with snappy prose ("The broad grin disappeared like a fox down a hole") and repartee ("Hey, Mulch, if you listen really hard you can just about make out the sound of nobody giving a hoot"). The resulting fantasy hosts memorable characters, many of whom (such as the flatulent dwarf Mulch Diggums) reprise roles that helped attract fans to the first adventure. The author ratchets up the body count in this return engagement (perhaps too steeply for some tastes), and the high-concept premise may be a tad slick for others, but Colfer's finger is firmly on the pulse of his target market, and along with extra helpings of sly humor ("The sprite's breathing calmed, and a healthy green tinge started to return to his cheeks") he delivers a cracking good read. Ages 10-up.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 In this entertaining sequel, Artemis Fowl tries to rescue his father from Russian Mafiya gangsters. Here, the criminal mastermind teams up with Captain Holly, the same leprechaun officer whom he battled in the first book. He needs her fairy magic and technology to help with his mission, while she and her friends enlist the boy to aid them in preventing a goblin revolt. The action is brisk, with fiendish plots, ingenious escapes, and lively battle scenes. Though still diabolically clever, Artemis loses some of his edge as the story proceeds, and even commits a few selfless acts along the way. His own bafflement at these sentimental lapses is amusing, and he develops into a more likable figure. His unbridled greed and ambition were essential to his antihero appeal in the first book, and a gentler Artemis is not quite as engaging. Still, it's fun to see him run rings around a school counselor, and his verbal jousts with his fairy allies keep some of that spark alive. Many characters from the first book return, though none develop much beyond their basic personality traits. The satisfying conclusion resolves the fate of Artemis's father and sets the scene for future sequels.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

From AudioFile

[Editor's Note: This is a combined review with THE ARCTIC INCIDENT and ARTEMIS FOWL.]--Colfer's series features two complex societies: the wealthy, if felonious, above-ground world of the human Fowl family and the elaborate, technologically advanced underground world of the fairies. Artemis Fowl, the 12-year-old scion of a famous Irish crime family, sets out to restore the ancestral fortunes depleted by his father's supposed death at the hands of the Russian mafia. The young criminal mastermind's plan rests on the kidnap and ransom of a fairy. The ransom demanded will be fairy gold. Into this world of adventure, corruption, and extraordinary technology comes narrator Nathaniel Parker, who has a distinct voice for everyone--from the young Master Fowl to the kidnapped LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police) Captain Holly Short and the astonishing computer genius of the fairy world, the centaur Foaly. Parker creates a complete pantheon of accents and pacing to complement Colfer's worlds. The sequels, in which Artemis--strangely developing what appears to be a conscience--invokes the help of the fairies to save his father (THE ARCTIC INCIDENT) and to rescue both the humans and fairies from the evil Jon Spiro (THE ETERNITY CODE) maintain the impeccable voicing and pacing developed in the first book. The recurring characters are instantly recognizable from one book to the next, encouraging the listener to suspend disbelief and become completely immersed in the escapades, often laced with humor, of Artemis and his various companions. While the pronunciation the Vietnamese surname "Nguyen" may startle some listeners, and the 1940s-style Asian accent is somewhat stereotypical, this does nothing to diminish the rip-roaring adventure. Parker's splendid narration should lead to family listening that might just encourage discussion of truth, friendship, and loyalty. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award

Card catalog description

In order to free his father from the Russian Mafiya, Artemis must join forces with the fairy police and his familiar nemesis, Captain Holly Short.

Book Dimension

length: (cm)17.6 　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　 width:(cm)10.7