What is left for a teenage criminal mastermind to do? Only save the world from certain destruction, help the fairy world avoid detection once again, and outsmart an even younger genius who thinks too much like himself. Artemis Fowl certainly has his plate full in "The Lost Colony", a quick paced adventure that picks up right where "The Opal Deception" left off.

Artemis Fowl has grown wiser (if that's possible) in all his escapades of the past, and has turned his attention to tracking the appearance of a demon (the eighth members of the fairy world) in the modern world. Yet Artemis is not alone, for a female genius just younger than him has her sights on capturing the demon and using him for scientific gain. For once, Artemis has his heart in the right place. Knowing that the disintegration of the world the demons are trapped on would led to chaos in his world, he must prevent anyone from capturing the demon. But the best laid plains seldom work, unless you're Artemis Fowl and have a resorvoir of back-up plans.

With "The Lost Colony", the fifth book in the Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer has lost none of the magic of the previous four. The world he has created for Artemis and his magical friends is as spellbinding as ever, rift with humor, and touched with intelligence. Readers will wish that they could actually inhabit this world where time travel is possible and fantastical creatures coexist (even unknowingly) with human kind, and where all kinds of magic are possible.

Eoin Colfer needs to stop. No, really. This book disappointed me to no end. I simply adored the first book. I mean, how cool is it to be rooting for the bad guy for a change? But then, Colfer began making Artemis a completely different character. He made Artemis come over to the good side. NO WAY! Bring back the criminal Artemis of old! This book was just plain weird. If I were you, I would read to book four or so, then stop. It all goes down hill from there

My kids love this book series. They even talked me into reading it! Great read!!

Seriously, I could listen to Nathaniel Parker read stock reports, the city directory or the "terms of use" boilerplate that accompanies software installation packages.

He is wonderful.

Parker also reads the Young James Bond series which are so vivid in my mind now, I may never read the Higson books. I prefer to listen to them.

I'd never listened to an Artemis Fowl book before, and I did not even notice the name of the narrator. When I heard Parker's dulcet tones begin the book, I did a little happy dance around the house.

Artemis is on a mission to save the fairy world. The stoic Butler is still at his side. Artemis is feeling the effects of puberty which, hilariously, foil his concentration on occasion. While hunting demons, he encounters a new rival, the lovely Minerva Paradizo (oh, how I love Colfer's characters' names) who is the same age as Artemis and just as brilliant. She hopes to trap a fairy and impress the Nobel prize committee with her discoveries.

Holly Short has quit LEPRecon following the death of her old boss, Julius Root and now earns her living with Mulch Diggums, as a Lower Elements bounty hunter. She re-teams with Artemis and Foaly in order to save their world from an unstable time tunnel.

Colfer's books are action thrillers full of explosions, car chases and techno gadgetry. They are also packed with stacks of humor, witty dialog and topical references that keep them fresh. What keeps me coming back though, are the underlying ethical and moral issues that are at the core of the tales. The fun of the Artemis stories is how he remains a fast-thinking, law-bending, conniver with a conscience and a heart.

Purchased the Audio CDs for travel, and just like the other 4 books, Nathaniel Parker does an excellent job in narrating. If you enjoy Jim Dale (Harry Potter Series), you'll enjoy Nathaniel Park too.

Book 5 offered a lot more comedy (to me) than the previous 4 books, but also kept the adventure and suspense as a well. Like every Artemis Book, it leaves you wanting more. Book 6, 7/15/08!