The Last Guardian

Artemis Fowl, Book 8

By: Eoin Colfer

Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker

Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Is this Artemis Fowl’s last stand?

Artemis Fowl’s archenemy Opal Koboi has masterminded a way to simultaneously secure her release from prison and bring the human and fairy worlds to their knees. And, unless Artemis can stop her, the evil pixie’s next move will destroy all human life on Earth.

Ground zero is the Fowl Estate, where Opal has reanimated fairy warriors who were buried there thousands of years ago. Their spirits have possessed any vessels they can find - corpses, Artemis’s little brothers, assorted wildlife - and they are bound to obey Opal’s every command. Defeating the motley troops and their diabolical leader will require all of Artemis’s cleverness - as well as Butler’s bravery, Holly’s skill, and Foaly’s gadgetry. But if their best efforts aren’t enough, Armageddon will surely follow.

New York Times best-selling author and comic genius Eoin Colfer will leave Artemis Fowl fans gasping up to the very end of this thrilling finale to the blockbuster series.

©2012 Eoin Colfer (P)2012 Listening Library

Always a good listen

I can always count on Artemis taking me along on his adventures. I would recommend these audio books to anyone and everyone. I am glad that Nathaniel Parker is back reading them, too. He puts such animation and fun into the books, showing the kids who listen how to paint pictures in their heads and how to read fluently themselves.

I just love the characters and the adventures they go on. I am glad there are more adventures and hope it will continue. Let's face it, there are tons of ways a kid like Artemis can have adventures...his brothers will see to that.

Best Artemis Adventure Yet

My favorite of all the books. Full of humor and adventure as he vanquishes his enemies and gains more humanity. Great series, great book!

amazing

this book was amazing I have read all of the books in the series and all the ending was a surprise it felt like there could be more but nevertheless the series and this book are a must-read by anyone

loved it as I do all the books in this series.

I love the whole series of Artemis fowl books, I believe this was an amazing finish to an amazing series. I truly think this is a great series for all young imaginative people and not so young ones for an occasional escape from reality

Loved it!

Amazing chapter in the Series. My favorite book so far. Narration was great as well

End of the line

Yes. The Artemis fowl series peaked in book three. But still. I find this to be a fitting ending to the series. Ending as the first book started.

Extreme Page Turner

The book must be finished as soon as it is started. The story is a little odd in the beginning because it really stretched my "myth of believability," meaning the biggest magic scheme was hard for me to believe or understand. There was a descriptive error about a character's appearance from the beginning to the end, however the character did not change. It stood out because the detail was mentioned at least 3 times. It's hard to see the series end. The way these stories are written you could see Artemis branch off into and adult genre book series where he becomes the first human to join the LEP as special ops.

Masterfully Done

This story comes alive through the excellent narration and character development. It is enjoyable b for all ages. I believe you will enjoy it. I did!

Enjoyable, though Indulgent

Where does The Last Guardian rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Certainly not near the top. I have read each book in the Artemis Fowl series - some of them two, three and four times - and while the story was enjoyable as always, I felt that much of the ingenuity and imagination I've come to expect from Colfer was lacking.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Perhaps the baseball-sized killer crickets. And least interesting is the fact that, yet again, Opal Koboi is attempting to rule the world. In a series, you come to enjoy reading about the same heroes and villians, but I'm a bit tired of Opal, as much as she amuses me.

Which character – as performed by Nathaniel Parker – was your favorite?

Two characters: Beckett and Miles Fowl, Artemis' young brothers. Having become acquainted with them in Book 7, it was amusing and entertaining to see them a tad older in this final book. Parker is fantastic, and I love that Miles is a younger Artemis in the making, while Beckett is much more the typical small boy, while hugely courageous and loveable. A wonderful duo.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not particularly. Perhaps this because I've been following the series for about 10 years, though.

Any additional comments?

As a whole, I truly enjoyed the story. However, I feel that this is because, after 10 years of following this series, I am intimate with the characters and the worlds in which they live. It was enjoyable to see loose ends tied up, different characters older and more mature... And the conclusion of the book was satisfying from a reader's point of view. You will not be disappointed at the end, and will appreciate the finality. I am grateful to Colfer for that.

I'm not sure how long Colfer has been plotting Book 8, but frankly, I thought the plot and settings were rather indulgent on his part. Perhaps even "very" indulgent. Yet again, Opal Koboi is bent on world domination. Most of the events conveniently take place at the Fowl estate. Everything was just so..... Convenient. Don't worry, I won't give any spoilers. But, having read the other books, I've come to expect a certain standard from Colfer. I would have liked to see many of the events take place in other parts of the world. I would have enjoyed seeing a new villian, or, since he did need to tie up the loose end of Opal, perhaps a second villian attempting to either thwart - or join forces with - her. Since there are a number of rather fantastical events in the book, he certainly had room to do something drastic, like bring Julius Root back to life. Or perhaps the mania Artemis experienced from the his Atlantis Complex could have made a reappearance. I feel that Colfer had room for so much, and took the easy way out with events I could have casually thought up myself.

I did enjoy many of the new characters, and I must add that Nathaniel Parker is, without a doubt, one of my favorite narrators of all time. His accent lends a wonderful air to Artemis' personality, especially. He brings every character to life, and each one is completely different from the others. Even Artemis' younger brothers sound youthful, adorable, hysterical with Parker's voice.

If you have followed the series, I would say you should listen to this, just for the closure. It's of course always great to enjoy new events with the characters we've come to know and love. If you haven't followed the series, I would say you should still listen, but go back and listen to the other books first. THEY (especially the first three or four) were fantastic, and having read them, you can't leave out Book 8 haha. I'm sorry to see the series end, but few stories going beyond 8 or 9 in the series stay as "good," so I get it. Take Harry Potter, or Twilight, for example. Or Outlander, which I am voraciously reading now (on Book 4, on track to be ready for 8 when it comes out this winter :).

Hope you enjoy!

A Wonderful Ending to a Wonderful Series

If you could sum up The Last Guardian in three words, what would they be?

funny, action-packed, adventurous

What other book might you compare The Last Guardian to and why?

I feel that the entire Artemis Fowl series (8 books) is at the very least as good as the Harry Potter franchise. I'm surprised it's popularity hasn't blossomed more than it has.

What about Nathaniel Parker’s performance did you like?

Nathaniel Parker has narrated all of the Artemis Fowl books, and he has come to be the life of the characters to me. No one else could transition from Artemis's dry deadpan wit, to Holly Short's frustrated outbursts to Foley's egotistical musings as weel and with such ease as he does. He makes every character come to life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I loved this book. I only hate that it is planned to be the series finale to the Artemis stories.

Any additional comments?

Artemis Fowl, the teenage criminal mastermind - turned - hero, and his fairy friends Holly Short, Foley the Centaur, and Mulch Diggums the Dwarf of the underground (quite literally!) LEP (Lower Elements Police) - Recon unit, are back in the 8th and final novel in the series. The evil Pixie Opal Coboy has come up with a plan that will cause Armageddon on earth - and it's up to genius Artemis and his friends and ever present bodyguard Butler to once again save the world!