The Eternity Cube (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) by Eoin Colfer is
the third book (and seemingly last) in the Artemis Fowl series. It is a well-written,
fun filled fantasy for children. It continues the story of Artemis Fowl, now 13-year
old, the boy genius who has one last adventure involving reclaiming a stolen
computer with fairy technology from an unscrupulous American businessman with
crime family ties.

The
Eternity Cube is set on an estate on the outskirts of Dublin,
Ireland and in Chicago.
At the beginning of Book III, Artemis has decided to make one last financial
coup for the Artemis family by scamming an American businessman into giving him
one metric ton of gold. The deal seemed flawless. Artemis and Butler
are to meet Jon Spiro, the CEO of Fisson Chips in a
popular restaurant. Artemis would demonstrate the C-Cube, a computer he built
out of parts from fairy equipment that is light years ahead of human
technology. In exchange for the gold,
Artemis would keep the computer off the market for six-months. Artemis,
however, has finally met his match in Jon Spiro. Spiro is not only cunning, but
he is completely unscrupulous. He seizes the computer and leaves his bodyguard,
Arno Blunt, to eliminate Artemis and company. In the
melee, Butler is shot. Artemis must
rely on Holly Short (a captain of the LEPrecon (Lower
Elemental Police Reconnaissance) an elite force trained in dealing with the "Mud
People" (humans) who appeared in Book I and Book II.) and fairy magic to
save Butler‘s life and retrieve the
C-Cube. Needless to say the LEPrecon are none to
happy with Artemis failed plan, however, to remove the threat of yet another
human (or "Mud Person") from discovering about the "People",
Holly, Julius, and Foaly agree to help Artemis
retrieve the C-Cube. The price of the healing and retrieval is steep – Artemis
and his companion must have their minds erased of all memories about the
People. Meanwhile, Jon Spiro discovers that he and his scientists are unable to
utilize the C-Cube due to an "eternity code" that Artemis has
programmed into it. Thus Spiro contacts Carla Frazetti,
daughter of Spatz Antonelli,
head of the Antonelli family to use some of their
muscle to go to Ireland,
kidnap Artemis, and bring him to Chicago.
She arranges for Loafers McGuire and Mo Digence, two
not too bright gangsters to accomplish the task. What follows is a real comedy
of errors. Look for the return of Julie, Butler‘s
sister, and Mulch Diggums, the "kleptomaniac
dwarf," in yet another disguise.

            I found The
Eternity Cube the least likeable of the Artemis Fowl series. Fatal injury and the potential of death
figured prominent in the previous books of the series, however, this time it
seems so much more pervasive. By now even younger readers should have gotten
used to this feature in the series. Still it proves to be unnerving every time
it happens to one of the main characters. In Book III it seems just a bit over
the edge. I think that it is important to beware that younger readers might
find this unnerving especially in this Book.

            Eoin Colfer
is a former elementary school teacher. His first novel, Benny and Omar, was a bestseller in Britain. Artemis Fowl is his
first novel released in America. It has won numerous
awards including: W. H.
Smith Book Award, British Book Award, Whitbread Book
of the Year Award: Shortlist, Lancashire County Library Children’s Book Award:
Shortlist, and Bisto Book of the Year: Shortlist.  Currently there are three books in the Artemis
Fowl series, Artemis Fowl (2001); Artemis Fowl: the Artic Incident (2002);
and Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code
(2003). (Film rights have already been purchased for the Fowl series.) He has also recently published two independent
novels, The Wish List (2003) and The Supernaturalist
(May 2004). Eoin Colfer
lives in Ireland with his wife and
son. He has just published He has two websites: www.artemisfowl.com
and www.eoincolfer.com 

The
Eternity Cube (Artemis Fowl, Book 2) by Eoin Colfer is
the third book and probably last in the "Artemis
Fowl series". It should be noted that the material about the death of
Butler, a main character, could prove to be unsettling to some readers.
Otherwise, the book was enjoyable, but I personally liked Book II better. The
book is recommended for ages 10 years and up. I recommend this book.

© 2004 Su Terry

 Su Terry: Education: B.A. in History from
Sacred Heart University, M.L.S. in Library Science from Southern Connecticut
State College, M.R.S. in Religious Studies/Pastoral Counseling from Fairfield
University, a M.Div. in Professional Ministry from
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, a Certificate in Spirituality/Spiritual
Direction from Sacred Heart University. She is a Licensed Minister of the
United Church of Christ and an Assistant Professor in Library Science at Dowling
College, Long
Island, NY.

Categories: Fiction, Children, General