Scan barcode
tami_provencher's review against another edition
3.0
As a HUGE fan of Eoin Colfer's work and the Artemis Fowl series, I have been anxiously awaiting the new Fowl Twins series! I was thrilled when my copy finally came in from the library and I dove in with relish the moment I got it home. Unfortunately, I wasn't as thrilled after I finished it.
This new series concentrates on Artemis' younger twin brothers, Myles and Beckett who were still very young at the conclusion of the Artemis Fowl series. The Fowl Twins picks up several years later when the twins are 11 years old. Their first adventure definitely has a lot of action, but I feel it comes at the cost of character and the masterful melding of rich stories with fully developed characters that I am used to in Colfer's work.
Myles and Beckett find themselves in the position of protecting a miniature troll from two new villains: Sister Jeronima and Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye. An LEP (fairy) trainee with the same goal teams up with the brothers as they try to elude the villains on a madcap chase. This is really the entire plot: a chase. It lacks the nuances of the Artemis Fowl books and reads more like a chase scene than a story.
Technically, The Fowl Twins can stand on its own in that the story is self-contained. However, there are so many references to Artemis and events that happened in the Artemis Fowl series (one of which makes a significant difference in the plot of this story) that I think it would be difficult to read this book without a working knowledge of Artemis Fowl and the world created in that series. This presents a problem in that the Artemis Fowl series is written for a slightly older, more mature reading audience than The Fowl Twins. The language and heavily action-propulsive style of The Fowl Twins seems directed at younger elementary--rather then older elementary/middle grade. It doesn't make a lot of sense to my chronologically-oriented mind to have a young reader start with this series and then move backward in time to the Artemis Fowl series at the same time they are moving forward as readers when so much of what happens in The Fowl Twins is rooted in the Artemis Fowl series.
I also feel Colfer is trying a little too hard to be clever and tongue-in-cheek. I don't necessarily mind some of that but there are moments in this book where this technique feels manipulative and exclusive (as opposed to an inclusive joke/laugh with the reader). If I had not already read the Artemis series I don't think I would have finished this one. Although I find this book disappointing, I will probably read the second installment in hopes that Colfer will find a way to bring Myles and Beckett Fowl to the same level as Artemis.
While I don't necessarily recommend this book I absolutely recommend Colfer's other works. For younger readers The Legend of Spud Murphy is always a hit in 2nd - 4th grade classes. Upper elementary will enjoy Half Moon Investigations and The Wish List. Middle grade will enjoy the time travel and heart-pounding pace of his W.A.R.P. series.
This new series concentrates on Artemis' younger twin brothers, Myles and Beckett who were still very young at the conclusion of the Artemis Fowl series. The Fowl Twins picks up several years later when the twins are 11 years old. Their first adventure definitely has a lot of action, but I feel it comes at the cost of character and the masterful melding of rich stories with fully developed characters that I am used to in Colfer's work.
Myles and Beckett find themselves in the position of protecting a miniature troll from two new villains: Sister Jeronima and Lord Teddy Bleedham-Drye. An LEP (fairy) trainee with the same goal teams up with the brothers as they try to elude the villains on a madcap chase. This is really the entire plot: a chase. It lacks the nuances of the Artemis Fowl books and reads more like a chase scene than a story.
Technically, The Fowl Twins can stand on its own in that the story is self-contained. However, there are so many references to Artemis and events that happened in the Artemis Fowl series (one of which makes a significant difference in the plot of this story) that I think it would be difficult to read this book without a working knowledge of Artemis Fowl and the world created in that series. This presents a problem in that the Artemis Fowl series is written for a slightly older, more mature reading audience than The Fowl Twins. The language and heavily action-propulsive style of The Fowl Twins seems directed at younger elementary--rather then older elementary/middle grade. It doesn't make a lot of sense to my chronologically-oriented mind to have a young reader start with this series and then move backward in time to the Artemis Fowl series at the same time they are moving forward as readers when so much of what happens in The Fowl Twins is rooted in the Artemis Fowl series.
I also feel Colfer is trying a little too hard to be clever and tongue-in-cheek. I don't necessarily mind some of that but there are moments in this book where this technique feels manipulative and exclusive (as opposed to an inclusive joke/laugh with the reader). If I had not already read the Artemis series I don't think I would have finished this one. Although I find this book disappointing, I will probably read the second installment in hopes that Colfer will find a way to bring Myles and Beckett Fowl to the same level as Artemis.
While I don't necessarily recommend this book I absolutely recommend Colfer's other works. For younger readers The Legend of Spud Murphy is always a hit in 2nd - 4th grade classes. Upper elementary will enjoy Half Moon Investigations and The Wish List. Middle grade will enjoy the time travel and heart-pounding pace of his W.A.R.P. series.
britterization's review against another edition
5.0
Artemis Fowl is back!
Well, not really. But his little brothers are a more than sufficient replacement. Twins Myles and Beckett have lived a life of education and luxury (with some mild kidnapping thrown in). But everything changes drastically when a small troll appears on their island. Before they know it, they find themselves kidnapped by ACRONYM (a government organization that deals with magic) and working with a fairy to escape from not one, but two baddies - an evil, mustache twirling duke and a deranged nun that are themselves at odds. Will the Fowl Twins escape in time to save their lives and, perhaps more importantly, human-fairy relations for the rest of time?
This was very cute. Colfer was in top form here, and this held all of the characteristics of a middle grade book that I find to be readable (they aren't always my favorite). Myles is snarky. Beckett is a loose cannon (who can talk to animals!!!). The duke has access to insanely quirky gadgets and wouldn't be out of place as a Despicable Me super-villain. The evil nun is an evil nun. The pace moves quickly, but we still get to know our characters. Aside from its general predictability (adults will see all the twists coming before they happen), it's a fantastic middle grade read. If the narrator is any good, I'll add this series to my list of books that I listen to while running.
TLDR: If you loved the Artemis Fowl series, you'll love this one too! It has all of the best elements of the original series with some fun new quirks and characters. 4 stars - I really liked it.
Thanks to Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC, which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Fowl Twins is available for purchase on 05 Nov, but you can put your copy on hold today!
Well, not really. But his little brothers are a more than sufficient replacement. Twins Myles and Beckett have lived a life of education and luxury (with some mild kidnapping thrown in). But everything changes drastically when a small troll appears on their island. Before they know it, they find themselves kidnapped by ACRONYM (a government organization that deals with magic) and working with a fairy to escape from not one, but two baddies - an evil, mustache twirling duke and a deranged nun that are themselves at odds. Will the Fowl Twins escape in time to save their lives and, perhaps more importantly, human-fairy relations for the rest of time?
This was very cute. Colfer was in top form here, and this held all of the characteristics of a middle grade book that I find to be readable (they aren't always my favorite). Myles is snarky. Beckett is a loose cannon (who can talk to animals!!!). The duke has access to insanely quirky gadgets and wouldn't be out of place as a Despicable Me super-villain. The evil nun is an evil nun. The pace moves quickly, but we still get to know our characters. Aside from its general predictability (adults will see all the twists coming before they happen), it's a fantastic middle grade read. If the narrator is any good, I'll add this series to my list of books that I listen to while running.
TLDR: If you loved the Artemis Fowl series, you'll love this one too! It has all of the best elements of the original series with some fun new quirks and characters. 4 stars - I really liked it.
Thanks to Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC, which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Fowl Twins is available for purchase on 05 Nov, but you can put your copy on hold today!
catwithbooks's review against another edition
2.0
So ganz konnte mich die Geschichte nicht überzeugen. Bis jetzt hatte ich auch noch nichts aus der Feder des Autors gelesen. Und da ich im Vorfeld gelesen habe, dass man die andere Reihe dafür nicht gelesen haben muss, dachte ich versuch es mal hier mit.
Ich konnte in diesem Fall nichts mit dem Erzählstill was anfangen. Irgendwie kam es mir zu gewollt vor, als würde man sich vor nehmen recht locker rüber zu kommen.
Der Humor ist recht speziell und im Normalfall kann ich was damit anfangen, aber diesmal ist es geradezu an mir abgeperlt. Dabei mag ich teils schrägen Humor.
Die Geschichte an sich sollte denke ich spannend sein, aber auch die konnte mich nicht so recht packen. Das ein oder andere war für mich zu vorhersehbar, leider.
Die Zwillinge Myles und Beckett fand ich anfangs sehr sympathisch, mit der Zeit war mir das Ganze etwas überzogen von ihrer Art her.
Der Schreibstil war zwar flüssig aber den Erzählstil fand ich irgendwann nervig.
Für mich war dieses Buch leider nichts, vielleicht für jemanden anderen. Geschichte sind Geschmackssache.
Ich konnte in diesem Fall nichts mit dem Erzählstill was anfangen. Irgendwie kam es mir zu gewollt vor, als würde man sich vor nehmen recht locker rüber zu kommen.
Der Humor ist recht speziell und im Normalfall kann ich was damit anfangen, aber diesmal ist es geradezu an mir abgeperlt. Dabei mag ich teils schrägen Humor.
Die Geschichte an sich sollte denke ich spannend sein, aber auch die konnte mich nicht so recht packen. Das ein oder andere war für mich zu vorhersehbar, leider.
Die Zwillinge Myles und Beckett fand ich anfangs sehr sympathisch, mit der Zeit war mir das Ganze etwas überzogen von ihrer Art her.
Der Schreibstil war zwar flüssig aber den Erzählstil fand ich irgendwann nervig.
Für mich war dieses Buch leider nichts, vielleicht für jemanden anderen. Geschichte sind Geschmackssache.
joshuas_space's review against another edition
4.0
Coming back to the world of The Fowls nearly 7 years later, I was a little nervous. But there’s no need to be— it was a fun & exciting read full of twists and surprises. It stars Artemis’ younger twin brothers who are polar opposites to each other. It’s a fun, fast pace read for both fans of the original series and ones just being introduced. You don’t need a history lesson of the original series to read this but it wouldn’t hurt. In my opinion, it’s written for a younger audience than the original series. It took me a little longer to finish than I anticipated because I would get sidetracked from the tangents. Personally they felt longer than they needed to be. But it didn’t bother me too much. Not necessarily a novel I would read again but I will definitely read the next one in the series!
nebula402's review against another edition
3.0
This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
I've never read any of the Artemis Fowl books, so I didn't know what to expect beyond a kids' book. And I was pleasantly surprised!
The Fowl Twins are Beckett and Myles, youngest sons of the famous Artemis Fowl and brothers of the also-famous Artemis Fowl II. In the beginning of the book, they get kidnapped by a villain nun along with a tiny troll and an invisible fairy. The rest of the book is spent trying to escape the baddies.
Full of unbelievable events, magical creatures, modern technology, sarcasm, humor, hijinks, friendship, and family, I can easily see a 12-year old reading this and laughing hysterically.
Highly recommend for fans of Artemis Fowl or older kids who can understand and appreciate sarcasm.
I've never read any of the Artemis Fowl books, so I didn't know what to expect beyond a kids' book. And I was pleasantly surprised!
The Fowl Twins are Beckett and Myles, youngest sons of the famous Artemis Fowl and brothers of the also-famous Artemis Fowl II. In the beginning of the book, they get kidnapped by a villain nun along with a tiny troll and an invisible fairy. The rest of the book is spent trying to escape the baddies.
Full of unbelievable events, magical creatures, modern technology, sarcasm, humor, hijinks, friendship, and family, I can easily see a 12-year old reading this and laughing hysterically.
Highly recommend for fans of Artemis Fowl or older kids who can understand and appreciate sarcasm.
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
There were a lot of times I debated whether to continue this book. It lacks all the charm of the original series and the plot stretched my believability a bit too far. The name "Bleedham-Drye" aka bleed them dry was the epitome of ridiculousness.
lillythebluepaladin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It was a really comfy read, and I low-key started crying when two of my preteen comfort characters made their cameos, but it was definitely very fast paced, which I didn’t really feel like fitted the story.
Not the best, absolutely not the worst, just a pretty solid and typically funny and comfortable Eion Colfer read.
Will definitely read the rest of the series later this year
Not the best, absolutely not the worst, just a pretty solid and typically funny and comfortable Eion Colfer read.
Will definitely read the rest of the series later this year
greenskydragon's review against another edition
4.0
This was a decent start to a new series. I appreciated that the twins were distinct characters and not "Artemis & Butler 2.0." Lazuli filled the role of Holly, but I'm not sure she's cemented herself as a unique personality yet. She's got distinct fairy traits, yes, but I feel like I'll need another book to see where she settles out.
Much of the humor in the book felt like Colfer was trying too hard, and the story itself felt standard Fowl formula. While it was enjoyable, it didn't have the same level of hook as its predecessors. I do hope that a collaborative effort between Artemis and the twins can be built towards, because it's such a waste of a good character to simply leave him dangling out in space.
Originally, I was going to rate this 3 stars. But there's a joke (more of a jovial insult) by an original series character remarked upon in the end that was worth a whole star and the entire book. Good show.
Much of the humor in the book felt like Colfer was trying too hard, and the story itself felt standard Fowl formula. While it was enjoyable, it didn't have the same level of hook as its predecessors. I do hope that a collaborative effort between Artemis and the twins can be built towards, because it's such a waste of a good character to simply leave him dangling out in space.
Originally, I was going to rate this 3 stars. But there's a joke (more of a jovial insult) by an original series character remarked upon in the end that was worth a whole star and the entire book. Good show.
rowan21's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
vanessaliest's review against another edition
4.0
Wer erinnert sich noch an Artemis Fowl? Immerhin ist es bald 18 Jahre her seit der erste Teil der 8 Band starken Serie in Deutschland erschienen ist, Wahnsinn, oder? Ich hab die Bücher damals verschlungen und auch die Hörbücher, eingesprochen vom großartigen Rufus Beck hab ich geliebt!
Mit dem ersten Band um die kleinen Brüder von Artemis fängt nun der zweite Zyklus der Fowl-Saga an und ich könnte nicht glücklicher sein! Kleine Seitennotitz für die Quereinsteiger - Man kann die Fowl Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger auch ohne Vorkenntnisse der vorherigen Bücher, allerdings ist es doch empfehlenswert. Es sind tolle Bücher.
Der Schreibstil ist wie von Eoin Colfer gewohnt, leicht und witzig, die Dialoge machen Spaß und ich musste mehr als nur einmal laut auflachen.
Myles und Beckett sind großartig, obwohl Beckett ganz klar der tollste überhaupt ist, er mag der IQ-technisch weniger begabte Zwilling, aber er ist ein Macher, hat grenzenloses Vertrauen in seinen Bruder und es ist schön, wie er mit Tieren und vor allem auch mit Whistleblower umgeht. Ich hab mich auch über Teddy sehr amüsiert, ich bin ganz gespannt was wir von dem noch zu erwarten haben.
Ich hab Butler vermisst. Ein Fowl-Roman ohne Butler ist irgendwie nur halb so gut. NANNI war da, klar, aber trotzdem. Mimimi.
Zum Cover muss ich noch ganz kurz zwei Sätze verlieren; ich find es schade, dass vom Design der Ursprungsreihe angewichen wurde, ich mochte das Design supergerne, allerdings wollte man wohl einen Break zwischen den Reihen.
Insgesamt ist Die Fowl Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger ein sehr temporeicher, witziger Roman mit jeder Menge Anspielungen auf die Artemis Fowl-Reihe, inklusive alter Bekannter. Es hat mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht mal wieder in die Fantasie von Eoin Colfer abzutauchen und freu mich jetzt schon auf Band 2.
Mit dem ersten Band um die kleinen Brüder von Artemis fängt nun der zweite Zyklus der Fowl-Saga an und ich könnte nicht glücklicher sein! Kleine Seitennotitz für die Quereinsteiger - Man kann die Fowl Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger auch ohne Vorkenntnisse der vorherigen Bücher, allerdings ist es doch empfehlenswert. Es sind tolle Bücher.
Der Schreibstil ist wie von Eoin Colfer gewohnt, leicht und witzig, die Dialoge machen Spaß und ich musste mehr als nur einmal laut auflachen.
Myles und Beckett sind großartig, obwohl Beckett ganz klar der tollste überhaupt ist, er mag der IQ-technisch weniger begabte Zwilling, aber er ist ein Macher, hat grenzenloses Vertrauen in seinen Bruder und es ist schön, wie er mit Tieren und vor allem auch mit Whistleblower umgeht. Ich hab mich auch über Teddy sehr amüsiert, ich bin ganz gespannt was wir von dem noch zu erwarten haben.
Ich hab Butler vermisst. Ein Fowl-Roman ohne Butler ist irgendwie nur halb so gut. NANNI war da, klar, aber trotzdem. Mimimi.
Zum Cover muss ich noch ganz kurz zwei Sätze verlieren; ich find es schade, dass vom Design der Ursprungsreihe angewichen wurde, ich mochte das Design supergerne, allerdings wollte man wohl einen Break zwischen den Reihen.
Insgesamt ist Die Fowl Zwillinge und der geheimnisvolle Jäger ein sehr temporeicher, witziger Roman mit jeder Menge Anspielungen auf die Artemis Fowl-Reihe, inklusive alter Bekannter. Es hat mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht mal wieder in die Fantasie von Eoin Colfer abzutauchen und freu mich jetzt schon auf Band 2.