tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26616871996919359072024-02-29T08:32:07.412-07:00Amanda's To Read or Not to Read?Amanda K. Thompson | Writer | Book Blogger | Booktuber | WordbenderAmanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-82179173489468659122019-05-10T10:42:00.001-06:002019-05-10T10:42:30.443-06:00Harma-Geddon's Comin' | TLG Ch 5-8 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For anyone who hasn't heard yet, the <a href="https://twitter.com/EoinColfer/status/1125845050066440192"><i>Artemis Fowl</i> film has been delayed</a> until May 2020. While frustrating, all indications are this is a good move, as this is potentially a better release slot for it to break out as a commercial success. There are also indications that some re-shooting is happening, though how extensive they are is unclear; the reason for the delay is officially the Disney/Fox merger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've waited 18 years already to see this favorite book hit the big screen, so one more year isn't the end of the world. I do feel the need to point out however, that I have been waiting to see this film for <i>more than half of my life</i>. Please make it worth the wait, Disney.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that out of the way, let's get this week's Fowl Day post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 5: Harma-Geddon</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don't worry, Juliet; the wait won't be long.</b> In just over a year the world get a load of Myles Fowl, and Beckett, too. I can't wait to see what happens then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 6: Rise, My Beauties</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis is trying to plot on his way to save the twins, but there are certain scenarios he can't face,</b> and pushes those to the back of his mind. And while he can't stomach the thought of his brothers harmed, he already knows revenge will be his if they are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Artemis hasn't been a stranger to 'revenge' or dishing out some just desserts in the past, this one certainly seems and feels much darker, in keeping with the overall grittier feel of this book so far. One direction or another, <i>The Last Guardian </i>will be the final step in Artemis' development.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is also an interesting foil to Arty's blind spot when it comes to things he doesn't care about. We've seen it several times over the series, most notably in <i>The Eternity Code </i>when his Cube almost alerts Jon Spiro to the People because Artemis was careless about not disconnecting it form LEP probes. That one slip up almost cost the People everything, because Artemis was blinded by his own greed and selfish desires. Now, Artemis is faced with the possibility of losing his loved ones, something too horrible for him to even contemplate, resulting in a similar blind spot, this one born of emotional weakness, rather than pure selfishness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Will this 'Poppy' nickname come back as something important later?</b> It's possible this is just a piece of worldbuilding that hasn't made it into the series until now, but it seems rather significant suddenly dropped that for some unknown reason all the females in Holly's family have the nickname 'Poppy'. Curiosity = piqued.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Foaly's Universal Law of Maximum Doo-Doo Displacement</b> is a must know for all beings attempting to function in society.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>This medieval couplet about the locks is very revealing about Opal's biggest flaw.</b> Unlike Arty's own <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/juxtapositions-all-juxtapositions.html">blind spot flaw</a> -which we've discussed before is a consequence of his own selfishness- Opal's is her own arrogance. Even as she opens the lock, she assumes Arty will be the one to 'rue', not her. We'll find out soon enough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Colfer's fairies have souls, which long for their own heaven.</b> This is simply interesting to me because in my -albeit rather limited- studies in folklore and mythology, it was believed fairies are soulless, and therefore unable to reach heaven (read as: doomed to hell). That's probably mostly propaganda from the Church when they actively sought to out belief in fairies back in the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The narration style changes just a little when we're following Oro's point of view,</b> taking on the tone and lilt of a traditional storyteller and <i>it works.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Corpses plentiful on the Fowl Estate?</b> My first thought is <i>Family graveyard or the former Fowl empire's dumping ground?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The idea that ghosts of these possessed corpses are lamenting and probably even berating the Berserkers</b> mistreating their bodies is funny to me. Morbid, perhaps, but funny nonetheless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Awww, I love that No1 is so fond of Qwan</b> that he pretends he still needs a mentor just to keep him around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I have noticed the last few books that Holly never seems to have magic when she needs it,</b> which on the one hand is good because it means Colfer has intentionally not relied on magic to save his characters, but on the other hand, I miss Holly at her best. So having No1 explain that her extensive physical traumas are making her leak magic and patching her up is a good move and totally reasonable. Because Holly does get the crap beat out of her a lot.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Short stories needed:</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All three of Holly and Trouble's disastrous dates</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis & Foaly team up</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis babysitting the twins while the Butler's get a sibling date while protecting the Fowl boys</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foaly's day with his kids*</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A day in the life of No1</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A day in the life of No1: Moon edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angeline meets Holly</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>*Starting to question this again. Back in </i>The Atlantis Complex<i> Foaly mentioned something about his kids, but there's been no mention of such creatures existing since. Am I crazy!?</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And once again, Artemis Fowl is nearly killed because he <u>still</u> hasn't kept all those promises to get in shape!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 7: Lickety-Spit</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Speaking of brawn vs brain, I love Mulch berating Artemis for always needing to be saved, rather than being able to fend for himself and his loved ones.</b> Foreshadow as much as character trait?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Also, Mulch is ridiculously strong,</b> guys, to haul Butler by his ankles with 'some effort'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>17% percent chance of survival,</b> calculates Arty; they've survived greater odds before, according to him, but I'm curious as to which adventure that was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When did Mulch become the voice of emotion reason,</b> telling Arty to think with his heart and not with his head? Reminds me of another beloved gruff character. At any rate, more foreshadowing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>To be fair to Artemis, Mulch and Holly, none of this is really Artemis' fault.</b> Not unless you want to blame him for posing as they only true foil to Opal over the last decade that you hold him directly responsible for the height of evil and megalomania she's managed to attain. And that seems like a lot to lay on his shoulders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 8: Motley Crew</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally! Colfer explains the Abominable Snowman and Bigfoot!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If I knew more Motely Crue songs,</b> I might find a fitting one for this chapter. Alas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's it for this week, Fowl Fans. See you next Thursday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May's reading schedule for <i>The Last Guardian</i>:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-last-guardian-ch-1-4-artemis-fowl.html">May 2: Chapters 1-4</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 9: Chapters 5-8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 16: Chapters 9-12</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>May 30: Chapters 13-19</b></span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-4094667120816054222019-05-02T12:28:00.000-06:002019-05-02T12:28:08.401-06:00The Last Guardian | Ch 1-4 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GBTwTTYYtS9eExPGRe12DYMquBHqcgFe_pkT2W9jsgOAXF5zU00qBRXjQXlPFApr9eJYmYd4pdApdeZdGsVTLO53sI25aAotKysyXLiNJ7EZUhhO7jRHll8gkgTxsGbnOxqLrcahuE4/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GBTwTTYYtS9eExPGRe12DYMquBHqcgFe_pkT2W9jsgOAXF5zU00qBRXjQXlPFApr9eJYmYd4pdApdeZdGsVTLO53sI25aAotKysyXLiNJ7EZUhhO7jRHll8gkgTxsGbnOxqLrcahuE4/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before we begin, I feel I must warn you: I have only read this book once.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time I had very conflicted feelings about it -about the last three books of the series, in fact. But as I've since warmed up to <i>The Time Paradox</i> and <i>The Atlantis Complex</i> I hope, too, I'll come to better appreciate <i>The Last Guardian</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So going in -I remember very little about this book (even less than I remember about <i>The Time Paradox</i> and, guys, I forgot about <u>THE KISS</u>) so some of my revelations will probably be old news to some.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We left Artemis in the clutches of Atlantis Complex and his own crippling guilt while Angeline rushes to his bedside and Holly and his other friends are already there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's see what <i>The Last Guardian</i> has in store for us, shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prologue</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Color me intrigued by Oro. I'm interested in this villain just after a page and a half.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find it interesting how Eoin has delved into a 'black magic' side of the fairies. It gives a better sense of balance, I think, despite the Ritual. After all, no matter the rule, someone will find an advantageous way to break it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 1: A Complex Situation</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis only truly relaxes after he's gotten the better of Dr. Argon,</b> which definitely says something about my favorite juvenile genius' personality. But this session also provides an interesting parallel to Artemis' other therapy sessions with Dr. Po, back in <i>The Arctic Incident</i>. In that session so long ago, Artemis was dealing with any real psychological issues and Artemis toyed with Dr. Po rather mercilessly, even when the doctor correctly guessed that Artemis lacked decent respect for his fellows because they weren't as smart as he. While Artemis is far from the model patient this time around, he is certainly more respectful of Dr. Argon and, after the gnome relates his theory of <i>relatedness</i> regarding the residual magic on the Fowl Estate, Artemis even gifts the doctor with a cure for his aching hip. It's not all kindness, of course; Artemis has been working on the brace design for several sessions and only after listening to this theory does he decide to share it. So, still some of the same old Fowl under there. But still. Can't deny there's been improvement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I love this revelation that the Fowls have been after fairy gold for centuries.</b> I mean, obviously we figured Arty's trip back in time is what really triggered the gold hunt. But look back again. What first inspired Arty was a story book. One his father used to read to him. And then tell him how the character <u>should</u> have done it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, I'm totally believing something magical is messing with the minds on the Fowl Estate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also suspect that this idea is going to come into serious play in the <i>Artemis Fowl</i> film. But we'll find out in just over 3 months!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I do like Arty's growing sympathy</b> towards others, but it's best seen in the moment where he's taught Nopal to tap the glass, to prove she is sentient and intelligent.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"May the fours be with you."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course Foaly wouldn't let it go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, I love Foaly, you guys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Awww, Trouble is morphing into Julius? </b><3 <3 <3</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Opal is one cold-hearted pixie,</b> willing to kill her own your self. <i>Dang.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and here I thought Eoin had played with all the time warp stuff already.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 2: Killing the Past</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Opal, knowing full well that she might actually erase herself from existence,</b> has nevertheless taken the risk to <u>kill her younger self</u> in an effort to escape, which involves not only the real possibility of her own death but also being shoved into uranium pod <u>in case she explodes</u>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That pixie is desperate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Is it just me, or is <i>The Last Guardian</i> darker and more violent </b>than its predecessors? It's not a bad thing -this is, after, not just a finale, but the final step in Artemis' development- but it certainly lends a differently feel to the story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far, I think it's working very well. Artemis -freshly cured of Atlantis Complex- is certainly very sensitive to the callous and cold-blooded kidnappers and, by extension, Opal herself. This is, I think, the farthest from Opal (personality-wise) that Artemis has ever been, since they have both veered in opposite directions and this darker story is serving to really highlight those differences before Artemis steps into the final act of his development. I'm keeping on eye on this as we move on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 3: Fire & Brimstone</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Opal has the blasted good fortune that her grandiose god complex realities somehow actually work.</b> Most psychopaths who think they're destined to become the first Quantum Being by blowing themselves up and putting themselves back together <u>don't usually succeed</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 4: Engineer Ozkopy Has the Last Word</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And that he certainly does. </b>May it haunt Opal for the duration of her inevitably short existence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tune in for the rest of the month for the hottest Artemis Fowl read along on the Internet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>May's reading schedule for <i>The Last Guardian</i>:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>May 2: Chapters 1-4</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>May 9: Chapters 5-9</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>May 16: Chapters 10-13</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>May 30: Chapters 14-19</b></span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-43423473224702469622019-04-25T14:33:00.003-06:002019-04-25T14:33:56.844-06:00Production Hell: A Game For Long-Suffering Artemis Fowl Fans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFImV0i5IalimI1Kqk2uWADHm02OLGJOm5B73uHoQ1xcYT32nnQNsXfB4BYsIwo_z6jg-qeaXi_x3hiTLEXhAB_ADT4Lon18kxu9ZopDAovD2ZrnzPzZB8MqzxJrnVNkO3_Z5ioaubEJ0/s1600/PH+title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFImV0i5IalimI1Kqk2uWADHm02OLGJOm5B73uHoQ1xcYT32nnQNsXfB4BYsIwo_z6jg-qeaXi_x3hiTLEXhAB_ADT4Lon18kxu9ZopDAovD2ZrnzPzZB8MqzxJrnVNkO3_Z5ioaubEJ0/s1600/PH+title.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many moons ago, Artemis Fowl Confidential released their awesome <a href="https://www.artemis-fowl.com/product/i-survived-the-wait-artemis-fowl-movie-t-shirt/"><i>I Survived the Wait</i> t-shirts</a> (which I love and own) and the sentiment was so funny and painfully true that I couldn't let it go. So I didn't. Eventually, it turned into a full-blown game idea and creating this ridiculous, magnificent, and totally obsessive board game is honestly one of the funnest and weirdest experiences of my life to date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The goal of the game is to</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> s</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">urvive the wait until the premiere date without dying of old age or being driven insane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is, in my humble opinion, a fun way to relive the joys and frustrations that have been the last 18 years of the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis Fowl</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> film's adventure in and out of Production Hell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a free downloadable PDF (links at the bottom of the post). Take a peak!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJY9rKxwkE5gip5BPqUgHzJePQrFFPcHZK8LpEVVbZ00FUO0l1YHgZd2UUDqyzfPViNzz4I-YK0eCy8CIN9S6iai3Kd3Be8Eus89I-HLd-4_ZFBNjjSPr8uTltUnBuWMLWL0Wt9iCljY/s1600/1+PH+Gameboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1022" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJY9rKxwkE5gip5BPqUgHzJePQrFFPcHZK8LpEVVbZ00FUO0l1YHgZd2UUDqyzfPViNzz4I-YK0eCy8CIN9S6iai3Kd3Be8Eus89I-HLd-4_ZFBNjjSPr8uTltUnBuWMLWL0Wt9iCljY/s1600/1+PH+Gameboard.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The board is best printed on card stock to give it some heft. It can easily be glued down onto cardboard, poster board, or even a less deserving game's board</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some assembly is required; the board comes in four large pieces, with three smaller attachments (as seen below).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wT34G6LkQec0TUEnDe_qF29CwiA6oiRgQqKcaZIkVZt7Wt2Ze4bbrEbJVlgZNp16UePc7zmJtYn-in6WM8xDdjyDgvTfJUtXvIHHmzhGkkSI4GbpWvESz7UbVbxZIjszmOy9FC65LcY/s1600/Production+Hell2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1188" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wT34G6LkQec0TUEnDe_qF29CwiA6oiRgQqKcaZIkVZt7Wt2Ze4bbrEbJVlgZNp16UePc7zmJtYn-in6WM8xDdjyDgvTfJUtXvIHHmzhGkkSI4GbpWvESz7UbVbxZIjszmOy9FC65LcY/s400/Production+Hell2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope you all have as much fun playing it as I did in making it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My only request is that you spread it around for more of the Fowl community to enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please share any photos on social media with me and/or use #AFProductionHell</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hopefully it amuses the rest of the Fowldom as much as it has amused me. Have fun!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=18dgtglUXp36yopuJp89EX0rluTu6yE17">Production Hell: Game Board</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1L0Sj_proiA5e8sNo74evqAKabdO9fWxY">Production Hell: Instructions & Score Cards</a></span>Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-25982606019301330152019-04-25T14:33:00.001-06:002019-04-25T14:33:19.391-06:00Complex, Atlantis | TAC Ch 7-9 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome back to the hottest Fowl party on the Internet! Thanks for joining me again. My apologies for last week -between unexpected family visits and a comic convention, things got pretty crazy up in here, but I'm glad you're back!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today I have a special bonus prize for all my Read Along readers (or anyone else who finds this post). I've designed a board game with a very, very specific niche audience in mind -you and me!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check out <i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/04/production-hell-game-for-long-suffering.html">Production Hell: A Game for Long-Suffering Artemis Fowl Fans</a></span></i>. This is a free downloadable PDF, just a silly idea I knew I <i>had</i> to do. The game is a fun way to relive the highs and lows that have been the last 18 years of the Artemis Fowl's films adventure in and out of Production Hell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 7: How Do I Love Thee?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Assuming Orion is everything Artemis is not</b> (and vice versa, as we see when Orion later uses the Butler training Artemis is so content to ignore) we can extrapolate from Orion's spouting of 'women need only exude beauty and serve no other function' that Arty conversely believes the opposite, which rather proves he's got a helluva lot of respect for women and I love that. Admittedly, Arty is surrounded by some pretty awesomely strong women, between his mother, Holly, and Juliet. I'd be disappointed if Arty didn't respect and -when advisable- fear those amazing females.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>One question:</b> What exactly has Artemis been reading to fill Orion's head such 'princess', 'good beast,' 'secret birthmark' nonsense? We know from <i>The Time Paradox </i>that Arty's no stranger to Tolkien's works but -thankfully- they can't be blamed for such silliness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Orion calls Artemis mean and nasty and wonders why Holly would want him back.</b> If Orion is everything Artemis is not, but is still of Artemis' mind and Atlantis Complex is bred of guilt, is this Artemis' own perspective of himself, deep down, and something he wonders for himself?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Here I was thinking Turnball Root had a soft side,</b> because look how much he loves Leonor -but nope, magically manipulating emotions is <u>not</u> love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">"Amazing what a person will do to avoid guilt..."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here Colfer drew us a lovely comparison between brainwashed Vishby -who Turnball marvels at being able to live two lives existing side by side- and Artemis who's doing the same by of Orion.</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE RETURN OF THE JUXTAPOSITIONS!!!</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Turnball obviously did not like Julius.</b> There's really no secret made about that. Julius was his annoying, goody-two-shoes little brother who put him in prison. But his thoughts on Opal Koboi are also pretty clear. If anyone should be worrying about Koboi, the text tells us, it ought to be Turnball, because Koboi killed <i>his</i> little brother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This more than anything in the book -even Leonor and their forbidden love, which I'll talk about later- is what makes Turnball the most interesting and complicated, I think, and it's a pity that we weren't able to explore this side of the story a little more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is Turnball merely annoyed at Koboi because <i>he</i> wanted to kill Julius? Is it a deeply ingrained honor thing, like the princes in <i>Stardust</i>, who needed to avenge their brother's murder by an outside force even though their way to become king was literally to kill each other and be the last left standing? Or was Julius, despite being the annoying little brother who put him in prison, still his <i>brother</i>, and no one messes with Turnball's family but him?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 8: Randomosity</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">"...sometimes people are not who they think they are,"</i> Angeline tells Artemis. Though this is a dig about his mesmerizing her after <i>The Lost Colony</i>, I like the unspoken side of this too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Angeline has just tricked Artemis into promising to wear jeans and a T-shirt, which fills him with horror, when she uses this dig on him. We know from <i>The Time Paradox</i> that Artemis first began wearing bespoke suits to look professional taking over the family business after his father vanished. He was no longer a boy, no longer a child; he was the man of the house but, more importantly, the head of the business, and he dressed the part. Now that his father is back, their family nearly twice as big, and the criminal empire no more, Artemis might <u>think</u> he knows who he is, but Angeline is determined to make him a teenager and gain some of what he's lost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Wait, Artemis has a hamster?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Granted, I should maybe be focusing on the fact the Beckett was caught chewing on the hamster's leg, or maybe that for three-year-olds, Myles and Beckett are both frighteningly smart and devious, but I seriously can't get away from this idea that Artemis has a pet and it's a hamster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>However, hearing Butler recount the exploits and hijinks of the twins </b>definitely has me excited for the new book!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Even seeing Leonor loved Turnball before he enthralled her </b>with his magic doesn't make me any more empathetic toward him. Sorry, dude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Let's just stop and fully appreciate that Artemis considers 'wow' a slang term. </b>Just saying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mulch is about as sympathetic to Arty's mental disorder</b> as one would expect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Leonor's a pretty awesome woman, guys. </b>An aviatrix of Earhart's caliber, a moral woman according to Turnball, certainly not stupid considering how fast she puts things together when the rune wears off; she's daring, brave, and confident. The worst thing she seems to have done is fallen in love with her dashing fairy savior, but let's focus on her last moments. She is far older than she has any right to be and frail; the Turnball has kept her under and submissive through has finally worn off and, if she doesn't recognize the full extent of that magic, she's close. She knows now why she never flew again, sees what Turnball did to her, and is now recognizing her husband for the villain he truly is, and she doesn't lose her cool. She doesn't weep over all her lost time or rage or even torn on Turnball. Instead, she kisses him goodbye and flies one last time, to save an entire hospital full of innocents, and toward a fiery death and a watery grave.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To Turnball's credit, he decides to dies with her. It's very little credit because, while it proves he loved her truly, it is still a selfish love. He certainly didn't do it to save the hospital nor did he come to regret any of his misdeeds. But no all villains get redemption stories, even if they do have true love's kiss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Orion finally gets his moment to shine and, </b>surprisingly, there's not a bivouac in sight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">"It's not that easy," </i>Holly tells Artemis about letting his past and guilt go, <b>"but you can do it with <u>our</u> help..."</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Holly has been saying this since <i>The Opal Deception</i>, when she told Artemis <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/more-to-follow-od-ch-10-epilogue.html">he should <u>let</u> his family and friends start helping him.</a> While he certainly delved into more moral practices after that, it can't truly be said he relied too much on his family and friends. And look what happened to you, Arty!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Even with its flaws, I do appreciate <i>The Atlantis Complex</i> </b>especially for giving Artemis this latest (possibly last?) big push into true Hero territory. But I guess we'll find out soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, what does <i>The Last Guardian</i> have in store for us?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>May's reading schedule for <i>The Last Guardian</i>:</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>May 2: Chapters 1-4</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>May 9: Chapters 5-9</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>May 16: Chapters 10-13</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>May 30: Chapters 14-19</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">And that, my friends, will be the end of the Artemis Fowl Read Along.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Don't forget to check out <i><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/04/production-hell-game-for-long-suffering.html">Production Hell: A Game for Long-Suffering Artemis Fowl Fans</a></i>. It's my pride and joy, a free download and, dare I say, ridiculously fun.</span></span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-1964483412724601852019-04-11T11:42:00.002-06:002019-04-11T11:42:45.024-06:00Andre Price wins today's commentary | TAC Ch 4-6 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Welcome back to the hottest Artemis Fowl-themed weekly celebration on the Internet!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 4: Floyd's Stag Night</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Welcome back, Juliet!</b> She FINALLY regains her memories of the fairies! YAY! It only took imminent death by <i>mesmerized</i> luchadore fans, but she finally remembers. Seriously, Juliet's is one of my favorites and her and Mulch are fantastic duo. I've missed her for the last four books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ummm... Can we talk about little Andre Price?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">At 8 months, falling under a <i>mesmer</i> command gave him instantaneous understanding of Gnommish, which he retains fro the rest of his life. Interesting as this is -and as disturbing as is the picture of this tyke running over the heads of crazed wrestlers preforming a triplbe somersault, let's look at that last bit Colfer gives us in this mini biography of Andre Price: <i>'...he could sometimes make twigs burst into flame if he thought about it hard enough."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Magic. <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Magic.</u> After, say, half an hour under a very strong <i>mesmer</i>, this kid manages to work a little magic with no real understanding of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In the time stream, Artemis once noted how his human brain reacted to magic; it accepted the blue sparks readily, activating dormant parts of his brain, leading Artemis to believes that at one time humans possessed magic of their own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This is HUGE and I have two big reactions to this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>First of all</u>, this gives credence to <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/time-paradoxes-ttp-ch-13-epilogue.html">my supposition that Angeline Fowl's</a> frequent exposure to magic -especially mentally manipulative magic- is reactivating those same dormant parts of her brain and allowing her to recognize magic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Second,</u> Andre Price -fluent in Gnommish with a little ability to use magic- is only a few years younger than Myles and Beckett. <i>Is Andre Price going to show up in the <u>Fowl Twins</u> series?!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 5: Onward & Outward</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>JULIUS ROOT'S WHAT NOW?!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I've lost track of how many times I've said this but <i>there's a lot about these later books I've forgotten.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Like how utterly obnoxious Orion is.</b> All Artemis' passion, but none of his boorishness? And he's a shameless flirt to boot! It's funny, don't get me wrong; but so obnoxious. Every time he swoon at Holly I want to punch him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Although I love that Foaly's final judgment on Orion definitely <u>not</u> being Artemis</b> is the fact that Orion can actually put together a decent pick up line. Especially after that icebreaker joke about ice breaking. Poor Arty...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When Orion's (only) idea is 'bivouac' </b>it makes me realize this book will likely tells us whether the People have any hope of survival without Artemis Fowl.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">When Holly is thought lost with the escape pod, Orion bemoans Artemis' loss </b><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">missed appreciation for Artemis not realizing what he had. As love struck as Orion is over Holly, it's </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis' loss</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> he's mourning. This is just interesting, especially considering Holly's observation that Orion has zero world experience; everything he's acting on is merely vicarious, including knowledge and emotions. As of yet, Orion really has no idea who <i>he</i> is, just that he isn't Artemis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 6: Trimming the Weight</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Turnball Root is Prisoner 42</b> and the question to that answer is <i>'How many roads must a man walk down?'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I despise Ark Sool.</b> We've been over this ( I compared him to the devil, you might recall) but I also dislike that he became an out and out turncoat. Too black and white for my taste, I guess. I like when the unlikable commanders are still morally upright and justifiable characters, even if no one likes them. But that's just me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>The Eternity Code. The Opal Deception. The Atlantis Complex.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This is how many times Mulch Diggums took it upon himself to jump into the gang's adventures because he heard someone in the motley crew was in danger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Butler and Juliet making fun of Artemis behind his back is </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">gold</i>, if you'll pardon the expression. Doctor Evil manuals and suction cups? Arty's loyal bodyguard just compared him to the likes of Dr. Horrible and Megamind and I <i>love it</i>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April's reading schedule for <i>The Atlantis Complex:</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 4: <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/04/lets-over-analyze-artemis-mental-state.html">Chapters 1-3</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 11: Chapters 4-7</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 18: Chapters 8-Epilogue</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 25: Production Hell</span></b></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-16488321892751553192019-04-04T10:23:00.000-06:002019-04-04T10:23:01.474-06:00Let's over-analyze Artemis' mental state! | TAC Ch 1-3 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome back to the hottest Artemis Fowl-themed weekly celebration on the Internet!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prologue</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My hearts starts swelling up as we're told Artemis' favorite book is the bedtime story he's never read himself, but that only his father read to him. That's so sentimental and so <i>Princess Bride</i> I can't help but love it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-and then the sentimentality is shattered by that old family adage and his father's obsession with it: <i>Aurm est Potestas</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 1: Cold Vibes</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis' birthday is September 1st.</b> Just FYI. In case you didn't know that already.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What, me? No, no, of course I totally knew that already. I just thought, maybe if <i>you</i> didn't know...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>'Left Foot Fowl' is undoubtedly an apt nickname,</b> but what truly fascinates me is that Artemis somehow endeavored to endure this school bully's taunt for a whole week before he's finally had enough and buys out the kid's inheritance as way of payback.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also makes me wonder <i>when</i> exactly this occurred on Arty's graph of slow character growth. I find it unlikely Artemis returned to St. Bartleby's after losing three years in Hybras (little hard to explain that, I'd think) but the fact that Artemis restrained himself from any petty revenge for a whole week bespeaks at least post-<i>Arctic Incident</i>, if not later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis intro by way of this terse and sharp conversation with the restaurant owner</b> is great because, at first, I'm thinking "Whoa, Arty's reverting big time" and then "2 hours + third-rate equals five?! What deep end did you fall into?!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>By page 12, I already love superstitious Arty </b>trying to 'appease the number gods' vs that part of Artemis that is utterly horrified by the insanity. I am so looking forward to more crazy Arty vs horrified Arty. Which is a very good thing, because the two other times I've read this book, I don't think I found it this entertaining.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Nice tells, Foaly</b>; want to come over for a poker night?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whoa, whoa, wait a minute-</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>FOALY'S GOT KIDS?!?!</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As in, <i>plural</i>? As in <i>colts <u>and</u> fillies</i>? As in, somewhere along the line and all this craziness Foaly became a full-fledged father and we're just finding out about this <i><u>NOW!??!</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I mean, it was harsh enough finding out we -I mean, <i>Holly</i>- missed his wedding, but now Foaly's the head of a whole family and we missed that somewhere in between, too?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">THE PROJECT </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">and </span><i style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRODUCT</i> are obvious extremes of 'The Plan', sans our favorite scheming vampire smile. Instead, I think THE PROJECT gets a too-wide smile and crazy eyes to go along with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>An icebreaker joke about ice breaking and it melts on arrival.</b> Ahh, only Artemis could do that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis' brain tripping on Atlantis Complex guilt </b>is one frighteningly entertaining place to be. Constant fear of the 'number gods' feels a little like Lovecraft's Elder Gods, but with Colfer's obvious comedic flare. Poor Arty. But he's sure entertaining when he's crazy, isn't he?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 2: The Jade Princess and Crazy Bear</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">'The screeching melodramas'</i>. I'm laughing not because Artemis accused Butler of being melodramatic; oh no, Artemis can't just say that. He accuses his bodygaurd of having 'a touch of the screeching melodramas'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings me to two points:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How old was Artemis when he actually used the phrase 'screeching melodramas'?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why have I not been using this term <i>for years?</i></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hey. HEY! Stop the presses! </b>Artemis is <i>actually</i> exercising? And making good on all those vows to become more physically active? Who are you and what have you done with the real Artemis Fowl?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Interesting... Butler noticed a distinct mood swing in Artemis after the lemur incident in Morocco</b>, which means Artemis' symptoms began directly after the events of <i>The Time Paradox</i>. So that ending bit last week, of Artemis staring at the stars and feeling insignificant and depressed, and realizing that the sweet taste of victory wouldn't be coming? It was <u>foreshadowing</u>, baby! The beginning of the madness. And I am so okay with how weird that made me feel, leaving Arty in that emotionally vulnerable place, because it was all for the sake of character growth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ha! I feel like the dad in <i>Calving and Hobbes</i>; no matter how bad a project or event, it's all worth it in the end because 'it builds character!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Wait, so is Artemis' newfound exercise routine with Butler another sign of Atlantis Complex?</b> Bear with me; I've been teasing Arty every time he gets into a situation that requires physical dexterity and he vows he's start working out but then never actually follows through. That is, in short, a broken promise and a vow he doesn't keep. Which is something to feel guilty over. And the Atlantis Complex is triggered by guilt and, while I'm not saying his failure to exercise is what caused Arty's mental condition, it's obvious that Artemis is in full, windmill-tilting, damage control mode. He's overcompensating for all his guilty deeds by trying to single-handedly <i>save the world</i> and it could now be argued he's overcompensating for his guilt over not actually exercising because he's not just working out on a home gym, oh no, he's having Butler -<i>Butler</i>- teach him the arts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">THE RETURN OF JULIET!!!</i> I've only been waiting for this for <i>four books</i>, guys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 3: Orion Rising</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Amber sparks?</b> So I glean from this that as fairy's age, their sparks fade from blue to amber. I'm noticing quite a few lovely little nuggets of worldbuilding that I haven't noticed in the past. But this too means that Holly is getting old(er) and maybe starting to feel all those adventures catching up with her. Guys, if she says any variation of <i>'I'm getting to old for this'</i> I'm going to lose it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>With Artemis down for the count </b>and suffering a number of psychosis and Foaly on the brink, Holly's about to be the only sane member of this triumvirate. Poor Holly.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foaly.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Covering Holly's back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a <i>gun</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Consultant teaming up with the maverick Captain to save the world side by side, not from the safety of Haven? This just made my day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ooh, ooh, am I about to get the Arty/Foaly team up I've been waiting for?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>To Holly, Orion's eyes 'seem softer somehow'</b> and this presents an interesting thought:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orion = soft, kind, generous, but no cunning</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis = mastermind, ruthless, selfish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orion appears just in the moment they need Artemis' genius and cunning but I ask myself -is there ever a time Orion would have been a gladly received replacement for Arty in Holly's eyes? Would she ever have the time or patience for him? In other words, would Orion's good qualities ever be enough to outweigh Artemis' bad qualities and make the former more valuable to anyone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orion is essentially a manifestation of everything that Artemis is not; his 'good twin', with some qualities that perhaps Artemis feels guilty he doesn't possess, perhaps wishes he possessed. Artemis was left in a very emotional and vulnerable place at the end of <i>The Time Paradox</i>, fully realizing and holding himself responsible for all that went wrong. In my fangirl head I feel that, ultimately, we are about to see a physical manifestation of Artemis' struggle with that: <i>Would I, my family, my friends, and the world be better off if I were less me and more like everything I'm not?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I'm excited to see how this all pans out. Ah, supposition my old friend.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April's reading schedule for <i>The Atlantis Complex:</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 4: Chapters 1-3</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 11: Chapters 4-7</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 18: Chapters 8-Epilogue</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">April 25: A Special Surprise!</span></b></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-51401766066280282222019-03-28T10:25:00.001-06:002019-03-28T10:25:53.407-06:00TIME PARADOXES!! | TTP Ch 13-Epilogue | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you missed any of my read along for <i>The Time Paradox</i>, check out the rest<i>:</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/there-are-always-consequences-time.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 7: Chapters 1-4</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/artys-greatest-foe-ttp-ch-5-8-artemis.html" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 14: Chapters 5-8</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/arty-has-best-friends-ttp-ch-9-12.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 21: Chapters 9-12</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 28: Chapters 13-16</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 13: The Hairy One is Dead</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Butler very much wants young Artemis to learn his lesson here.</b> Already, he's berated him for his misdeeds and guilted him into helping the 'hairy one' rescue his fairy friend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Butler is also careful and selective about exactly which hard truths he lays on his young charge because, while he doesn't sugarcoat the fact that the 'hairy one' died attempting to rescue the fairy, who's captive state young Artemis is directly responsible for, he does not tell the young master the much more bitter fact that everything was under control until his ill-timed and petty video.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can infer two things from this:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butler wanted Artemis to learn the hard lesson that his actions have drastic consequences, but didn't want to be cruel.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butler also didn't want to dissuade Artemis from future 'good deeds' by explaining this first attempt at one only wound up getting someone killed.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hearing Artemis say "Yee-haw" in true cowboy fashion</b> is not something I realized I needed in my life. Now if I only I had a matching picture...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://artemisfowl.fangathering.com/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=16&pid=1064">Oh, look! Here's one over at Artemis Fowl FanGathering. Thanks, Internet.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I would like to point out that not only does Artemis wonder</b>, even for a second, if the lemur Jayjay is steering the fairy shuttle, but that Holly knows exactly what he's thinking and corrects him before he even asks.</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 14: The Hole in the Ace</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A clever reversal of the finale chapter in <i>Artemis Fowl</i>. While Artemis held a true ace in the hole in deducing how to escape the time field, this refers to Opal's supposed ace backfiring when Artemis finds the hole that will tear it asunder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>On the note of my being so harsh on Arty</b> for manipulating Holly instead of trusting her, it's refreshing to see that -while Holly plans on punching him in the face for it- she is plagued by questions and doubts about whether she truly would have helped him or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I forgot how fast this jumped from </b>'there's gotta be a plot twist' to 'whoa, hella weird!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Schalke, under the <i>mesmer</i>, is entertaining</b>, doing what he's bound to but with all his arrogance, smart-assery, and personality in tact. At least he's not reduced to one-word sentences, eh, Opal? Careful what you wish for, pixie. This does, however, bring up the interesting question of whether Schalke was truly weak-willed to succumb to the <i>mesmer</i> with his personality in tact, whether Opal's 'improved' magic is flawed, or whether Schalke simply doesn't have qualms about shooting people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I gotta hand it to Eoin; </b>when storytellers dip into time travel, they generally try to avoid, negate, or explain away paradoxes. But not Eoin. Oh no! He makes a completely inexplicable time paradox the CENTERPIECE of his novel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>While both Artemises</b> (Artemisi?) <b>are in the time stream,</b> Artemis the elder wonders at how obnoxious his younger version is and this is probably the single best thing I love about this book.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Little wonder people in general did not like him."</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis Fowl has a secret route through the Manor that not even Butler's surveillance can detect </b>which includes, and I quote <i>'walking on furniture'</i> and <i>'traveling in dumbwaiters'</i>. I especially love the touch of opening the fridge door and using it to block the view of the camera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Both Artemises contemplating the barrel of animal fat provides</b> an lovely juxtaposition between the elder -who finds it deplorable- and the younger -who calls it ingenious. It's like a 'before' and 'after' picture.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 15 Murder Most Fowl</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many 'Fowl' puns in this book and I love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Just as I'm about to point out that Artemis' sneaking over furniture and through dumbwaiters</b> is rather a lot of physical exercise for him, I read that it's catching up with him. All right. So Artemis still ins't into physical exertion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there's something else. How many times has Artemis bemoaned his lack of physical prowess or promised to start working out and how many times have I teased him about his never actually doing it? We know Artemis won't start exercising. I know it, you know, he knows it. <u>He</u> knows it, because he conducted '<i>a little mind over matter experiment'</i> while in the time stream, trying to will his muscles to tone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ARTEMIS LITERALLY TRIED TO WISH HIMSELF INTO SHAPE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is one of the most relatable things this kid has ever done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>As Artemis is taking off in the Cessna, </b> I love his little moment of introspection. <i>"Have I changed utterly?"</i> he thinks, banishing the thought of fleeing instead of following The Plan. But no, he decides; just because his range of palatable crimes is growing smaller just means he'll have to work harder to find the ones he can justify.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis shooting a flare gun in Opal's face</b> and slamming the visor down on her is very James Bond and the best Artemis vs. Opal moment to date.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Crashed Cessna, broken collarbone, <i>running</i> toward a dead end, </b>Artemis keeps telling himself the cavalry's coming. After everything they've been through, and everything he's done for them, the LEP wouldn't abandon him to such a fate, would they?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which is a complete reversal of Arty's thoughts than what this book started with. He feared Holly wouldn't cooperate with time travel -that she would abandon him- so he lied and manipulated her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, Artemis is putting his own fate into the hands of the LEP. No lies, no leverage, no manipulation; just faith and trust (though considering who's chasing him, I'm sure he'll pass on the pixie dust).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And in the end, Artemis deals with Opal,</b> though he's still certain the LEP is coming. And while Holly does come to his aid, just after the nick of time, that leave us with an interesting final thought on Artemis' original manipulation because, when Artemis did decide to trust the LEP without manipulating them to ensure his own benefit, the LEP do not make him the priority; they don't come to his aid; even Holly, who may or may not have disobeyed orders to come after him, arrives too late to help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So maybe Artemis wasn't so mistaken to manipulate the LEP into creating a time stream after all?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, considering that Artemis going back in time to save his mother was what enable Opal to come into the future to bait and set the trap in the first place, this also leaves us with the unsettling conclusion that Opal understands Artemis and correctly deduced that he would do whatever it took to get the LEP to open a time stream. Now isn't that an uncomfortable thought?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Opal is defeated and Artemis gazes up at the stars and this bit of introspection makes me sad. </b>He feels insignificant in that expanse of nature, which will eventually swallow even the memory of him. He is alone and realizing that his usually feeling of triumph won't arrive.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I keep asking myself this question, because this is a really depressing moment for Artemis, and I'm just trying to understand what he's thinking right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Possibly, for the first time, Artemis is truly understanding that -despite all his schemes and brilliance and plans and inventions- he is a mere speck in the everything that is all of time and space. A dose of this might not be a bad thing for our incredibly ambitious protagonist, but it's not just opening his eyes to the idea, it's robbing him of his hard won triumph and, worse, making him alone in that huge expanse. And that's not good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps Artemis is realizing he has lost too much or risked too much. Perhaps he is caught between thinking he has become too invested and grown too much of a conscience or thinking that he has crossed too many lines and hurt too many people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It could be that Artemis recognizes he is on the edge of something. Or perhaps he just hit a breaking point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't have an answer for this and, honestly, I feel the text is suspiciously vague on Artemis' emotional state right here. The thoughts of any of my fellow Fowl Fans is most welcome. Otherwise, I shall look to <i>The Atlantis Complex </i>to hopefully shed some more light on it.</span></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ch 16: A Team of Hairdressers</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two thought son Artemis' thoughts on the scenery:</span></b></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He compares the evergreens swaying in the breeze to 'Tolkien's creatures' which I of course love for the sake of a Tolkien reference, but also because Artemis has enough familiarity with Tolkien's works to make such a reference and the thought of Artemis reading <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> is a surprising one -I never figured Arty for the fantasy type, ironically- and this is suddenly a piece of Artemis -and Eoin Colfer- of which I'm very much enamored.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis watches Holly and thinks <i>"If only."</i> which is just wistful and mournful enough that I can maybe, kinda see why ArtemisxHolly sprung up.</span></li>
</ol>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hero.</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let us turn our thoughts back to <i>The Eternity Code</i>, when Artemis Sr posed the oh-so-important question to his son of what Arty would do when the time came: choose petty criminal gain or to be a hero?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis has been splitting hair while walking this line, trying to do both. Just look at the aforementioned thought of how rare palatable crimes are becoming for him! But this time, as Holly pointed out, Arty did a good thing, for no profit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be called a hero, by his mother no less, must mean a lot to our favorite boy genius.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ANGELINE KNOWS.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think I forgot the extent of her knowing, actually, because this kind of shocked me. I also wonder at her retained memories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it a flaw in Opal's ill-gotten <i>mesmer</i>, like we already debated because of Schalke's maintaining full personality under its sway?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or perhaps an unforeseen resilience or built up immunity in a human brain exposed to so much magic? This would be especially interesting, especially considering Artemis' discovery in <i>The Lost Colony</i>, that evidently humans once had magic, but have lost and forgotten how to use it. There could be an idea here that, with such frequent and invasive exposure as Angeline Fowl has been subjugated to over the last five years, perhaps those dormant parts of her human brain have begun to reactivate and recognize magic again. <i>Which would be awesome.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or perhaps it's merely an 'oversight' on the part of one or more of Artemis' fairy friends who think maybe he's been through enough on his own already.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either way, it puts Artemis into a rather familiar position: a newly healed Angeline is suddenly aware of her son's exploits and about to make his criminal exploits much harder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Also, I feel that Angeline's knowing portends something of an intervention for Artemis.</b> He shudders at the thought of complete honesty, even when his outright manipulation of the truth recently caused a serious rend with his friends. 'Complete honesty' with Angeline for Artemis sounds rather akin to an addict going cold turkey and then having their sponsor as a roommate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will be interesting to watch this unfold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Myles Fowl, you clever little boy. </b>You're not buying Artemis' cover story at all, are you? How did I not notice that before. No wonder the twins get their own spin off.</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Epilogue</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The entire book is built on one big time paradox</b> -and in just the epilogue, Eoin manages to heap on TWO MORE:</span></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The escape of Opal Koboi. After all, if the past Opal is loose is the present, how exactly will her part in Artemis and Holly's live be played without her? Like, the goblin uprising and the beginning of Artemis' journey to a hero? Or Julius' death? <i>Time paradoxes, man.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis' original fairy-ransom scheme that brings about all his adventures and misadventures with the People is brought about by the collision with his older self already neck-deep in People related adventures and misadventures.</span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lV7OKT-Dsvhr9gMommxv49CaXcT87qdmX9VCe0pVfiT7OVZIALIg6dhYQSgyVfuSG7WLBDSZi_maFoG_cEFPajFk6nMgBpJ1HUnPrHA6LYqyLQzq04aRIzBVAipjlWIoVxn-0wo8e1M/s1600/TIME+PARADOXES.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="872" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lV7OKT-Dsvhr9gMommxv49CaXcT87qdmX9VCe0pVfiT7OVZIALIg6dhYQSgyVfuSG7WLBDSZi_maFoG_cEFPajFk6nMgBpJ1HUnPrHA6LYqyLQzq04aRIzBVAipjlWIoVxn-0wo8e1M/s320/TIME+PARADOXES.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that, dear readers, is all I have for you today! But no fear -<i>The Atlantis Complex </i>is almost here. This next book should be veeerrrrryyyy interesting for two reasons: I've only read it twice, very far apart from one another and no time recently; I also don't think I've ever fully appreciated book 7 and I <i>know</i> I've never examined it in the full context of the series, specifically Artemis' current emotional and moral state. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other words, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BRING ON ORION!</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April's reading schedule for <i>The Atlantis Complex:</i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large; text-decoration-line: none;">April 4: Chapters 1-3</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 11: Chapters 4-7</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 18: Chapters 8-Epilogue</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 25: A Special Surprise!</span></b></span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-72737224917533746082019-03-21T08:00:00.000-06:002019-03-21T08:00:04.954-06:00Arty has the best friends | TTP Ch 9-12 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaswEqlXuLpqrmmG2Vu7sGw9ym932oeTXyfJJwpBTxUA6HM5xz1JeVMwU0FXa2LyArzncXXTFDZKUk2nbH9BRfw9SDaiYf900Lj5AWxfF3rertW-IiDb7DZfNIac05Cje4C0tPiesAf8/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaswEqlXuLpqrmmG2Vu7sGw9ym932oeTXyfJJwpBTxUA6HM5xz1JeVMwU0FXa2LyArzncXXTFDZKUk2nbH9BRfw9SDaiYf900Lj5AWxfF3rertW-IiDb7DZfNIac05Cje4C0tPiesAf8/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome back to this week's Fowl Day, the hottest Artemis Fowl-themed weekly celebration on the Internet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 9: The Prince Frog</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Young Artemis has done some nasty deeds</b> up to now. And while he's en route to Fez to deal with a man he despises and seal the fate of an adorable little lemur he is pointedly ignoring, doubt begins to poke through his thoughts. <i>I am swimming with the sharks</i>, he thinks. But the realization goes deeper and startles the young would-be criminal mastermind. He isn't just <i>swimming</i> with the sharks; he's about to become one of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And for us, there is an unspoken question here: Is that what Artemis really wants?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Up to now, young Artemis has been portrayed only as cold</b> and, yes, misguided. When Kronski asks about his father, though, we see him react emotionally (by Artemis' standards, anyway) and it really suckerpunched me with the reminder that this is <u style="font-style: italic;">still</u> the Artemis I love -younger, more vulnerable, with less experience handling it all, and two more years -two whole years, guys, of absolute <i>hell</i>- ahead of him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suddenly want to give him a huge hug.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though he'd hate it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And probably have Butler do something painful to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>For as much as I berated Arty</b> for tricking and manipulating Holly, I do rather enjoy seeing him wracked with guilt. Sure, I occasionally enjoy watching favorite characters suffer and grow in painful awkward ways, but this shows how much Artemis has truly <u>grown</u> from that first moment we saw him in Ho Chi Minh City. The fact that Arty <u>is</u> wracked with guilt -that he can't brush it off or justify it, that he knows he <u>has</u> to tell Holly the truth- is a sign of just how far he's come and actually of just how decent a person he's turning out to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I like that, for Artemis the elder, </b>Butler's voice keeps popping up in his head. The bodyguard is, after all, not simply a bodyguard and manservant, but Artemis' confidante, his conscience, constant companion, and closest friend. It makes sense that Arty misses Butler by his side (especially when faced with the bodyguard's younger counterpart) and I love that Butler's voice isn't just being used as a voice of conscience or reason, but also for casual, Butler-ish comments and wit, off of which Artemis readily plays.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've done this. It's not unusual for me to have imaginary conversations with friends who aren't there, because something I know they would say just pops into my head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...you do that too, right? Arty and I aren't crazy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Holly is really going to make Artemis pay for his manipulations.</b> I should have made popcorn for this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 10: A Fowl Mood</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Holly understands why Artemis manipulated her</b>, even if she can't forgive him yet. She does feel she misjudged their friendship and realizes now that all she and Artemis can ever have is what they've only ever had: a grudging respect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But this is a lie. Holly's wrong. From the events of <i>The Opal Deception</i> to <i>The Lost Colony</i>, they moved out of 'grudging respect' territory and straight into the role of <u>friends</u> and there's no denying it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, Artemis screwed up. Yes, you should be angry at him, Holly. But you can't pretend you didn't have a friendship.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Commander Julius Root.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...remember when I said I'd forgotten a lot about this book?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Root waxing poetic about throwing in the towel</b>, then grinning over a call from Holly because it's fairies like her -fairies he's trusting and grooming to take over when he's gone- that keep him holding onto his job. Fairies like Holly need him and what he has to teach, and that's why he'll hold onto those Commander's acorns as long as he needs to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What gets me most of all, though, is that Root thinks of himself as '[Holly]'s doting grandfather', even if he doesn't want her to see it yet. <i>My heart!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Holly getting the opportunity to thank Julius for everything</b>, to show her appreciation and understanding for everything he's done for her, is one of the best moments. Maybe it's fan service. I don't care. It mends and breaks my heart at once.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And just like that, Artemis x Holly is done.</b> <i>YAY!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But at least their <u>friendship</u> is back on track.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THEY NAMED THE LEMUR AFTER JULIUS!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...excuse me while I go cry a little over this and the adorable nickname Jayjay...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 11: Pigeon Droppings</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kronski just showed up to the meet </b>in a <u>tailored</u> <i>camouflage</i> SUIT.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure 'preposterous' does this quite enough justice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>On page 205, when Artemis summarizes the upcoming exchange to Holly,</b> he refers to the lemur as 'it', which is a way of emotionally detaching himself and objectifying the lemur rather than seeing him as a living creature (<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/02/review-i-am-not-serial-killer-by-dan.html">thanks, <i>I Am Not A Serial Killer</i>!</a>). We've already covered that Artemis holds (and represses) a lot of guilt over his role in the lemur's extinction and, despite the fact he's now trying to save the creature, his calling him an 'it' is an extension of that guilt reaching into the present (future? past? oh never mind).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Holly won't it. (Literally.) She sees exactly what Artemis is doing and she jumps on it. <i>Him</i>, she corrects, because the lemur is <u>male</u>; 'and <i>his name is Jayjay</i>.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this. Artemis doesn't even try to fight her on it; from here on out, he refers to the lemur as Jayjay and there's no ducking out of an attachment now. Holly has once again helped him kick a bad habit, own up to his actions, and helped him grow.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young Artemis, it turns out, is a sly little weasel!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, things go nothing like Artemis the elder predicts and this time he and Holly fall right into his younger self's trap -into the clutches of Kronski. I want to strangle the younger Artemis and yet, at the same time, I know that if this story was solely told from his perspective, I would be cheering him on right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bravo, Eoin; bravo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I rather enjoy the fact that Artemis the elder is consistently underestimating his younger self,</b> especially because that is exactly what he <u>hated</u> that when he was younger but also realized at the time that his age could be an advantage as it would cause people to underestimate him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now that Artemis the elder has <i>'sacrificed his queen for a rook'</i> he finally realizes his younger self is not only as smart as himself, but far more ruthless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Irony, party of one?</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...or is that two?...</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 12: Gone Forever</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Okay. I realize I'm about to over-analyze</b> a humorous but ultimately innocuous bit of exposition, but <i>I can't help it!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, Artemis occasionally writes romance novels under the pseudonym Violet Tsirblou (that pun took me a minute, but I knew one was there!). Considering his 13-year-old self will take to writing psychology papers under another pseudonym, obviously the 'rather childish' equivalent the ten-year-old would write is <u>romance</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, in the 5-minute reprieve driving to Kronski's compound granted young Artemis for ironing out the plan in the presence of his 'enemy', he's so confident and self-assured of his plan (and however far out it might extend) that he frivolously uses two of those minutes to plot a romance novel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, Artemis plots a romance novel in <u>two minutes.</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kronski says something weird on page 222 </b>that I don't understand yet:</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You ever think it strange, Ah-temis, how a kid like you winds up eyeball to eyeball with an old crook like me?" ... "It delights me...that a boy such as you exists."</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this foreshadowing something? Or an aspect of Kronski that isn't explored? Or maybe just a random comment?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you've got a thought on this, let me know! I'm super curious.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"That will be the guilt gnawing at your soul."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Awww, Butler.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everybody needs a Butler. Always got your back, always the scariest person in the room, always telling you like it is, always giving you that nudge in the right direction (as forceful as he has to), and always on your side -even if it doesn't feel like it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I remembered that Opal played into this somewhere, </b>but not quite how. She's <i>mesmerizing</i> a human to do her bidding, eh? For as smart as she (thinks she) is, turns out she's rather a one-hit wonder, isn't she?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I was just thinking</b> <b>'Holly's always so low on magic!'</b> when Artemis said it. But hearing Holly tally up all her magic-uses -yeah, Arty's a lot of the reason she's never got the juice she needs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Holly and Artemis understand each other, </b>from anticipating each other's reactions, to knowing habits, to playing off each other to sell an off-the-cuff cover story perfectly, and this is one of the many reasons this is one of my favorite friendships.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for joining me again on the Artemis Fowl Read Along! I'll see you next week for the wrap up of <i>The Time Paradox</i>. Same Fowl Day, same Fowl read along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">March's reading schedule for <i>The Time Paradox:</i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/there-are-always-consequences-time.html" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">March 7: Chapters 1-4</span></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/artys-greatest-foe-ttp-ch-5-8-artemis.html">March 14: Chapters 5-8</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">March 21: Chapters 9-12</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">March 28: Chapters 13-16</span></b></span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-10891930106744949642019-03-14T11:33:00.000-06:002019-03-14T11:33:15.224-06:00Arty's Greatest Foe | TTP Ch 5-8 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_cL_MYjhe42U7TZ5SLvZ-QyCWABIJ3TKJtUk_leVXTPGKsZosdR6gHAQvzrREutsjiImPqEpdBRviiF1ZempSDPQKT-PeirqEon83AYZFcPo_CRFyDBZ1su1uoR6s6h9CMcdBmxdCWk/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_cL_MYjhe42U7TZ5SLvZ-QyCWABIJ3TKJtUk_leVXTPGKsZosdR6gHAQvzrREutsjiImPqEpdBRviiF1ZempSDPQKT-PeirqEon83AYZFcPo_CRFyDBZ1su1uoR6s6h9CMcdBmxdCWk/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 5: I Now Pronounce You</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Hurkk!"</i> and <i>"D'Arvit"</i></b> are both understandable reactions when learning you and your best-friend-of-the-opposite-gender can't simply time travel with your clothes on when an apprentice is wielding the magic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm just not sure who's reaction I like more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Twice now, Eoin has referred to the swirling runes of No1's magic as a 'Catherine wheel'.</b> Having no idea what that was, I of course had to look it up. It is a rather marvelous type of firework. I can definitely see how this would be utterly mesmerizing. Not in a magical way. At least, not in <i>that</i> magical way...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unless Eoin was referring to the 'breaking wheel', a torturous execution device used in the Middle Ages, which was rather infamously renamed the 'Catherine wheel' after being used to execute St. Catherine of Alexandria.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I suspect the firework, though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But isn't research marvelous?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 6: I to I</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Coming into this book, I was prepared for some wonderful riposte and juxtapositions</b> between Artemis the younger and Artemis the elder. How better to see the progress my favorite formerly criminal/borderline evil genius mastermind has made than to compare him to his past self?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wasn't quite prepared for the emotional gut punch of delving into the lasting effects and damages done to Artemis by his mother's breakdown. From two angles, no less! <u><i>And I love it.</i></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Haha, that sounds cold, I know, but I like that all of this trauma he experienced at such a tender young age -and for an extended period of time- didn't just vanish because Angeline is got better. This is something Artemis will always carry, even if he does have a <i>good</i> relationship now with all his family, as witnessed back in Chapter 1 with that tender moment with the twins. Recognizing those lingering scars here makes the interaction with his family earlier all the sweeter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh man, guys, I've forgotten <i>a lot</i> about this book. Don't toss the book at me (haha), but initially I didn't love this book too much. (Honestly, I've got a rocky relationship with <i>The Atlantis Complex</i> and <i>The Last Guardian</i>, too.) I feel like I'm only now truly appreciating <i>Time Paradox</i> for what it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Another thing I love?</b> Artemis' shock and surprise when past Butler shoots him with the tranq!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>(Past) Mulch Diggums is deeply offended by the word 'friend'</b>; obviously, Artemis is not the only one on whom these adventures have had a profound effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>If there's a will, there's a way; </b>or, in Artemis' case, if there's a thought, there's a plan. Time travel's fun when you're a genius. He literally only had to <i>think</i> of what he needs and it's there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But thankfully, that trick only works once. After all, we can't make this <i>too</i> easy for a genius battling, well, himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 7: Talk to the Animals</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Lost Colony</i> gave us adolescent Artemis.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not sure which one I enjoyed better. Okay, expect Artemis' reaction. Watching him stumble and fumble with Holly's unexpected emotions is rather more endearing and entertaining than his still-adorable befuddlement over 'girlfriend' jokes and hormones. Especially when Holly calls him 'Arty'. Really threw him for a loop, eh?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Artemis getting blindsided by a giant gorilla</b> is reminiscent of Butler getting blindsided by the troll so long ago (or some time from now, depending on how you look at it). I expect Artemis is going to spend a lot of time walking in other people's shoes on this particular adventure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>To heal or not to heal?</b> With Artemis at death's door, Holly is suddenly faced with an impossible choice. Let him die of his wounds or save him now, only to condemn him to the slow and painful process of Spelltropy shutting down his every organ later? That's...steep. And scarring. And all your fault, Arty.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">?!?!?!??</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">KISSED?!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">?!?!??!??!!????!!?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">HOLLY <u>KISSED</u> ARTEMIS?!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">?!??!?!??!!???!?!??!?!?!?!?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember just a few paragraphs ago, when I said 'oh man, guys, I've forgotten a lot about this book'?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I completely forgot this kiss happened. Seriously, I must have blocked it out. There's no other explanation for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Confession time: I am not a Holly x Artemis shipper. Not in the least. I think this pairing is...weird. I mean, aside from the awkward age and the whole 'separate species' differences, I honestly just prefer them as friends. They've got a great chemistry in that area and I can't see them working too well as a couple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having said that, I'm quite enjoying this unexpected turn of events. It's actually a great way to explore not only their relationship and how it's developed so dramatically over the years but they have each grown on their own in those years, both because of and in spite of each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also, it seriously feels like Eoin is trolling the pair of them (or maybe just the readers?) by putting first Artemis and now Holly into these delicate hormonal states and hiking up the 'awkward' quota. And that, I seriously love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>While chasing after the lemur, </b>young Artemis is starting to show an ugly side we haven't seen before, not even in the first book. He views the lemur only as euro signs and a way to power; when he kidnaps Holly, his realization and guilt over holding a living creature come on pretty quick. Of course, given the messy way things are going on this time traveling jaunt, it's entirely possible that quick guilty feeling is a subconscious remnant of the lemur incident. Time travel is tricky like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Butler doesn't like this ugly look on Artemis any more than I do. I'm interested to see how this will go between charge and bodyguard and, well, <i>older</i> charge.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A life of crime was infinitely easier."</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Okay. Let's take a minute here. I've been really hard on Arty, I know, about lying to his fairy friends and manipulating them with their resulting guilt. But now I've got to give the kid props.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He's kind of terrible at being good. And while we know Artemis isn't one to run from a challenge, I mean, <u>everything</u> is going wrong that possibly can -<i>but he sticks with it.</i> Granted, the only other option is to let his mother die, but there's something to be said for his dogged determination to do good, especially when doing bad really was so much easier for him. He had a special knack for it, a devious bent to the way his mind works, that just doesn't translate well to doing the right thing, as evidenced by the aforementioned manipulation of his friends so that he could do the right thing to save his mother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But Artemis sticks with it, because he's realized it's worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A quick shout out to Facebook follower Elizabeth White, who made me reevaluate how I've been seeing Artemis in this book. Thanks for that. ^_^</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ah, faced with the necessity of manual labor,</b> Artemis once again vows to hit the gym once everything settles down. For what? The fourth, fifth time?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And does Artemis ever hit the gym, Fowl Fans?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No. No he does not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Artemis getting a taste of his own medicine from his younger self is karma as its absolute worst timing.</b> Which, I guess, is very karmic, come to think of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Oh, the irony!</b> I love, love, LOVE that Artemis uses the infamous 'stay back' line not only himself, but <i>on himself</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Artemis' shock over his younger self's cruelty</b> <b>is revealing.</b> Despite the guilt he's held over many of his past actions, it denotes a good helping of denial about just how ruthless he really was. Thinking back, whenever he's reminded of his past deeds, Artemis usually offers 'I was young' or 'I was immature then' or some other excuse which just screams of him not being honest with himself. But here now, face to face with his literal past self, there is no denying or skirting around what he truly was back then. And what happens?</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artemis hates himself.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Isn't it possible that this self-hatred is an emotion he's buried deep and been actively fighting or ignoring since he began his journey of growth? But here in the past, there's just no escaping it? He can't deny it when he's staring it in the face; he can't lie to himself when the truth of it is his latest opponent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To save his moment, Artemis will have to face his greatest adversary of all. Not just himself -even that would be too easy. Artemis will have to confront -and ultimately overcome- his own self-loathing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oooh, ooh, and what's lurking in the back of Arty's mind, as this realization starts to sink in? <i>How he lied to, hurt, and manipulated Holly, his best friend.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but I prefer to think that Eoin is a freakin' genius.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 8: A Blob of Phlegm</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I was going to say a little snarky 'I told you so, Arty'</b> when he shatters this tender moment between him and Holly, but in the end I've really got to give him props again. This was the best thing he could do in the situation. Insecure, teenage Holly is talking what-if-we-had-a-relationship-not-friendship and Artemis knows -<i>knows</i>- that answering that question one way or another, with his lie hanging over it, will be the worst possible and a completely irrevocable thing to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artemis shows his character here. He owns up to the mistake. Sure, it's bad timing; sure, it's hard. But it was the best thing he could do for the situation. For Holly. And, despite how much he's done to screw it up recently, it was also the best thing he could do for their friendship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This reminds us that there is still hope for Artemis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>That Eoin refers to these emotions and tender moments</b> very specifically<i> 'at this tangle of time and space'</i> just proves to me that he really is trolling the shippers. And I love it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So tell me, what's your favorite part of this time traveling venture so far?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March's reading schedule for <i>The Time Paradox:</i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/03/there-are-always-consequences-time.html">March 7: Chapters 1-4</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 14: Chapters 5-8</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 21: Chapters 9-12</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 28: Chapters 13-16</span></b></span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-48111123241758158572019-03-07T14:11:00.000-07:002019-03-07T14:11:05.686-07:00There Are Always Consequences | The Time Paradox Ch 1-4 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter One: Espresso and Treacle</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello, Fowl Twins!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first thought on being introduced to this fascinating pair is that Beckett might very well have a rough childhood. Doubtless loved by all, but when your older brother is the genius mastermind Artemis Fowl, and your twin is looking to take after his brains, there's a lot poor Beckett is going to miss out on, a lot he's probably going to feel inadequate about, and a lot of times he's going to feel the insane pressure to prove himself and live up to the 'Fowl name'. <i>My theory, obviously.</i> Of course, as I read on, the more I think Beckett, while not as smart as Myles, is certainly smarter than your average two-year-old. These two will be quite a handful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bring on the spin-off series!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis as big brother is freaking ADORABLE. </b>Abandoning French vocabulary in favor of 'play'? Grinning at his father about finger painting? And it was all interrupted far too soon. I don't care if it doesn't really pertain to the 'plot', I want more of big brother Artemis. If Artemis pops up in the <i>Fowl Twins</i> frequently solely to fill the role of big brother, I will be a happy reader.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Way back in <i>The Eternity Code</i>, Holly makes a very good point when Artemis asks her to revive Butler.</b> <i style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/ambition-had-price-eternity-code-10.html">'This was not how magic was supposed to be used.</a>'</i> Artemis has a history of 'doctoring' things to do what he wants and manipulating to get his way, even against nature and time itself. And as a sprite once told him so long ago <i><u>'...you have no idea what you're dealing with.'</u></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis is jumping the gun here,</b> from one conclusion to another. Mother dying of a mysterious and incurable disease? Say no more! Magic healing! He acts on very little info or research and I'm trying to mesh this behavior with his personality in my mind, because this is a very un-Artemis like thing for him to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand, he does have a deadline and his mother is dying; Artemis has been known to do rash and uncharacteristic things concerning endangered loved ones. I have also established -at least in my own head cannon- that <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/juxtapositions-all-juxtapositions.html">Artemis also has a tendency to develop blind spots</a> when he is too focused on something else (like trying to sell the C-Cube and not realizing the danger it might put the People in).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay. This works better in my head now. Moving on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Magic doesn't work.</b> It actually makes his mother worse. For Artemis, this is a surprise gut punch. Let's think about it; over the last 6 years (counting the 3 lost in Hybras) and five books, Artemis has come to rely on magic as his ace in the whole, his fix-all, his hi-tech duct tape. And now, when he needs a magic fix-all the most -it lets him down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's an interesting parallel here. Before Artemis relied so heavily on magic to solve problems, he had his intellect to do the same. The entire kidnapping/ransoming scheme was a child of his intellect, after all. He thought he understood magic then and it threw him for a loop. And from <i>The Arctic Incident </i>to <i>The Opal Deception</i>, there's been a theme under the surface, a little moral trying to poke its way into Artemis' big brain: intellect, magic, and power are nothing compared to friendship. <i>The Lost Colony</i> delves a little deeper into Artemis actually grasping that idea. I suspect <i>The Time Paradox</i> will continue on the same note, especially since 'magic' isn't going to fix this problem and -as we learn later- Artemis himself is actually the problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 2: The World's Biggest</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Fart.</b></i> The World's Biggest <i>Fart</i>. Mr. Colfer's flatulence humor strikes again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Commander</u> Trouble Kelp.</b> How did I forget that Trouble became the Commander of Recon?! Wherever Julius Root is, I'll bet he's cackling around a noxious fungal cigar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Holly is simply incapable of routine, easy missions.</b> Seriously. They should just stop sending her out for 'simple' assignments; by now they must have learned they're ALL going to explode. Some more literally than others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 3: Echoes of Magic</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I love that Butler and Artemis Sr agree leaving Artemis the Genius alone is a bad idea</b> because he could 'turn a Sunday picnic into an international incident' and Artemis just nods and accepts this without fuss, meddler and trouble magnet that he is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>CENTAUR.</b> Artemis' security password is CENTAUR. Remember how I said these two have such an underrated relationship of jibing and competing and respect? I really need that Artemis and Foaly team-up story. Pretty, pretty please?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>That's right, Arty; </b>the only chance to save your mother and you're responsible for destroying it. This isn't the first time Artemis has done serious damage with his actions, to himself or others, but it's such a harder blow when he's finally on the straight and narrow and the repercussions are from so long ago and they hit so. damn. hard. Ain't no rest for the wicked, eh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 4: Monkey's Uncle</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If you don't automatically hear Scar in your head,</b> what kind of childhood did you even have?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>10-year-old Artemis eavesdrops on his father promising his mother the world</b> as soon as he's finished the Russian/cola deal, and Artemis himself suspects that, once trade is established in the Arctic, his father will have trouble pulling away where there are billions more to be made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is interesting in two ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, that Artemis is (and has perhaps on previous occasions) predicting an unhealthy cycle in his parents' relationship of Sr promising Angeline the world (literally) only to break it for the sake of money, which he valued above all. Rather a dangerous role-model for impressionable Arty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, simply a reiteration of earlier commentary. Which was it that truly changed Artemis Sr? His brush with death and imprisonment or Holly's magic?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Oh, poor Arty!</b> Standing firm and being strong in the wake of Angeline's impending nervous breakdown -to talk finances! Poor, silly boy. It almost makes one wonder... Would Angeline have gone so far off the mental edge if her son had been there for her emotionally, rather than financially?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>GUYS. 10-year-old Artemis, dressed for business in his suit for the first time,</b> with an unfamiliar coldness in his voice. THIS IS ARTEMIS' ORIGIN STORY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis sold the lemur in attempt to save his father.</b> Because he's responsible for the lemur's death, his mother is going to die. Yet another ironic twist of fate in this series, and I love that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It's been mentioned before that Artemis uses music to plot</b>, but I love the emphasis on it here. Young Arty, finger conducting while concocting his first evil scheme and present Artemis putting on a mental soundtrack to plot out how to save his mother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">NOOOOOOOOO!!!</i> You silly, stupid boy! D'arvit! Have you learned NOTHING?! But nooo, why not just manipulate Holly <u>again</u>; lie to her, tell her it's her fault and make her feel immeasurable guilt, even though you're perfectly aware it wasn't her!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You <u>just</u> told Holly and Foaly how horrible it was that you rationalized trading the lemur for your father's life, but this isn't much different, is it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"Be strong."</u> Both times Artemis uses this to bolster his resolve, he shouldn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, hounding his distraught mother about finances.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, when he considers telling Holly the truth, instead of committing to this latest -and probably <i>worst</i>- manipulation.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nope, here I go. I'm about to give Artemis crap.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You, young man, are not trusting your friends again. We've talked about this! Look at all the progress you've made. You're digressing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While guilting your friends (falsely) might have made it easier to convince them, you had other good points in your favor -how the People via Opal were just as responsible for the extinction of these lemurs as you were; how desperation drove the People to do things they never would have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you're relying on is their fear of another outbreak, which you know won't happen. You're <i>manipulating</i> them because you don't think they'll bend the rules just for your mother and father. Just for <i>you</i>, their friend. Because it's not like they've ever done that before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now? Well, I guess we won't know what they would done for you, will we? <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/more-to-follow-od-ch-10-epilogue.html">Because you didn't give them the chance to help you.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>March's reading schedule for <i>The Time Paradox:</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>March 7: Chapters 1-4</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>March 14: Chapters 5-8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>March 21: Chapters 9-12</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>March 28: Chapters 13-16</b></span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-44330222290077039732019-02-28T13:11:00.001-07:002019-02-28T13:11:16.106-07:00Heroism is a Mixed Basket | TLC Ch 13-16 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP8ruJvjgt62FiiiHuhwru5C5WZiVpapeVhjjdMOeW4zWfcq3OWlZ0Hz-OFpW2ag9dtFmY3bsb-h4ZNu-Wsm1dCjbf-3RluH8TrnU8rFD50Pk9wmVuP-6gnhJe7vQ-lyawF8kaDjwkmc/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP8ruJvjgt62FiiiHuhwru5C5WZiVpapeVhjjdMOeW4zWfcq3OWlZ0Hz-OFpW2ag9dtFmY3bsb-h4ZNu-Wsm1dCjbf-3RluH8TrnU8rFD50Pk9wmVuP-6gnhJe7vQ-lyawF8kaDjwkmc/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 14: Leader of the Pack</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When Holly complains about Artemis' bad timing for developing a sense of humor,</b> Artemis explains that usually he'd be planning, but that's in Qwan's hands now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ladies and gentlemen, Artemis has all but admitted that the only reason he's not a comedian (read as: donning clown shoes and turning cartwheels in the main hall) is because he won't devote the time to it, among his other enterprises.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There could be an alternate reality out there where Artemis Fowl is born with a funny bone, instead of a drive for gold and power, and becomes comedic mastermind, instead of a criminal one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>At the first sign of trouble,</b> who does Artemis miss? At the first sign of manual labor, who does Artemis miss? The mountainous, insanely strong, and deadly bodyguard, of course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Artemis has come a long way since he first plotted to kidnap a fairy.</b> He's developed out of some of his nastier flaws and even become something of a good guy. He may have earned the trust of his People acquaintance-turned-friends, but what would be the ultimate test for this genius criminal mind no so long since he craved only gold and power?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Give that boy some magic! We'll see his true colors before long and whether, as Qwan advised, Artemis will use this new gift wisely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I suppose it is inevitable that the creator supreme of Mulch Diggums</b> would demonstrate the effects of time surges with bathroom jokes and bodily functions.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjXCgF8YPTPJtaDJ7AsnnsvLpZVwyhvwYEDRviygBdpTzTjJHCBUfVYFWSN8EylrEN3HeMchXUicadJRJsC18FQYRW1RN-HGnRuJdboQsEPSaLPqWagof9gpKmzfA2gmsjdN9fHA3mDE/s1600/chuthulu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="997" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjXCgF8YPTPJtaDJ7AsnnsvLpZVwyhvwYEDRviygBdpTzTjJHCBUfVYFWSN8EylrEN3HeMchXUicadJRJsC18FQYRW1RN-HGnRuJdboQsEPSaLPqWagof9gpKmzfA2gmsjdN9fHA3mDE/s320/chuthulu.jpg" width="198" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>As the island is breaking away, </b>Holly catches glimpses of alternate dimensions, including enormous, multi-tentacled monsters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guys.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GUYS.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eoin's talking about CTHULHU and the GREAT OLD ONES.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>There is nothing quite so harsh or painful in this series </b>as the moment Holly Short lies dying, a sword wound in her chest, bleeding out, with no hope of magic saving her and, knowing that Artemis is the only one who might possibly be able to help her, she calls out for her friend -and he regards her for a dispassionate second before turning away. Leaving Holly to die, alone; broken, scared, and abandoned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Deep down, we know -<u style="font-style: italic;">we know!</u>- that Artemis has a reason for this, that he's really working on a way to save her, that he's not abandoning her or casting her aside. After nearly five books watching Artemis grow into not only a hero (by tiny degrees), but into a <i>friend</i>, <b>we know</b> Artemis isn't abandoning his first and best friend to die alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But, <i>D'arvit</i>, it hurts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 15: Home Again, Home Again</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This moment, this scheme when Artemis fires the Neutrino into the past</b> to save the lives of Holly and the warlocks after the fact, from the future -this is one of my favorite Artemis moments. Period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is, perhaps, his first truly heroic act. Sure, he's done some life-saving and executed grand schemes, but those were usually at the behest of another heroic figure, like Holly or his father, or they were an effort to put right his own mistakes, like saving the People from the likes of Jon Spiro.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This time is different. This time, Artemis is in now way responsible for the terrible event. This time, he has no one with greater experience to rely on. This time, he's on his own. The cost was terribly high -losing Holly- comparative to losing Butler in <i>The Eternity Code</i>, but this time Artemis has to do it all on his own. With Butler, Artemis could only do so much; it was up to Holly to truly save our favorite bodyguard. But more than that, with this scheme's wide margin for error -what if Abbot went for Artemis before he went for the warlocks? What if Artemis missed his literal second of opportunity?- there was every possibility it would fail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if it failed, Artemis would not only have lost Holly, but he would have condemned her to die alone, abandoned, and scared.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those are some pretty high stakes for Arty boy. So when he magically preserves the memory of shooting Abbott and erasing the possibility of his friends' grisly deaths despite the time quandary in his brain wreaking potential havoc on his sanity, it screams with significance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And I love it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When Artemis feels the phantom weight of the gun</b> he shot at Abbot and also did not shoot at Abbott, he knows there will be consequences for meddling in time, but he'll bear them. That's a burden he'd gladly shoulder. Just like with Butler's deaths, Holly's was too horrible to accept. It is well worth the price of erasing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But what, fellow readers, is that consequence going to be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>While No1 helps to power the spell</b> and Qwan directs the casting, Holly focuses on the place, and what does Artemis get? Time. And how does our favorite boy genius properly land them back in his own time? By following his heart and relying on <i>feelings</i>. Not a cold, hard fact in sight. Time to embrace all that humanity and sentimentality you've been grudgingly developing, Artemis; you're going to need it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Artemis realizes, while they're engulfed in the transportation spell</b> and the magic is flowing through him, opening up parts of his brain that have never been used before, that once upon a time, humans had once possessed their own magic. They have forgotten how to use it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a huge statement. After all, if humans have merely <i>forgotten</i> how to use their magic, it stands to reason they could possibly relearn it, yeah? I mean, Artemis is exceptional of course, but he took to magic pretty quick. Isn't there hope for other humans?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hello, spin-off possibilities?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 16: Point of IMPact</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>One last IMP pun </b>before we're done! Thanks, Eoin. ^_^</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>TWINS?!</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This book honestly ends with more questions than resolutions</b> concerning Artemis and his development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What will Artemis tell his parents?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How will it affect and change their relationship?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TWINS?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What consequence will Arty face for his meddling with time?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What will he do with his ill-gotten magic?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How will this especial heroic venture and its rather drastic physical and emotional costs affect our would-be hero?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So many possibilities!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>The Lost Colony</i> gave us a good look at Arty as a hero,</b> trying to do good for the sake of doing good from the get go rather than executing some scheme of his own. Personally, I think this is a good look on him. But Artemis also got his first taste of exactly what costs heroes have to live with. <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-saddest-one-of-all-opal-deception-1.html">We've already talked about this concerning Holly and Root in <i>The Opal Deception</i>,</a> but let's look at everything Artemis gained on his first truly heroic jaunt:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He saved his best friend from a grisly death</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He gets to keep that memory of his best friend's grisly death forever, and the sound of Abbott's sword sliding out of her body will haunt him for the rest of his life</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He also gets heretofore unknown consequences for using time to change events</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He rescued an entire species from extinction, saved hundreds of lives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He lost three years of his own life and caused unimaginable pain and loss to his family</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think we can all agree, this is a pretty mixed basket. That's a lot of uplifting highs and damning traumatic lows that Arty's going to have to deal with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artemis also gained magic, though considering it was 'stolen', that wasn't much of a heroic gain. But how that magic affects him in the future is entirely dependent on how Artemis uses it and -well, remember when I talked about <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/more-to-follow-od-ch-10-epilogue.html">Artemis' true turning point doesn't occur until <i>The Opal Deception</i> when he realizes he should let him family and friends help him, rather than relying solely on himself?</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artemis showed remarkable improvement in this area, and it shows in the quality and success of his schemes (with a few exceptions). Outside his initial time jaunt (which arguably wouldn't have gone as wrong if he'd worn some silver himself and kept Butler apprised of the situation), Artemis' plans do not go awry until Taipei 101, and the fault for that lies on Minerva, who insists on doing something incredibly stupid and puts them all in danger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the most notable exception is right here, when Artemis convinces Holly he doesn't have any magic left. Perhaps he feared the People wouldn't let him leave with it -a legitimate concern- but considering he stole it in the first place, I feel this is a step back into his old ways for Artemis Fowl. Scheming. Plotting. Doing things he knows his friends wouldn't approve of and keeping them in the dark about it. At best, this is left ambiguous until we can see the consequences ourselves in <i>The Time Paradox</i>, next month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will you join me?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But before you go! Tell me, what did you glean from <i>The Lost Colony</i>? Any deep, philosophical ponderings within the pages or the characters? Any jokes you finally understand? Any specials turns of phrase that made you giddy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please share in the comments! I want to hear everything. ^_^</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>March's reading schedule for <i>The Time Paradox:</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>March 7: Chapters 1-4</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>March 14: Chapters 5-8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>March 21: Chapters 9-12</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>March 28: Chapters 13-16</b></span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-44485174545106054382019-02-21T10:32:00.001-07:002019-02-21T10:32:43.769-07:00More Reasons I Really Am No1 | TLC Ch 9-12 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome back to the Artemis Fowl Read Along! Thanks for joining me for a little commentary on chapters 9-12 of <i>The Lost Colony</i>.</span><br />
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Chapter 9: Turned Tables</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We return to Holly, who has allowed herself to be taken captive by Minerva Paradizo</b> in an attempt to rescue the demon No1. After all, Artemis knows from experience that kidnapping a fairy is tantamount to inviting a fairy into your home -and how much trouble and mischief they can wreak once they're inside. Holly is just preparing to wreak said havoc, she's running through a mental checklist of the materials at her disposal and we learn that she has left all the more impressive bells and whistles of her fairy tech behind because there was no sense risking them falling into human hands. Other than Artemis', of course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let that sink in for a moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Holly wants to protect fairy tech from humans who would abuse it. <i>So she entrusts it to Artemis.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It shows just how far they've both developed -on their own and as friends- and I love that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #11 that I am No1 and No1 is me:</b> How we nod furiously and with far too much enthusiasm until someone tells/makes us stop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #12: </b>Using vocabulary as stress relief. When annoyed or frustrated I do tend to dust off some pretty splendid synonyms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Given the dexterity and alacrity with which Foaly wields a laser,</b> I don't think anyone Above or Below would trust that centaur with any 'happy guy' he might try inventing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sool giving you trouble? <i>Shoot him with the happy gun!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your brother getting too grumpy and picking on you? <i>Shoot him with the happy gun!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone threatening to slash next year's budget? <i>Shoot them with the happy gun!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone insulting your girlfriend? <i>SHOOT THEM WITH THE LASER AND BURY THEM IN THE MAGNA SHOOTS-- achem, I mean shoot them with the happy gun.</i></span><br />
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<b>Reason #13: </b>Possessing that 'real gift' for sarcasm.</span><br />
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Chapter 10: Kong the King</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis has a lot of cool lines and potential catchphrases.</b> This devious mastermind can certainly make the best of words; everyone has a favorite line of his. One of mine is whenever he's the mysterious and unexpected voice on the other end of the phone call explaining the he has a friend; he has all the numbers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because that we creep me the heck out if it happened to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I know how you feel, Holly</b>; whenever someone asks <i>'Do you trust me?'</i> things are guaranteed to get much, much worse before they (if they) ever get better. I can only imagine hearing <i>Artemis</i> ask that loaded question.</span><br />
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Chapter 11: A Long Way Down</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #14: </b>Orange is definitely not for us. (Neither are muumuus.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Because, Artemis, <i>of course</i> you need an elevator with the speed of fifty-five feet per second for Fowl Manor. </b>That makes perfect sense. I mean, it's impressive you can pass 89 floors in 30 seconds but -does Fowl Manor have 89 floors?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then it occurs to me as I type out this teasing -is this Artemis being <i>nervous</i>? I mean, they are embarking on one of their most dangerous missions, with some of the worst consequences yet, with little to now planning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't it possible Artemis is distracting himself from everything that could and probably will go wrong with this plan by studying this modern marvel of engineering?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I rather love No1 asking Artemis for tips on just how exactly </b>he should play his role in all this. The role that consists -almost entirely- of <i>opening his hand.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this little imp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I wonder if it was hard Artemis to keep a straight face when he convinced No1 that, yes, <i>of course</i> orange floral muumuus and bonnets are perfectly normal articles of clothing for human children.</b> I'd love to see an illustrated version of his face at that moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #15:</b> I, too, would feel the need to clarify that the orange floral muumuu and bonnet were not, in fact, mine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>That's it, Holly; there's always time to snap a photo of your flabbergasted bad guy right at the moment the full realization of Master Artemis Fowl's scheme dawns on them.</b> Life's short, after all. You've got to make sure you enjoy the little things.</span><br />
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Chapter 12: Heart of Stone</span></h2>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ah, Artemis; you and your 'characteristic lack of modesty'.</span></b><br />
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<b>Holly and Minerva do not get along well. </b>While they have very little time actually being on the same side, I've never actually noticed that the two girls really don't get along. Like, at all. Minerva is pre-development Artemis and Holly is <i>so done</i> with that phase. I guess there's only enough of a soft spot for one young, quick, arrogant, and morally ambiguous genius in the elf's heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It makes me curious as to how -or if- an understanding or relationship would have ever developed between the two. They certainly didn't have the best of first meetings -read as: kidnapping- but that was hardly different than her and Artemis' first meeting. But their second meeting also wasn't great; Holly tries to point out to Minerva just how royally she almost messed things up and Minerva ...says harboring guilt over her mistakes isn't good for her mental health.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the one hand, yeah, this could be a very believable type answer coming from Artemis as well. But on the other hand, I think the key here is that -despite kidnapping Holly and watching his entire scheme almost implode around him- Artemis redeemed himself however small an amount in Holly's eyes by buying that miracle off her, in the end of book one. One action -and comparably small against everything else he did on that little adventure- but it was enough to show that he had a heart of flesh, under the layers of ice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This, I think, is what Minerva lacks, right now anyway. And it rather feels like Holly is already writing her off as a lost cause. And, as much as I like Minerva's interaction with Artemis, I gotta admit I'm totally with Holly on this one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's it for this week's read along! Thanks for joining me. I'll see you next Thursday for the end of T<i>he Lost Colony</i>.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">February's reading schedule for The Lost Colony:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/02/i-am-no1-lost-colony-ch-1-8-artemis.html">Feb 1-7: Chapters 1-4</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/02/i-am-no1-lost-colony-ch-1-8-artemis.html">Feb 9-14: Chapters 5-8</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Feb 15-21: Chapters 9-12</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Feb 22-28: Chapters 13-16
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-88213856656920267652019-02-14T20:48:00.004-07:002019-02-14T20:48:53.987-07:00I am No1 | The Lost Colony ch 1-8 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems last week's read along post got caught up by one of the Hybras' time hopping demons and is now bouncing in and out of the centuries with no end in sight, so I'll just re-post that today, shall I?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 1: Blast to the Past</span></h2>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butler scowl. Once, just once, he would like to get all the facts before they boarded the jet. But that wasn't the way Artemis worked. To the young Irish genius, the <u>reveal</u> was the most important part of his schemes.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I talked last month that Artemis' habit of not revealing to his cohorts his plans in their entirety could demonstrate that he doesn't fully trust them. I'm not giving up on this idea; I still believe they're related. But in this particular instance, Butler definitely has a point. the <u>reveal</u> is Arty's favorite part -it's a show off thing. It's the 'look-at-how-clever-I-am' moment that Arty most certainly loves (there are at least three DIRECT moments of this in chapter one alone (<i>Artemis was in a mood to demonstrate his genius. This was a mood in which he frequently found himself.</i> + <i>...regarding Artemis as though he were some kind of wondrous creature. Which, of course, he was.</i> + <i>"Hmm," noted Artemis Fowl. "I am unique."</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think, too, it's that same thrill, like a perfectly executed scheme, that he loves so much, that made it so hard for him to give up his criminal ways. I think Artemis may have traded one vice for another; he ceased his satisfying criminal schemes and now he wields the <u>reveal</u> with the skills of the best showmen.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artemis + puberty + Butler teasing him about it = priceless</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously, guys, I love <i>The Lost Colony</i>, and one of the greatest things this book has going for it is EVERYONE TEASING ARTEMIS ABOUT GIRLS</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I've put up with too much hardship over the years for you to vanish on me now."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let us take a moment to appreciate the stubborn determination and dedication that is Domovoi Butler. He has one job and nothing stops him from doing that job.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trolls can't, even after they've almost killed him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Impenetrable doors and a goblin triad can't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DEATH can't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Loss of memories and inexplicable old age can't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there is no way little things like 'space' and 'time' are going to stop him either, is there?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing can stop Domovoi Butler from protecting Artemis Fowl. NOTHING.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...also, <i>ominous foreshadowing!</i>...</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You should give your sister a call. She saved our lives."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">YAY, JULIET!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love that Juliet gets this little moment of life-saving victory here, because I miss the younger Butler.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Are you wearing any silver?"</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">D'arvit, Arty! All the showboating and dramatic <u>reveals</u> in the world are completely meaningless if you plan poorly -like, say, don't think to anchor yourself with silver on the off-chance that your nicely packaged plan <i>derails into a worst case scenario </i>because it's not like that ever happens!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm surprisingly very upset with Artemis for this screw up, because it's such an obvious, stupid mistake. As a reader, I suspect this was mostly just a plot device to introduce the whole 'silver-anchors-you-to-this-time-and-oh-yeah-demons-are-trapped-hurtling-through-time' idea -but as a reader I also prefer to see this as mistake on Arty's part, therefore opportunity for potential development and depth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 2: Doodah Day</span></h2>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This voice was not the first sign of madness.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ho-ho-ho, are you so sure, Holly Short? Considering that voice in your head uses the words 'your partner' and 'Mulch Diggums' in the same sentence, this is completely arguable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Doodah tries to attempt a 'pixie hex gesture' at Holly</b> as she chases him down and now I'm curious? What exactly IS a pixie hex gesture? Is this maybe a species-specific talent pixie's have, like dwarves do? Maybe species-specific magic?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or am I totally overthinking this and it's just a species-specific flipping of the bird?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>In this chapter, we're re-introduced to Wing Commander Vinyaya</b>, in much bigger capacity! This should be of special interest to Fowl Fans excited for the upcoming film, because keep in mind that Judi Dench's Root character will be a mix of our beloved Julius <i>and</i> Vinyaya.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Welcome to Section Eight headquarters."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have always found the name of this division humorous because 'section eight' is American slang for 'crazy' -especially if you grew up watching <i>M*A*S*H</i>, like this girl did.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Where do [lightning bolts] shoot out if he's unlucky?"</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foaly, when will you learn? If you leave an opportunity open for unpleasant imagery, Mulch is <u>always going to take it.</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, <i>ouch</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 3: First IMPressions</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...have I mentioned how much I love Eoin's punny chapter titles? Because I do. A ton. Any story I've ever written, if it has chapter titles, you better believe they're going to be punny or references or clever wordplay or have a double meaning but most likely <u>all of the above</u>. You have done this to me, Mr. Eoin Colfer; that's all because of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know what I have always loved the most about <i>The Lost Colony</i>? No1. That's what. I love this little imp (and not just because he provides Eoin with a plethora of punny chapter title opportunities!). But this re-through, I'm realizing that the reason I love No1 so much is because...I basically am No1.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I relate to No1 on a ridiculous amount of levels. Like correcting the grammar of others (especially when to those who <i>really</i> don't appreciate it); brainy, not brawny; nervous; avoids confrontation; see right through the charlatans who have everyone else eating out of their hands, and prefers their meat dead and cooked. I mean, guys, we're practically identical!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am No1 and No1 is me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...expect, you know, for the warlock thing. And migraines. And the eventual shooting of lightning bolts out of fingers and...<i>other places</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 4: Mission IMPossible</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here we find out that the only reason Artemis sends out decoys is to make Foaly dip into his funds to follow them all. </b>Ladies and gentlemen, this is Artemis Fowl's idea of a joke! I'm not sure Foaly will it so humorous, but it certainly made me laugh. Like, snort laugh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because, guys, <i>these two</i>. They crack me up. I LOVE THEM. Foaly is spying on Artemis and Artemis reversed those spikes to spy right back on him with, as he described to Holly, <i>"Some harmless hacking. <u>The centaur started it.</u>"</i> Their friendship/rivalry/appreciation is SO UNDERRATED. I want -in my heart of fangirl hearts- to see a short story (or novella) where just Artemis and Foaly have to solve some save-the-world problem. No brawn, no fighters -just brains, ego, one-upping, and smart assery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Even when Artemis is genuinely doing something for the right reason</b> -like investigating demons to try saving them from extinction- there's no escaping some smug satisfaction, like finding something Foaly missed. (muahaha) And Artemis is only doing all of this because he's BORED! Yeah, that totally sounds like him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>No1's dismal and gloomy thoughts on his trek to the volcano totally remind me of the </b>depressed robot from <i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.</i> Just saying.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[No1] often conversed with the voices in his head.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reason #6 I am No1 and No1 is me.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, when it comes to the opera, Holly and are totally on the same page.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I <i>love</i> Holly giving Artemis a bad time</b> about how 'best-case scenarios' NEVER happen when he's involved, because he has bad karma.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Holly is totally right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Even Artemis knows it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #7</b>: Correcting one's own grammar, out loud, mid-conversation -check!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #8:</b> Giggling over said correction -double-check!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 5: IMPrisoned</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Faced with the difficulties of future order defiance and possible (read as: imminent) career implosion</b>, I love that Holly remembers and relies in this moment on Julius' words of wisdom: <i>"It's not about what's best for us, it's about what's best for the People."</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Back to favorite things about <i>The Lost Colony</i>? </b>Artemis flustered and flabbergasted about 'girlfriend' jokes and EVERYONE MAKING GIRLFRIEND JOKES.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I am totally on the same page as Minerva and Co. here</b>. I would stare at my gold like there were a demon inside it too, if there were...you know...<i>a demon inside it.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...remember what I was saying about me and No1?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 6: Dwarf Walks Into a Bar</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Okay, all jokes aside? Right here, when Mulch is honest with himself</b> about why he left his criminal ways, gets my heartstrings every time. He realized that returning to that life of crime without Julius to chase him down in there game of cat and mouse would be an insult to our beloved commander. My eyes were not dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Doodah Day is an interesting addition to our growing group</b> but I gotta agree with Mulch. Another smart-ass? Just break a million mirrors already!</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 7: Bobo's Run</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Considering Mulch's own daredevil driving of the past,</b> Doodah Day's piloting skills must 10 steps into the fiery pits of Hell to scare the dwarf that much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The image of Foaly cackling over his computers Underground as he prepares to reign and modern</b> 'War of the Worlds' on the Paradizo chateau gives me a lovely warm fuzzy feeling.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter 8: Sudden IMPact</span></h2>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(that's four IMP pun chapter titles so far. In case you were wondering. Because OF COURSE I'M COUNTING.)</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #9: </b>Marveling at wondrous words in human vocabulary -especially by randomly babbling them out and thinking <i>'oooh what a nice word!'</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reason #10:</b> Pointing out useful synonyms when others need help with word variety. I'd hope I'd at least have the sense not to do so with a knife-wielding kidnapper. but then again, I tend to do this with my sister and -while I'm still conducting field research into this- I'm 99% sure her looks can actually <i>kill</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ahh, Minerva, I see right through you.</b> Your aspirations of Nobel prizes and saving all human and demonkind are really just an effort to one-up Artemis Fowl. You're adorable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I don't care if you ship them or not, you've gotta admit that Artemis and Minerva are freaking adorable together.</b> Two genius peas in a very small pod talking about their ultra sophisticated humor? Come on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It doesn't hurt that Minerva and Artemis have so much in common, either;</b> Minerva is just like he was when he kidnapped Holly oh so long ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I especially love that Artemis recognizes this and attempts to help Minerva to <i>not </i>make the same mistakes he did. But my favorite is that line as he hangs up the phone on her, about how ironic it is that he feels like the bad guy when he is so close to actually being the good guy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's it for this week, Fowl fans! Thanks so much for joining me again. Next week we're reading and discussing chapters 9-12, so I'll see you back here com Fowl Day!</span>Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-23049020438594623622019-01-31T12:06:00.002-07:002019-01-31T12:28:03.371-07:00More to follow. | OD Ch 10-Epilogue | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome to the finale of this <i>Opal Deception </i>read along -and we're finishing on a doozy of story thoughts here. Usually, I have four or five pages of notes for a week's chapters. This week I had NINE.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 10: Horse Sense</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Everyone has a right to be temporarily unstable."</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Truer words, Foaly; truer words. I'm not the only who thinks that, aside from sick days, we should have a day off option for 'temporary instability', am I?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Tell me, Chix, or I'll reach down this com link and drag it out of you."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, Foaly, sounds like you learned a few things from our beloved Commander Julius Root. He'd been so proud of you, but he'd cover it with a growl and the fumes of a noxious fungal cigar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While Chix bemoans a possible fate of scraping of vole curry off the streets I'm thinking <i style="font-weight: bold;">vole curry!? </i>It is mentioned several times (especially in this book) so evidently it's quite a common dish for the People.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I feel so sorry for them.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yum.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>But Foaly's paranoid streak couldn't let it go.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To be fair, how many times have his paranoid streaks wound up saving the People in one way or another?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Almost every time, yeah?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...except *achem* for that Arctic incident... Paranoia was kind of his downfall there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"You're approaching this the wrong way, Holly."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Isn't it amazing how often 'genius' is actually the simple details, things we usually just gloss over or take for granted? And this was perfectly demonstrated a few chapters ago, when Artemis -memories in tact- presents the gold spray painted computer disc to Holly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Very clever."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Genius, actually. It merely seems clever in hindsight, but the original idea was pure genius."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-style: italic;">"Remember the plan"</b> could be one of Artemis' catchphrases.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you think Holly ever got him a sweater or a hat or a coffee mug with that emblazoned across it as a gag gift?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Sool stroked his goatee. It was a win-win situation.</i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/scars-memories-od-ch-7-9-artemis-fowl.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I realize that last week I compared Ark Sool to the devil.</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't regret this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This gnome is a terrible person and a worse boss. He's only interested in what will make him look good, rather than taking experienced opinions (like Foaly's) into consideration just because he doesn't like them or putting the People first and foremost -as direct a contradiction to Julius Root as you can get.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Readers like to talk about the characters they 'love to hate' and I would always find myself stumped for one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"This is not the start of a beautiful relationship."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No, Sool, it isn't -because unlike Rick or Louie, you don't have a decent bone in your body!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...wow, I really don't like this gnome...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Through sheer force of habit, Mulch almost raised his hand and confessed...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all, it's highly discourteous to let another dwarf be blamed for your bubbles! Okay, but seriously, this is taking fart jokes to a new level, which is saying a lot for Colfer, who already took fart jokes to a new level by creating a dwarf who uses flatulence as the most versatile superpower imaginable. Not to mention, if Mulch hadn't stopped him, this would have been the most embarrassing defeat. Ever. Grand schemes ousted by a confession of passing wind? Even Opal would have been embarrassed to claim victory like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>...Mulch often gave voices to the objects he was about to steal.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">😂😂😂</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This just presents...so many hysterical possibilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Okay, but throughout this entire section of Mulch sneaking around on Opal's shuttle, Colfer's hints-but-misdirections are <b>fabulous</b>! HE'S A MAGICIAN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>...<u>we're not going very far.</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>...<u>there's plenty of room for both of you.</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>When Mulch Diggums crept out...the charges were no longer on the chair.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Mulch crawled around the box. If there was one thing he didn't need, it was more creaks.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He even mentions the booty box and presents it as an obstacle to be avoided! IT'S GENIUS. Clever in hindsight, maybe, but the original idea is pure genius.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Artemis had goaded her into sealing her own fate.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember those extra little touches, Opal, like the underwater television at the Temple of Artemis? Do you regret those yet?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Artemis stared at the screen as if he could destroy the missiles through concentration. "I should have anticipated this."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wonder why you didn't, Arty?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/juxtapositions-all-juxtapositions.html">Back during my <i>Eternity Code</i> read along</a> I suggested that Artemis' moments of mental blindness as far as his genius schemes go are in fact blind spots born of his not caring about the far-reaching consequences of his actions. If this is the case, what would have blinded you here, Arty? Were you too happy by your regained memories? Perhaps they made you cocky, knowing you'd foiled Opal Koboi once before and could certainly do it again? Maybe you were too determined to get vengeance for Holly? Perhaps your new-found conscience made you forget how ruthless and petty a villain can be?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or maybe it was just a mistake, like any regular human being can make. But it's so much more fun to wonder!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I love that Artemis Fowl took down Opal Koboi with a box of truffles.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You could say she got her <i><u style="font-weight: bold;">just desserts.</u></i> (Not sorry)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"You people are becoming quite the team."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Somehow I don't think Trouble Kelp meant this as a compliment, but I can clearly envision Artemis and Holly, Butler and Mulch all exchanging knowing smiles at that. Because when it works, it works.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 11: Last Goodbye</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking of <u>just desserts</u> -Opal certainly gets a nice helping, doesn't she? She <i>mesmerizes</i> herself into the memory of a vineyard owner, but the moment manual labor is mentioned, Opal's newly implanted human pituitary gland cuts off her fairy powers before she can magic her way out of it. <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">...She had effectively humanized herself.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Villains managing to ironically screw up their own schemes is a running theme throughout this series that I've never picked up on before.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Artemis Fowl</i>: Cudgeon goes to extremes for promotion which ultimately leads to his demotion.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Arctic Incident</i>: Cudgeon thinks himself unbeatable, and the inevitable 'I'm untouchable' monologue is what Foaly uses to turn Opal against him.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Eternity Code</i>: Jon Spiro's hatred of Phonetix is how Artemis orchestrates his downfall, while Artemis' own greed leads both to Butler's death and the loss of his memories -two of the things he values the most in the world.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Opal Deception</i>: Opal humanizes herself to conquer the world, which overrides her magic, but not before she's trapped herself with the very last vestiges of the <i>mesmer</i>. Before this, her greed for decadent chocolate is exactly what Artemis uses to trick her. Or, as Artemis so aptly puts it, <b><i>"It's human nature, and Opal is a human now, remember?"</i></b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Of all the things Sool had done to her, this was the worst.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, let's be honest, this is why I hate him so. freaking. much. Everything Sool has done up to this point could theoretically be forgiven -Holly is, after all, a murder suspect and on the run, so Sool has a leg to stand on- but this last act of not letting Holly attend Julius' funeral is completely irredeemable. Not just because it's an singular even that he can never make up for -though there certainly is that- but because Sool himself refused to let her attend <i>purely out of spite</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Because the Tribunal hasn't reached a verdict in her case, she's still a murder suspect. Yeah. Okay. But this is <u>not the reason</u> she doesn't go to the funeral. The reason given is that <u>Sool refuses to let her</u>, even under armed guard, so obviously there did exist the possibility of her attending under guard, even as a murder suspect. And remember -Sool is no longer Internal Affairs. He's the new Recon Commander; while he's part of the Tribunal that will vote on Holly's verdict, there's no indication that he has any part of the Internal Affairs investigation. Which means that his decision to not let her attend Julius' funeral came down as an order from her new commanding officer -Julius' own replacement- not from the IA or as requirement of the Tribunal investigation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even worse? The Tribunal votes directly following Julius' funeral; the judgement comes down so soon afterwards that Holly is still watching the recycling ceremony on TV when Foaly and Sool come to tell her. Seriously, they couldn't have voted an hour earlier so she could freely attend? It seems particularly cruel since the vote was seven-to-one in Holly's favor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I of course blame Sool for everything, because it seems just the kind of petty plan he'd spawn and wrap nice and tight in impenetrable red tape, and all because he doesn't like her, he doesn't like how Recon operates, and he didn't like the 'maverick' Julius Root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Julius would have been proud of you. Haven is here today because of what you did."</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not all bad, of course. Since Holly couldn't attend the funeral in person, she did have Artemis there to comfort her which, frankly, was the best emotional support she was likely to get from the whole Lower Elements. (Sorry, Foaly.) Artemis is adorably reassuring and comforting; he knows just what to say and, unlike their near-death experience at the 'Temple of Artemis', he's entirely genuine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love this moment too because it provides a nice, deep look at just how much his and Holly's relationship has deepened in such a short time. By the end of <i>The Eternity Code</i> they were amicable, bordering on friendly, and thanks to the mindwipe and Opal Koboi -you know that old saying, 'absence and near-death experiences devised by crazy deranged pixies make the heart grow fonder'- they've plunged straight into friends-for-life territory. <i>"Bonded by trauma," </i>as Artemis put it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"I quit."</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just a page before Holly throws down her badge before Ark Sool, Artemis had told her that Julius would have been proud of her for saving Haven. While I don't disagree, it could also be argued that in saving Haven, Holly was also just doing her job, like any good LEP officer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is when Holly quits that I think Julius really would have been proud, because Holly is taking his words to heart. At the beginning of the book, Holly is all set to turn down the promotion because it will cut down on her surface time, what she loves, and Julius convinces her otherwise, because her job is to protect the People. To do what she has to for the People, even accepting a promotion that will shackle her to a desk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being a police officer isn't just something Holly loves; it's what she <u>is</u>. It's a part of her as much as breathing. But with Sool breathing down her neck, she knows she won't be any help to the People -and helping the People is what she needs to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She quits, not for herself, but for the People. Just like Julius taught her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also want to point out something from the epilogue. The newspaper clipping marvels at the return of the lost <i>Fairy Thief</i> painting and wonders: <b><i>Is someone out there reclaiming lost or stolen masters <u>for the people</u>?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And no; I don't think that wording is a coincidence. </span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More to follow.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"It's a strange feeling, not to know who you are exactly." </i></b>I love this conflict in Artemis, pulled between wanting to pursue his criminal enterprises and wanting to be a normal teenager with loving parents, with a whole slew of rediscovered memories he hasn't exactly grown back into yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Holly teases about keeping an eye on him and Artemis laughs it off; he's already got his parents and Butler doing that. And then Holly says something utterly profound and compelling: <b><i>"Well then, maybe it's time you let them."</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've read this book a dozen times and I have always glossed over this line. It's just good dialogue, right? No; I don't think so, not anymore. It's much deeper and more subtle than that and I don't think I've given Colfer enough credit for his character depth and subtle development in Artemis right here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have always seen <i>The Eternity Code</i> as Artemis' key turning point from villain/criminal to hero/anti-hero. <u>I was wrong.</u> While it was undoubtedly a big step in the right direction, Artemis does not fully embrace the new direction -he did, after all, make that massive charitable donation irreversible in case he became weak later and decided to steal it back. Before he could try embracing it, the mindwipe robbed him of further improvement in that area. Basically, his development in <i>The Eternity Code</i> was the foundation for the actual key turning point of his character that we see right here in <i>The Opal Deception</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's look back on my point about the series' villains ironically causing their own downfalls. It remains true, but these villains all share one more distinctive quality: they rely on themselves and themselves alone. They might have minions or lackeys who execute their plans, but they don't actually trust anyone else to <i>help</i> them. They're all arrogant lone wolves. Even Artemis is like this; he rarely trusts anyone with the whole of his plans, he only asks for help when he's caught red-handed and in over his head, and he won't let anyone help him on a <u>personal</u> level, with his internal conflicts -like this one. When he tells Holly that he already has two parents and one bodyguard <i>trying</i> to keep him on the straight and narrow, it's got a weight to it; I picture him sort of scoffing at it, implying they're efforts are not only unsuccessful, but a wasted effort. Useless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Holly's reply is so profound and so obvious I expect it hit Artemis upside the head. <b><i>"Well then, maybe it's time you <u>let them</u>."</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They're interrupted at this moment by Foaly and Sool, so Artemis doesn't have the time to respond or even to let this really sink in. But it's got to take root in that big brain of his. This is the moment that -I think- Arty starts to fully realize that his parents, Butler, and his friends can put every ounce of their energy into helping him -and it won't make the slightest bit of difference to him<b><i> </i></b><i><u>if he doesn't accept it.</u></i> There is nothing anyone can do to help him make that change; they can support him, but Artemis is the one who has to make the choice. This is something he has to do himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When<i><b> </b></i>Artemis first regained his memories, his most profound and treasured revelation was the fact that he had friends. <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/scars-memories-od-ch-7-9-artemis-fowl.html">We talked about this</a>; I love that this is the memory Artemis focuses on. This is the thing that matters the most, out of everything, because Artemis Fowl isn't the 'friend' type, because he won't let anyone in, <i>because he doesn't need anyone.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Up to now, Artemis has closely paralleled the patterns of every villain he's faced to some extent. Ever since the first book, our favorite genius has been stuck in the same vicious cycle, maybe learning new lessons and strengthening his conscience each time, but always falling victim to the same basic flaws and cycling through the same mistakes, despite the helping hands and watchful eyes of his loved ones. So far, every villain Artemis has faced has been a friendless, ambition-at-all-costs kind of bad guy. And so far, Artemis has been the same way himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But what if he wasn't anymore? What if he came to value friendship above greed and ambition? What if he took the chance to become the hero? What if he let Butler and Holly and his parents help him?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And this, right here, is the true turning point of Artemis' character, reflected in his first waking thoughts after this conversation with Holly:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Artemis Fowl had a big decision to make: which way would his life go from here? The decision was his.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or, in the words of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6QltNVnwKOlZepMJQ5Si47">Michael Jackson</a>:<b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm starting with the man in the mirror,<br />I'm asking him to change his ways.<br /><i>-Man in the Mirror, </i>1988 Epic Records</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been a while since I read books 5-8 but I am so excited to see how well this change begins to manifest itself, not only in Artemis' character, but in the books themselves, especially in <i>The Lost Colony</i>, who's 'villain' Minerva is a direct parallel to his younger self. I've always loved <i>The Lost Colony</i> and Minerva, but I have a feeling this time around the book is suddenly going to explode with much more profundity and depth than I've ever given it credit for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to holding Artemis and Colfer to their closing promise as we finish <i>The Opal Deception</i>: <b>More to follow.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D'arvit, guys, I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Your #FowlDay Challenges, if you choose to accept them, are:</b><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) Gag Gifts -Commenting below or using #FowlDay on social media, describe what gag gifts our favorite characters might give each other. <i>For example: Holly would give Artemis a mug that says REMEMBER THE PLAN with a spooky vampire smile. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) Share your favorite quote from this week's reading!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next week we start <i>The Lost Colony</i> -and it's going to be fantastic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>February's reading schedule for <i>The Lost Colony</i>:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feb 1-7: Chapters 1-4</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feb 9-14: Chapters 5-8</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feb 15-21: Chapters 9-12</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Feb 22-28: Chapters 13-16</b></span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-26847757041921262842019-01-24T11:16:00.001-07:002019-01-31T12:08:06.356-07:00Scars & Memories | OD Ch 7-9 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy Fowl Day! Thanks for joining me again for this week's discussion on <i>The Opal Deception</i>. Chapters 7-9 -take it away! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Chapter 7: The Temple of Artemis</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b> Revenge was certainly sweet, but it was also a distraction. </b></i></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This rings to me like 'first world problems'. Wow, Opal, you just <i>have</i> to take your revenge on my favorite motley crew, but actually enjoying that revenge is starting to cut into your day job? Seriously?
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I hardly think that qualifies you for sainthood."</span></b></i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This burn of Opal's, when Artemis is not-so-silently judging her for decorating her vehicle in animal furs, just tickled my fancy.
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"And what is it this time?" Artemis asked mockingly. "Another orchestrated rebellion? Or perhaps a mechanical dinosaur?"</span></b></i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of all the things to say, Arty, you choose a <i>mechanical dinosaur</i>? I love this kid. ^_^
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>"It may interest you to know that your chosen human name, Belinda, means beautiful snake. Also rather fitting. Half of it, at any rate."</b></i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love when Artemis wants to get under someone's skin. He knows exactly what buttons to push and has no qualms whatsoever pushing them.
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Riverdance. Ha-ha.</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Artemis is underwater, oxygen deprived, and being tossed around by the current and he notices how it whips his legs around and this is what he thinks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is it bad that I love Artemis' sense of humor best when's he's delirious?
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I am really starting to dislike her," he panted.</span></b></i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Really, Arty? Just now? Only now? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the one hand, this is just Artemis being Artemis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, it could also be argued that Artemis (in his current mindwiped, turned-back-to-his-criminal-ways state) has found Opal's behaviour and revenge perfectly understandable <u>up to this point</u>. Possibly because he can empathize with the loss of all she held dear and has so far judged the dished revenge deserved (which makes one wonder if Artemis has pre-planned any such scenarios should anyone ever threaten his family or the Fowl Empire) or perhaps he is just cross-referencing everything he knows about the pixie via Holly with the pixie herself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>"She may come to regret little touches like the underwater television, because it's things like this that give me the motivation to get out of here." </b></i> </span><br />
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</span><br />
<h3>
<i><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"If we make it throught this, we will be friends. Bonded by trauma."</span></b></i></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While Holly is bemoaning that Artemis might die before he remembers their friendship, I find Artemis' response very sweet.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>I need to exercise more than my brain in the future.</b></i></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How many times does Artemis think this?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />And how many times does Arty actually exercise?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />And this is one of many reasons we relate so well to a child genius.</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>It should be easy enough. He'd climbed ladders before. One ladder at least. Surely.</b></i></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is something I love about Eoin's humor. Never mind their lives are in mortal danger/there's a mob of hungry trolls after them/what have you, there's still time for Artemis to realize he's never climbed A LADDER in his life before now and for Eoin to tease him about it.</span><br />
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<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Nobody's that perfect. That's how I knew."</i></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's adorable to me that Artemis tried to fake remembering just to comfort Holly in their last moments. But that Holly is able to not only see through it, but to twist it into this important life lesson is one of the things I love about these characters.</span><br />
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<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Parents who never had the chance to be truly proud of him.</b></i></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Foaly said the mindwipe wouldn't likely be enough to revert Artemis back to his book 1 self. While they were wrong on that, Artemis was continually plagued with guilt from his fairy-influenced conscience. From this, we can assume that, even if he didn't get his memories back, he would have chosen to become a hero.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />On the other </span>hand... This particular revelation is inspired by a life and death scenario, just as the previous decision had been in <i>The Eternity Code</i> (albeit not his own life and death, but Butler's).</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mulch can fart his way out of anything. ANYTHING.</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcrmnR9bhS-4PbwnpYEGtoqpXEPSpjw8eh1ir0LcfClF5eiuVw8aVCzDE86Pe5E-KmTrBOniyGPAYCsg8rQiAMNUWbwe_LDTJQQ5fAVuEuGmoPU4K8fsRGMMOH1tJf3ViYhBS_uqPjkA/s1600/mulch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="583" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcrmnR9bhS-4PbwnpYEGtoqpXEPSpjw8eh1ir0LcfClF5eiuVw8aVCzDE86Pe5E-KmTrBOniyGPAYCsg8rQiAMNUWbwe_LDTJQQ5fAVuEuGmoPU4K8fsRGMMOH1tJf3ViYhBS_uqPjkA/s320/mulch.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Found on <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/859554278854879244/">pinterest</a>. Original attribution unknown.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And suddenly, in spite of everything, Artemis felt completely safe.</span></i></b></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Artemis is still within the grasp of a herd of trolls. He is still underground, in a to-scale replica of the Temple of Artemis, placed there by a vengeful pixie who wants to see him dead. A PIXIE, because apparently fairies are real. And despite all of this danger, threat, and confusion, it is the mere sight of Butler that makes Artemis feel completely safe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
Can I get an <i>"awwwwww..."</i>?<br /><br />
</span><br />
<h3>
</h3>
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Times that Artemis <i>almost</i> remembers: 4. </span></center>
</h3>
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<h1>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Chapter 8: Some Intelligent Conversation</span></h1>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>I have friends? thought Artemis Fowl the Second. I have friends.</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love that this is his biggest and most prevalent revelation when he finally gets his memories restored.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Genius. Of course. Believe it or not, I actually missed that smug grin." </i></b></span></h3>
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That's it, Holly; nothing says I missed you or welcome back like <i>I actually missed that smug grin</i>. </span></div>
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<h1>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Chapter 9: Daddy's Little Girl</span></h1>
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</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Opal's plan...was one of simplicity in its execution, but genius in its conception.</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In other words, your plan is sheer elegance in its simplicity, eh, Opal?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://middleman.wikia.com/wiki/Sheer_Elegance_in_Its_Simplicity">Middleman</a></i>, anyone?</span><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Holly studied her trigger finger. A faint scar circled the base where it had been severed during the Arctic incident. She could have healed the scar or covered it with a ring, but<u> she preferred to keep it where she could see it.</u> The scar was a part of her. <u>The commander had been a part of her too.</u></i></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>The Irish boy felt the same thrill of rediscovery that a small child feels when he has chanced upon a lost favorite toy.</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I really love this description of Artemis and his joy at regaining his memories and knowledge. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Artemis smiled to herself. It seemed as though good was a more powerful motivation than bad. Who would have thought it?</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It might have taken the rise of a vengeful pixie as smart (arguably) as himself and the tragic death of Julius Root to give him determination, but Artemis has finally hit upon a grand truth that has so far eluded him. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Artemis was delighted at his bodyguard's astuteness.</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does anyone else picture Artemis beaming, his eyes shining, like a proud parent?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just me?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Okay then.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>"Seven and a half hours to save the world. Isn't there some law that says we get at least twenty-four?"</i></b></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ahh, don't you wish, Holly? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's a wrap on my thoughts, but what did you think of this week's chapters? Share in the comments below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your #FowlDay Challenges, if you choose to accept them, are:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Share your favorite quote from this week's reading </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">here, on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmandaKThompsonOfficial/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;">my Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white;">, or </span><a href="https://twitter.com/WordbenderManda" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;">my Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) Would you rather...be saved by Artemis or Mulch Diggums? </span><i>This is a tough one for me, since people usually wind up injured or tricked in any given scheme of Artemis'; with Mulch, there's the obvious smell factor.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next week, we'll tackle the last of <i>The Opal Deception</i>, so don't miss it!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">January's reading schedule for <i>The Opal Deception</i> will be as follows:</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-saddest-one-of-all-opal-deception-1.html">Jan 1-10: Chapters 1-3</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/so-were-friends-now-od-ch-4-6-artemis.html">Jan 11-17: Chapters 4-6</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jan 18-24: Chapters 7-9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/more-to-follow-od-ch-10-epilogue.html">Jan 25-31: Chapters 10-Epilogue</a></span></b></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-11147497779455529142019-01-17T11:30:00.001-07:002019-01-17T12:27:42.590-07:00"So We're Friends Now?" | OD Ch 4-6 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2 style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">
Chapter 4: Narrow Escapes</h2>
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<b><i>Angeline sighed down the phone line. "I'm fine, Arty, but you sound like you're doing a job interview, as usual. Always so formal."</i></b></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">
<a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/chapters-4-9-artemis-fowl-read-along.html">During our <i>Eternity Code</i> read along last month</a>, I started wondering about the exact nature and effects that Holly's healing had on both of Artemis' parents. Namely, is the obviously profound mental effect it had on both of them a reemergence of their own natural personalities -Angeline describes the changed Artemis I as who he was before the Fowl Empire got a hold of him? Or did Holly's healing actually alter their personalities? We know fairy magic is capable of this because of the relocation program we witnessed with Loafers McGuire.</div>
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So naturally this comment from Angeline Fowl about Artemis' formality is very interesting to me. I'd always suspected that Artemis' rigid manners were due to a rather strict upbringing. Maybe this was true as far as Artemis Sr. before the Arctic rescue, but has his mother always been this easy-going? Or is this, too, a by-product of the fairy healing?</div>
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I've never been so curious about Artemis' upbringing before this read along, but now I want to know <i>everything</i>. I'm excited to get to <i>The Time Paradox</i> because as I recall it delves more into what his childhood was like.</div>
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<i>Luckily, Artemis had been able to rescue him with Butler's help.</i></h3>
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So in Artemis and Butler's mind-wiped brains, they managed to rescue Artemis I from the Mafia on their own. I simply find this interesting on a couple of levels:</div>
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1) That Foaly would leave even this much of the actual events in their minds; I know he said that Artemis wouldn't remember the People even if they showed up at his front door dancing the cancan, but what about Butler? Especially considering that the rescue operation is in his wheelhouse of skills and directly related to their trip underground to disperse the B'wa Kell uprising. But I suppose even that's not strong enough to trigger a recall for him.</div>
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2) How, exactly, does the fairy-free version of the rescue play out in their minds? I wonder this mostly because in <i>The Arctic Incident</i>, Artemis is fairly certain a rescue will be impossible without the aid of fairies. Personally, I suspect Artemis knows simply that it happened, but doesn't remember anything in detail nor has any desire to, which is really just his brain evading the sticky problem because it knows the events won't stack up -something Foaly's mind wipe technology is counting one. I also suspect that, should Artemis really concentrate on the details, what he'd get is a series of far-fetched 'possibilities' that wouldn't really answer his questions <b>-just like the <i>Sherlock</i> episode "The Six Thatchers", not answering several times how Sherlock actually survived his Reichenbach fall.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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And this thought entertains me to no end.</div>
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<h3 style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">
<i>"...Use that big brain of yours to make yourself and other people happy. Forget the family business. <u>Living</u> is the family business now."</i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">1) Angeline Fowl is awesome. I adore her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">2) I'm always looking for good life lessons and bits of wisdom in books to add to my own life: This is a good one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">3) The internal battle that this stirs in Artemis is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">lovely</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>Angeline Fowl had a way of awakening his conscience. This was a relatively new development. A year ago he may have felt a tiny pinprick of guilt at lying to his mother, but now even the minor trick he was about to play would haunt his thoughts for weeks.</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">BEHOLD! The fairy influence and hard-learned lessons are still in Arty's subconscious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">And these doubts and indecisions from Artemis continues on, but my favorite is in regards to <i>The Fairy Thief</i>. While Arty tries to justify that the theft of thieves isn't really a crime, a little voice in his head is whispering that it's only justified if he gives the painting back to the world, instead of keeping it for himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">In my head these little voices are personified not by a shoulder angel and demon, but a pre-mindwipe Artemis and an in-the-midst-of-ransoming-Holly-for-gold Arty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>D'arvit! I was hoping to find a piece of fan art with this idea, since I'm rubbish at drawing myself, but no luck.</i></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>"It can't go inside," muttered Artemis absently, and was immediately surprised.</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">I have always loved this moment when Artemis is admiring Herve's <i>The Fairy Thief </i>painting, depicting a fairy about to steal a child, but hesitating at the window sill, and all the other fairy-influenced bits trickling down despite the mindwipe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">This also makes me curious about Herve. Did this painter know enough about fairies to actually depict his painted creation's hesitation without an invitation intentionally?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Is this there now a need for a 'Herve and the People' fanfic?</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Holly's inner voice</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">That core of steel she has that makes her such an excellent LEP officer, that makes her get back up when she's down, and do her best no matter what?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">It sounds an awful lot like Julius Root.</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Chapter 5: Meet the Neighbors</span></h2>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL_BG9dIJiuCfcXjLw5SqFqKSA4tyIRi1ozlwYMofH0LUw64ftktWncW2de16numF7Nq1i46Txm7CDfWPP2mdDQarDCoKhpiJuuNKjyb13HBkdZa-Tiz_g8lYLRamx5tLBRzOI-RFeS4/s1600/Sool-Keats.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL_BG9dIJiuCfcXjLw5SqFqKSA4tyIRi1ozlwYMofH0LUw64ftktWncW2de16numF7Nq1i46Txm7CDfWPP2mdDQarDCoKhpiJuuNKjyb13HBkdZa-Tiz_g8lYLRamx5tLBRzOI-RFeS4/s320/Sool-Keats.png" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Daniel Mays as DCI Jim Keats<br />in <i>Ashes to Ashes</i></span></td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>...[Ark Sool] believed that the LEP was basically a bunch of loose cannon who were presided over by a maverick.</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">This description of Sool reminds me of another IA character, DCI Jim Keats from the British cop show <i>Ashes to Ashes</i>. He also describe the group of heroes as 'mavericks', though he did slither his way into the group with a promise of helping them because he claimed to have a soft spot for the old mavericks. It's interesting to to note that Keats also turned out to basically be the devil in disguise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Oh, <i>hi</i>, Ark Sool!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">I didn't think it was possible, but I hate Sool even more now.</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>In his dreams, strange, red-eyed creatures had ripped open his chest with scimitar tusks and dined on his heart.</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Interesting! I've never noticed before, but Arty's dreaming about trolls here. Despite the mindwipe, it's amazing how much information Butler and Artemis' subconscious minds retained. It also has me thinking now that Herve very likely could have been mindwiped as well, and still had the subconscious though to make that fairy thief hesitate at the window.</span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">"Why are you crying, girl?"</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">This is such a wonderful reference to <i>Peter Pan</i> and I love it. ^_^</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is it.<br />This is Artemis and Holly's entire relationship to this point in a nutshell.<br />An acorn nutshell.</span></span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Chapter 6: Troll Nasty</span></h2>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">You've got a 'friend' in me</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">When Butler discovers Mulch making himself at home in Fowl Manor, the dwarf claims that they were -hopefully are still- friends. And this got me thinking about how many times the word 'friend' has been used so far in this book. Foaly uses it to describe Holly and Julius; Holly uses it when thinking of Artemis and Butler; Mulch uses it when thinking of Holly, Artemis, and Butler. Angeline prompts Artemis that he should be worrying about teenager worries, school and friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">I find this interesting mostly because, before the mindwipe, most of the gang were maybe grudging partners in crime, maybe friend-<i>ly</i>, or on the brink of friendship, even -but they weren't quite friends yet. I don't recall any of them using the word to describe one another, not even Foaly. (Feel free to correct me on this if I'm wrong.) The closest I can think of is when Holly mentions to Foaly the mindwipes were a pity in <i>The Eternity Code</i>, because she and Artemis had <i>almost</i> become friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">I like this decisive shift in everyone's behavior. It's due in part, I think, because of Julius' sudden murder, sort of helping everyone realigning their priorities. But there's that age-old adage, too: <u>Absence makes the heart grow fonder.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, that's all for this week's discussion. Thanks for joining me and please comment below with your own thoughts on these chapters!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Your <b>#FowlDay Challenges</b>, if you choose to accept them, are:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1) Share your favorite quote from this week's chapters here, on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmandaKThompsonOfficial/">my Facebook</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/WordbenderManda">my Twitter</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2) Weigh in on the discussion of the healing's effects on Artemis' parents.</span><br />
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Tune in next week for more discussion; same Fowl day, same Fowl blog. ;)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">January's reading schedule for <i>The Opal Deception</i> will be as follows:</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-saddest-one-of-all-opal-deception-1.html">Jan 1-10: Chapters 1-3</a></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jan 11-17: Chapters 4-6</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jan 18-24: Chapters 7-9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jan 25-31: Chapters 10-Epilogue</span></b></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-89692056342767066712019-01-10T12:30:00.002-07:002019-01-10T12:30:17.424-07:00The Saddest One of All | Opal Deception 1-3 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ttdm-KxBktlig8JoBHeP0ls2uU9H_vg5hLTCqqM9jXKByEcvW326rVC3EXQRduruzmnbqXTxp4JkrIQCCFz4nglbAeh_uaA56wxE6Lt2rt0_sMcPcUhxIzd8ZllEgvTRjtqStiFMa2c/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ttdm-KxBktlig8JoBHeP0ls2uU9H_vg5hLTCqqM9jXKByEcvW326rVC3EXQRduruzmnbqXTxp4JkrIQCCFz4nglbAeh_uaA56wxE6Lt2rt0_sMcPcUhxIzd8ZllEgvTRjtqStiFMa2c/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The clones looked fine, but they were basically shells with only enough brain power to run the body's basic functions. They were missing the spark of life.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b>
I'm pointing this bit out to save for a later date; specifically, when we get to <i>The Last Guardian</i>, because Opal's clone does come back into play a little. It's been long enough since I read that book that I can't remember quite how all the pieces fit. So this is a reminder for me to compare the two, when the time comes, and a reminder for you to help remind me. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It occurs to me that Opal Koboi is to Artemis Fowl novels what Number 1 is to Bond Films. Now that I think about, all throughout <i>The Arctic Incident </i>Colfer refers to Opal several times with cat-like traits (purring, curled cat-like on her Hoverboy), which correlates rather nicely with the fact that Number 1 is usually seen villainously stroking a fluffy white cat. Coincidence? I think not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pascal Herve</b> is not, if you were curious, a real life painter. I was kind of hoping that maybe all but the 16th rumored <i>Fairy Thief </i>might be real paintings, but alas. Pascal Herve is, however, the name of a French cyclist and we know that Eoin does love to share names across his universes; maybe he's a cycling fan?</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"This outfit is preposterous."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love Artemis trying to play the part of a normal, modern teenager. He's such a cranky old man, griping about these 'brainless young kids, these days.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps next time.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leaving the bank vault with his prize, Artemis gloats at the rest of the security boxes. Ahh, for a criminal mastermind, the world is filled with such wonderful possibilities, isn't it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the first time Artemis smiled sincerely, and for some reason the sight sent shivers down Bertholt's spine. "Do you know something, Bertholt? I think some of my best work will be done in banks."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any time Artemis' vampire smile appears in a good moment. But this one also gets added to the joke counter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And deep underground, we find Holly grappling with the possible doom of <i>promotion</i>. Luckily -or not so luckily?- Root is there to help her make the right decision.</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"...this promotion is not for you; it's for the People."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've mentioned before that Holly Short is basically my favorite action hero. And the thing about heroes is that they are the ones who sacrifice not only their own well-being but their own desires for the greater good and the needs of others. Holly is a true one. Later on, when she volunteers despite her fear to accompany Root into E37 and the obvious trap, she steadies herself with a similar thought. <b><i>That was what being an LEP officer was all about. Protecting the People.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this brings to mind yet another parallel to <i>Die Hard</i>'s John McClain; this conversation from <i>Live Free or Die Hard</i> popped into my head while reading this chapter:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qga3aLPB0YE" width="560"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <i>Artemis Fowl</i> series -almost entirely thanks to Holly Short- really is <b><i><u>Die Hard</u> with fairies!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So Holly is reminded, yet again, that what <i>she</i> wants is not the most important thing here. That's not the job. But Root, never a softy, nevertheless finds a way to soften the blow -even if his attempts to actually soften the blow did little to help.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"If it makes any difference," he said quietly, almost awkwardly, "I'm proud of you."</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It does make a difference, thought Holly...A big difference.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is, without a doubt, the nicest thing Root has ever said to her and, I think, the one thing he could say that would ever truly matter to Holly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*sniff</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While Holly and Root are heading toward E37, we find out about the movie in production inspired by the events surrounding the B'wa Kell uprising, and this bit struck me as particularly funny.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and Artemis Fowl was to be completely computer generated.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mean, Hollywood today generates their scariest monsters with CGI -why not the fairies? And to the People, what indeed could be more frightening than a too-smart, cold-hearted Mud Boy?</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Every shot is registered on the LEP computer, so we can tell who fired, when they fired, and in what direction."</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The irony here. Foaly is so proud of his new toys. And Koboi did vow to bring him down by besting him at his own precious skill set.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Just push the button, before I come out there and push it with your face."</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Some things never change," muttered Foaly, pushing the button.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A reference, of course, to another charming Root/Foaly/faced-used-for-button-pushing conversation. But this -we know and Foaly will soon know- is a lie; things always change, eventually.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It really tugs my beard to put us in harm's way over a goblin, but that's the job."</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Heroes. Greater good. Protecting the People, even the bad ones. Colfer does such a wonderful job leading up to this moment. Even Koboi, taunting Holly about whether they've come up with something ingenious -it makes you wonder, if Holly and Root had decided to leave Scalene and save their own skins, would Koboi have still had a way to carry out her plan? Or is Koboi so familiar with how they work, with how their hero brains think, that she knew they would never leave the goblin in danger? Would that have been the ingenious plan to save them both? But in the end, it doesn't matter. Holly and Root are heroes, through and through. Even if they knew leaving Scalene behind would have saved them both, they never would have done it. Because they're the guys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Random aside -I've never picture Root with a beard before.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Were they just about to do exactly what she wanted?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taunted by Koboi, Holly starts to question their plan. But Root's in position. And they have a plan. So she follows it. I imagine that going's to be responsible for a lot of sleepless nights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Faced with the tiniest possibility of saving her commander, Holly doesn't hesitate to jeopardize her own position -or to defy Root's orders one last time- to take that chance.<br /><b><i>"I'll save Artemis next," she said.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this, of course, demonstrates the most common burden of heroes: the inability to save everyone -and the inability to accept that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;">"Be well."</i><br />-I love these as the last words of Julius Root. He's already said he's proud of her; he's trained her as best he could; despite flaws, she's lived up to and even exceeded his expectations; he knows she'll do what needs to be done to protect the People. In the end, this seemed the most important thing left to say.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right now, she had an order to follow. And she would follow it, even if it was the last thing she ever did, because it had been the last order Julius Root ever gave.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This has always been the hardest chapter for me to read. Losing Root never seems to get easier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I first discovered the series, I talked my family into listening to the audio versions on car trips. They took this chapter even worse than me. My mom flat-out refuses that it exists; instead, she and my sister assert that a shared universe with <i>Stargate SG-1</i> allowed Root to be resurrected with a healing sarcophagus and that Root is still alive and well below ground. They didn't read much farther into the series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry to start the new year off on a sad note, but Root's memory will live on in Holly -especially as she gets ready to take down Opal Koboi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Next week, we're reading chapters 4-6 and discussing here Jan 17 for #FowlDay.</u> Don't miss it, and thanks for joining me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But don't leave me hanging -what are your thoughts on this week's chapters?</span></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-18140352855640098812018-12-28T13:26:00.003-07:002018-12-28T13:26:28.484-07:00"Ambition had a price..." | Eternity Code 10-Epilogue | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome back, Fowldom, to the Artemis Fowl Read Along! Apologies for the day delay; spotty Internet that must be due to the magma flares. But no fear! This week we'll still wrap up with some thoughts on the finale of <i>The Eternity Code</i>.</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"...I think we're getting to know one another too well."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holly says this after laser-cutting a section of ceiling and letting it drop to the floor knowing that any sound or false move could alert Spiro and bring the whole plan down around her pointy ears. <i>'Won't that make a lot of noise?'</i> Foaly asks in her ear. <i>'I doubt it,'</i> Holly replies, without concern. Because she's anticipated Artemis; specifically, she's anticipated that Artemis will anticipate her and, by extension, anticipate her anticipating him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love this moment because it demonstrates that -despite their relationship's rocky start- Holly and Artemis are so familiar and comfortable with each other's skills and abilities that they are a near-unstoppable duo. And that wouldn't happen without trust in each other. If Holly hadn't trusted Artemis to anticipate her, she would have had to find another way in, and maybe there wasn't. If Artemis hadn't trusted Holly to rescue him, who knows if he ever would've gotten out?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a small moment in the scope of the book, but it really illustrates the leaps and bounds with which their relationship has developed -and it gives us a glimpse of what could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until you remember Artemis is getting mind-wiped at the end-goal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yeah. Except for that.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Well, Foaly. Astound me."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Aaaaand</i> can we all just appreciate the bromance that is Artemis and Foaly's relationship? They are the only ones who can truly appreciate each other's skills and intellects and don't pretend they don't enjoy trying to outwit each other (because we know they both love a challenge).</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"What do you want me to do? Cut it off and take it with us?"</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ahh, this is when Artemis gives Holly the finger. Well, makes her take the finger, anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before, when I said Artemis and Holly were getting along so well, trusting each other? This is where that breaks down again, because Artemis <i>didn't</i> trust Holly with the entire plan. And in Artemis' defense, he had a valid reason: she might not have gone along with it. Then again, even Foaly admits that one thumb is nothing compared to getting the Cube out of Spiro's hand, so maybe Artemis should have been a little more trusting.</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"...and I thought you'd changed. The commander was right. There's no changing human nature."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was not how magic was supposed to be used. Artemis was manipulating the People to his own ends, once again.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ouch. And I mean...<i>ouch</i>. Whether Holly recognizes it or not, Artemis <i>is</i> trying to do the right thing. Maybe not entirely well, but he's trying.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Yeah, well, maybe you made me too much like you, Fowl. </i>Aurum Est Potestas.<i> Gold Is Power. I'm just doing what you taught me."</i></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all: Foaly gets in a good dig at Artemis for all the trouble the boy's greed has caused the People over the years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Secondly: Artemis and Foaly didn't rehearse this banter at all. Remember, this wasn't the original plan. This is the Plan B everyone hoped they wouldn't have to resort to. And besides that, Artemis didn't talk to Foaly about this plan at all; the first time he speaks to the centaur about the heist is after Holly rescues him. Holly was the one who recruited Foaly while Artemis was already in Spiro's clutches. Judging by Arty's fear that Foaly's attitude as the voice of the C-Cube would blow their cover, the plan wasn't even for the 'C-Cube' to have a personality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WHICH MEANS THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR INTERACTION IS FULL-BLOWN ROLE-PLAY ACTING AND I LOVE HOW WELL THEY PLAY OFF EACH OTHER.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would pay to see a stand-up Artemis & Foaly show. Just saying.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis smiled his best vampire smile.</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The better to see you with, Spiro."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CHILLS. Every time. This moment gives me chills no matter how many times I read it. It's just so Artemis and so <i>perfect</i>.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"But every now and then a male comes along with such a talent for hunting that he earns the right to use the name. I am that male. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Artemis the hunter. I hunted you.</span><span style="font-size: large;">"</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will you take your chance to be a hero?<i> To make a difference.</i></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The entire book, Artemis has been struggling with the questions that his father posed to him, about giving up his criminal ways to help make the world a better place. And it has been a struggle, one made even more fierce when faced down with Spiro, a man who says Arty reminds him of a younger version of himself, a man who is the image of that exact criminal who doesn't care about the rest of the world, the exact thing Artemis' father doesn't want to see him become. Several times throughout the book, Artemis is unwilling compared to and fighting a comparison between himself and Spiro.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this is the moment he ends the struggles and makes the decision to be like his father. To be a hero.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Albeit a well-paid one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hey, he's a work in progress.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">"Never mess with a boy genius."</span></i></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"...Because Butler is coming."</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like how, on top of the whole heist and impending doom to the world and the People alike, Artemis takes enough time of his busy schemes to butter Arno up for Butler's revenge. How sweet it is.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"...Maybe it would be better to let these memories go. Give the fairies some piece of mind."</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"These memories are part of who I am," responded Artemis.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This I find an interesting talk between Juliet and Artemis, because they both make a good point. I think Artemis, smart as he is, realizes there's a decent chance he is going to revert back into the criminal mastermind he was when he decided to abduct a fairy -and he doesn't want to go back to being that person. His concern about the mind-wipe has always been for the psychological effects it will have on him. In a last ditch attempt to convince Root, he even tells them: <b><i>"If you take away the memories and influences of the People...I might become that person again. Is that what you really want?"</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can easily surmise it's not what Artemis wants. He has finally made his choice. He saw the great toll his own greed had on his family and his friends; Butler was killed and the People's very existence was threatened. He took his chance to be the hero and decided to join his father's noble pursuits and leave the possibility of becoming a Spiro himself behind him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The People are responsible for not only encouraging and influencing this change in Artemis, but are directly responsible for returning to Artemis the three people who do directly influence it: his parents and Butler.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis is right to fear what lies ahead if he's robbed of these memories. The People essentially made him who he is today. And now the People have taken it away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The Eternity Code </i>closes with a single, heavy line: <b><i>The world will remember the name of Artemis Fowl.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So much for the Psych Brotherhood and their so-called 'slim' chance of reversion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been a fun ride up to here! That's why I want to close out <i>The Eternity Code</i> (aka, the Holy Trinity of Artemis Fowl) and 2018 with a final little piece of insight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Awhile back I found this very interesting comment on <a href="https://www.artemis-fowl.com/2018/10/21/win-one-of-ten-signed-new-edition-artemis-fowl-books/">Artemis Fowl Confidential's website</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you, Veronica, wherever you are, because I ADORE this thought and it had never occurred to me before. Reading through the series this time around, this idea is always in the back of my mind. And you're so right! I think this question of <b>Ambition vs Friendship</b> is especially prominent here in <i>The Eternity Code</i>, because Artemis has no learned this lesson the hard way. His ambition -to create the C Cube and make millions- cost Butler his life (temporarily) and youth (permanently), it cost Artemis his blossoming friendships with Holly, Foaly, and Mulch, and it cost him the positive influence (and handy tech advantages) of the People. He manipulated all of these people for his own means and, now, his ambition has even cost him this valuable lesson and his decision to change his life for the better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have said for years that <i>The Arctic Incident</i> has always been my favorite Artemis Fowl book but, guys, I gotta admit: <i>The Eternity Code </i>might just have superseded that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So going into <i>The Opal Deception</i> and 2019, I'm very excited to see how this idea continues to expand. Happy New Years, all; and stay Fowl!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">January's reading schedule for <i>The Opal Deception</i> will be as follows:</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jan 1-10: Chapters 1-3</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jan 11-17: Chapters 4-6</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jan 18-24: Chapters 7-9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jan 25-31: Chapters 10-Epilogue</span></b></div>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-87222459744232543242018-12-20T23:39:00.000-07:002018-12-20T23:39:35.271-07:00Commentary on Chapters 4-9 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Time to play catch-up! Apologies to all for missing <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/12/juxtapositions-all-juxtapositions.html">last week's update</a>; today's will be a double, so I'll be back on track. (That's always a good way to finish off a year, isn't it?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For chapters 4-9, here's my random thoughts, favorite lines, and potentially (though probably not) deep and insightful commentary. Let's begin.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Her big brother was very proud.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As Colfer is giving us a little background on Juliet Butler's childhood and upbringing, I'm wondering: <i>What about her <u>parents</u>? </i>We have no mention of the Butler siblings' parents -the only current family we're aware of was their Uncle, Artemis Fowl I's bodyguard, who died aboard the <i>Fowl Star</i>. It could be supposed that their parents are dead, therefore Butler is left to raise his (considerably) younger sister; it could just as easily be supposed that their parents are also in the 'family business' and are simply too busy guarding their own Principals, which got me wondering, <i>how exactly do Butler families function?</i> Do they live together, parents and kids, or apart as bodyguards to their respective Principals?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let's think about it: by the age of ten, Butler children are either enrolled at Madam Ko's Academy and guard a low-risk Principal or go into service for wealthy families -which means by then their parents aren't a part of their everyday lives, which seems a bit more like fulfilling a legacy than having a family, which comes with its own complications. It also means that it's probably not an easy thing for any given Butler to find a spouse and keep with tradition. But given the closeness of Juliet with her brother and the fondness Butler appeared to have for their late Uncle, this 'family tradition' doesn't appear to hamper the relationships and affections of Butler kin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I wonder if they ever do holidays or family reunions...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's a winding rabbit trail, but these are the things I ponder for fun.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Obviously</u> Mulch's next employment would be the Mob.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Obviously.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They release Loafers threes hours after a full search and several phones calls to the parish priest in his hometown.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Several phones calls to the parish priest.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SEVERAL.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Am I the only one who finds this hilarious?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Head of Airport Security:</u> "Alright then, we've been on the phone with the lad's parish priest and he's alright to release now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Airport Security Lackey:</u> "If you say so, sir. But I thought you'd like to know he threw a security guard and two chairs through the window. In that order."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Head of Airport Security:</u> "..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Lackey:</u> "..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Head of Airport Security:</u> "I need to make another phone call."</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"It's more difficult than it looks," explained the boy.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I adore this image. Artemis Fowl. Brilliant. Genius. Devious. Can't make a sandwich to save his life.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Old news to everyone but you, grandpa."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was the moment Loafers McGuire lost all pity and sympathy. I mean, up until now, he's been enough of a comedic character that we can laugh at him and therefore love him; and he did have to put up with Mulch Diggums over a trans-Atlantic flight, so he has all our pity (and we secretly can't blame him for losing his cool at the airport); but the height of disrespect to Butler? Adding insult to injury? Reminding him and us and everyone that Butler has changed and will never again be able to do all that once he could, breaking our hearts all over again?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You're as good as gone, Loafers McGuire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Loafers' relocation</b> is a pretty interesting scene to me, because we get a good look at how the People work and handle their problems, choosing not to 'eliminate' their enemies mob style, but with a memory wipe and relocation. I also like the little touch of the Kenyan warriors attributing these people to the 'earth spirits'. Well played, Colfer; well played.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was a tough decision. On the one hand, his knowledge of the People was now a large part of Artemis' psychological makeup. On the other, he could no longer put people's lives at risk.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Artemis is cleaning up his own mess and, that he agrees to these terms shows that even though he hasn't fully embraced his father's new ideology, the latter's nobility is certainly rubbing off a lot more. Artemis isn't quite selfless, but he's starting to look after and concern himself with others -very <i>unlike</i> Spiro. And considering just how emphatically Artemis insists he is nothing like that 'cold-blooded killer', I rather suspect Arty is inspecting every one of his actions with a microscope and weighing his motives in careful consideration and comparison against Jon Spiro's.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Was this his natural personality, or the fairy magic? Or a combination of both?</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Artemis is contemplating his father's change in behavior and you need to get comfortable. This is a long thought.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This wonderment of Artemis' is a VERY interesting idea, especially coming right afters Loafers' relocation to 'live a productive life', the only thing he feels drawn to, which is obviously a product of the <i>mesmer</i>, not just a mind wipe. <u>Holly's</u> <i>mesmer</i>.<br /><u>Holly</u>, who was able to cure Angeline's madness and bring her back to her normal self. And I ask myself, how much of that really was Holly magically curing her insanity? Because previously (though I can't find the exact reference now) Holly herself recalling it as particularly difficult because Angeline Fowl wasn't even there; instead of healing her directly, Holly instead left a strong 'magical pick-me-up' behind in the attic, which is what cured Angeline, and anyone who visited the room shortly after would have left whistling. Which sounds to me like it had mainly a <i>mental effect</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So the question is -are <u>either</u> of Artemis' parents simply reverted back to their 'old selves' or did Holly's own traits and beliefs affect them to create new and improved versions?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Okay, all of Artemis Fowl Senior's quotes on page 156 (okay, in the <i>whole</i> book) are gold. But especially this one.<br /><b><i>"And what about you, Arty? Will you make the journey with me? When the time comes, will you take your chance to be a hero?"</i></b></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Without you by my side, I feel as though one of my limbs is missing."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This phrase Artemis uses to describe the loss of Butler's companionship is a familiar one; we've all heard it, one place or another. This time it really hit home because -though it is a rather common expression- it really is the most accurate. I have been thinking on my late friend a lot through this reading of <i>The Eternity Code</i>, because I remember him saying it was the first villain in Artemis Fowl he could really despise.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Trust me. I'm a genius."</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just classic, iconic Artemis.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>"I never tell anyone </i>exactly<i> how clever I am. They would be too scared."</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 'very cinematic' description of Spiro waiting at O'Hare on page 173 reminds me of Megamind.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pearson was smart, but Foaly was smarter.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You could replace 'Pearson' with any other name and this statement would still be true.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't call me Arty, <i>thought Artemis</i>. My father calls me Artemis.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here is yet another link and comparison between Artemis Senior and Spiro, both representing the the choice and path that Artemis is currently struggling between -going straight or remaining a criminal. Here Spiro not only represents the path of the criminal but, on a deeper level, that Artemis Senior that was, whom Artemis spent so much energy hoping to please.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A note on Pex and Chips: To this day, my family will still quote -<i>verbatim</i>- the entirety of this pair's deep philosophical discussions pondering the whys and the hows of the world they now. Like nicknames. And horror movies. And deep-fried sushi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All right, Fowldom; that wraps up today's (and last week's) portions of the read along. Join me next Thursday for the end of <i>The Eternity Code</i>, Chapter 10-Epilogue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">See you then!</span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-24296238767747039152018-12-06T10:58:00.002-07:002018-12-06T10:58:47.882-07:00Juxtapositions! All the Juxtapositions! | Eternity Code 1-3 | Artemis Fowl Read Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome to a new month and a new Artemis Fowl book! This week we're talking Chapters 1-3 of The Eternity Code.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My thoughts and commentary:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've mentioned before how I not only love Eoin's sense of humor but that, growing up with these books, it was an influential building block for my own. And <b>Fission Chips</b> is a brilliant name for a tech company. Fight me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>"No, mademoiselle, I would not like to see the </i>children's<i> menu. I have no doubt that the </i>children's<i> menu itself tastes better than the meals on it. I would like to order a la carte. Or don't you serve fish to minors?"</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a favorite and memorable quote of Artemis' -and for good reason! But it's not until a little farther down, when Butler admonishes his young charge for putting that waitress near tears, that it hit me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the FIRST time we see Artemis dealing with 'normal' people in the entire series. Throughout the first two books it's been fairies and criminal contacts and school psychiatrists and Mafiya enforcers. But this is Artemis Fowl the Second, faced with an irritant of no compare -the condescending waitress. This is our first peek at how Artemis behaves out in the real world, on a daily basis (which, admittedly, is not much different). And while Butler's right -the kid needs to ease up- at the same time I can't help but loving Arty's snark.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>In a careless moment he had nearly exposed his subterranean friends to exactly the kind of man who would exploit them.</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A-ha! That conscience of Artemis' is beginning to get a work out -but it's only the beginning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As mentioned later in chapter two, Artemis' actions have unintended but far-reaching consequences, putting all of Haven in lock down -but is it merely a moment of carelessness? Or something else? Artemis is a genius, yet we are supposed to believe that it never occurred to him that the Cube's fairy tech would naturally identify more fairy tech? I think this is less carelessness and more of a blind spot. Isn't it possible, even probable, that Artemis, blinded by his drive for money and power -Aurum Est Potestas- doesn't account for the devastating consequences where others are concerned, because he doesn't care? Or more accurately, he's <i>in the habit</i> of not caring. Because, despite everything he's been through up to know, he is still a criminal, looking out for his own gain and self-preservation, and even though he recognized the danger the Cube represents to the People <u>after</u> the fact, when it's staring him in the face and he <u>has</u> to confront it, the thought apparently never occurred to him amidst the Cube's construction and I suspect it's not from a lack of foresight, but from being blinded by his own selfish desires.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which, actually, ties in nicely with the traumatization of the waitress. Remember her? Artemis is oblivious to the consternation he causes her because, and I quote, <i>Artemis smiled <u>in anticipation of his meal</u>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conclusion: Artemis is greedy and selfish, which causes him mass blind spots concerning the consequences that don't affect him or those close to him.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Listen, kid," [Spiro] whispered. "I like you. In a couple of years, you could have been just like me. But did you ever put a gun to somebody's head and pull the trigger?"</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This, right here, begins a very interesting juxtaposition I want you to keep an eye on throughout the rest of the book, because this is the moment that Artemis begins to see the line in the sand. He might not realize it yet, but this is when the choice for him begins.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will he keep on this path and become a criminal, like Jon Spiro?<br />Or will he forge a different path and become more like his father?</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Very noble," said Blunt. "That's your code of honor, I suppose. Me, I don't have a code."</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Okay, more juxtapositions! This one is a stark contrast between our honorable, beloved Butler, and the vile coward Blunt who does not deserve the fictional oxygen his nonexistant lungs breathe!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...and it also reflects again on Artemis' own dilemma. Back in <i>The Arctic Incident,</i> Artemis assured Holly that his father would never dream of harming a living creature, because he was a <u>noble man</u>. At the time, Holly had jibed him about it: What happened to you then?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So the current standing:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Butler = Code of honor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blunt = none</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis I = code of honor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis II = none</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And in this book, we take a look at Artemis going up against a truly bad guy, a confrontation the likes of which really hasn't been seen yet in the series, and find those statistics possibly shifting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spiro = no code of honor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis = ???</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I guess we'll see...</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>This 'future of our civilization' thing was happening more and more, lately.</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get used to it, Holly; it's not getting infrequent anytime soon.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">"There was only one option. Without hesitation, Butler took it."</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>"Artemis, call me Domovoi."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me mop up some of these tears while I share a line that has stuck with me from this book through the years, for no other reason than it's a masterfully crafted bit of English. Seriously, lines like this from Colfer have affected my writing and the study of writing more than anything.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"...they fell over themselves to have their frail frames frozen."</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alliteration, baby. You gotta love it.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Shall I walk?" asked Artemis. "Or will you beam me up?"</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis is 100% done with your crap, Dr. Lane, but a) he's had a hard day and b) with that decor, you deserved it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is our second look at Artemis dealing with <i>normal</i> people: waitress, 'nurse', and doctor (?).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You have to feel sorry for them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are many things to love about this innovated world created by Eoin Colfer, from the hi-tech fairies, to child criminal masterminds, to the many surprisingly useful methods of employing dwarf gas (and also <i>dwarf gas)</i>. But <b>especially the bit about Stonehenge being a pizza parlor with a cult of devoted followers who wear pizza-shaped headgear and have a 114-verse theme song.</b> Where can I sign up for this?</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Only rats and two species of monkey could see through a fairy shield.</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...which two monkey species? Please tell me I'm not the only one who wants to know this.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Waiting to see what the fairy magic would do for him...</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm skipping down quite a ways, to Artemis exiled from the cryo van whilst Holly performs the intensive healing on Butler -because it's another beautiful juxtaposition! And one that continues throughout the book, so be prepared for the gushing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artemis is reminded of waiting for his formerly legally-dead father to wake, while waiting to see if his father-figure of the last two years can be brought back from the dead, and both with the threat of uncertain magical consequences hanging over them.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>And suddenly I was afraid. My father, the man whose shoes I'd been trying to fill for two years, was awake. Would he still live up to my expectations? Would I live up to his?</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This line gets me every time. It's so beautifully captures the complicated emotions at play.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Artemis pulled a gold medallion from a leather thong around his neck.</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can we just appreciate that Artemis treasured and respected this gift from Holly enough that he actually took it and made it into a necklace, just to do as Holly suggested, to remind himself he had a spark of decency? The Mud Boy isn't hopeless after all.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"I am nothing like Spiro," objected the boy, " He's a cold-blooded killer!"</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Give it a few years," said Holly. "You'll get there."</b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is, once again, feeding that comparison between Arty and Spiro. Not to mention, that's gotta sting for Artemis, especially when the 'cold-blooded killer' bit he's referring to was Butler's almost permanent death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks for joining me and humoring my excessive use of the word '<b>juxtaposition</b>'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next week, we're reading Chapters 4-6 of The Eternity Code, but before then, share your thoughts on this week's chapters!</span>Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-50774749630816917152018-11-30T10:20:00.001-07:002018-11-30T10:43:22.494-07:00The Skeptic's Guide to Enjoying the Artemis Fowl Movie Anyway<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cm-LYTOktxJcCdq15il0pkMLz0OgydYgJGYTOHLKrYihu_kYge1XhZQbVeSjaG8hiCxWekzoJna8UAzsYLhhq-6FwD9tdcXeQvE5kYFxHeQKmD_pYfbPOoAd8qoUycGe1QsCWrX4QFU/s1600/Skeptic%2527s+Guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cm-LYTOktxJcCdq15il0pkMLz0OgydYgJGYTOHLKrYihu_kYge1XhZQbVeSjaG8hiCxWekzoJna8UAzsYLhhq-6FwD9tdcXeQvE5kYFxHeQKmD_pYfbPOoAd8qoUycGe1QsCWrX4QFU/s1600/Skeptic%2527s+Guide.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Disney's teaser poster for </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Artemis Fowl</span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, release date August 19, 2019.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, there! I would be the skeptic. That's me. Hi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like many people, I've been waiting almost two decades for this film, and most of that time was spent believing that it would never actually happen. But it is. <b>Finally.</b> And I've been skeptical since they published that bombshell of a casting announcement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But something magical happened when I watched the <a href="https://www.artemis-fowl.com/2018/11/27/artemis-fowl-2019-teaser-trailer-poster/">teaser trailer and saw that movie poster</a>. I <i>wanted</i> to love it. And even if in the end I don't love it, I at least want to enjoy the ride -the wait, the flurry of excitement over new tidbits, the anticipation of more trailers, the undeniable euphoria of finally getting an Artemis Fowl movie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Right now isn't the time to be a sourpuss. Right now, it's time to believe. So here's a 8-step guide on how we can deal with our skepticism and enjoy the upcoming <i>Artemis Fowl</i> film in all its glory anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 1: Be Disappointed -Then Move On</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Branagh says Artemis won't be the villain, instead it's more of a hero origin story. Be disappointed. It's okay. I'm sure there isn't a Fowl fan out there who isn't disappointed in this, or some other aspect of the film, so let the disappointment settle in. Embrace it. <u>And then move on.</u> Either accept the movie for what it's going to be, rather than what you wish it would have been, or admit that you don't want it and walk away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 2: Recognize That It Won't Be The Book</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Very, very few books have ever translated their near-entirety to film adaptations, and <i>Artemis Fowl</i> will not be one of them; not because the filmmakers decided they could do better, but because a lot of the book's ideas won't transition well to film. These are two vastly different mediums with different audience expectations. So instead of moping about what the film <i>won't</i> be, get excited about how the film might translate the core elements that made the book awesome into a new adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 3: Anticipate A Different Ending</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now, this is just my supposition; there's no evidence as yet that the ending will actually vary much from the book, BUT if Artemis is not going to be the outright villain of the piece, it makes sense another will have to emerge. And IF this is meant to be an origin story, there is the possibility that the film's story might not end with Artemis' kidnapping success, but instead with a situation that requires Artemis to somehow get involved with another conflict, emerging a more heroic figure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 4: Keep An Open Mind</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Okay, lots of people are saying this. It's easier said than done, I know, but remember that this movie is going to be a different creature entirely, and comparing it word-for-word to our beloved book is akin to apples and oranges. Plus, just remember that Eoin himself is so excited about many of the changes he's said (according to Branagh): <a href="https://www.etonline.com/kenneth-branagh-on-bringing-the-fairies-and-fantasy-of-artemis-fowl-to-life-set-visit-114338">"God I wish I'd thought of that...I'll put it into the book. I'll certainly put it in the reissue."</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 5: Treat It As A Stand-Alone Story, Rather Than A Potential Franchise</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While it's not beyond the realm of possibility that, if successful, this could turn into Disney's next franchise, they're not going to plan on it from the get-go and leave this film open-ended. This is going to be a self-contained, complete story, which probably means it will borrow a lot of elements from later books, maybe specifically concerning Artemis' character arc, in order to deliver that <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://www.etonline.com/kenneth-branagh-on-bringing-the-fairies-and-fantasy-of-artemis-fowl-to-life-set-visit-114338">'</a></i><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://www.etonline.com/kenneth-branagh-on-bringing-the-fairies-and-fantasy-of-artemis-fowl-to-life-set-visit-114338">emotional satisfaction and delivery'</a> </i>Branagh assures us</span></span>. It will improve the quality if we judge the film on its own merit, rather than against the lost potential for as-yet non-existent sequels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 6: Confront Your Skepticism</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You have two choices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Decide if you want to be a skeptic, nitpicking details for a thing we have waited nearly two decades for, because after all the waiting, we deserve perfection, right!?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Or decide if you want to enjoy every thrilling moment and development of this Impossibility. Because the Artemis Fowl film was an impossibility. It was an 'almost', a 'could have been', an 'if only'. And now it's an 'almost here', a 'will be' -but our if we keep holding onto our skepticism, it will continue to remain an 'if only.'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Most movies don't rise like a phoenix out of the ashes of 17 years in Prodcution Hell, but ours did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our <i>Artemis Fowl</i> film has already defied the odds once. Are we going to tame our skepticism to see if it will do it again?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Step 7: Watch this trailer breakdown from <a href="https://www.artemis-fowl.com/">Artemis Fowl Confidential</a>, because it will remind you WE'RE FINALLY GETTING A MOVIE, D'ARVIT!!!</span></h2>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3QW2sZJ3kGk" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Good or bad, love it or hate it, we can't escape the fact that we're getting a movie, an actual, real-life, live-action, BIG BUDGET movie, with all the bells and whistles, and a crew that -especially from </span><a href="https://www.etonline.com/kenneth-branagh-on-bringing-the-fairies-and-fantasy-of-artemis-fowl-to-life-set-visit-114338" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">this interview</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;"> (and </span><a href="https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/1012315-kenneth-branagh-on-artemis-fowl" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: start;">also this one</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">) with Kenneth Branagh- obviously loves and respects the books and Eoin Colfer for writing them. Just like us. ^_^</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">8. Get Excited</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Whether in the end we love the movie, tolerate it, shrug it off, or despise it, we're <b>still getting an Artemis Fowl movie</b> -and this new incarnation is bound to introduce the series to new generations, young and old. The Artemis Fowl fandom is about to get much, much bigger. And that is a very good thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">Right now, I can mention Artemis Fowl on a whim and only a handful of people ever know what I'm talking about. But just imagine this time next year: Artemis Fowl could be a household name.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Want to reread the series before the film?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Join my <a href="https://amandakthompson.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-artemis-fowl-series-read-along.html">Artemis Fowl Read Along</a>!</i></b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-29982976006640391082018-11-29T11:54:00.002-07:002018-11-29T11:58:07.559-07:00Of Respect and Rescues | Arctic Incident Ch 11-14 | #AFReadAlong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVoPvMdwz9H5dBDDIFL-jHNEqAQdsYzBh1eGpRJKZKNVc4lffYN8gvFT9cbFLoWWgax91Q7EFsvDiGsrTj-v3_WLhFQ5CdRLZM1w_8J7TVT1ae-hd-kMbY0pTgsO_e28CH5xk7oDurC0/s1600/banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVoPvMdwz9H5dBDDIFL-jHNEqAQdsYzBh1eGpRJKZKNVc4lffYN8gvFT9cbFLoWWgax91Q7EFsvDiGsrTj-v3_WLhFQ5CdRLZM1w_8J7TVT1ae-hd-kMbY0pTgsO_e28CH5xk7oDurC0/s1600/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Join in the Artemis Fowl Read Along!</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cYXDIJ0Znat0n2_pqPgkUJIXYi1tbc7CuEEshHDQwwA/edit?usp=sharing" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;" target="_blank">Leave your name and one or more of your social media sites on this spreadsheet to let everyone know you're participating</a><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cYXDIJ0Znat0n2_pqPgkUJIXYi1tbc7CuEEshHDQwwA/edit?usp=sharing" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">!</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">WE HAVE A TEASER TRAILER!!!!</span></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Chapters 11-14 Commentary:</span></u></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Artemis applied pressure to the pack. His fingers were quickly submerged in a pool of blood. Suddenly the desire to pass a smart remark completely deserted." </i>Wake up call for Arty! I love this moment for several reasons. 1) It is one of the few times Artemis is ever at a loss for words; 2) Artemis is once again way, <b>way</b> out of his comfort zone; 3) This is another moment when he is thrust into someone else's shoes. While not exactly their 'comfort zone', it's obvious that Holly, Root, and even Butler have had frequent experience in these kinds of situations. Which means Artemis is getting a taste for what their skills are -despite the lack of a genius IQ- and he might even be gaining some, dare we say, <b>respect</b> for his companions?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Holly grinned. And for a second her expression reminded the manservant of Artemis Fowl."</i> Despite their differences and, at this point, dislike for one another, it's fun to see how many similarities Holly and Artemis actually share.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We need to take a moment to truly appreciate our favorite kleptomaniac dwarf. Because what does he do to 'lie low' and enjoy his newfound freedom? He takes up a pastime. Just a little hobby. <i>Of stealing Oscar statues.</i> I adore the Grouch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Root knew he was being goaded, but he blew his top anyway.</i> Which, let's face it, Fowl fans, is one of the reasons we love Julius Root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If ever you are asked who is the smarter fairy, Opal Koboi or Foaly the Centaur -just remember that when Opal had every advantage, every technological marvel at her fingertips you can imagine, and Haven City and the LEP at her mercy -Foaly beat her with nothing more than a <b>human's</b> laptop computer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Artemis smiled, fascinated. Commander Root was smarter than he looked.</i> Just another moment of Artemis showing -maybe not respect quite yet- but a little admiration for another person. Of course, then his arrogant face has to add: <i>Then again, it would be impossible not to be.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis isn't the only one learning some unexpected respect. Over in the siege of Police Plaza, Captain Trouble Kelp is admiring the new and improved Briar Cudgeon, spine transplant and all. Or, you could say, hook, line, and sinker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will also point out that this is the first and only time that our favorite characters get to plot and work as a team: Artemis, Butler, Mulch, Holly, and Root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Artemis did not like this sudden turn of events. Running, jumping, injury, okay. But sewage?</i> Now we know where Arty's true priorities lie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Don't think I'm getting chummy, or anything. It's just when I give my word, I stick to it."</i> I love this little exchange between Holly and Artemis, because it really illustrates the differences between them. Holly gives Arty a little encouragement, something she'd say to anyone, but Artemis isn't used to working as a team or having people encourage him -and certainly not words of encouragement from someone he's kidnapped in the not-so-distant past.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis decided not to respond. He'd already been punched once today.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Butler's eyes narrowed. "Unless what?"</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis smiled his dangerous smile. "Unless I have an idea."</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>There was more to this heroism thing than rushing in blindly.</i> I love that Artemis isn't quite so clever with heroic plans as he is with devious schemes, because it's like a muscle he hasn't used and a skill he has yet to master.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"...And nobody can get in here to stop me."</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, you should never say something like that, especially when you're an arch villain. It's just asking for trouble.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are some moments in fiction, some lines, some quips, that just hit you and stick with you. This is one of them. The first time I read it, I laughed out loud for way too long, but the way Eoin uses his narrator to poke fun at tropes and cliches is one of my favorite things about his writing, and he is in good form in <i>The Arctic Incident</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>And while this door was tested for plasma dispersion and moderate physical resistance, it was certainly not Butler-proof. It crumpled like tinfoil.</i> I DECLARE A MOTION TO MAKE 'BUTLER-PROOF' AN OFFICIAL TERM.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis' phone rang.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This. THIS is the perfect way to finish off the conflict. It's a simple, unexpected, anticlimactic event that somehow manages to be a comical, ultimate climax. Bravo, Eoin; bravo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Had he done the right thing? What if the hydrosion shell had penetrated? How could he ever face his mother again?</i> I love Artemis riddled with self-doubt. On the one hand, it could be said I have an unhealthy love of character torture; on the other, this is proof right here that -despite evidence to the contrary- Artemis is very, very human: warm-blooded, heart of flesh, just as capable of heartbreak and love as the rest of us.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"To remind you that deep beneath the layers of of deviousness, you have a spark of decency. Perhaps you could blow on the spark occasionally."</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The epilogues are gold at the end of this rainbow. From Artemis' rambling apology/admiration for Holly, to Holly's gift of shooting a gold coin in its exact center, to the final paragraphs which I have to quote in full because I love them so blasted much:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Artemis thought of his father, lying in a Helsinki hospital bed, of Captain Holly Short, risking her life to help him, and, of course, Butler, without whom he would have never made it out of Koboi Laboratories. He looked up, and found Dr. Po smiling at him.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Well, young man, have you found anyone worthy of your respect?"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Artemis smiled back. "Yes," he said. "I believe I have."</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that finishes off <i>The Arctic Incident</i>! Thanks so much for joining me, but don't go anywhere. December we start <i>The Eternity Code</i> and, while I know the series is 8 book longs, I can't help but think of these first three as the holy trinity, the standard by which all other Fowl books must be measured. On December 6th, we'll be discussing Chapters 1-3, so keep on eye on my blog and on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmandaKThompsonOfficial/">Facebook page</a>.</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">#FowlDay Challenges of the week:</span></u></h2>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Share your favorite element of <i>The Arctic Incident</i>. There's a lot to love in this book, but what would you consider the absolute best thing about it? Personally, I consider that to be Artemis' development, specifically his learning to respect others even if their IQ is substantially lower than his.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">WATCH THE TRAILER!!! I mean, like me, you've probably already watching it a million times, but watch it again, and share your thoughts!</span></li>
</ul>
Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-25540964279646307732018-11-23T11:26:00.002-07:002018-11-23T11:26:36.788-07:00Of Puns and Hubris | Arctic Incident Ch 8-10 | #AFReadAlong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I hope everyone had a marvelous Thanksgiving! (and if you weren't celebrating, then I hope you had a marvelous Thursday.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now that the B'wa Kell uprising has been quelled a bit, let's talk <i>The Arctic Incident</i>, chapters 8-10. I may have mentioned that these chapters are some of my favorite bits of this book, but really, there some of my favorite moments in the <i>entire series</i>. I'm as a excited (and nervous!) about the movie as the next Fowl fun, but one reigning reason I want it to be good and successful is to get <i>The Arctic Incident </i>on screen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Th B'wa Kell uprising? Foaly trapped in the Operations Booth by his own tech and his own hubris? Artemis and Holly catching the train and forced to rely on each other in the Arctic wasteland? This is the film I'd love to see, so I'm crossing my fingers hard that Disney doesn't screw up the chance at a film franchise. Please be kind to Artemis!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Chapters 8-10 Commentary:</u></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eoin Colfer, with chapter 8 right here, began my love affair with brilliantly punny chapter titles. For </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">years</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, if I wrote a story, it's title or chapters absolutely had to be some kind of pun, and it's all because of Mr. Eoin Colfer. </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">To Russia with Gloves</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">? </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">No Safe Haven</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> These simply couldn't be better. Come to think of it, since these chapter titles struck my funny bone at such an impressionable age, it's likely that Eoin Colfer is indirectly responsible for a good chunk of my sense of humor -namely corny jokes. Oh, corny jokes, how I love thee! So while my family may roll their eyes at my jokes, and my friends may groan, nothing makes me happier than the absolutely corniest of corny jokes and that is a big part of who I am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They say the books you read growing up help you form your identity, so I guess that means I have Eoin Colfer to thank for my awesome sense of humor. So thanks, Eoin. ^_^</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"So what happened to you?"</i> -I love this moment. Holly, on the way to rescue the head of a criminal empire and the father of the boy who kidnapped her, as a legitimate reason to be concerned Artemis Fowl I will be an even worse enemy than his son. Artemis, however, assured Holly that the People have nothing to fear from his father, who is a noble man, and would never dream of harming another creature. Holly's bluntness has got to hit Artemis hard; while he's already hinted about his 'misgivings over that particular venture', I wonder if Dr. Po's voice isn't bouncing around his brain in this moment: <i>"You are never going to find peace if you continue to run from your problems."</i> And Artemis here says what I'm not sure he's had the guts to outright say before. <b><i>"I...I made a mistake."</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have I mentioned how much I <i>freaking love </i>this book?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Speaking of Dr. Po...as Artemis and Holly dash for the Mayak Chemical Train with Butler and Root's lives in their hands, I imagine Artemis is getting a cold and heavy dose of respect for what Butler and Holly do on a regular basis when he's thrown into their shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"These were not gripping fingers. ... Which, fortunately, was all part of the plan." </i>I do love, that for Artemis, even weaknesses are valuable assets to be exploited. It's a good trait -when not used for evil, obviously- and one of the reasons I think Artemis is so clever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This whole train sequence is one of my favorites for several reasons. Artemis is thrown so far out of his comfort zone it's laughable; amusing for those of us who want to see Artemis dropped down a few pegs and empowering to those of us who want to see Artemis develop in a positive way, and a double bonus for those of us who want both. ^_^ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's also the first time Artemis and Holly are forced to not only work together, but to rely on and trust one another, and it's interesting to note (I think) that there's no time for either to second guess or really doubt the other, since the immediate safety of their most important friends always no time for bickering and argument. True to Argon's prologue commentary <i>"...it was probably the best thing that could have happened to [Artemis]."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's switch keys here, because I'm a little miffed at the US publishers right now. I have mostly <i>listened</i> to the Artemis Fowl books, as narrated by Nathaniel Parker, and have only just discovered there are some glaring and some rather inconsequential (read as: pointless) differences between my copies and the UK versions. Differences of terminology, sure, but also some rearranging of paragraphs -which I get as an editing thing, but seems pointless to change from one version to another- but my US version completely <i>removed</i> the background on centaurs being an endangered race and on the Centaurian language. All of it, the joke about centaurs tramping their enemies underfoot, about how centaurs are naturally paranoid due to their endangered existence. I'm just a bit miffed about it, because while it might be inconsequential to the immediate story -well, except that whole <i>paranoia</i> thing- it's a valuable piece of worldbuilding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay. Rant over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which brings us to: the irony of Foaly's imprisonment. Honestly, half this plot is built on irony, and I absolutely <i>love</i> it. Not only do Artemis the kidnapper and Holly the kidnappee have to work together to foil a kidnapping, but Foaly is imprisoned due to his two great weaknesses: his paranoia and his hubris. To make it worse, his fall comes through his own technology. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But it's not all bad; there's one silver lining, at least: <i>"Even with the odds so hugely against him, he hadn't lost his ability to be the most annoying creature under the world when he wanted to be."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, I don't know how that will <i>help</i> Foaly's current situation....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will leave you here, with Foaly trapped, Police Plaza under attack, and Artemis, Holly, Root, and Butler on their way to rescue the elements, after quick pit stop to grab a certain reprobate dwarf...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next week we'll cover the last of <i>The Arctic Incident</i>, chapters 11-epilogue. I'll see you here!</span>Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-4295889611485712412018-11-15T10:40:00.001-07:002018-11-15T10:40:46.028-07:00Of Mud Men and Bargains | Arctic Incident Ch 4-7 | #AFReadAlong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Welcome back! Today we're discussing chapters 4-7 of <i>Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Strap in. ^_^</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summary:</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis Fowl awakes in a rather traditional-looking interrogation room in the Lower Elements, but questioning doesn't go quite as he expects, when Foaly the centaur appears with a stranger plunger device that knocks him back into unconsciousness. While Foaly uses his amazing! and astounding! tech to decipher whether Artemis has ever seen goblins or soft-nose lasers, Captain Holly Short and Commander Root are not terribly impressed with his accomplishments, prodding him on how that pixie Koboi -the head of Koboi Laboratories and target of B'wa Kell vengeance- is 'one pretty sharp female.' Foaly -as all brilliant egotistical inventors- does not take kindly to comparison with his competition and insists, not for the first time, that letting any one company have all the LEP's business isn't a good idea; "...if those labs go under, all we'd have are the DNA cannons in Police Plaza and a few cases of electric stun guns." Besides, Opal Koboi is </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">not</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> stable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Artemis is cleared of involvement with the B'wa Kell but, despite Holly's insistence that the boy could become an even bigger problem than the goblins and their building war against the LEP, Root knows that the humans' skills would be invaluable in tracking down the mysterious battery-seller. Artemis, of course, won't do nothing for nothing, and he strikes a deal with the fairies to help them if they will assist him in attempting to rescue his father.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, we're taken into the heart of Koboi Laboratories and their special weapons permits and DNA cannons, all meant to protect them from the B'wa Kell and to protect by extension the LEP's own weapons and security, all chipped with Koboi technology. Of course, this is when we learn that Opal Koboi really <i>isn't</i> stable. She is, in fact, one of the masterminds behind the B'wa Kell uprising, all in an effort to obtain the power of the monarchs, which hasn't been held by any fairy in centuries. Her partner-in-crime is none other than the demoted and humiliated Briar Cudgeon, former erstwhile friend of Julius Root, a backstabber with a vendetta, and he's a little touchy on the subject of his deformed face. Together, Koboi and Cudgeon plot how best to foil the LEP's search for the B'wa Kell mastermind, and how best to use their human slave, Luc Carrere...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Holly Short is the lucky fairy assigned to escort the humans to Paris, to track down a specific human identified from one of their goblin prisoners (thanks to Foaly's amazing! and astounding! tech). The unlikely trio have something close to civil conversation as Artemis gathers information on Russia before Holly pilots them through the chutes, scaring them <i>just enough</i> to make her smile. In Paris, their on their own; magma flares are acting up and disrupting fairy communications. Butler doesn't need much help, though; it doesn't take him long to find Luc Carrere and even less time to confront him. Unfortunately, the greedy French P.I. has already been given instructions; Cudgeon has <i>mesmer</i>ized Carrere to expect someone asking after the batteries and when they arrive to 'take their picture' -with the barrel of a softnose laser. Butler uses the only tool on hand -the Safteynet, a prototype of Foaly's to suppress laser fire but not quite big enough to protect Butler's frame, let alone another human. Luckily, Butler is brains as well as brawn; he uses the Safteynet to suppress the laser itself, saving both their lives. And in the aftermath, Butler uses a old trick to determine just how much Carrere knows about the People and the answer: nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Underground again, Root is relieved the People are safe from the human threat. Artemis isn't convinced; everything went just a little too smoothly. But he's done his part, and Foaly has managed to trace the untraceable email from Russia. They have a name: Mikhael Vassikin. Vassikin works for a syndicate of the Mafiya who make most of their money kidnapping European businessman -none of whom ever survive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While Artemis plots in earnest, Cudgeon and Koboi decide to send a welcoming party of their own to Russia. A B'wa Kell hit squad, with Julius Root's name at the top of their docket.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And despite all the tension of upcoming rescues, tangling with Mafiya, and the B'wa Kell uprising, Captain Holly Short still manages to find joy in the simple things in life: like managing to frighten a seven-foot tall Mud Man with a tiny spray can of anti-radiation foam and its unique bouquet of 'hermit dwarf'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Commentary:</span></h2>
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">"Okay, Mud Boy," said the figure. "Just relax and this might not hurt too much."</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> -Can we appreciate Foaly's terrible bedside manner, please? There are many things I love about this centaur, and all his lip is definitely the biggest, especially when it winds him in trouble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let the record show the momentous occasion that takes place in this chapter: the first official meeting of Artemis Fowl and Foaly the Centaur, two genii a little too smart for their own good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Personally, I love that Briar Cudgeon returns in this sequel as the villain. It's such a classic move, disgruntled-turned-villainous. Sometimes though, I wonder if things would have gone differently for Opal down the road, if Cudgeon hadn't instigated her turn to actual villainy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Holly grinned tightly. "There's so much irony here I could write a poem. The kidnapper asking for help with a kidnapping." </i>And asking his former kidnappee, no less! Have you no shame, Artemis?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Speaking of shame... I apparently can't leave Artemis and his development alone. He tells Holly about the kidnapping <i>"Sometimes plans don't translate smoothly from paper to real life."</i> while cleaning non-existent dirt from under his perfectly manicured nails, with previous mentions about 'harboring some doubts' about that specific venture and 'can't we wipe the slate clean?' Artemis obviously wants, if not forgiveness, than at least to put his past behind them all, but this is terribly unfair since he won't recognize his own faults about kidnapping Holly in the first place. Which is even more interesting when you link it back to Dr. Po's diagnosis, that Artemis doesn't respect anyone else enough to treat them as equals and he won't find peace if he keeps running away from his problems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love characters. ^_^</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"No," she growled, "we wouldn't want him getting a fright."</i> Every little defiance on Holly's part is such sweet revenge -and well deserved too. Better watch your back, Arty; Holly's not one to mess with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And as we opened with Foaly, it seems only right we close with him, as well.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...decided to get right to the point.<br />"Very well, Mud Man. Keep your hair on."</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, almost directly to the point.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The humor in these books is always so on point, guys. I love them so much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">#FowlDay Challenges</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You're mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join in the discussion or all around good time fan party that is the Artemis Fowl Read Along by completing one or more of these tasks:</span></div>
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<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Share some of your own commentary of Chapters 4-7 with me!</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Share your favorite quote from this week's reading.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Compile an Artemis Fowl music playlist (this will be a continual challenge throughout the Read Along, but keep me updated on song choices!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Join in next week as we tackle chapter 8-10 -and some of my favorite scenes of <i>The Arctic Incident</i>.</span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2661687199691935907.post-34067773113627434402018-11-09T10:06:00.001-07:002018-11-09T10:06:12.974-07:00New Erin Morgenstern Novel Announced!<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="81dmr" data-offset-key="c2r8b-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span data-offset-key="c2r8b-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The Night Circus is one of my favorite books and unlike anything I've read before or since. It is a staggering debut novel and an intimidating thing to follow up. It's really no surprise that in the seven years since it's publication, Morgenstern has yet to publish a second work.</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="c2r8b-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Just when I've come to terms with thinking perhaps Morgenstern doesn't have a second novel of the same scope in her, I read the description for <i>The Starless Sea</i>. <b>I'm already in love with it.</b></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="5gpc4-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">So far, it seems to possess all the same elements of romance and fantasy that make <i>The Night Circus</i> such an amazing, everlasting book -<i>without</i> trying to capitalize on its predecessor. That's right, no sequel, prequel, or companion novel here. Morgenstern is setting the stage for an entirely unique and new story, this time with the magic locked in a nocturnal circus, but into inexplicable books, hidden subterranean libraries, and a New York masquerade party.</span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="5gpc4-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Let's hope that <i>The Starless Sea</i> will make a wonderful brother or sister to <i>The Night Circus</i>. I know one thing for sure: with it's title and Morgenstern's record, its cover is bound to be <b>gorgeous</b>.</span></div>
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Amanda K Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15000002384434214329noreply@blogger.com0