Friends to know, and ways to grow, a reading rainbow

So, six months or so ago I grabbed Artemis Fowl book one while at the library.

I love cruising the library throwing books into the bag with reckless abandon. Anything that looks interesting. The sky's the limit. So much better than the book store where you have to consider and weigh choices and think about your budget.

Total downer.

Anyway, I checked out Artemis Fowl.  It was completely different than I'd expected.  What did I expect?  Well let's see, all I knew was that it was about fairies and the main character was named Artemis.  I may also have knows that Artemis was a genius. What do you think I was expecting?  What would you expect diving into a book with only those clues as to it's content?

I thought Artemis was a young girl who stumbled upon the world of fairies and proceed to deal with/ embrace the idea that magic was real.

Have you read Artemis Fowl?

Are you laughing?

In case you're not familiar with this series of books I'll just tell you that my assumed summation couldn't have been more wrong.

I'll also tell you that I've absolutely enjoyed these books.  I'm currently #22 on the waiting list at my local library for the final edition.  I have a whole stack of other things checked out right now.  I've had them for a week but I haven't cracked a single one, I'm too caught up in Artemis to bother with other stories.

Let me tell you what both irked and intrigued me when I read book one.  The title character, the hero of the book, as the antagonist.  I don't mean just a criminal like in so many fantasy novels where a corrupt government rules with an iron fist but honor is found among thieves existing outside the law.  I mean the actual bad guy as the hero.(but not in a save the day kind of a sense)

Meanwhile, the protagonist is a genuine likable character.  A character with whom you become more closely acquainted than her calculating and aloof counterpart.  Its aggravating and fantastic.

In other words, I'm a big fan.

Now I've reviewed a book and used the term "local library" I can't seem to close the post without including the words "But you don't have to take my word for it!"

Seriously though, you don't.  Read it yourself and then tell me what you think.