“Happy was not a word often used to describe Artemis Fowl’s bodyguard.”

From Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony.

Never one to leave the fairy world alone, Artemis Fowl and his bodyguard, Butler, have traveled to Spain for what Artemis has calculated will be a demon’s arrival from another point/place in time.  When a demon materializes in the human world Artemis is almost sucked in to time had it not been for Butler’s quick skills and strength.  In the fairy World, Holly Short and Mulch Diggums have been off working on their own, but Holly is brought in by Commander Vinyáya for an introductory meeting with a secret organization known as Section 8, whose main task is monitoring the materialization of demons that are trapped in time.  On the ancient island of Hybras used to be a reset of sorts for demons in war, but after something went wrong, the demons are stuck out of time in limbo.  Holly is told to find and work with Artimus since he is able to determine where the demons will appear, which is especially critical now that the demons on Hybras are seeking revenge on humanity by the demon leader Leon Abbot sending the imp demon No. 1 through time to the human present.  When No. 1 arrives on earth he is captured by Minerva, who with the help of Leon Abbot, has terrible plans for all the demons that arrive on earth.  As Artemis, Holly, and Butler work furiously to protect both humans and demons from each other, they discover surprises far greater than they ever could have anticipated… and a timeline much shorter than is needed.

This fifth installment in Colfer’s fantasy adventure series has a slightly different tone that the previous books, but still manages to create the same captivating style.  It is interesting to watch the story develop both with familiar and new characters.  The Lost Colony is a captivating read that will have readers desperate to finish the book.