The Atlantis Complex

Written by: Eoin ColferPages: 357
Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind? Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies — not humans — and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy. Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind — and the grips of a giant squid — in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants? 

New York Times best-selling author Eoin Colfer delivers a knockout, fast-paced, and hilarious adventure in Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, the seventh book in the blockbuster series.

Another happy bargain book find, “The Atlantis Complex” is a book that I tore right into.  It looks like Eoin Colfer really liked pitting Artemis against himself after the last book.

In this installment, we see Artemis descending into a mental illness known to the fairies as “The Atlantis Complex”.  It presents with classic OCD traits along with hallucinations and in some cases, multiple personalities. The unfortunate thing is timing.  The fairy-world needs Artemis at his full mental capacity to help fight against the latest calamity.

Interesting is Artemis’s attempt to not only change his criminal mastermind ways, but how obsessed he gets with doing so.  He’s on a tear to save the earth from global warming.  Now, you might easily think this is Colfer’s way of jumping on the preaching bandwagon, but not so! As he explores the insanity infringing on Artemis Fowl’s genius mind, you can see that this goes beyond the simple debate over global warming. You can see the nigh on impossible task that Artemis wants to take on, and realize that it is a manifestation of his mental illness.

I think what I loved the most was Fowl’s obsession with numbers. Not an uncommon theme when discussing OCD-like tendencies, but I happen to really dig numbers. And I have my own obsession with even numbers. However, as much as I like even numbers, I also like multiples of five and there’s a secret part of me that is giddy when seeing multiples of five occur. It’s just a thing of beauty that I cannot explain. Just know, I like numbers. (I also like to count in prime numbers. I started it trying to fight insomnia one night. It was either that or attempt to memorize Pi.)

I digress. Needless to say, Fowl’s mind locks onto the number five and he obsesses on it. He determined the number four evil, and shied away from it, fearing doom. Personally, I have no problems with the number four, but the image that Colfer presents you with concerning the number four is truly priceless.

I also enjoyed the incorporation of Butler’s sister. She’s a fun treat.  I admit that the Butler family fascinates me. I enjoy the exploration of that side story whenever Colfer proffers it.

Each Artemis Fowl book is as good as the last. I hope that things will continue for the bestselling series.

–Lady O