I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

Several years after the events of the Artemis Fowl series, Artemis’ younger twin brothers Myles and Beckett have their own encounter with the fairy folk. They meet Lazuli, the mixed race LEP specialist of elf/pixie descent, and a small troll. This ragtag group is dragged into a European adventure involving a secret international organization, a nobleman seeking the keys to immortality, and a nun. You know, the usual.

Myles and Beckett are a fun pair—the former very similar to his elder brother in his intelligence and mannerisms, but the latter is wild and adventurous and serves as the brawn to Myles’ brain. They’re the true heart of the story, and I love their relationship. This book really serves to establish their bond, and to throw them into an unfamiliar situation where they must adapt and become more of a team than ever. The other characters like Lazuli, Jeronima, and Lord Teddy are fine, but not immensely fleshed out. I feel like in the first Artemis novel, we learned a lot more about the side characters than we did in this one.

The plot takes a while to get off the ground and feels a little meandering at times. I enjoyed the introduction to the organization, ACRONYM, though I’d have liked to see more of what they do, and how they might interact with the fairies. However, the action scenes are exciting, and the banter is excellent, which I suppose I should have expected from Colfer. He crafts some hilarious lines here and there, with his usual wit.

In the end, the Fowl Twins is an entertaining enough romp, but I prefer the cast and storylines of the original series. On the other hand, if this creates more fans for both Artemis and his brothers, I’m okay with that.

Overall rating: 8/10

The Fowl Twins was published on November 5, 2019, so if you’re interested in reading it, you don’t have to wait!