Eoin Colfer’s young adult series Artemis Fowl has been widely read and enjoyed since the publication of its first book in 2001. Its mix of adventure, fantasy, and crafty characters has created a durable fan base. This has inspired Disney to make a movie based on the series that will premiere on the Disney+ streaming service on June 12, 2020. Many readers may find themselves looking for a similar YA (Young Adult) series to read with schemes, excitement, and strange new worlds. CRRL’s YA collection is diverse, deep, and has many reads that would be of interest to Artemis Fowl fans. Here are some suggestions for YA books that are similar to Artemis Fowl.
History’s Alternate Road: The Magic of the Bartimaeus Sequence
Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus Sequence consists of four novels that have much to offer fans of the Artemis Fowl books, with espionage and magic influencing the fate of a London quite different from our world’s. In the first book, The Amulet of Samarkand, apprentice magician Nathaniel summons a powerful djinn named Bartimaeus for a dangerous mission: to steal a valuable amulet from his enemy Simon Lovelace, a powerful sorcerer. As their quest unfolds, Nathaniel is given the name “John Mandrake,” becomes involved with an underground resistance against Lovelace, and banters with his snarky djinn ally. Mandrake and Bartimaeus’ adventures together continue in two more novels, The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemy’s Gate. The fourth book, The Ring of Solomon, is a prequel set in ancient Israel that features Bartimaeus’ adventures in the court of King Solomon. Although the books feature many intricate schemes and an imaginative, magical alternate version of modern London, their core appeal lies in the witty interaction between Bartimaeus and Mandrake. Bartimaeus himself is frequently cited as a favorite character by the fans.
Mad Minds and Brilliant Schemes: The Genius Wars
Another series that may be of interest to Artemis Fowl fans is Catherine Jinks’ Evil Genius trilogy, with a school full of malevolent masterminds skilled in a wide variety of dangerous arts. The first book in the series, Evil Genius, follows the adventures of Cadel Piggott, a skilled hacker who is sent to the Axis Institute, a school where the ultimate objective is World Domination. During his studies, he meets a girl named Sonja who makes him question his dark path and consider a future beyond the Axis Institute. The sequels, Genius Squad and The Genius Wars, deal with Cadel’s search for a supportive family and battles with his nemesis, Dr. Darkkon. Cadel uses many clever tricks in his journeys, ranging from a code relating to the periodic table to communicate with Sonja to elaborate programming skills. With an unusual yet likable main character, creative use of technology, and globe-trotting adventure, the Evil Genius trilogy has a lot to offer fans of YA thriller and spy tales.
Sky Pirates and Distant Ports: The World of The Fog Diver
The Fog Diver and its sequel, The Lost Compass, form a series of two exciting adventure novels by Joel N. Ross. The first book, The Fog Diver, introduces the strange and polluted steampunk world of the series. Scientists created sophisticated nanomachines ages ago to consume the horrible air pollution from the world’s cities - but the machines decided that humans themselves were a form of pollution and began to consume us. Humanity fled the “white fog” of the nanomachines for high mountain peaks, and now the world is ruled by five wealthy families at the very top. As the Fog slowly ascends to the slums where the lower classes live, a boy named Chess and his crew must determine where to take their floating salvage raft. Will they seek the treasures of their dying world for profit or try to find a way to save their city before it is engulfed by the deadly Fog? The story continues in the sequel, The Lost Compass, as Chess learns about his connection to mysterious Compass that may control the Fog, as well as the reason the villainous Lord Kodoc seeks to capture him. With an imaginative world, interesting characters, and clever Dickensian wordplay (the word “chuzzlewit” appears as an insult), The Fog Diver and its sequel are entertaining tales of action and suspense.
The Mysteries of Independence Hall
Roland Smith’s I, Q series may also be entertaining to Artemis Fowl fans. These books tell the story of a boy named Quest, nicknamed “Q,” who goes on journeys across the world with his rock star mother Blaze. In the first book, Independence Hall, Blaze has married a new husband, and Q is unhappy because he must adapt to his new stepsister Angela while they are on tour with their parents. Q and Angela begin to discover that things are not quite as they seem, and dark mysteries lurk behind the weird coincidences in the band’s behavior, the strange events that occur during the tour, and Angela’s family. Along the journey, Q’s stage magic and the duo’s tech skills enable them to elude many perilous situations and escape their mysterious pursuers. The adventures of Q and Angela continue in five more novels: The White House, Kitty Hawk, The Alamo, The Windy City, and Alcatraz. These tales of espionage and skulduggery will entertain the audience that enjoyed the more mysterious and edgier aspects of the Artemis Fowl series.
The Key to Adventure
The four novels of Kevin Sands’ Blackthorn Key series also have much to offer readers interested in codes, puzzles, and suspense. In the first entry of the series, The Blackthorn Key, we are introduced to Christopher Rowe, an apothecary’s apprentice in London who struggles with the death of his kindly master. As he confronts many devious traps and codes, Christopher uses his skills with potions and formulas and his keen scientific mind to solve the mystery of his master’s murder. Christopher’s adventures continue in Mark of the Plague, in which he explores a mysterious conspiracy involving a terrible disease in London and The Assassin's Curse, where he explores assassination attempts and an enigmatic curse on the French throne. The final book, Call of the Wraith, sees Christopher struggle with the loss of his memories as he tries to uncover the secrets of a supernatural force abducting the children of a small village. Wherever Christopher’s adventures take him, intrigue and excitement follow.
CRRL offers many read-alikes to Artemis Fowl in its expansive YA collection. Dive into an alternate history with The Amulet of Samarkand, thrill to the exploits of an Evil Genius, or soar across the skies with The Fog Diver. You can even visit an ancient London filled with dangerous mysteries in The Blackthorn Key series. CRRL’s collection can take you exploring through worlds of intrigue and danger!
