Boek

Russische Connectie, De

Russische Connectie, De

Auteur Eoin Colfer
Eerste Uitgave2002
Uitgave2002
UitgeverijVassallucci
Vormjeugd
TaalNederlands
Bladzijden255 bladzijden
Gelezen2013-12-07
Score8/10

Inhoud

In het tweede deel Artemis Fowl: de Russische connectie keren alle vertrouwde personages uit deel een terug: dit maal is de plaats van handeling echter Rusland, en is de voornaamste opponent de Russische maffia, die de vader van Artemis heeft ontvoerd. Op het moment dat Artemis en Butler zich gereed maken om naar het koude Noorden af te reizen, worden ze echter zelf ontvoerd, en wel door een oude bekende: elfbi kapitein Holly Short. De elfen willen dat Artemis hen bij staat in hun strijd tegen de gobelins, die van een aardmens van batterijen worden voorzien voor hun wapenarsenaal. Artemis stemt in, op voorwaarde dat de elfen hem naar Rusland brengen...

Bespreking

An even better follow-up

Haven, the wonderful underground world of the fairies, is under siege. Captain Holly Short and Private Chix Verbal come face to face with a group of heavily armed goblins. Remarkably enough these wild, but tremendously stupid, attackers carry weapons that are strange to their people. It is easy to conclude that those highly complex and technologically advanced tools were supplied by another party. Captain Holly immediately suspects her nemesis Artemis Fowl of being the mastermind behind this riot.

But Artemis has problems of his own. He received a message that hints at his long lost father being still alive, but captured by the Russian Mafiya. Maybe both can help solve each other’s problems. But then they have to find a way to get along… not easy after what happened in the previous book.

In this follow-up to the popular young adult fantasy novel Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer builds heavily upon the relationship between the two adversaries Holly Short and Artemis Fowl. The book reads almost like a buddy movie where two completely different characters are forces to work together in order to reach their goals.

One of the stronger assets of this series is its setting and its relation to our world. Indeed it could be that these faeries and goblins really do exist. An why wouldn’t there be volcano-like tunnels to the underground where high-tech locks are making sure that we cannot detect their presence. It all could be true… It certainly breaks with the otherworldly domains of Tolkien and other fantasy greats. Just by mixing out world with that of the fairies, it brings a cleverness and freshness to this genre not often seen before.

And this second installment only consolidates this ambition. Now that the characters are clearly chiseled out, the author gets all the space to lay the focus on the story. It’s like a very successful, second date, where the initial excitement makes room for the gradual discovery of all its hidden potential.

Cannot wait to start reading Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, because it’s clear that Colfer has much more up his sleeve.