Read Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books in order, beginning with Artemis Fowl and continuing through The Last Guardian. Then read “Luna Minor” and The Fowl Twins trilogy. The Artemis Fowl Files contains two optional stories, while the graphic novels retell the opening books rather than continuing the series.
The series blends fantasy, science fiction, humor, and heist stories. Artemis begins as a young criminal mastermind determined to exploit the hidden fairy world, but his relationships with Holly Short, Butler, and the other recurring characters change him over time.
Jump to:
- Artemis Fowl Books in Order
- Artemis Fowl Graphic Novels
- Other Artemis Fowl Companion Guides
- Artemis Fowl Book-to-Screen Adaptations
- About Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl Books in Order
Start with the original series and read all eight novels in publication order. The story and relationships build from one book to the next.
Artemis Fowl Main Series
- Artemis Fowl (2001)
- Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (2002)
- Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (2003)
- Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (2005)
- Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (2006)
- Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (2008)
- Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex (2010)
- Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian (2012)
Artemis Fowl Short Stories and Companion Book
- The Artemis Fowl Files (2004)
- “LEPrecon”
- “The Seventh Dwarf”
- “Luna Minor” (2019)
“LEPrecon” follows Holly Short before the first novel, while “The Seventh Dwarf” takes place between Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident. For a first read, I’d read The Artemis Fowl Files after The Eternity Code, where the collection falls in publication order.
“Luna Minor” works as a bridge between The Last Guardian and The Fowl Twins. It explains where Artemis and Butler are during the beginning of the spin-off series.
The Fowl Twins Series
- The Fowl Twins (2019)
- The Fowl Twins Deny All Charges (2020)
- The Fowl Twins Get What They Deserve (2021)
Can You Read The Fowl Twins Before Artemis Fowl?
I recommend reading the eight original novels before The Fowl Twins. The spin-off follows Artemis’s younger brothers and tells its own main story, but it takes place later and includes returning characters and references from the original series.
Artemis Fowl Graphic Novels
The graphic novels adapt stories from the main series. They don’t continue the plot beyond the prose novels, and there are two separate adaptation runs with different creative teams.
Original Graphic Novel Adaptations
- Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel (2007)
- The Arctic Incident: The Graphic Novel (2009)
- The Eternity Code: The Graphic Novel (2013)
- The Opal Deception: The Graphic Novel (2014)
Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin adapted these editions, with artwork by Giovanni Rigano. This run covers the first four novels.
Disney Graphic Novel Adaptations
- Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel (2019)
- The Arctic Incident: The Graphic Novel (2021)
- The Eternity Code: The Graphic Novel (2022)
Michael Moreci adapted the first two books in this run, with artwork by Stephen Gilpin. The later edition of The Eternity Code continues the same visual adaptation series. You can choose either graphic novel run without reading both versions of the same stories.
Other Artemis Fowl Companion Guides
These official guides expand the fairy world, the LEP, and its technology. They are optional companion books and were written by authors other than Eoin Colfer.
- Artemis Fowl: Guide to the World of Fairies by Andrew Donkin (2020)
- Artemis Fowl: How to Be a LEPrecon by Matthew K. Manning (2020)
Artemis Fowl Book-to-Screen Adaptations
The Artemis Fowl movie was released in 2020. Ferdia Shaw stars as Artemis, with Lara McDonnell as Holly Short. The cast also includes Josh Gad, Nonso Anozie, Colin Farrell, and Judi Dench.
The movie is a loose adaptation that combines ideas from the opening books. It changes Artemis’s personality and family situation, along with major elements involving Holly, Butler, Commander Root, and the central conflict. It isn’t a faithful substitute for the novels, and no further films were released.
About Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year-old genius and criminal mastermind at the beginning of the series. He discovers the People, a hidden civilization of technologically advanced fairies that includes elves, dwarfs, centaurs, goblins, pixies, and other magical beings.
Artemis initially hopes to restore his family fortune by kidnapping LEP reconnaissance officer Holly Short and demanding fairy gold. His plans pull him into a much larger world of magical threats, criminal schemes, and uneasy alliances.
Artemis begins as an antihero, but his friendship with Holly and his loyalty to Butler gradually change his priorities. The books remain funny and action-packed while giving the recurring characters room to grow.
Looking for similar books in order?
If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.