I have never read the original Artemis Fowl books but now I absolutely intend to. The Fowl Twins is highly enjoyable, even if, like me, you have never read the Artemis books. The action is fast-paced and grabs the reader right away. The personalities of the twins are very different and highly engaging. There is a constant funny banter between them. There are a lot of moving parts: a villainous nobleman, a nasty nun, a fairy who is called a pixel (pixie/elf hybrid) and a small but highly destructive troll. Artemis also plays an advisor role from outer space. I really liked Lazuli, the Pixel. The action, pacing and clever gadgets remind me of the James Bond stories, but this book is age appropriate, of course. It seems that Mr. Colfer is a very imaginative fellow.