Artemis Fowl

Amazon Book Description  From a strikingly original voice in fiction comes the story of Artemis Fowl, a very unusual hero. Artemis combines the astuteness of Sherlock Holmes with the sangfroid of James Bond and the attitude of Attila the Hun. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories. These fairies are armed and they're dangerous. Artemis thinks he's got them just where he wants them, but then they stop playing by the rules ...  Someone described this series as Harry Potter meets Die Hard -- an apt description indeed. But parents fear not: this is not Harry Potter with bloody effects turned on, it's a rip roaring tale that sucks you in. As an anti-hero, Artemis is an unusual character in children's fantasy. It's the bad guy's turn to win for once and in this book, you will find yourself rooting for the spoiled, imperious, but somehow likable boy-genius criminal Artemis Fowl. Darker then Harry Potter and hilariously funny (at times), The Artemis Fowl series is a must read.