The Last Guardian

I seldom write reviews for the audio books I listen to when I go on the road, but this book by Eoin Colfer, the 8th in the Artemis Fowl series, was so hugely entertaining that I had to make an exception. This is due largely to the outstanding work of Nathaniel Parker as the reader. He does not just read the book, but becomes each character--and there are many--giving each one a unique voice and cadence and manner of speech delivery. He is Mulch the dwarf, Opal the megalomaniacal pixie, dogs possessed by Berserker spirits, Foley the centaur, as well as all the standard characters: Artemis, Holly Short, bodyguard Butler.
Artemis' arch nemesis, Opal Koboi, has masterminded her escape from Atlantis and is now well on her way to the destruction of the human world. She has already freed ancient faerie warriors from their entombment and their spirits have inhabited the bodies of any living creatures they can find--rabbits, dogs, Artemis' brothers, and Butler's sister Juliet--and are now in thrall to the evil Opal. How do an unarmed Artemis, Butler and Holly stand a chance to stop her? Artemis finds he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his friends. I love this series for a bit of totally over-the-top entertainment, but am not sure I will ever read another book if the alternative is hearing Nathaniel Parker read them instead.