Leprechaun Gold

Bullion bound by hidden trackers linking two worlds—partly returned, partly hidden in Fowl Manor's foundations.

In the world of Artemis Fowl, Leprechaun Gold is a term for fairy gold embedded with hidden tracking devices that allow the LEP (Lower Elements Police) to locate it. This gold was originally fairy gold that Artemis's ancestor, Lord Hugh Fowl, tricked a sprite out of in the 17th century, and it was hidden in the foundations of Fowl Manor. It is central to the plot: Artemis Fowl II kidnaps Captain Holly Short and ransoms her for one ton of 24-karat gold, but he returns the stolen gold to the LEP as part of the deal while secretly keeping a portion hidden in Fowl Manor's foundations.

Quick Facts

Original owners: The People (Lower Elements Police)

Reader's Guide

It states that Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code involves the theft of a C Cube, a handheld supercomputer made from stolen fairy technology left over from the siege in book one. Jon Spiro used his bodyguard Arno Blunt to kill Butler (who was later resurrected by Holly Short) and steal this device.

Series Foundation and Commercial Triumph

Artemis Fowl is a series of eleven fantasy novels by Irish author Eoin Colfer revolving around various members of the Fowl family. The first cycle consists of eight books, and the second cycle, The Fowl Twins series, is a trilogy. Both releases have received commercial success and positive critical reception in the children's literature genre and originated graphic novel adaptations. As of 2013, the novels have sold more than 21 million copies in 44 languages and are one of the best-selling series of all time. In 2010, Artemis Fowl was voted by readers as their favorite Puffin Books title of all time.

Narrative Evolution and Character Arc

In the first book, twelve-year-old child prodigy Artemis Fowl II and his bodyguard Butler kidnap Holly Short, an elf captain of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance force (LEPrecon), holding her for a ransom to exploit the magical Fairy People. The series introduces Artemis as a villain but shows his character developing into an anti-villain who assists the People and resolves conflicts with worldwide ramifications. His moral compass develops throughout the series.

The Second Cycle and Technological Legacy

The Fowl Twins series is set five years later and follows Artemis's younger twin brothers living out house arrest under the supervision of Lazuli Heitz, an elf-pixie hybrid nicknamed 'pixel,' and NANNI, an artificial intelligence based on Holly's and Artemis's brainwaves.

Film Adaptation and Critical Reception

A film adaptation based on the first novel was in development by Disney from 2016. It was released on the Disney+ streaming service on June 12, 2020, to negative reviews, before being removed from the service on May 26, 2023.