Artemis is dead, having redeemed himself from any former crimes by the whopping great martyrdom of saving the entire world. Butler is old, far too old to go back into business. And Miles and Beckett are the talented youngsters, with Juliet watching over them, who are going to change the world. We all know what comes next - a peek 10, maybe even 20 years into the future.
...except it doesn't happen, and I was left disappoint.
And so, wary of Colfer's way of writing, I tried to imagine what I would have considered to be a good ending, and the answer (short and lacking as it may be) lies before you.
There was a quick knock on the door, and before a response could be elicited the door was flung open, narrowly missing the carefully arranged heaps of technological equipment by a few millimeters. There was no need for the stuff to be piled on the floor, since the owner was most meticulous and organized and had a predetermined place for everything, but spending time arranging the various pieces in their correct places would have consumed valuable time. Time, more than anything, was the most precious commodity to the person sitting at the desk, chair swiveling rapidly towards the entrance to see who the waster of his valuable seconds was this time. It would undoubtedly be Beckett - no-one else would barge into his room when he was working - but his newest psychiatrist had told him that he alienated people by failing to respond outwardly to stimuli, and Miles Fowl was self-critical enough to recognize a blemish in his behavior, even when pointed out by someone who, having not the slightest idea how to psychologically assess the boy, was resorting to randomly throwing terms around in the vague hope that some would ring true. Miles doubted that there was anyone - besides, perhaps, his father – who could truly understand him, so it was no real slight on the poor psychiatrist. Anyone above ground, anyway.
As his chair came to a halt, Miles flashed an annoyed glance at his brother, who was now twirling a book on the tip of his finger. "I distinctly remember saying I was not to be disturbed while attempting to hack Foaly's bio-network, unless it was a matter of life or death. Since, judging by your bruises, you were sparring with Juliet, were there to have been a death I would be hearing of it from her. Do you not have some drug cartel to beat up, or some company to take over?" In truth, it was nice to have someone else to take care of the financial side of things, since it gave him more time to focus on the more important aspects of the business. In a world starved for technology, all it really took to stay ahead was something a tad more advanced, and at the rate things were progressing, they may even reach current fairy technology in a few centuries or so. By then, pollution may be a thing of the past - that was Artemis's great dream towards his death, and one that Miles hoped to achieve in his lifetime, if only people would stop interrupting him in the middle of his work.
Beckett grinned. 'Special delivery from Holly. I think you'll find it's worth your while.' He tossed the book he was holding gently to Miles. By the time Miles had caught it, he had already come to a few conclusions. First, this was Dr. Argon's newest book, albeit with a ridiculous pseudonym. Second, the pseudonym was almost certainly in order to distribute the book among humans as well as fairies.
He allowed a faint smile to cross his lips as he saw that the title was his eldest brother's name. And third, no-one would ever forget the Fowl name again.
