Touted as the final installment in Colfer's boy-genius-cum-criminal mastermind series, The Last Guardian is a delightfully satisfying end note. Our hero, fully recovered from the psychological condition that had him freaking out over the number 4 in The Atlantis Complex, faces off against diabolical pixie Opal Koboi one last time. Fairy captain Holly Short, Butler the bodyguard, and Foley the centaur join forces to prevent Opal from bringing forth Armageddon on earth. Pseudo science, overly complex schemes, and the requisite dwarf flatulence jokes abound, but the heart of the series remains with Artemis and his evolution from spoiled but brilliant teenager to thoughtful, self-sacrificing, still brilliant young adult. A-