Eoin Colfer Books in Order
Eoin Colfer is the Irish schoolteacher whose Artemis Fowl - pitched in one line as Die Hard with fairies - became a twenty-five-million-copy children's phenomenon and let him spend two decades proving range: a genuinely great single children's novel (Airman), an adult crime pair (Plugged, Screwed), an adult fantasy about a vodka-drinking dragon in the Louisiana bayou (Highfire), and a middle-grade line in the 2020s. The order question is mostly one lane: the Fowl universe - eight Artemis novels plus the Fowl Twins spin-off trilogy - runs as a single twenty-year continuity; nearly everything else is standalone. This page sequences both, with the Fowl universe's own page linked for the full book-by-book treatment (1998–present).
Where to start
Artemis Fowl (2001) - the door, and the book that established everything. Readers who want the one standalone to test him: Airman (2008), his best pure novel.
The complete list
Tick the boxes off as you read, or for the bookshelf.
| Year | Title | Series / type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Benny & Omar | The debut | |
| 2001 | Artemis Fowl (8 novels) | 2001-2012 — own page on this site | |
| 2004 | The Supernaturalist | Standalone | |
| 2006 | Half Moon Investigations | The kid-detective one | |
| 2008 | Airman | Standalone — his best pure novel | |
| 2011 | Plugged | Adult crime #1 | |
| 2013 | W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin | W.A.R.P. #1 | |
| 2013 | Screwed | Adult crime #2 | |
| 2019 | The Fowl Twins (3 novels) | 2019-2021 — the spin-off closes the universe | |
| 2020 | Highfire | The adult dragon novel | |
| 2024 | The Juniper Lane Adventures | 2024-25 middle-grade line — Firefox Moon (2025) the latest |
Does the reading order matter?
The Fowl universe is one continuity, strict order: Artemis Fowl #1-8 (2001-2012), then the Fowl Twins trilogy (2019-2021) - its own page here lists every book. Nearly everything else stands alone: Benny & Omar (1998, the debut) and its sequel; The Supernaturalist (2004); Half Moon Investigations (2006); Airman (2008); the W.A.R.P. trilogy (The Reluctant Assassin, 2013, onward) reads in order; the adult books - Plugged (2011), Screwed (2013), Highfire (2020) - are their own shelf entirely. The Juniper Lane Adventures (2024-25) are the newest middle-grade line, with Firefox Moon (2025) his latest book.
Which one is the best?
Artemis Fowl (2001), the engine; Airman (2008), the best pure novel; Highfire (2020), the adult dragon comedy.
Related guides
Readers finishing this shelf usually want the map next door: Artemis Fowl books in order, Percy Jackson books in order, Diana Wynne Jones books in order. Every guide follows the same format — the shelf, the entry point, the honest answer about order.
Make it a project
Pick a session size and let the days accumulate — at the pace our reading speed test measures, most shelves above clear in a few weeks of half-hours. Every guide on the books in order shelf follows this same format, and when a book lands, its 8-question quiz is waiting on the original book quiz.
Frequently asked questions
What order should you read Eoin Colfer books in?
Fowl universe strictly in order (2001-2021). Airman, the adult novels and the rest stand alone.
Where should I start with Eoin Colfer?
Artemis Fowl (2001) for the series; Airman (2008) for the best standalone.
How many Eoin Colfer books are there?
The Fowl universe (eleven novels), Benny & Omar and its sequel, The Supernaturalist, Half Moon Investigations, Airman, the W.A.R.P. trilogy, two adult crime novels, Highfire, and the Juniper Lane line - through Firefox Moon (2025). Artemis Fowl turned twenty-five in 2026, with an anniversary edition and no new novel announced. As of October 2026 this list is current.
What was Eoin Colfer's first book?
Benny & Omar (1998) — the first row of the list above.