Books

So super late here, but while I haven't read Artemis Fowl, some skimming of summaries makes me think they're pretty similar. Amari has a setting of a fish out of water in an educational setting that brings in some Hogwart's and Percy Jackson vibes, but that all share that same low-fantasy (in the sense of "weird shit coexisting with the normal world") vibe. It's all very derivative, but it takes its representation seriously and is willing to have sympathetic characters make poor choices.

1177 is dense but good, like listening to a charming professor who's been given free rein to indulge himself. I was familiar with some of the players and geography from previous reading and podcasts, but even then I find myself glossing over some of the verbiage and long-dead citites in the ancient Near-East. The overall thesis remains pretty easy to follow even if you don't remember exactly where Ugarit was.