Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl is a lot of things. He's rich. He's an heir to a fortune. He's fatherless. And he is, arguably, an evil genius. The Fowl fortune is running low, so Artemis devises a scheme. Kidnap a fairy and ransom her for gold. And that is exactly what he does to Captain Holly Short, an elf.

I loved this book! It combined elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure. It's the first of a (very good) eight-book series, and I would recommend it to fantasy fans.