The C Cube
The C Cube is Artemis's name for the supercomputer he built with leftover fairy technology from the previous book. This Cube turns into the major object of interest in the novel as Jon Spiro steals it from Artemis, planning to use it to become incredibly powerful. The Cube becomes a "Frankenstein's Monster" symbol: a representation of the dangers of creating powerful things that you can't completely control or understand. It symbolizes Artemis's entrepreneurial brain - he can turn anything, no matter how seemingly unrelated, into an opportunity to create money and power in a self-seeking fashion.
Coronation Street
In the novel's opening scene, Spiro demands a test of the C Cube, telling Artemis to make it read the contents of a tape in the restaurant. The tape contains a recording of the 1960s soap opera Coronation Street, and the choice of TV show isn't completely random: Coronation Street is famous for having a character, Annie Walker, who sees herself as better than everyone else and possesses an extraordinary superiority complex. This description is applicable to both Spiro and Artemis, the two main characters in this scene.
Jon Spiro
Spiro is an American businessman who, out of arrogance and self-interest, steals the C Cube from Artemis in the opening scene. He is a wily and manipulative man who isn't above stealing as a method of increasing his own power. Spiro becomes a symbol for the natural selfishness of man: his stark narcissism forces even Artemis to combat him, hammering in the dangers of indulging selfishness.
The Gold Medallion
Near the novel's end, Artemis, worried that the fairies' mind-wiping technology will work on him, stores all of his memories in a golden medallion, which he entrusts to Mulch for safekeeping. This medallion represents Artemis's memories and former life, as well as his character development: the fact that he entrusted something so important to someone else signifies that his condescension is thawing, and he is beginning to develop real, trusting friendships.
The Contact Lens
In an attempt to avoid being affected by the fairies' mind-wipe technology, which he agreed to be subjected to while working with the LEP to catch Spiro, Artemis wears a specially engineered contact lens that works to counteract fairy technology. This lens represents Artemis's strong independence of character and resourceful genius: he wants to hold on to himself and refuses to let any part of his memory be taken from him.
