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Earth's Children #1-5
The Clan of the Cave Bear, the Valley of Horses, the Mammoth Hunters, the Plains of Passage, The Shelters of Stone
Contains Five Audiobooks by Jean M. Auel: The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of Horses, The Mammoth Hunters, The Plains of Passage, and The Shelters of Stone, and One Soul? MP3-CD Audiobook Player, Model DMP-206b The Clan of the Cave Bear: A remarkable epic of one woman's odyssey - filled with mystery and magic. The Valley of Horses: A timeless epic of the dawn of civilization. Ayla sets out on her own odyssey of discovery away from the nurturing adoptive family and friends of the Clan. The Mammoth Hunters: An epic novel of love, knowledge, jealousy, and hard choices. Ayla sets out from the valley on Whinney, the horse she tamed. The Plains of Passage: In The Plains of Passage, orphaned Ayla and wandering Jondalar search for a place on Earth they can call home. The Shelters of Stone: Jondalar and Ayla journey to the home of his people, and find people wary of the beautiful young woman he has brought back, with her strange accent and her tame wolf and horses.
MP3 CD
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Jean M. Auel
85 books4,072 followersJean Marie Auel is an American writer who wrote the Earth's Children books, a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe that explores human activities during this time, and touches on the interactions of Cro-Magnon people with Neanderthals. Her books have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 23, 2019
I AM IN LOVE
This series has all my favorites' elements: Survival, love, social and cultural differences, travel, animals, friendship, solitude and communal living.
It couldn't be more perfect.
BRILLIANT.FANTASTIC.
LOOOOOOOVE IT.
This series has all my favorites' elements: Survival, love, social and cultural differences, travel, animals, friendship, solitude and communal living.
It couldn't be more perfect.
BRILLIANT.FANTASTIC.
LOOOOOOOVE IT.
September 14, 2011
I read these books years ago. My reaquaintance with this series was due to the newest and final installment of this series, Earth's Children, The Land of the Painted caves. For a more in depth review see my review of this last book. An amazing selected of stories that follows the life of Ayla an orphaned child of the "Others." Set in somewhat prehistoric times, when mammoths and other prehistoric animals roamed the earth, it is an amazing journey that encompasses at least 21 years of her most interesting life. Word of caution: The author, Jean M. Auel is fairly graphic in describing sexual interludes, but these can be skimmed over quickly and one can move on to Ayla's amazing stories.
March 16, 2019
This series started out so strong. I read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was in high school after hearing about it, and damn, I was ENTHRALLED. After the ending, when I learned there were a few more available, I was stoked and did not waste time in reading the other books. Books 2, 3, and 4 were pretty solid even if things dragged on in Books 3 and 4, and Ayla started to become a Mary Sue.
I was so excited to read Book 5 after reading the rest of the books and... man, what a let-down. Ayla has pretty much gone full-blown Mary Sue, with other people constantly observing how hot Ayla is, how skilled and smart she is, how totally fuckable she looks, Ayla, Ayla, AYLA, AYYYYYYLAAAAAA!
This is what happens when an author invests too much into their character and refuses to let them have any real flaws or weaknesses.
I was so excited to read Book 5 after reading the rest of the books and... man, what a let-down. Ayla has pretty much gone full-blown Mary Sue, with other people constantly observing how hot Ayla is, how skilled and smart she is, how totally fuckable she looks, Ayla, Ayla, AYLA, AYYYYYYLAAAAAA!
This is what happens when an author invests too much into their character and refuses to let them have any real flaws or weaknesses.
January 3, 2011
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. I began reading it back in '96 as a fourteen year old. Back then only 4 books of the 6 book series had been published. I fell in love with the series immediately and waited patiently until 2002 for the 5th book to finally come out. It was amazing but as always left you wanting more. The good news is that after another decade of waiting, the 6th book, "The Land of Painted Caves" will finally be published on March 29th, 2011. Therefore, my advice to you is to read books 1-5 of this AMAZING series so you too can be ready for the conclusion of this wonderful story. You will not regret it!
January 9, 2014
I have read and re-read this series... A lot of times. I think I'm on my fourth run-through, and they're not exactly slim volumes. I could say a lot about them, both good and bad, but like a mother and her own children, I can only love them in spite of and because of their myriad flaws, which serve to highlight what is great about them. There's a strong (I would say too strong, and uncomplicated) female protagonist, though, and that's rare enough to find, especially in historical fiction.
August 27, 2012
As a minor in anthropology this series very much captured my attention. Extremely well written and the detail of a culture from thousands of years ago is stunning. Books do drag on after the 4th but pick back up in the 6th. Very good series
May 2, 2021
For me, this series was something that really struck my fancy! I just love the setting, and the extreme detail in each and every book helped me feel like I was there too. That's all I'll say, other than the fact that it is true that it gets a little too detailed after the Mammoth Hunters. But keeps the beautiful setting nevertheless. Thank you Jean M. Auel for creating this original story and giving someone like me a chance to get obsessed over it!!!
February 11, 2024
For me, this series was something that really struck my fancy! I just love the setting, and the extreme detail in each and every book helped me feel like I was there too. That's all I'll say, other than the fact that it is true that it gets a little too detailed after the Mammoth Hunters. But keeps the beautiful setting nevertheless. Thank you Jean M. Auel for creating this original story and giving someone like me a chance to get obsessed over it!!!
April 19, 2020
I don’t often remember books as well as I remember these. I spent quite a good deal of time reading them as they are all long. There are many parts of this book that I can actually picture.
I read them all, but did listen sometimes in the car. It allowed me more time to go back in time and live in Ayla’s shoes.
I read them all, but did listen sometimes in the car. It allowed me more time to go back in time and live in Ayla’s shoes.
May 7, 2023
First time I encountered an epic that mixes historical fact and expert storytelling about the dawn of humanity. The author's depiction of how community living may have come about was wonderful throughout the series. Loved the discussion of "the ordinary man" in one of the books of the series. Read most of this series over a period of about a year then found #5 many years later.
December 21, 2017
many years ago I read the first of the series, and was instantly hooked. I have re-read all of the books in the series many times. Brings you to the time and place of the story, you can be "in" the story, very captivating.
November 29, 2017
The only one I didn't fully enjoy was the last - not enough character interaction too much cave description - but the whole rest of the very long series I don't regret one bit
October 25, 2018
Best adventure I've ever been on in a book!
January 25, 2020
I love how badass Ayla is, the only reason I didn't give the series 5 stars is sexual abuse.
July 3, 2021
I love these books
December 8, 2021
I read it a long time ago. The series was good overall. My favorite was the first (Clan of the Cave Bear). Long but excellent journey into our far far past...
Read
October 17, 2015I WANT TO READ SOMETHING LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE BUT FOR ADULTS.
THE FIRST TWO CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR BOOKS.
THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD SHIFT TO UPDATE YOU ON MY JEAN AUEL READ, MEME. I AM ALMOST DONE WITH BOOK #4! AYLA IS JUST AS MUCH A MARY SUE AS YOU LED ME TO BELIEVE AND I'VE STARTED SKIMMING THE SEX SCENES, BUT THE BOOKS ARE ODDLY COMPELLING. SOMEONE SHOULD TRY AND MAKE ANOTHER MOVIE OR TV SERIES NOW THAT CGI ALLOWS THEM TO CREATE PROPER NEANDERTHALS.
THE AMOUNT OF MIND NUMBING DETAIL SHE PUT INTO THE WORLD BUILDING MADE THOSE BOOKS SO SOOTHING TO ME AS A BB MEMER. LOL I USED TO DAY DREAM ABOUT TIME TRAVELING INTO THAT TIME PERIOD AND BEING AN AWESOME PERSON THAT INVENTED A TON OF SHIT AFTER READING THOSE BOOKS.
THIS IS MAKING ME MOAR TEMPTED THAN ANY OTHER DESCRIPTION OF THEM I'VE HEARD. DD.
AYLA IS A MASSIVE MARY SUE THAT INVENTS A TON OF THINGS, LIKE SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON TO DOMESTICATE A WOLF, A MOUNTAIN LION, AND A HORSE. SHE ALSO COMES UP WITH USING FLINT TO START FIRES AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER SHIT LIKE THAT. INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING HER DO THAT AND FOCUS ON THE LOL TERRIBLE SEX, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES ALL OF THE LITTLE STEPS THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO EVERYTHING FOR PAGES AND PAGES AND PAGES.
I HAVE FORCEQUIT BOOKS FOR THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL BEFORE (DIAF, S.M. STIRLING) BUT THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING SOOTHING ABOUT AUEL'S.
AYLA SURVIVING ON HER OWN IS VERY LIKE THE MARTIAN, TBH!
THE FIRST TWO CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR BOOKS.
THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD SHIFT TO UPDATE YOU ON MY JEAN AUEL READ, MEME. I AM ALMOST DONE WITH BOOK #4! AYLA IS JUST AS MUCH A MARY SUE AS YOU LED ME TO BELIEVE AND I'VE STARTED SKIMMING THE SEX SCENES, BUT THE BOOKS ARE ODDLY COMPELLING. SOMEONE SHOULD TRY AND MAKE ANOTHER MOVIE OR TV SERIES NOW THAT CGI ALLOWS THEM TO CREATE PROPER NEANDERTHALS.
THE AMOUNT OF MIND NUMBING DETAIL SHE PUT INTO THE WORLD BUILDING MADE THOSE BOOKS SO SOOTHING TO ME AS A BB MEMER. LOL I USED TO DAY DREAM ABOUT TIME TRAVELING INTO THAT TIME PERIOD AND BEING AN AWESOME PERSON THAT INVENTED A TON OF SHIT AFTER READING THOSE BOOKS.
THIS IS MAKING ME MOAR TEMPTED THAN ANY OTHER DESCRIPTION OF THEM I'VE HEARD. DD.
AYLA IS A MASSIVE MARY SUE THAT INVENTS A TON OF THINGS, LIKE SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON TO DOMESTICATE A WOLF, A MOUNTAIN LION, AND A HORSE. SHE ALSO COMES UP WITH USING FLINT TO START FIRES AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER SHIT LIKE THAT. INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING HER DO THAT AND FOCUS ON THE LOL TERRIBLE SEX, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES ALL OF THE LITTLE STEPS THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO EVERYTHING FOR PAGES AND PAGES AND PAGES.
I HAVE FORCEQUIT BOOKS FOR THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL BEFORE (DIAF, S.M. STIRLING) BUT THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING SOOTHING ABOUT AUEL'S.
AYLA SURVIVING ON HER OWN IS VERY LIKE THE MARTIAN, TBH!
May 12, 2024
"The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel, now that's a book that'll make you feel like you've been dragged through the mud and kissed by fire all at once. Auel ain't afraid to get her hands dirty, digging deep into the primal roots of humanity with every stroke of her pen.
Set in a time when mammoths roamed the earth, and the line between man and beast was blurred, "The Clan of the Cave Bear" follows the journey of Ayla, a young girl orphaned and left to fend for herself in a harsh and unforgiving world. Auel's writing is raw and visceral, plunging you headfirst into the brutal realities of life in prehistoric times.
But amidst the blood and bone, Auel's prose is beautiful. She paints a picture of a world teeming with life and wonder, where every sunrise brings new possibilities and every sunset whispers secrets of ages past.
And then there's Ayla herself, a character as fierce and untamed as the wilderness surrounding her. Watching her grow and evolve throughout the novel is like witnessing the birth of a new era, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
So, if you're looking for a journey into the heart of our primal past, a tale that'll leave you breathless and hungry for more, look no further than "The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel. Just be prepared to get a little dirty along the way.
Oh, and the sex scenes in the follow-on books are HOT. Every man should be a lover like Jondalar.
I aspire.
Set in a time when mammoths roamed the earth, and the line between man and beast was blurred, "The Clan of the Cave Bear" follows the journey of Ayla, a young girl orphaned and left to fend for herself in a harsh and unforgiving world. Auel's writing is raw and visceral, plunging you headfirst into the brutal realities of life in prehistoric times.
But amidst the blood and bone, Auel's prose is beautiful. She paints a picture of a world teeming with life and wonder, where every sunrise brings new possibilities and every sunset whispers secrets of ages past.
And then there's Ayla herself, a character as fierce and untamed as the wilderness surrounding her. Watching her grow and evolve throughout the novel is like witnessing the birth of a new era, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
So, if you're looking for a journey into the heart of our primal past, a tale that'll leave you breathless and hungry for more, look no further than "The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel. Just be prepared to get a little dirty along the way.
Oh, and the sex scenes in the follow-on books are HOT. Every man should be a lover like Jondalar.
I aspire.
December 4, 2012
I read the first 5 of these books years ago. I've purchased the 6th but haven't read it yet. I wanted to go back and read the others again first. However, they are so long, that I doubt I will do it. On the upside, each of the first 5 replay a lot of the previous books to catch you up. I found that annoying as I read them in order, back to back. I understand it a good bit more after waiting 10 years for this last book to come out!
The only negative thing that I can say about the first 5 books is the repetition. These books are very long, but worth every single second. I did find myself skipping over parts of each book that did a recap of previous books, but outside of that, the books read fast and do not feel nearly as long as they look in hard copy. The story is beautifully written with characters that come alive. The is a must read series, in my opinion.
The only negative thing that I can say about the first 5 books is the repetition. These books are very long, but worth every single second. I did find myself skipping over parts of each book that did a recap of previous books, but outside of that, the books read fast and do not feel nearly as long as they look in hard copy. The story is beautifully written with characters that come alive. The is a must read series, in my opinion.
December 21, 2010
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. I began reading it back in '96 as a fourteen year old. Back then only 4 books of the 6 book series had been published. I fell in love with the series immediately and waited patiently until 2002 for the 5th book to finally come out. It was amazing but as always left you wanting more. The good news is that after another decade of waiting, the 6th book, "The Land of Painted Caves" will finally be published on March 29th, 2011. Therefore, my advice to you is to read books 1-5 of this AMAZING series so you too can be ready for the conclusion of this wonderful story. You will not regret it!
February 18, 2011
I have read this series twice once when I was much younger and in the last couple years. I really enjoyed the series but was interesting my take on it was much different reading it as a mature adult and Christian. There are a lot of sex scenes, the are not raunchy but frequent and don't leave much to the imagination. I believe she is writing it from a Darwinism perspective as their are two types of humans, one more advanced than the other.
As far as fiction goes I did enjoy the story telling very much!
As far as fiction goes I did enjoy the story telling very much!
January 2, 2012
I'm currently 100 pages from the end of the Plains of Passage. I've read this epic series, beginning when I was teen and the story is just phenomenal. At times the intense detail of the author gets overwhelming and I find myself scanning to portions with more character interaction. Overall, however this is a series that you can really "dig into" and you find yourself absolutely engaged in the life of Ayla the main character. I am countinually astounded at the amount of research Auel puts into the books, and am anxiously awaiting starting the 5th in the series!
November 10, 2015
I like many others read these books many years ago and quite recently scrambled to buy the newest and apparently - last installment. Was hugely disappointed by the latest book because I didn't feel it was as in depth as the rest of the series - which I LOVE. But it did give me closure. These are some of my most favorite books and I was captured by the author and the story and felt like I had a good understanding of the times they lived in. I love them and will randomly re-read a book from the series because I like them so much.
July 10, 2011
Totally intrigued by this series! I read each new book within a few months of its release. The notion tnat neanderthal and homo sapien shared this earth is quite a 'what-if' generater. I love the strong creative main character, Aila. I love contemplating the development of the culural componengs of each group she encounters in her travels west. Toally captivating! I know I will read it more than just twice.
July 15, 2011
My father handed me these books when I was about 10 years old and I've loved them ever since. I only recently realized I probably liked it so much as a kid because it was about a girl who grew up feeling out of place and only later discovered that her weirdness was what made her great. Highly recommend if you like alternate history fiction and have an interest in the details of natural medicine and ancient life.
March 4, 2012
I thought these books were excellent! But the age they are for is ridicules! Should be for a much older audience! Even 18 seems young....the sexual situations are for much older people. It should not be a book on how to pleasure each other. It needs a warning to parents right on the front cover! Historically speaking, the author did a wonderful job. Her descriptions of the areas she was trying the reader to envision were right on.
July 14, 2012
This is a great series that really draws you in! I loved it. Some books were better than others, though...a lot more action. I think I liked the first and second ones the best. There are also quite a lot of descriptions, which at times is neat, so you can envision what the world looked like and how the clans operated in those times, however, most of the time I would skip ahead a few pages to get back to the actual story. :)
December 31, 2012
I have also read the 6th book. I really enjoyed the first 3 (these i would give 5 stars). The next 2 were okay ( i would give them 3-3.5 stars). I thought the last book was a little disappointing (I would only give this book 2 stars). There are some unresolved issues that had been mentioned in previous books that were never completed or addressed again. I gave the whole series 4 stars based on the collection.
June 10, 2016
The first three books in the series are good. DON'T BOTHER READING THE REST!! They're garbage. I started reading the series in the 1980s and you could tell by the ever increasing length of time between title releases and the decline in the quality of plot and dialog that the author didn't want to write the series anymore. I don't know if she got tied into a contract or what, but you could tell that her heart wasn't in it anymore. Spoiler: they live happily ever after.
January 22, 2012
Love these books. started as a 20 yr old with a copy of The Valley Of The Horses from a editor who gave me it to read. i was hooked and ever since then have bought every new book that came out. that was 22 years ago and i still read them to this day. now my 12 yr old daughter is learning to love them
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews