Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't Put it Down
Review: I've been waiting to read this book for a long time. I read the first 4 about 10 years ago and almost forgot about the series. I will agree that some parts are repetitious from the other novels, but since it was so long since I read the first ones I liked the refresher. I was getting worried near the end, there weren't enough pages left for the story that I knew was still coming. I am thrilled to learn that there is another book coming. I read some other reviews, and have to say that I wish people kept a more open mind. This book is suppose to be set tens of thousands of years ago. The world, and people are very very different. I dont understand why some people couldn't grasp that people acted very differently back then. I loved every minute of the book, including the long descriptions of beleifs or scenery. Can't wait for book 6!!!
Rating:
Summary: I can't wait for the final book ....
Review: Jean's Clan of the Cave Bear began my obsession with reading and I was not at all disappointed with this one. I have read the reviews of others on this book and in a way I agree with them. This book is repitive but I think that it was necessary to repeat certain facts. I think a lot of her loyal readers forgot that not everyone has read the previous books that began Ayla's journey. I also think that they also forgot that in real life many of your own characteristics and decisions are based on your own past events. Hence, even though it is unhealthy to linger in your past it is important to remember it. I also agree with the fact that in this book at the end I felt left hanging. I did read her comments and she said she was researching for the sixth one so I'm assuming that the reason the ending was left that way was because of the sixth to come. In fact, I think most of the events in this book are to set up the next one. I think that in the final book everything in this book will make sense. Although I think this book played out a little longer than it needed but overall it was a great book. Again her descriptions and details and research continues to amaze me.
Rating: 
Summary: formulaic
Review: This book was slightly better than the fourth, but it followed the same tired formula of meeting rather uninteresting characters, talking about the same things, showing off Ayla's inventions; to the end effect that the few tears shed were mostly those of boredom. Brukeval and Laramas were poor copies of Broud and Frebec respectively, who had both come across much stronger in the earlier books. Despite all this, it had a cliffhanger ending and I still have high hopes for the 6th and final book. In particular if she met her son Durc again, I think the series as a whole, which was so strong in the first three books would be well revived.
Rating:
Summary: What happened to my Ayla?
Review: A few years ago my mother encouraged me to read Clan of the Cave Bear...and as I'm sure the majority of people who read the book did. I admired Ayla for her independence and courage, and Auel for creating such a vivid character. However with each following book I read Ayla became more plain and less interesting along with the general quality of each novel. As for the rest of the characters... Ayla's mate Jondalar is no more than a one dimensional sex object and not much more can be said for the other characters. The majority of them are just bland copies of characters in Auel's other novels (ex. Broud to Brukeval, Frebbec to Laramar, etc etc). No character stands out a real living, breathing human being. As for the plot... there is none. The majority of the 700-some page book is spent up in descriptions of animals or rock formations, the same sex scenes over and over again, Ayla reminiscing, or the god-awful Mother Song that appeared every twenty pages. Auel has definitely lost fans with this book. With any hope she'll be able to make up for it in the next book of her series.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite good but not like the others.
Review: This is the fifth book in the "Earth's Children" series of books by Jean Auel with the first two of these being the best by far i.e "Clan of the Cave Bear" and "Valley of Horses". It continues the story as Jondalar and Ayla decide to journey back to his home a good year's trip away. Considering that it's a trip from what is now Russia to France its a considerable distance. Ayla is concerned his people will not take kindly to her but she quickly wins over some especially Jondalar's sister, mother and the zelandonii who sees something special in her (no surprise there). The book is quite slow to get going and doesn't have the pace or fascination of the first two or the emotional depth of the "The Mammoth Hunters" or "Plains of Passage". It isn't bad however and the author does not appear to have run out of ideas like some do when it comes to a waning of the initial creative impulse so often seen in other series, e.g. Diana Gabaldon. The book does lack a bit of drive and joy though, some scenes are repetitive and without real passion and the people can sometimes seem one dimensional which they weren't in the earlier books. Nonetheless quite good.
Rating:
Summary: Having not read the first four books...
Review: I found this book fairly interesting; for the first half, anyway. After reading a few reviews, my thoughts that this book simply rehashed the previous four were comfirmed. There was too much emphasis on how brilliant and beautiful Ayla was, and how spectacular her control of animals was; I got the idea after the first ten times. My hopes for this book were dashed by the time I finished it. All of the foreshadowing was for naught; tensions were built, and then forgotten about. Discoveries or decisions were hinted at, but never reached. The end of the book seemed rushed; events that were built up to be important were completely left out of the book, as opposed to excessive detail in the beginning (which I am a sucker for). In short: if you read the first four books, or plan to, do not read this one. If you've read this one, you've practically read the first four.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing new or notable happens.
Review: I loved all four of the first books in this series and couldn't wait for this one. However, it is very much a repeat of everything that happened in the preceding four books in the series about the cro-Magnon woman--Ayla continually dazzles Jondalar's family with her ability to start fires with flint, domesticate wild animals, hunt better than the men in the tribe, etc. in the hopes that her amazing abilities will help them accept her as one of them. With nothing new to add to the series, this one was not worth the time it took to finish reading.
Rating: 
Summary: the sounds of snores
Review: Because a bookstore I frequent was having a "buy three get one free" sale, I picked up "Shelters of Stone" for nothing-- and still feel cheated. I waited twelve years for this book and am embarassed to have been seen walking out of the store with it. As such, SoS is currently proping up a short table leg. Jean Auel's "Earth's Children" series has simply declined in quality since the publication of "Clan of the Cave Bear." "Shelters of Stone" is the penultimate book of the series and by far the least interesting and most repetitive of the bunch. There is no balance between plot/action and the excessive descriptions of flora and fauna; the characters are predictable and the dialogue insipid. Everything a reader needs to know about what happens to the characters can be read in the Amazon.com reviews. Instead of wasting my time and money with the final book, I'll be reading here to find out what happens.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: As I learned after reading it, this book was completed after the author's death. It would have been kinder to leave it undone. The story just rambles on and on. And my chief complaint with the whole series is this: Foreshadowing and dramatic build-up always lead to nothing. Ayla always seems on the verge of some exciting discovery. Through her dreams, chance encounters, new but familiar surroundings, we are drawn to expect some great spiritual revelation, but nothing ever happens with them. There is one more book promised to end this series, but I will not read it... Unless I become an insomniac.
Rating:
Summary: It's interesting novel
Review: Since I've read all of Auel's books back to back this winter, I did find this novel rather repetitive ~~ I already know what has happened to Ayla in the past ~~ and I was rather disappointed that this book wasn't flushed out like her other novels. I love reading about Ayla and Jondular ~~ I love reading about the craftwork, the hunting, and how they survive in prehistoric times but there wasn't much new in this novel and she left it hanging ~~ so I am assuming that there will be a sixth book in the series. If you're interested in prehistoric times, start with the Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of Horses, and Mammoth Hunters ~~ they are the best novels in the series. Also, they're not so focused on the sexual aspect of Ayla's life, like her two last novels (including this one). If you want to read more on romance, this book is for you! It's an ok novel ~~ not the greatest and not the best. I haven't given up on Auel yet ~~ I am anxiously waiting for the next one! 3-12-04
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