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: 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
Rating:
Summary: What a Disappointment!
Review: The much-hyped, long awaited continuation of the saga of Ayla and Jondalar is finally here, and what a non-event it has turned out to be. The characters have turned to cardboard, the plot is plodding and, judging from the repetition and belabored descriptions, Auel must have been paid by the word for this mammoth disappointment. Auel's meticulous research and knowledge of the paleolithic era are, as always, superb--but that's not enough to elevate this potboiler to the level of her previous works.
Since nothing happened or was resolved in this volume, there's sure to be another. I only hope Ms. Auel doesn't make us wait another ten years, and that she is able to capture the magic of her earlier work, so sadly lacking in Shelters of Stone.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay, a little too much of this!
Review: This book was a disappointment to me in that it became very repetitious, much more than it needed to be. Ayla and Jondalar made their way to his people, and people there don't know what to make of her. The book goes on this way for awhile, and gets monotonous. A lot of scenery is described here as well.This is okay, but then, it just goes on a little too much. It has parts where some of the scenes get exciting, but not too often. When you read this, be prepared to yawn a little.
Rating:
Summary: It could have been the first chapter of the fifth book
Review: Ms Auel's books, though they have potential, have become progressively less substantial in plot and character just as they have become more loaded with Paleolithic description. The first book covers 12 years of the main character's life, the second 3 years, and the third and fourth a year each. This book covers in depth far less than nine months, and it shows. Nothing happens. Tensions are introduced, but not developed. Interesting characters in difficult situations are ignored. There was potential in this story, but it is not brought out. What this feels like is the first few chapters to a potentially exciting novel (provided that the small amount of tension and plot hinted at were developed well), but instead has been bulked out by pages and pages of description and honorifics. Of course, it would also have helped if the main characters were not so inhumanly pleasant and actually disagreed occasionally like normal families. In The Clan of the Cave Bear, Ms Auel wrote a beautiful and fascinating story, one in which complex characters clashed with each other, even when they loved each other. But unless she decides to develop more of the plot and less of the botany, I'm afraid that book will stand alone.
Rating:
Summary: Not the most exciting, yet the story continues.....
Review: While this book lacked the excitement and intrique of the others in the series, it was none-the-less, a welcomed return to the story of Ayla's life. While it was interesting to learn about Jondalar's culture and Ayla's integration into it, I have to say I expected more challenges. There seemed to be the potential for interesting conflicts between the characters, unfortunately they were never really played out. A couple other slightly annoying points... Auel revisited past events (from eariler books) too often and in too much detail. Also, the love scenes were a bit pointless and repetative... not ripe with passion (e.g. The Mammoth Hunters). But hey, aside from my small gripes, I couldn't it put it down! It was nice revisiting the characters I have missed so much over the past few years...
Rating:
Summary: Sadly disappointing
Review: I didn't mind the repetition, it's years since I read the previous books. But from what I remember of those books, this was hugely disappointing. While on the positive side it was a substantial read, and doubtless as well researched as the previous novels, there were several irritants. Endless herbal tea. The ludicrous idea of a cro-magnon hippy craft cooperative. Jondalar's Elvis-in-Vegas white leather wedding suit (even Barbie's Ken would have baulked at that). It was also disappointing that we did not get news of Durc, though perhaps that will be in a future novel. Above all, given Ayla's wonderwoman-progress in earlier chapters, I was astonished that she had not invented electric lightbulbs, the internal combustion engine, and nuclear fission by the final page.
Rating: 
Summary: The Power of the Human Mind 25,000 years ago
Review: I love to read books, possibly more than anything else. No I am not obsessed with reading, I have friends and everything else like a normal teenager should. In the past few months I have thought of Ayla as a friend. Jean Auel's books were introduced to me by my mother. She had read Jean Auel's first book, Clan of the Cave Bears, when she married my father. She thought I would this love this book as she had, and my oh my she was right! (Yes I actually said my mother was right!)
Immediately after reading Clan of the Cave Bears I made my mom drive me to the bookstore to get the rest of the series. I was one of the lucky ones, I didn't have to wait for the books to come out. Which is good because I don't have a lot of patience when it comes to waiting, but who does? I think it is safe to say that I finished each book within a matter of 2-3 days.
On Thanksgiving I was in the middle of The Plains of Passage, and I couldn't put it down!!! I read it all Thanksgiving day! Then I started the Shelters of Stone. This was one of my top favorites in the Earth Children's series. Yes, I agree it was a little repetative, but all books are! And when people say Ayla is some-what of a goddess, perhaps they are right, but in my opinion it was the power of the human mind that lead her to her discoveries. I must say this series was a great discovery, and that all should discovery it.
Rating:
Summary: Just not that good
Review: I noticed a lot of reviewers complained about the repetition, and that was defended as "filling us in on the first four novels of the series". That doesn't hold water, since there was SO MUCH repetition within this book. The justification just doesn't make sense since so much was repeated in this book. That is hard to accept since we see so much of the same things said over and over again within this same, 5th novel. And on it goes, but often with the exact same words instead of different ways of saying the same thing. Hence, it was a tiresome read, but at least I finished it. I know my husband couldn't even manage to do that. Ayla and Jondalar continue to have *amazing* sex, which we get to read about. They have their baby, and Ayla continues to insist that the man is responsible for "starting" the baby. Too bad- it would have been nice to maintain the Goddess as the important Creator. :-) Wolf was a nice critter to have around, and I did worry when he was injured and was relieved when he recovered. I'd like to have seen more of the people domesticate their animals, including horses or at least consider it. The Awe with which the derned things were constantly greeted by newcomers got pretty tiresome. Ah well. I knew what it was when I bought it so I guess I shouldn't try to hold it to too high of a standard. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I was anxiously waiting (and waiting and waiting) for this book to come out. When I started reading the series I was completely hooked. I've read and re-read all four books and they are wonderful, imaginative and flat out good stories. Shelters of Stone was like expecting a big thick slice of rich chocolate cake and being served a whole wheat cracker. All I could think was "It took over 11 years to come out with THIS?" Quite simply, it was boring. I agree with others on how repetitive the book was. It was just not up to par with the others. Or even close. I bought this book in hardcover because I assumed I would love it and want to read it numerous times. With book 6 (if there ever is one), I will wait for the paperback. Or better yet, pick it up from the local library.
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