Rating: 
Summary: Not as bad as all that
Review: I have read alot of reviews that trashed the book, but I read it anyways because I was a big fan of the the previous four books. Auel wrote this book, for people who didn't read the other 4 and that is unfortunate. I don't need constant recaps of what happened before and I skimmed over those sections. I also got tired of the very detailed descriptions of the landscape and skim over those too. I was more interested in the story of Ayla and Jondalar than the landscape. It was a good read, (with skimming of the dull parts) and I read it in one weekend. I will buy the 6th book to finish the story, but I do wish Auel will write book six knowing that the reader has made it through the other 5. STOP RETELLING THINGS WE ALREADY KNOW! Having said that, I still enjoyed the book... but it could have been better.
Rating: 
Summary: A New Home
Review: If you are looking for excitement, then this is not your kind of book. But if you have read the four previous Earth's Children books, then you will find great comfort in Ayla and Jondolar settling into a home and family after the travels and travails of their earlier episodes. This book took a long time (1 month) for me to read and I took to it slowly and comfortably. There is repetition in this that could have been omitted which would have reduced the page count of the book, but I do not find the repetition painful at all. This is a slow, quiet read and I certainly have enjoyed Jondolar's "return home" with Ayla opening the world of the Zelandonii to others. Be patient with this book and it will reward you.
Rating: 
Summary: Wish I'd waited for the paperback...
Review: Like many people I was thrilled when I heard Auel was finally bringing out the long anticipated fifth book in her Earth's Children series, so it came as a letdown when I grabbed up the book and began to devour the story only to find it repetitive and rather unexciting. I was looking forward to further adventures of Ayla and Jondalar, but was disappointed to find the majority of this book to be a tell-all about the first four books. I felt that I didn't constantly need reminding of what had happened in the other stories (if people are new to the series it is up to them to go back and read the first four books, not up to fans of the series to have to read all about them in the following books), and when the story did try to move ahead into something new, it seemed sluggish, and slow to get anywhere.
Though I will definitely read the sixth book when it comes out (and hope it is more back to what made me fall in love with this series), I have to admit I wish I'd waited for the paperback edition instead.
*Note. Though this review says it refers to the bookcassette, please note it actually refers to the hardcover edition of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow plot but interesting details
Review: Shelters of Stone had lots of rich details in it about what Cro-Magnon culture could have been like. It also had a lot of foreshadowing to set up for the next book. It also contained repetitions of things (perhaps a bit too much) so people who hadn't read the series in a while could jump right in to this book. There are more kinds of drama than just quick plot twists. This book is good to pick up whenever you have time, read, and then put down for awhile until you have time to read some more. It's worth the price.
Rating:
Summary: More description than action-- Still a great book
Review: All of the books in the series (except the first) repeat scenes from earlier books. It is more noticeable because there are more books from which to repeat and there is less action to detract from the repetition.
The action is slow because SoS is an in-depth description of Alya's acceptance into a new culture. Alya has been accepted into many different cultures; her acceptance follows the same repetitive pattern: People frightened, Alya Help, People Accept, Alya Receive high status.
Conflict is missing- no war, insane leaders, travel or new animals. Readers looking for that need to look elsewhere. The book gives a study of the sociology of the time and how the culture operated as a whole. Society's response to the challenge to the belief that the Clan are animals is reminiscent of the challenging of racial stereotypes in modern time.
The book is not too focused on details; it is trying to show how the society operates on a daily basis. A great read for immersion into Zelandonii life.
Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: I kept waiting to get to the interesting parts, but they never came! This book is 95% character development, and after such a long wait, very disappointing.
Rating: 
Summary: From a Auel Fan--I'm glad I took it out of the library
Review: So disappointing. The plot drags, and the characters are uni-dimensional and not rounded out like her other books. Also, the plot conflicts are trite and stereotypical. I'm glad I took it out of the library. I own all the other books by Auel and have re-read them several times, but am not planning to buy this one, or read the next one (unless the reviews are phenomenal).In case I was remembering with rose-colored glasses, I chose to re-read Clan of the Cave Bear (the best in the series). The characters were well rounded with clear understandable motivations that led to how they acted. Iza, Creb, Brun, Broud, along with Ayla "the outsider". Even the secondary characters were rounded out: ie Uba. Then, I re-read Valley of the Horses--interesting in that we learn more about the culture of the Others through Jondalar & Thonolan, and how Ayla survives being alone. And of course, the development of Ayla & Jondalar's relationship. I re-read Mammoth Hunters, and thought it was okay. I actually liked Plains of Passage, but didn't re-read it because I can't find my copy. I am a neophyte about the historical period the series takes place. I'll have to defer to the experts about whether Auel's research is accurate. But, the principle parts of a novel should be plot and characters. These elements are sorely missing in The Shelters of Stone.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Introduction to Book 6?
Review: The repetition of the earlier books is justified for those who haven't read them, or don't remember what they read 12 years ago. The repetition within the book is not; nor are the ad nauseum descriptions of rocks, plants, hills, valleys, etc. Are the number of words in the book used in calculating what Jean Auel was paid? probably, and she knew it. The story line, while stretched out and left hanging, was good. The presentation of the social lives, and struggles of the people Ayla is to live with is interesting, if not exciting. But, the whole thing could have been comfortably compressed into a couple hundred pages as the first few chapters of something a lot better...like what we all hope book 6 will give us.
Rating:
Summary: boring
Review: I feel like I got taken to the cleaners. Twenty years since the last sequel and this is the best Jean can come up with? She should have already retired. The book did so much rehashing of previous plots I wanted to scream. The Mother song got way up on my last good nerve. All of the new material could have been placed in one short story. What a giant disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Slooooooow
Review: I was a big fan of Auel, right until this book arrived. It's approximately 700 pages long and it took nearly 500 pages before it starts to get interesting. I skipped chunks of pages because they are pure repitition from earlier in the book. I'll probably buy the next one but only because of the first three and to see how it ends. Hopefully Auel won't let us down. If this book was half the length it would potentially have been great. I was disappointed.
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