The Plains of Passage

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, exciting, spell binding, informative.
Review: I first saw "Clan of the Cave Bear" as a t.v. movie, liked it so much that I bought the book. As usual with movies and books of the same story the book was even better. I was hooked and the rest of the series followed. Ms Auel has a way of making the reader feel that he/she is right in the story looking on and having the same thoughts and feelings as the characters and learning from their experiences.. Once I start one of these books I'm spell bound and can hardly put it down to do other things such as daily business. I've spent many an all nighter with these books. I've read each book several times and have not been bored at all, just kept learning and loving each one more.I've passed these books along to my family and friends and they feel the same. I have the series in my library now and will certainly be adding to it.. I am anxiously looking forward for more! more! more! from Ms. Auel

Rating:
Summary: Jean Auel is Brilliant!
Review: Any writer who does a tremendous amount of research-especially in the prehistoric era-and can put all those facts together and come up with a truly believable story with truly believable characters is in my opinion, brilliant! I bought her first three books at a library sale because I had seen the movie "The Clan of the Cave Bear" and I was wondering if the book was the same as the movie. Silly me, it was NOT! The book was much better and so was book #2, and #3, and #4! I have to admit though, the explanations and/or descriptions of the plants, tools, landscape, and the pleasures Ayla and Jondalar shared, were a bit lengthy and sometimes redundant but by the same token I learned a lot about how people lived and survived during the prehistoric era. I love Ayla! She is strong, smart, and very perceptive and I think Jondalar is the perfect man for her! They may appear to be the sole saviors of the world to some people but to me they were Angels sent by the Great Mother to help all of these people. Did you notice how they touched everyone in a positive way and how they were glad to share their knowledge and experience with anyone who asked? I felt so wonderful everytime they helped someone. Jean's books made me laugh and cry and feel lust in my heart. Now that I've read all four books, I'm going into withdrawal!! I need to read your fifth book, Jean! I am dying to know if Jondalar's mom is going to like Ayla and if Ayla will have a boy or a girl. I want to know what Whinney will have too. I love Ayla's two horses and her wolf, I could acutally feel the strong bond she had with her animals. I could almost taste Creb's favorite dish, Ptarmigan. The way Jean described Ayla making it made my mouth water! I do hope Jean comes out with her next book very, very soon. I'm standing in line with the rest of your fans, Jean! Please don't keep us waiting too long! Long live Ayla and Jondalar!

Rating:
Summary: Repetitious--Too Little Plot
Review: I have thoroughly enjoyed the Earth Children's series and just re-read the entire 4 books. In this book, however, I had the feeling the author was trying to "remind" herself about the characters even more so than bringing the reader up-to-date on each character. It didn't have the feel of "Jean Auel" in many parts. Too much repetition of information and too little plot. I hope books 5 and 6--if ever written and published--have more plot.

Rating:
Summary: Some nits to pick
Review: This book drags a little more in places than the previous ones, but it's still entertaining if you're a fan of the series. However, for every book since Clan of the Cave Bear (every book showing non-Neandertal cultures) I get the feeling that, while the material culture is certainly well researched, the way the people are actually living is not quite believable. They all get along too well, are perfectly egalitarian, and so on. (Hunting and gathering cultures are egalitarian, but there is still more of a sexual division of labor, especially with hunting, than you see in these books.) Also, I'd like to point out one (admittedly minor) flaw that probably very few people would notice. When Jondalar is captured and tied up by the tribe that hates men, Ayla throws her spear and cuts the rope tying his hands, freeing him. Well, I've experimented with spear-throwers for a few years now, and I've been to competitions and met some of the top throwers in the world, and I think it's very unlikely that Ayla could have been that accurate with her spear, especially considering her limited experience with the thrower (after all, it was just invented). But then, Ayla is a superwoman.

Rating:
Summary: Clever & Addictive
Review: I've read the four books in Jean Auel's Earth's Children series and loved them all. Ayla and Jondalar are amazing lead characters and very well written/developed. I loved reading about their discoveries - like taming wild animals, creating new hunting weapons and making a sewing needle - which helped ensure their survival and made them mystical to the people they encountered. Auel creates a clever and vivid picture of how people during that time lived and saw the world. Very imaginative and a joy to read. I can't wait for her next book.

Rating:
Summary: Better Than The Best!!
Review: When I was first told that these were going to be books I would enjoy and love by my 7th grade English teacher, I wasn't so sure. But when I finally read them, I was blown out of the water. I read all four of the books in less than two months. They change your whole perspective on the way thins are now. I think that the next two books(I hope maybe more) will be as equally fabulous. The books tell of people that seem realy and the stories seem real. I hope we see more of these!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!!
Review: I have read Auel's 4 Earth's Children Books several times and like many others eagerly await any others that are to come. To date these remain my favorite books and I encourage all that may think of purchasing them to take the plunge. Although together the set looks daunting, the reading enjoyment is throughly worth it! Having first read these books as a young teenager reading them again as a young adult proves no less rewarding. Keep up the good work Auel.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I just loved the entire series, and can't wait for the next one to come out. Jean M Auel creates believable characters, and although I am quite young to be reading her books, I read a lot, and finished the entre series in 5, maybe 6 days. My mother and grandmother suggested them and I founf them a delight to read, this one especially.

Rating:
Summary: Anxious to get going
Review: Re-read the series recently for the umpteenth time. Sent a note of encouragement to Jean in May hinting that the next book would be a great Christmas present for all of us. Her assistant wrote back saying Jean is currently in seculsion, the book is taking longer than expected and don't expect to see it in the stores in the near future. Everytime I have written to her (3 times) I have received a personal response, not just a form letter, from her assistant Delores M. Rooney. This note left me with the idea that maybe the manuscript was closer to being completed because she mentioned it will still take several months for the publisher to process. We can only hope and keep our fingers crossed. Maybe for the new millenium (2001)?

Rating:
Summary: I can't wait for the next book...
Review: I really enjoyed the Earth children series, though being a rather young reader, I was sometimes quick to lose interest. I loved the characters, especially from the more different societies, and I was apprieciative of the obvious hard work that was put into the novel. The plot was well constructed but to often interuppted by long, and I mean looong, explinations of plants. Although interesting, it went a bit far. And, having just become a teenager, I thought that the explantions of sexual intercourse were a bit explicite and occured too often for my taste. I am eager to read the next book and see how Ayla and Jondalar fare at the next Summer Meeting. I really got into these books.