How To Put This?

[Sarah]

I can't possibly put it on here, but remind me sometime to tell you what I heard someone call these books one time. I still laugh when I think about it.

(That being said, they are very detailed, pretty interesting books....)

[Darth]

Alright, I'll bite, what did someone once call these books ?

[Samantha]

I know what I call 'em: garbage. Clan of the Cave Bear made me wish I didn't know how to read...

[[deleted user]]

I liked the first one and i think 1/2 through the second i said oh no don't do it don't sell out and turn this into a prehistoric romance novel-she didn't hear me
at least that was better than the dune series-it was 4 or 5 before the hard core selling out occured and by that time i was already hooked

[Christina]

This is a great book. I read the whole series a few years back. The biggest thing that held my interest was how she took care of her self against great odds, and of course the close relationship she had with animals.

[Stephanie]

I liked Valley of the Horses more than Clan of the Cave bear. I know I read it multiple times. I discovered it as a teenager, however 20 years and an english lit degree later I may not find it as 'good' as I once did. I don't like to judge books purely on the quality of their prose, however, I'm afraid I'd just find this series more like historical chick lit and be rather disappointed. Some books are best left in my imagination as "good".

[Christina]

The last one was not as good as the others. I had waited and waited for years for Jean Auel to put out another too. You have to admit her books were educational even though they contained some romance.

[Amanda]

Some romance? All the books after Valley of the Horses were just hot romance novels with Ayla and Jondalar (and how do I hate it that I remember their names?) falling all over each other's mutual hotness. Ugh.
She took a long time to write the first one and really made it interesting and challenging. Then she started writing ancient history romance novels.

[Christina]

I know. She did get carried away and her books changed from the first. You're right, but she still put a lot about the time and place in. That held me. Did you read them all?

[Samantha]

I admit I have only read Clan of the Cave Bear. It sounded promising since I love historical fiction and this one was different because it was prehistorical fiction. However, the extremely detailed descriptions of the plants, etc. were mind-numbingly dull and I have to say I found the whole thing rather distasteful. I haven't bothered to read the rest, but have been told by other friends (as well as on here) that they are really nothing but glorified romance novels (which I hate). So I don't see myself reading them any time soon.

[Fiona]

I must admit that I loved the 1st two books, but then I just got really annoyed with the rest as they KEPT ON AND ON repeating what had happened in the previous books!!

Like the author seemed to think that the reader would not remember what happened in previous stories...

I must admit that I could not finish the last one as she kept on repeating stuff that I had already read *sigh*

[Christina]

Auel has a distinct style and if you like long explanations - details, then you might like her books. Though I like her style and read the whole series, the last one "did me in" as well. I agree, she did seem to repeat things over and over.

[Heidi]

The first one was enough for me... was glad I read it (because at the time it was a very hot book) but definitely didn't make me want to read more of 'em (and remember what a stinker the movie was?)

[[deleted user]]

Only read the first two and must admit they're going downhill will persevere and read the third can't promise after that though!

[Ana]

I liked the first volumes of the series very much, but I found the last ones very repetitive and all the hot romance details about Ayla and Jondalar just made me feel like I was reading some kind of Pre-historic kama-sutra...

[Tracy]

I loved each and every one. I was tickled pink when the last one finally came out. It really made me think about what early life was like and I was very impressed with the description of the caves. I could almost picture them and feel the closeness of the small ones.

[Dee]

i'm reading the last one now, but its definately not keeping my attention as much as the previous ones - i'm reading like a chapter a night - which is like 2% on my kindle...

[Jeanette]

I loved the first 2 The 3rd was pretty good because of the drama and I loved the Old Mamute. The rest of the series.... well Lets say I started the series I must finish I enjoy Ayla's independence and self reliance. I could do without Jundalr. I like ready about the plant life and diffrent animals but yes it gets a bit repeditive after a while. Still It is one that I pick up once a year and read.

[Anne]

I loved them all, I received the last one for my birthday but I,m keeping it for my holidays. They were so descriptive and well written and I was with Ayla all the way. Sarah what did someone call them?

[Zen]

I agree that the writer should trust her readers more; we remember what happened in the previous books. I skimmed through the romantic bits in the last two books. I enjoyed them more that way.

[Debbie]

I loved the first one and cuple of the subsequent ones but did turn into prehistoric love story after readin a couple of them...but the first to me was great.

[Cathy]

I loved the first one and while I enjoy a relationship as a subplot in stories, the later ones didn't hold my interest like the first one.

[Lida]

I agree with the majority of comments on here. Loved the first two, started with the 3rd book, and this is one of the only books I have never and will probably never complete reading.
The first two books, are on my shelf (not just my virtual shelf) and have read them again. Though you will probably have to pay me to read the rest though.

[Lida]

Sorry, read the 3rd one, didnt complete the 4th one.

[Heathermomo]

I enjoyed this series. The first book is completely different from the later books. I get the feeling someone at the publishers said to her "great concept, but to keep the readers interest we need more sex!!" and that's certainly what's in the later books. Maybe Jondalar really is amazing in bed but puhleese. Whenever I re-read them I flick past those scenes. I also flick past the Mothers Song which is a major part of The Shelters of Stone, and I understand a core part of the latest one The Land of Painted Caves
I don't mind the recapping of the earlier books, I suppose it caters for a one off reader. We don't always pick up series at the first book :)
I think the ones I like the best are The Plains of Passage and The Valley of Horses

[Mara]

This book is on my favorite list because I read it when I was 14 and the 14 year-old me still loves it....I think that says it all.

[Steve]

Five stars, Five stars, Five stars, The next two were starting to get repetitive and boring. I'll eventually read the last in the series, but am definitely in no hurry. It's a shame too. I thought they started out brilliantly!

[Debbie]

Yeah Clan of the Cave Bear was so different from anything Id ever read before..and the first 3 or 4 were good, nowhere near as good as the first, but they really started to be tooo repetitive. Reminded me of Flowers in the Attic. I loved that book, but all of her other books were like she was trying to remake Flowers in the Attic...same story different setting and different names.

[[deleted user]]

When this book first came out it was one of a kind. I loved the first one I have all but the latest that came out this year. I can say over time it seem like she glamourized Ayla a bit too much.

[Shirl]

I read all these Jean Auel books back in the 80;s and early 90's and thought they were great back then. Wow! suprised at all the negitive reviews on them. They took be to an age before our modern times.They didn't seem to have the social morals as we do it was just stories on survival and nature to me.

[Susan]

I also read the first three books back when they came out in the 80's. Loved the first, really loved the second, liked the third...then she lost me because of the overabundance of detail. Since it has been so long, think I'll revisit them and see how they hold up after 25+ years!!

[Angela]

Deborah wrote: "Clan of the Cave Bear was interesting but The Valley of the Horses has called me back a few times. To me it is a fantasy of the being stranded on and island alone genre and seeing how you would sur..."

Yes I did! I also liked the "surviving alone" aspect of the story. A found it a little far fetched how much Ayla "discovered" ie. making fire, stitching wounds etc. but all in all I liked this book the most.

[Kirby]

I loved the first one, liked the second, persevered through the third and fourth, and hated the fifth...don't think I even wanna read this last one.

I agree, angela- that was part of what turned me off, that not only was ayla the most beautiful and smartest person in the WHOLE WORLD, she also invented/discovered EVERYTHING! I just couldn't swallow it past a point.

[Karen]

Deborah wrote: "Clan of the Cave Bear was interesting but The Valley of the Horses has called me back a few times. To me it is a fantasy of the being stranded on and island alone genre and seeing how you would sur..."
I agree, The Valley of Horses was the best of the bunch.

[Lauren-Jane]

I love these books, I dont know how anyone can dislike them!

[Carole]

Lauren-Jane wrote: "I love these books, I dont know how anyone can dislike them!"

I agree with you. These are my favourite series books. Don't forget when she wrote them it was in the 1980's and I think the tastes of people are different today. I think because there is so much paranormal on tv and movies, it influences book selling. I like her books because she took me back in time to prehistoric and in my opinion she did a great job of capturing that time. I have reread them twice.

[Kay]

I read and loved Clan of The Cave Bear a few months ago and will definately be reading the next book. I'll probably read 3 and 4 too but I've heard bad things about 5 and 6, so I might leave them.

[Nancy]

I liked Clan of the Cave Bear, The second was ok the third was boring and they just kept getting worse.

[David]

Saw one of my friends recommended the latest one "The Land of Painted Caves" on Facebook. I had never heard of this series. I Grabbed the first book and was hooked, couldn't put them down and loved the entire series.

[Ann-Marie]

I enjoyed the series up until the latest book. That one was almost like a summary of the previous books put into one. Lots of repeating and reminding the reader of things we already knew from the previous books. One long journey from cave to cave, it became tedious. She even repeated the same little comunication problem the Ayla and Jondalar had in Mammoth Hunters. Seriously? Shouldn't they have learned from their mistakes earlier? I didn't enjoy it as much. The book just irratated me.

The rest of the series I thought was fantastic for someone who read the series in early highschool.

[Carole]

Tracy wrote: "I loved each and every one. I was tickled pink when the last one finally came out. It really made me think about what early life was like and I was very impressed with the description of the c..."

I totally agree with you. What captured my imagination, was the fact that Ayla was totally dependaant on herself. Can you imagine yourself in her place. It's not like you can go to the grocery store, or clothing store to get things. Let alone communication with the internet. I think this is why I like the series. For me it was in a different time, just like Kathren O'Neal's series, only better.

[Chelsea]

I really enjoyed the 3rd and 5th books but I have not gotten to the last one yet.

[Melody]

Don't bother with the last book, The Land of Painted Caves. I reread the whole series before I read the last one. All Jean did was repeat a lot of what happened in the first books. I was very disappointed.

[[deleted user]]

thanks for the warning I was thinking about getting it this weekend I will wait till used book sales

[Katrina K]

These books are phenomenal! (well the first 3 are), but yes, then they deteriorate a bit. the second book is my favourite!

[Bridget]

I first read Clan of the Cave Bear when I was in high school, and I loved it. Valley of the Horses was fantastic, easily my favorite of the series. The rest did get a bit dry after that. I did enjoy the Plains of Passage.

I haven't read the final book yet. I was so excited about it, but after hearing all the disappointing reviews I'm so sad. I will finish the series because it has been a part of my reading list for so long. I just wish it could have ended better.

[Karleene]

I'm with those who loved Clan of the Cave Bear. Wonderful, IMO, along with admirable research, great writing, vision. Terrible shame what they did with the movie, I'm sure author Jean Auel was crushed over that. I know I was. Also a shame that her publishers forced her to sign the Earth Children's series in order to get Clan published. The rest of the series stank to the high heavens, forced writing, repetition and a lot of time spent on the size of his privates. Yuk. Now she's finished and can breathe again, I hope we'll see another book of quality like Clan, which she is definitely capable of.

[Barbara]

I loved the first two books. The third book The Mammoth Hunters was a lot of content that she dredged from the first two books. The fourth book I referred to as Plains of Poop-age because it made me sick. If there's a fifth book, please spare me the details.

[Karleene]

Have to agree with you Zachary, except I didn't have your fortitude. I loved, adored! Clan, but gave up 1/3 of the way into Valley and never ventured any further into the series. Didn't see that they were in Clan's class, but were more romance crapola to fill her contract and get the publisher off her back. JMO of course and I generally have one. :)

[Karen]

Deborah wrote: "Clan of the Cave Bear was interesting but The Valley of the Horses has called me back a few times. To me it is a fantasy of the being stranded on and island alone genre and seeing how you would sur..."

I agree, Deborah, The Valley of Horses was the most interesting of them all.