The Shelters of Stone: Earth's Children 5 (Earth's Children (Numbered Paperback)) [Paperback]

At the end of The Plains of Passage Ayla and Jondalar finally make it back to Jondalar's home - the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii - but the story ended before she got to properly meet Jondalar's family. In The Shelters of Stone Jondalar's family are pleased to have him home but are wary of the strange foreign woman and the animals she has brought with her. Ayla has been longing to find somewhere to settle down with Jondalar and desperately wants to fit in but can she get the Zelandonii to accept her?

Although The Shelters of Stone doesn't quite manage to live up to the first 3 books in the series I found it was an improvement on The Plains of Passage. While it still has some of the same problems as book 4 (the constant repetition from the earlier books being the main one) I found the story more enjoyable because there was more interaction with other people. My main problem with The Plains of Passage was the parts where Ayla and Jondalar were travelling alone and although the description of the landscape was interesting it did overwhelm the story line, it would have been a much better book if it had been trimmed down a little. In The Shelters of Stone I enjoyed the description of the Zelandonii way of life and their religious beliefs but did find myself getting tired of the long winded introductions to the many, many characters we are introduced to.

I really enjoyed getting to meet Jondalar's family, we have heard so much about them from Jondalar that I've been looking forward to finding out more about them for a long time. I did find the number of other characters we are introduced to was overwhelming though, it was hard to keep track of who was who (even though I was reading this book for the 5th time!). When they spent time with the Mamutoi we got to know quite a lot about each member of the Lion Camp but in this installment we learn little more than the names of most of the people we meet. It would have been nice if more than a handful of characters had been fleshed out properly this time too.

The plot in The Shelters of Stone is a lot slower than it has been in previous books so don't expect a lot of action in this installment. The focus is much more on Ayla learning the customs and traditions of the Zelandonii and trying to fit in and make friends which is understandable as they have finally reached their destination. I would say that it is well worth reading this installment if you are a fan of the series, if only to witness Ayla and Jondalar's mating ceremony and the birth of their first child. If you are new to the series then I would definitely recommend starting with the first book The Clan of the Cave Bear.

Back in the 1980's when I was still a teenager I came across Clan of the Cave Bear and Valley of Horses and bought them because I have always been very interested in human prehistory. I loved theses first two books, and by the time The Mammoth Hunters was published, I had already re-read the first two a couple of times. The Mammoth Hunters was rather disappointing, slower paced with the first 3/4 of the book happening all in one winter stuck in the Earth Lodge of the Lion Camp of the Mamutie - in other words no real action with the only plot being that Ayla and Jondalar have totally failed to learn the lesson from their misunderstandings based on lack of communication seen in the second half of volume 2, leading to a very dull and hard to read 'love triangle' with Ranec one of the Mamutie. Once summer comes and they head of to a Summer gathering the pace picks up and the novel is easier to read. Despite not really enjoying book 3 when Plains of Passage (book 4) was published I immediately bought it and loved it. It was even better than Valley of Horses which had been my favorite. Plenty of scene changes and far more action, plus Auel's descriptions for some reason in this book add to it rather than bogging it down as they tend to do in the previous volumes.

It was therefore very disappointing that Auel took so long to publish the 5th volume (this book). I remember there was even a growing belief on the Internet that she would never publish another volume. Again I bought Shelters as soon as it came out. This time however I was very very disappointed. Even less happens here than in Mammoth Hunters and far to many throw away characters are introduced and in general they are less likable than in Mammoth Hunters where the only unlikeable character was Ranec. I am about to re-read this book in preparation for finally reading the 6th volume, but unlike all the previous books this will be the first time I have re-read it. From what I have read about the 6th book it is highly likely that this will also be the last time I read Shelters of Stone as if book 6 is as bad (or as many reviews indicate worse) as book 5 I will probably never want to re-read it. I am only really about to re-read this book and then book 6 to finish the series, not for pleasure, as I hate not finishing a story once I have started it.

All in all a shame really as this book (and in all probability the Painted Caves) are a real let down and a very poor ending to what started with so much promise.

I was so looking forward to this after reading the previous 4 brilliant books in the series. The plots were so full of drama and Jean seemed to bring Ayla's world to vivid life. However, this book never really got going. The once colourful descriptions seemed so drawn out as to be interminable. The more I read the more I was waiting for the plot to begin. They arrived, they were accepted, they went to summer camp, they came home,the baby was born. That was basically it with a few minor dramas along the way. I was so disapointed and felt just a little bit cheated. I see Jean has now written the next book but I'm not sure that I want to read it if it follows in the same vein. Overall, very very disapointed.