Anybody else plan to buy and read this? I usually don't spend the bucks on hardcover new releases, but I'll probably go get this one. Just have to decide whether to use my frequent reader card at Waldenbooks and $5 certificate and go pick it up on the release date of April 30th, paying $22.35; or order it tonight from half.com for $22 including shipping, and hope it gets here before the 30th - they say ready to ship. Man, I hate dilemmas like this!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

Answers

Polly...I've been waiting sooo long for Jean Auel to publish a new book!! I loved her Clan of the Cave Bear series. If I can't get her new book any cheaper through my book clubs by mail, you can be sure I'll be at half.com to order it. Thanks for the info :-)!!!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

This is her 5th book in the Earth's Children series, which includes Clan of the Cave Bear; which was published in 1980. Takes her a long time to write 'em! I'm also waiting on the new Janet Evanovich; Hard Eight; which is due out June 18th. Sigh.

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

It's been SO long since I've read those books! Now I'll probably have to read them again and get caught up before I read this new one. Didn't Ayla and Jondelar (sp?) get hitched in the last one? Can I get a bullet point recap on the last book from somebody?

I remember being so cold and lonely reading those books! brrrr!!!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

If you don't have the previous 4 in the series, they are available in paperback at half.com for as little as 75 cents each, plus shipping. I can only find two of them on the shelves, tho I know I have all four - somewhere!

The last book was the journey from the Lion Camp (where she turned down marriage to Ranec the carver, and also to the tattoo'd dude that was the leader of (I think) the Amber camp) to the camp of the 9th cave of the Zelandonii; where Jondelar's family lives. I think that they are supposed to get married at the Summer Meeting. She's pregnant; and not sure of her welcome at Jondelar's home. Some people make her feel welcome, some don't. Good thing I'm off work on May 1st!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

I have all four of her books in hardcover, Polly. I think I'll reread the last one just to refresh my memory!! Sometimes...just sometimes...I really envy the people that lived though that time in human evolution. It was a time when everything was just so, well "basic", I guess that's the way to describe it :-)!!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

No Polly, the third book was when she was suppose to marry Renec. The forth book was their journey home. They took the long way so they could stop by the Sharamudoi (I looked that up) where Alya fixed Roshario's arm and Dolando accepted Clan as people instead of animals. Then there was the problem with the Wolf Camp, where the women treated the men like slaves. Then the Losadunai who lived by the hot springs, and continued teaching Alya. And then the Glacier crossing, where she couldn't make her contraceptive teas. The father's cave met and accepted Alya and wanted them to stay on. The cousin loved Jondalar but married an abomination instead. Finally they made it to Jondalar's cave with the strange rock that Creb kept telling her about in her dreams. They are not married yet but she (and the horse)is pregnant.

I'm gonna read it when the library gets it in but won't buy it until it's in paperback to match the rest. Actually, it won't match because they keep changing the covers but...

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

Thanks! Oh boy! I had better get the books out again. I forgot more than I remembered! I think I still have some (all?) of them in hardcover....out to the garage this weekend, I guess. Hey! How fun to re-read them, though! And the Rings Trilogy, too... and there's always the library!

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2002

Polly...I just pre-ordered this book from The Literary Guild for $10.99 (using my bonus coupons)!! Can't wait til the 30th :-)!

-- Anonymous, April 23, 2002

I've read them all. The last one my best friend dubbed "The Plains of Passion" (instead of The Plains of Passage). I get really tired and bored with books where the main characters are jumping each other's bones all the time when they should be running for their lives. And they never end up dying from their stupidity!

So, I'll be waiting to get it from the library or maybe paperback. I probably could put in for it now at the library. They always get new releases BEFORE generally available. Of course, the waiting lists get kind of long . . . .

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2002