Earth's Children Series

by

Jean M. Auel

Beginning in 1980, Jean M. Auel brought an ancient world to life in the Earth's Children series.  The first book in the series, Clan of the Cave Bear, introduces Ayla, a child lost in prehistoric EurAsia, found by a Clan of Neanderthals, and her life among them. 

Each successive book follows Ayla as she travels through this ancient land, encountering other groups of people, learning how they live and leaving them a bit richer for having known her.  Because of her upbringing, Ayla thinks of things a bit differently than many others of that time.  She has had to do for herself in many instances and has "reinvented the wheel" and in doing so, has improved on it.

The author has done a superb job of bringing these ancient societies to life.  Through what must have been extensive research, she has developed a group of societies and inter-relationships that conform to archeological evidence.  While much of the detail is supposition, the story line fits much of the artifacts which have been found.

She also demonstrates an amazing knowledge of natural medicines, and how they may have been used by prehistoric people.  The knowledge of many of the herbal remedies have been known for millennia, and only now are we finding out how effective many of the natural cures can be.  

Ms. Auel has done a wonderful job of developing the characters in this series.  Ayla is a resourceful, strong woman and we celebrate each of her victories, along with her.  Each of the other characters is fleshed out and brought to life in a way that we can see how and why they act the way they do.

The series was very strong, but in the last book I read, there was a difference.  Helen and I suspect there was some assistance by another writer in this latest book because the tone and content of the story changed from the others.  It is still a great series and the book is good, but it doesn't mesh with the series as well as the other books do.

If you'd like to find out more about this author, you can take a look at her Website.