The Clan of the Cave Bear

Earth's Children, Book 1

De: Jean M. Auel

Narrado por: Sandra Burr

This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love.

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

Through Jean M. Auel’s magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves The Clan of the Cave Bear. A natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous land until she is found by a woman of the Clan, people very different from her own kind.

To them, blond, blue-eyed Ayla looks peculiar and ugly - she is one of the Others, those who have moved into their ancient homeland; but Iza cannot leave the girl to die and takes her with them. Iza and Creb, the old Mog-ur, grow to love her, and as Ayla learns the ways of the Clan and Iza’s way of healing, most come to accept her. But the brutal and proud youth who is destined to become their next leader sees her differences as a threat to his authority. He develops a deep and abiding hatred for the strange girl of the Others who lives in their midst, and is determined to get his revenge.

Listen to more in the Earth's Children series.©1980 by Jean M. Auel. (P)1986 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Imaginative, exciting." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Jean Auel has performed a minor miracle." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Production and Narration didn't quite ruin it

Would you try another book from Jean M. Auel and/or Sandra Burr?

Yes to Auel. Maybe to Burr. I'm not sure she's the problem. The production was terrible

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Clan of the Cave Bear?

When Brun recognizes Ayla as someone more than just a girl

What didn’t you like about Sandra Burr’s performance?

Her voice was slightly clipped and monotone BUT though she wasn't the best narrator the main problem was the changing production. Every few chapters the pitch would change and he sound would be less clean. Also you could hear the pages of the book being turned and it often sounded as if the narrator had her lips ON the mike. It almost sounded like it was recorded on a scratchy 45rpm

Was The Clan of the Cave Bear worth the listening time?

Absolutely. It's one of my favorite novels

Any additional comments?

I love this book. I've read it dozens of times. I can quickly immerse myself in the Clans world and am thoroughly invested in every character. Even though the audio for this book is shameful I still enjoyed it. I really hope the publisher decides to rerecord it. This book deserves the best.

Better after 30-some years!

I read The Clan of Cave Bear when it first came out a very long time ago. I loved it and read it again a few years later. As each new book in the series became available, I bought and devoured them. None were as good as the original, but I relished the detail provided in each on natural history and different cultural practices. Of course, all of it is a fantasy. How realistic is it to attribute the domestication of animals and the inventions of so many technologies to one prehistoric young woman? But the books were all fun to read, and I enjoyed them on that level.

Having discovered that the final book in the Earth's Children series will be coming out at the end of March, I decided to listen to the original story of Ayla and the Neanderthals on my iPod, especially in light of new DNA evidence pointing to our genetic connection with them. I absolutely loved listening to the audiobook version of my old favorite! I went about my business, earphones on, for three days until I had finished it. Then I downloaded The Valley of Horses and continued Ayla's saga. My goal is to complete all books in this series before The Land of the Painted Caves is released. Hopefully audible will have it available.

The Clan of the Cave Bear is definitely the best of the series in terms of plot and character development. I recommend this audiobook highly and I'm looking forward to listening to Painted Caves! Ayla seems like an old friend and I have missed her between books.

Very interesting

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this books story line and will look for the next in the series.

Love it

It's a classic. I never get tired of these books! This author truly enjoyed her work.

Favorite series, rediscovered via Audible

The narrator was not my favorite, especially in the "young" Ayla, but the storyline is so amazing that I still gave it 5 stars overall.