Valley of Horses, The (Earth's Children®)

Book Description

A timeless epic of the dawn of civilization.

In The Valley of Horses, Ayla, the unforgettable heroine of The Clan of the Cave Bear, sets out on her own odyssey of discovery away from the nurturing adoptive family and friends of the Clan. She is in search of others like herself and in search of love.

Sharing a hidden valley with a herd of steppe horses, Ayla finds a unique friendship with animals as vulnerable as herself and ingeniously discovers the complex skills needed to survive -- skills no Clan member was ever able to master. But none of her experiences prepares her for the emotional turmoil she feels when she rescues a young man -- the first of the Others she has seen -- from almost certain death.

Torn between her desire for human companionship and her fear of the unknown Others, she struggles against her deep attraction to the handsome Jondalar. It is Jondalar who teaches her the meaning of true friendship and love.

Customer Reviews:

Other Books.......2007-09-03

Stoneage Romeos.

With one big difference. The album by the Hoodoo Gurus is brilliant, the book isn't even remotely close to that, in fact several stars out of 5 not so.

This veers well into really, really boring romance novel territory. It may be supposed to be like that, but at that length, it gets really tedious, really, really quickly. Avoid it, unless that is what you are looking for, as smart guy and smart girl lust after each other across Neanderthal territory.

Excellent Reading.......2007-09-02

This book was fantastic! I bought the whole series after reading the first one. You can just feel yourself in that time period because of the excellent writing. Would recommend highly.

Didn't live up to the promise of Clan of the Cave Bear.......2007-08-18

I really liked the first novel in this series, The Clan of the Cave Bear. Therefore the second one, and all the ones that followed before I gave up reading them, was a huge disappointment. The Clan of the Cave Bear was grounded in solid research about primitive people and the archaeology of the time. Afterwards, Auel abandoned archaeology for the fantasies of Margaret Mead and her intellectual heirs. Probably Auel had no idea how factually incorrect the account of prehistory influenced by Mead was. According to Mead, primitive people are all peaceful and blissfully happy and practice free love with no jealousy or venereal disease or social ostracism or any other consequences. This novel plays out these fantasies, but they shouldn't be mistaken for fact. Enjoy the novels if that kind of fiction turns you on, but stay grounded in reality with such scholarly works as Sick Societies: Challenging the Myth of Primitive Harmony or War before Civilization: The Myth of the Peaceful Savage.

Valley of the horses.......2007-06-22

This is my 2nd time with Valley of The Horses. I read the story when it first came out in 1982. This time around I listened to the digital audio version from the public library.
I guess 20 years ago the frank sexual content did not bother me, but now that I am older, I think it should have been left out of the book. It slows the pace and seems unnecessary to get any points across. Much of the historical culture content that made the first book "Clan of the Cave Bear" interesting is lost in the gothic romantic style of this book.
Still, it was an interesting book even though I did fast forward through many sections.

Very good book.......2007-01-19

It was great; I love the epic stuff, though this wasn't as great as the earlier books.

Jean M. Auel's the Earth's Children: The Clan of the Cave Bear, the Valley of Horses, the Mammoth Hunters

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Amazing & totally fascinating saga!
One of my all-time favorites
please finesh the series soon
The Earth's Children series
Fifth book!

Jean M. Auel's the Earth's Children: The Clan of the Cave Bear, the Valley of Horses, the Mammoth Hunters
Jean M. Auel
Manufacturer: Bantam Dell Pub Group (P)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553328298

Customer Reviews:

Amazing & totally fascinating saga!.......2006-08-06

I have read the 5 books of the series at least 10 times each, in German and in English, I am so fascinated with the story. The characters are absolutely captivating, and there is so much suspense and drama, you seriously can't put the books down when you start reading them. In the very first book, the little girl Ayla will capture your heart, as you go on this journey with her when she is growing up, and she turns into this beautiful and intelligent woman - i bet about every male reader would love to be with her and get to know her, whereas female readers will envy her and want to be like her. But it's not just her, all the characters have so much depth to them, and it is so easy to picture them in your mind, as they come across as very real. I grew to love each and every one of them, including all the animals as well. This is a great story about love and friendships among people & animals, and a story about survival in harsh conditions and encountering and fighting enemies. A story about a time when great discoveries and inventions were made, a truly fascinating era.
This is my favorite story of all times, and I know I will read all the books again someday. So if you are just bored and are looking for something very good to read - this is it! Too bad the fourth and fifth books - The Plains of Passage & Shelters of Stone - aren't included with this package, but I guarantee most people who pick up those books and read them will probably read them as well, since it is an ongoing story, and you can't wait to see what is going to happen next. I can't wait for the last book to come out... hopefully that is going to happen soon.

One of my all-time favorites.......2005-01-05

Unfortunately, I read them so long ago, I'm not sure I would want to read the next one because I have lost track of the story lines by now.

please finesh the series soon.......2003-02-01

the clan of the cave bear lay around our house for several years. i passed it by many times thinking it would not be my kind of book. at last due to the urging of my wife i began to read clan of the cave bear! from that time until i had completed all five of the books in the earths children series,i absolutly could not put them down.i have read many book series. but never have i been carried away so by an author.the depth of auels research will pull at a very primitive and forgotin place in your being.however i must warn you! when you have completed the series thus far the knowledge of the as yet unwriten or at least unpublished climax to this series will leave you feeling incomplete!! so please Miss Auel finesh the series soon

The Earth's Children series.......2002-05-27

Each book does as promised, stand alone, and also as part of the larger story it melds into a great whole. I waited impatiently for each book as it came out, and because of the many years wait for The Shelters Of Stone, I was somewhat dissappointed in the book, because in my opinion all it really did was do a further buildup for the final book in the series, and I am so afraid that there will be another extended waiting period and let-down, but over-all I have to give the series a huge thumbs up and say that this series is definately part of my "Keeper" and "Re-readable" list and is now part of my personal Library.

Fifth book!.......2002-04-29

The author planned to write six books in the Earth's Children series, and I hope she sticks with the plan. However, I wanted to answer the question about which everyone seems to be confused--the fifth book. Its title is **SHELTERS OF STONE** ... . Anyway, the first four books are not only completely absorbing plotwise, but Ms. Auel's obvious research into the history of the periods about which she writes adds to the value of reading her books. Don't wait! Read the first four as soon as possible--at least in time to get a copy of her unpublished paperback.

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The Valley of Horses

Manufacturer: Crown Publishers Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000FBZ4NM

Jean Auel: The Mammoth Hunters, the Valley of Horses, Clan of the Cave Bear

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Jean Auel: The Mammoth Hunters, the Valley of Horses, Clan of the Cave Bear
Jean M. Auel
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553609270

The Earth's Children's Series Boxed Set (The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of the Horses & The Mammoth Hunters) (The Earth's Children, Volumes 1-3)

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The Earth's Children's Series Boxed Set (The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of the Horses & The Mammoth Hunters) (The Earth's Children, Volumes 1-3)

Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: B000EZYQQU

Product Description

3 mass market paperbacks in cardboard slipcase

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A miserable book
Good story, BUT...
You don't have to be a horse lover to love this book
Utterly, utterly depressing!
Not exactly an enjoyable read.......

In the Presence of Horses
Barbara Dimmick
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 031224567X

Book Description

A moving, powerful novel of a woman coming to terms with her past -- for readers of Jane Hamilton and Barbara Kingsolver.

Throughout her life Natalie Baxter has lost everyone she has ever cared for, and after losing her faith in people she returns to her hometown of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and takes a job at a local horse ranch. Caring for a fiery true black mare named Twister, she slowly begins to find courage to return to the world. And when a gradual romance builds between Natalie and farm's strangely reclusive owner, Pierce, she is forced to confront the ghosts of her traumatic past.

Customer Reviews:

A miserable book.......2006-05-25

No horse lover would want to read this book--it's totally depressing. One star is more than it deserves.

Good story, BUT..........2005-03-03

I just finished this book. Loved the information and perspective about the horses-- Liked the characters, but wished the characters would have grown/developed more into healthier people. I didn't like the vague way that character Pierce faded out of the story-- no closure. Same with what was happening with Nate and Mason in the last couple pages--- it needed a bit more closure to be a 5 star book. this makes me very sad, that the author didn't accomplish this closure for us. Otherwise I really did like the book. I hope she has kept writing.

You don't have to be a horse lover to love this book.......2005-03-03

Not counting the three pony rides I took at a county fair when I was about 7, I have no experience with horses. I do, however, have a lot of experience with books, and In the Presence of Horses is a terrific read. Scenes are so finely crafted - places so well described and dialog so real - that one feels more a voyeur than a reader. Reading about loss and recovery from loss is hardly a pleasure trip. But Dimmick deals with a hard topic honestly and realistically, putting it in a setting that gives it grounding and perspective.

Utterly, utterly depressing!.......2004-07-27

After reading some of the 'favorite book' lists here at Amazon, I decided to check this book out. Once you get past the first third of the book, it just gets more and more depressing - and then at the end, all hope and joy is totally dissipated.

I was hoping for an uplifting story involving horses, instead (as has been stated by other reviewers here) everyone dies or is in comas, there is no light anywhere here.

Thankfully, I checked the book out from the library, so all I lost was the time I spent slogging through this book.

Not exactly an enjoyable read..............2003-11-06

While the first half of this book is interesting and seemed to have possibilities, the second half is morose and disappointing. While I don't expect every book to be wrapped up happily with a red ribbon, this one left me feeling cheated. I waded through the second half, hoping upon hope that somehow the ending would make the rest of the book worthwhile. It did not.

The Earth's Children Series: The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of the Horses, The Mammoth Hunters, The Plains of Passage, The Shelters of Stone (Books 1 - 5)

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The Earth's Children Series: The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of the Horses, The Mammoth Hunters, The Plains of Passage, The Shelters of Stone (Books 1 - 5)
Jean M. Auel
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Clan of the Cave Bear

ASIN: B000M8YLJ6

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The Wild Horses of Hidden Valley
Ronald P. Westmoreland
Manufacturer: Eakin Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0890157170

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Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
Brown sunshine of sawdust valley
Excellent Children's Book
HORSE CRAZY IN TENNESSEE

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
Marguerite Henry
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0689807791

Customer Reviews:

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley.......2001-07-02

I loved this book as much as I loved Black Gold! This is a story of love, courage, and anger. It starts about a little girl named Molly who gets an old mare named Lady Sue for her tenth birthday. Molly in her heart, does not like Lady Sue. She wanted a wonderful hose as elegant as Secretariat. Then, when Lady has a baby mule everything changes. Molly raises Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley to win the King Mule Contest. Despite all of the teasing from Freddy Westover, Molly takes a leap of faith to create a champion out of the true King Mule - Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley.

Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley.......2001-02-28

The story is about a girl named Molly who wants a horse of her own, but her family can't afford a horse. So on Molly's tenth birthday her dad saved enough money to give Molly a really big surprise. Molly gets an old mare named Lady Sue. Molly acts like she is happy, but she wasn't that happy at all. She was not very grateful. Lady Sue had a baby mule named Brown Sunshine. Brown Sunshine became a beautiful young mule. Molly turned Brown Sunshine into a hard working mule. She became her friend. Brown Sunshine inspired Molly to write an award-winning essay. He became so beautiful that he won the King of Mule Day. The book was a fiction book and it was very well written. The setting was in the Sawdust Valley. It was a peaceful place until everyone started talking about Brown Sunshine. I liked this book because I am an animal lover and it was about an animal. It is also an enjoyable book to read and you can read it very fast. It is full of surprises. I recommend this book for boys and girls ages ten to fourteen.

Brown sunshine of sawdust valley.......2000-06-14

I loved this book it didn't take me long to read it but I loved it their were some dull parts but still i give it 5 stars. Most parts were really exiting. The part I liked the best was when she got a horse.

Excellent Children's Book.......2000-02-13

I read M. Henry as a child and grew up with the horses in her stories. I recently read this book again, and I found it to be just as wonderful.

HORSE CRAZY IN TENNESSEE.......1999-07-28

This read-in-one sitting book by the author of MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE is presented in both diary format (first person) and standard narrative form (third person). You will be kept on your toes as chapters alternate in style, even switching back and forth in the same chapter. But this lightweight tale introduces readers to the world of mules--their history and unappreciated value. Molly (aged 10-13) acquires a young mule as a suprise, thanks to her father's wise faith in a lean, older mare. Even the local bully grows up to respect both girl and mule. This gently-paced story praises human caring for animals and their loyal service to man. A simple storyline which will appeal to pre teen girls are horse crazy.

Jean Auel Set -Clan of the Cave Bear/Valley of the Horses/The Mammoth Hunters/The Plains of Passage

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Jean Auel Set -Clan of the Cave Bear/Valley of the Horses/The Mammoth Hunters/The Plains of Passage

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FGO7Z8

Book Description

While witches fly and ghosts go by on a Halloween weekend, a Hollywood cast and crew descend upon Hillside Manor. Judith McMonigle Flynn's worst nightmare is realised when yet another guest, mega–producer Bruno Zepf, drowns in the kitchen sink. When is a murder not a murder, but an accident that could cost Judith her beloved B&B? The police are baffled, so Judith and cousin Renie try to find a killer – any killer will do – to fend off a five–star lawsuit.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Better Entries.......2004-03-02

I was starting to get a little tired of this series but this one improved a bit over the last several books; it is particularly better than the last in the series, Suture Self, whose title was the best thing about it.

Judith must play hostess to a bevy of Hollywood names & stars & starlets who are in town to celebrate the premier of a movie that had been filmed in the city. Of course, there is a murder (the producer of the film) or was it murder? There is a chance that it is the result of negligence on the part of the B&B. Of course, it is obvious that it is a murder and, for me, it was obvious from almost the beginning who had done the deed. For that reason I almost rated it 3 instead of 4 stars. But, the interaction between the cousins and their families is fun to read (although Bill, Renie's husband, was silly in his duck outfit for Halloween).

All in all, a pleasant read and I will continue reading the series if she keeps the quality at this level or higher.

Nice Try.......2003-09-23

I'm not a big fan of the mystery genre, but this book didn't help me like mystery novels. I haven't read any other books in Daheim's B&B series, but I don't think I want to. The writing was weak, the characters have very little dimension, and there was just too much subplot (if you can call it that).

Joe was about the only character that appealed to me. He actually used his brains to assist, unlike Judith who could charm anyone, no matter how unwilling they were to talk. And Renie was just annoying.

Attempts at comedy usually fell flat. Gertrude was pretty fun, though. I think we all know someone a bit like that (for me, it's my aunt).

The reason I'm giving this book two stars is because it's a light-read and it's meant to be one. But it's not the quality I was hoping for when I picked it up at the bookstore.

Not Up To Par.......2003-09-03

This once enjoyable series is starting to lose its steam.

Judith has turned into nothing more than a simpering, annoying buttinsky. All she has to do is simply smile, use a compassionate tone of voice, and tell people how much she loves people and BOOM! - they spill their guts to her. Oh, they complain and tell her to butt out and mind her own business, but they spill it all anyway, even when she's following them around town or showing up in their hospital rooms. Why, even airline employees give her passenger manifests over the phone, which everyone knows is just not done.

The supporting cast is also starting to wear thin. Renie's antics used to be amusing, but it's gone beyond the point of silly when she's crawling into a kitchen cabinet because all three of her kids have suddenly decided to get married out of the clear blue sky. Even Gertrude seems to have lost her sharp edge.

The premise of this series has always been cute, but how many murders can happen at a B&B before word gets out and people stop staying there? Or the B&B Association no longer endorses the property? This series has gone on long enough. With the more enjoyable "Alpine" series still going strong, perhaps Ms. Daheim should concentrate her efforts on that and just let everyone at Hillside Manor retire in peace.

Lame and Inane.......2003-04-05

Perhaps this cozy mystery has more to offer to the long-time readers already acquainted with the numerous characters. Family dynamics might have been amusing to someone more familiar, but were simply an irritation to this reader. Replacement hips, broken shoulders, deafness, dementia and free loading 30-year old kids simply are not amusing. Too many characters, living and dead, that just kept popping up throughout the book made it almost impossible to keep up with the story, the chatter was over the top, but not delightfully so, and the mystery was so very convoluted I really didn't CARE who had done it - I was just ready for the book to end. Where Ms. Danheim REALLY lost me though, was when a character was calling the airlines to check on passenger manifests. There should be SOME reality in a cozy mystery, some clever twists, and a lot more of setting and research by my thinking. This was a senseless hodgepodge.

Not Up To Par.......2002-09-24

It took our library ages to finally get me a copy of this to read. I had picked it up in several bookstores but never bought it, as the rest of my Mary Dahiem collection is in paperback. To be sure, I'll buy this one when it comes out, but the book was a bit of a letdown. The happenings at the B & B take place around Halloween, but this holiday and all its spooky trappings are never really used effectively. The "mystery" trick or treaters is rather lame, if not next door to impossible to believe. As for all the movie folks who swoop down on Judith and her husband, there really aren't any memorable characters; this is the most normal group she has ever dealt with. Not a surprse that none of them had the ambition or forethought for mayhem. I don't mind a few red herrings in a book but it was virtually impossible to figure out who the murderer actually was. There was not as much interaction between Renie and Judith, but Bill, Renie's husband, is turning into a very welcome, likeable character. He and Joe's friendship seems every bit as genuine as Judith and Renie's. Gertrude was her usual colorful self, and always welcome at every appearance. The big push in the book is that Judith could lose her beloved B and B due to the drowning death of a famous producer. However, even though there was a lawyer involved, there was never a mention of a lawsuit by anyone except the near hysterical Judith and the nervous Joe. It just never seemed like a possibility at all, so hence no panic on the reader's part. And, sorry, I don't think anyone could buy Renie's three children, none of who had serious beaus, turning up engaged. A mediocre Mary Dahiem is better than most, but I hope her next foray is more in keeping with her previous books, most of which are pricelss and have been read at least three times. I don't know if this one will get another read.

Silver Scream: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery

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Silver Scream: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery
Mary Daheim
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NY1OYY

Average customer rating:

Silver Scream: A Bed-And-Breakfast Mystery
Mary Daheim
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S9LFGG

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