Return to Eden (West of Eden, Book 3) [Hardcover]

Harry Harrison (Author)

Book Description

Series: West of Eden, Book 3 | Publication Date: July 1, 1988

The rousing conclusion of an epic trilogy! In WEST OF EDEN and WINTER IN EDEN, master novelist Harry Harrison broke new ground with his most ambitious project ever. He brought to vivid life the world as it might have been, where dinosaurs survived, where their intelligent descendants, the Yilane, challenged humans for mastery of the Earth, and where the human Kerrick, a young hunter of the Tanu tribe, grew among the dinosaurs and rose to become their most feared enemy. Now, in RETURN TO EDEN, Harrison brings the epic trilogy to a stunning conclusion. After Kerrick rescues his people from the warlike Yilane, they find a safe haven on an island and there begin to rebuild their shattered lives. But with fierce predators stalking the forests, how long can these unarmed human outeasts hope to survive? And, of course, Kerrick cannot forget Vainte, his implacable Yilane enemy. She's been cast out from her kind, under sentence of death, but how long will her banishment last? For her strange attraction to Kerrick has turned into a halred even more powerful than her instinets - an obsession that compels her to hunt down Kerrick and kill him.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The conflict between the human Tanu and the reptilian Yilane reaches a climax as the two implacable enemies face each other in a battle for the destinies of their races. Harrison's conclusion to his alternate prehistory of Earth excels in its detailed depiction of an alien civilization that might have been. Recommended where the series is popular. JC
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Harry Harrison is a the award-winning author of numerous bestselling SF novels, including THE STAINLESS STEEL RATS series, the DEATHWORLD series and the predecessor to this book WEST OF EDEN. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 348 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553053159
• ISBN-13: 978-0553053159
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,330,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful conclusion to an outstanding series, June 26, 2001

By 

Robert J. Crawford (Balmette Talloires, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Return to Eden (Paperback)

I loved the first volume of this trilogy, got bogged down in the second, and then absolutely loved this third volume. In this one, Harrison devlops his themes of clashing specie-civilizations, which are evolving in new directions as the events unfold. The plot development is brisk, many of the ideas are new, and subtle conclusions are reached.

One of the great faults of sci-fi is that authors get too ambitious. Afterall, they are telling us what the future of mankind might hold, so they tend to megalomania. Due to his conceptual and storytelling talents, Harrison, like Octavia Butler, pulls it off brilliantly and believably. His creation of an alternative intelligence - the social dinosaurs - is one of the most subtle and intriguing creations in all of sci-fi. I have recently read these books over and found them just as interesting and complex as the first go. If you like this kind of ambitious sci-fi, you simply can't do better than these books.

While my partners through the years have laughingly dismissed my love of sci-fi as comic book kitch - and they were usually right! - I must say that there is an occasional book that really has characters worthy enough to enter literature. In my opinion, the characters in this book are that good. They grow, they learn, and they struggle. Their fates and choices are not at all predictable. It is even moving.

Highest recemmendation.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rare Trilogy That Delivers With Each Edition!, August 22, 2001

By 

S. Nare "snare" (Lebanon, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Return to Eden (Paperback)

Harry Harrison didn't exactly crank these books out at the speed of some other authors. In fact, by my calculation there was about a 7 year wait between editions. He didn't rush to market. He took his time and wrote one outstanding book after another. After having read the first two, I was eagerly looking forward to this one. It didn't disappoint in the slightest. By the end of the book you are still in awe of the world he created. I think my favorite thing about this book was at the end. I mean when I had put it down and thought about all that had happened to Kerrick, Vainte and all the characters. These books are for people who think deeply. It is not a light read. If you haven't read the first two books, you could read this one alone, but I wouldn't recommend it. The implications of many of the events can only be truly appreciated after having read the two previous books. I think my biggest regret is that it is over. It is like saying goodbye to someone with whom you have travelled for some time. I will warn readers that you are tempted to skip ahead as you read. The book is written in a series of stories that tie up at the end. I was VERY tempted to skip ahead to see what would happen to this or that group. Don't do it! The surprises are worth the wait. Thank you very much Mr. Harrison for all the delightful entertainment. I treasured these stories and highly recommend them to everyone!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reading with a satisfying conclusion, June 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Return to Eden (West of Eden, Book 3) (Hardcover)

Mr. Harrison was able to appropriately bring his Eden trilogy to a satisfying conclusion...quite a task for a trilogy of such broad scope. Surprizingly tender in the inevitability of the 2 races (Yilante and Tanu) situations.