Customer Reviews

Song of the Axe

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As a big fan of prehistory novels, I held off reading this book for a long time because of the reviews here, so I was surprised to be so enthralled by it.

The story is quite epic, spanning the heroes' lifetime, and it's told with a lot of emotion and imagery. The main characters are deep and attaching, and the violent tribe of Ka seemed very realistic to me. The scenary is brought to life with a lot of skill, the landscape and atmostphere wonderfully described... I could see it, hear it, smell it, as if I were there -- a wonderful trip. I'm now greatly looking forward to reading Dann's new book, Song Of The Earth.

To those who rely on reviews before deciding whether to read a book or not, give this one a chance, it's worth it!

I enjoyed this book and was shocked at the bad reviews. I expected to see a rating of at least 4 stars.

This book was a prehistoric generational soap opera in the best sense of the genre. There were surprises and twists and turns in the plot. Wonderful yet not over long descriptions of the natural world and what pre-historic life was like. There were characters you love and characters you loathe. There was mystery, magic, warlocks and totems.

One reviewer was upset because of Eena's quick recovery after being raped by the savage hunter Ka. I had no problem with Eena being raped and yet able to make love with Agon. It was only possible because she was healed and cleansed by the magic of the Earth Mother and to her that "magic" was utterly real. Someone wrote there was too much dependence on "magic" in the book. News flash. The book was about magic. And the interesting thing the author did is make you think that perhaps back then magic was real. Very, very real.

One reviewer commented that it was not sensible that a 3 year old boy would hate his father and want to kill him and take his mother away from his father. That shows she did not understand what she was reading. The boy had an evil spirit because of who his father really was.

I truly enjoyed this book. I would love to see it made into a mini-series! I hope the author does not get discourage by the dumb reviews of the naysayers. If he writes another book I will be sure to read it.

30,000 BC in Eurasia during an age when the ice melts and rivers overflow, everyone reveres and fears the seemingly invincible fighter Agon and his magical axe. Eena has also earned quite the reputation from their clan members due to her abilities with throwing a spear.

The malevolent Ka, chieftain of a rival tribe, kidnaps Eena and destroys much of the clan. The intrepid Agon goes to rescue Eena and avenge his people knowing the odds against him, but also confident in the SONG OF THE AXE that he uses.

This novel will remind readers of "Clan of the Cave Bear." As such, die-hard fans of Jean Auel's works will enjoy this tale. The story line provides much insight into known prehistory while supplemented with theories to fill the gap. However, Agon and Eena (Adam and Eve?) work as characters when they use their weapons of choice or turn spiritual. When they come together, they act more like modern couples rather than Cro-Magnon man (and woman). Still, for those who relish prehistorically set tales, John R. Dann's novel is the right stuff.

Harriet Klausner

Not quite uo to the standards of Jean Auel (WHEN is she ever going to write another?) or "Childen of the Ice". Too much emphasis on the supernatural, and the couple seems awfully monern for Cro-Magnons in their attitude to monogamy. But, all in all, not a bad read.

this book was incredidably good but i ordered the sequil and never recieved it please help i also ordered song of the earth is it lost

The story line had so much potential but was a jerky, choppy, rush through a dozen story lines. Too bad the author did not take time to explore each character and their story line more thoroughly. It was unbelievable and unrealistic right from the beginning for the female, and I'm sure, male readers. For the heroine to have been brutally raped within the first few pages then enjoying fantastic sex with her "soul mate" within hours made me want to puke. I continued to read the book hoping that it would have some redeeming qualities and due to the fact I was stuck at the airport. Otherwise I would have fed it to the closest trashcan. Folks don't waste your time or money. Save it for authors like Sarabande, Cockrell, Harrison, O'Neal and Gear.

I found one too many familiar themes in this book from several of my favorate authors but one stood out above all others. The reluctant boy shaman "Animal Man" has his upper thigh mauled by a cave lion as he was trying to fit into a crack in a cave wall.
I have read a lot of historical fiction and no one ever came close to putting that into their works.

Could they have been, I am going to kill you while you sleep? Also, I don't believe that a woman who has been raped will fall into the arms of another man in so little time.
This book could have filled the big void that waiting for Mrs. Auel's next book, but it didn't.

Comparing this book to Jean's Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear is an insult. The gruesome details of the people of Ka's brutality and hatred were a real turn off. It's also hard to believe Eena and Agon's 3 year old son could be so consumed with hate for his father that he vows to kill him. And all those similar names! I lost track of who the characters were. I forced myself to finish the book because I kept thinking it might get better. I was wrong.