Customer Reviews

Song of the Earth

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

 

 

Circa 30,000 BC (plus or minus a millennium or two as only word of mouth records handed down by generational storytellers exist) the Young Grae became a great chieftain due to Erida at his side (see SONG OF THE AXE). His father Eagle needed Flower and his grandfather Old Grae had the seven daughters of River Woman to aid him.

The seven sisters, sired by different men, were the only friends of the weird looking and constant jabbering Old Grae when he was a child. Having learned to swim when their mom tossed them into the nearby river, the sisters saved Old Grae when a volcano destroyed their Eden and almost led to his drowning.

The tribe splinters with Old Grae taking one group with him that includes three of the magnificent seven (Spirit Dancer mother to Eagle, Sun Hair, and Lilith) on an Exodus through the wilderness guided by spirits talking to him. As three consecutive generations wander northward, they battle with tyrannical tribes threatening their existence. Old Grae never sees the promised land, but his ancestry the Tribe of Grae continue the quest seeking a land of milk and honey to call home

This prequel is a terrific look at prehistorical society done with a biblical context. The story line grips the reader who obtains a deep look at the wandering tribe's struggle to survive in a harsh environment. The biblical references add an odd intriguing spin, but also slow down the action when enhanced by insightful anthropological concepts on wandering life in 30,000 BC. Still fans will believe that Old Grae, his peers and his ancestors existed in ironically a well written prehistory tale.

Harriet Klausner

The writing skill in this book, although not necessarily the content, may be appropriate to 5th & 6th graders . I found it in the used book store and based on the cover hype, was excited to think I might find something equivalent to the Clan of the Cave Bear series. What a miserable disappointment. The characters are truly stick figures to match their description in the book as "the stick people". I found it impossible to relate to any of the characters.

Speaking of the cover hype, the blond female's legs without full leggins must have been terribly frost bitten in all that cold. Interestingly, the man had enough sense to cover up all over. Perhaps the women's magic made them impervious to the cold.

It's true Cave Bear has weakened with the last two releases but it is still so much superior in every aspect that there is no comparison, and it is a disservice to Jean Auel to imply otherwise. Her books are still worth waiting for the next installment. I will not be waiting for any more of this series or going back to read the Song of the Axe.

I love to read all types of books, and happened to come across this one and Song of the Axe at the library. It is recommended to read Song of the Axe first. I read that one and could hardly put it down, then followed with Song of the Earth. It is a real treat to have questions answered from reading the Song of the Axe. It goes back in time several generations, explaining how the tribes evolved and split and in some cases, met again. Interesting is how they developed new words, tools, and traditions. I don't know how it is if you approach ths from purely a historic view, but if you want a terrific set of books for entertainment and a unique perspective, you may very much enjoy these. It is enlightening to read how these early people used instinct, creativity and trial/error to survive. I am just hoping there are more than these two books that tell of these specific tribes.

Song of the Earth began nicely with a grandmother retelling a story of how their tribe came to be. The entire village was located in--essentially what many would consider--paradise in which killing was not necessary. The villagers ran around naked and participated in promiscuous sex whenever and with whomever they pleased. Jealousy was never a cause of concern. The entire village was soon destroyed by a natural catastrophe leaving only a boy and seven sisters. For the sake of the tribe, each sister mated with the boy and each became with child. Within the first 50 pages every sister had already birthed a child. So many characters introduced so quickly left little time to do any real character development. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. By 100 pages in, the story had swiftly seen to the adulthood of most of the children. Without knowing John R Dann was a man, it would have been easy to guess his gender based on the storyline. Some men have the ability to create really great reads but I couldn't visualize a woman designing a story in which a boy was allowed seven mates in a world in which they alone lived.

It had a real Adam and Eve presence about the story which felt wrong and out of place for the genre. The time period occurred before Christianity and similar beliefs. The people would look to the spirits and live an earthen lifestyle. Besides this was more of a story of Adam and Eve and her six sisters.
One issue I found unsettling was the lack of conflict. The people learned to hunt without difficulty and they learned quickly to develop knives without painstaking labor and frustration. Their spoken vocabulary quickly increased but sadly the words from the author did not. Conflicts for the characters were sparse and quickly overcome.

Basically, the author told you who was what. In my opinion, readers should be able to gather an opinion through the events in the story rather than having an author come right out and tell you exactly what personality each character has. If a character is brave, the author shouldn't say "Adam was very brave." There should be an episode in which his bravery is proven through his actions. I want to see his bravery not be told that he is brave.

Everything was very simple; nothing complex to discuss or think critically about. To simplify the story and to be blunt, it was blah. The story ran too quickly to get an idea of the surroundings and the events happening around them so you could never step inside and really become part of the story. I had to put it down and find something else. It might have gotten better. Honestly, I didn't finish it so I wouldn't know. I may go back to it when I have run out of other prehistoric fictions to read. I recommend a Charlotte Prentiss, Jean M. Auel, Sue Harrison, Linda Lay Shueler, a Gear's couple book, or a William Sarabande book. Each of those authors revolves around prehistoric fiction but be aware that some of them are not shy to involve conflict in their stories. This one is definitely one of the worst ones I have read. It would have been better if the author took his time developing the surroundings, characters, and the events so that the reader could visualize it. This could have been made into a series and may have been a really good read.

I am not a professional critic. I am simply a reader. My posts are not edited like books written by authors. This is my take on the book and everyone is allowed to agree or disagree.

If one likes history from what thinks might have occurred at the beginning of time this book is for you. You may not believe what happens with the prose, but it will make think. What is better then the making up your own mind?

I tend to agree with your first reviewer as to the "Adam and Eve"
features of this novel.
It is quite readable and fast paced, but its picture of 30,000 BCE
is "way off base" by the standards of modern knowledge.
As far as I can find there is no trace whatever of the "wide men"
(Neanderthals) in Africa.
There is no indication of Neanderthal stupidity, savagery and endemic canibalism ( they had bigger brains than Homo Sapiens sapiens).
"Modern man" dates back far beyond 30,000 years even according to the somewhat discredited "Eve" hypothesis.
For example Australia was actually settled as early as 80,000 BCE
by the Aboriginals, who are effectively modern man biologically.
As to the protagonists inventing clothing for the first time as recently as then, well that is farcical.
Neanderthals in Europe were living on the edge of the ice sheets for a whole ice age before then!
Perhaps they were very hairy indeed!!!
Over all the cover very much sums up the book.
Jean Auel did a much better job, especially in her later books.
Eurokiwi