Earth's Children Series

[Auroranorth]

thedivinemisst03 said:

And it gets a bit annoying by the fifth book (which I am currently reading) how Godlike Ayla is. She invents the bow and arrow and the sewing needle, she is able to figure out how to domesticate animals, and understand human contraception, she is a remarkable healer, and all the while she beautiful and loved by all In the sixth book I wouldn't be at all surprised if she 'discovers' how to turn water into wine, raise people from the dead, and is nailed to a cross.

The term you're looking for is Mary Sue.

[Deleted]

Am I imagining things, or is there some suspicion that the first book was written by a different person than the other 4 or 5 or however many there are? I could swear I read that theory somewhere.

And I totally learned about sex via these books. Them and crazy old VC Andrews got passed around the 5th grade girls at my school until the covers fell off.

[bumptious]

dis said:

Am I imagining things, or is there some suspicion that the first book was written by a different person than the other 4 or 5 or however many there are? I could swear I read that theory somewhere.

I've heard that theory too. I think it's because Clan of the Cave Bear is considered well-written, researched and thought-out; the other four are...not. Her research is still pretty good on the other four, but they are not well-written (too overdramatic, porny and unbelievable as far as characterization) and not really well thought-out either (especially the 5th book).

ETA: That WAS the case with VC Andrews - she wrote Flowers in the Attic but then a ghost writer wrote the rest of "her" books - but I'm sure you already knew that.

And I totally learned about sex via these books. Them and crazy old VC Andrews got passed around the 5th grade girls at my school until the covers fell off.

Yeah, same with me but in the 8th grade. I remember one of my classmates had "Flowers in the Attic" in her purse and it fell out in front of one of the nuns. The nun gave her the DIRTIEST look but was only able to spit out one word: "INCEST." She then turned and walked away. Hilarious and the memory has stuck with me for this long....

Clan of the Cave Bear was frowned on because of the sex AND the paganism. Because those Neanderthals should have been Christians even though Christianity hadn't been invented yet? Actually I think it had more to do with the perceived glorification of paganism. People should only write about GODLY topics!

I'll definitely read the sixth book if she ever gets around to finishing it. But if she doesn't, I'm sure there will be a VC Andrews-like scenario with a ghost writer.

[Deleted]

bumptious said:

ETA: That WAS the case with VC Andrews - she wrote Flowers in the Attic but then a ghost writer wrote the rest of "her" books - but I'm sure you already knew that.

Interesting. I always assumed the ghostwriter showed up in the middle of the "Heaven" series, since that was when the author died. I've learned something today (always a good thing!)

ETA - Topic. I went to see Auel read just before I left Portland (coincided with the last book release), and I was shocked at how few people showed up. She's better than Palahniuk, and his crowds are scary. (I know, different cult followings, but still.)

[ladymadonna]

I love this series. I can't help myself. It's like reality TV for me: I know it's going to be predictable and crappy, but it continually sucks me in, because I am helpless to it's powers.

I hope Ayla totally cheats on Jondalar in the next book and gets pregnant, because he now knows the secret of fatherhood, and he will get all pissy when he sees the baby and it's part-black or part-Clan or something.

Ayla is what we would all like to be. She's THE most beautiful, THE smartest, THE best hunter, THE best mother (healer-ish type person), etc. She starts out at a disadvantage, and yet, she unconsciously triumphs over every obstacle she faces with an "Awww... shucks! Little old me?". And she invents everything known to mankind. I expect that she will invent the Internet in book 8. (Al Gore eat your heart out!) ;D

It's like a great big, porny soap opera that I have been reading for umpteen years, and I can't wait for the next cheesy installment.

Oh, and I get hungry reading the food preparations. Kind of like watching Food Network.

Love it!

[Deleted]

bumptious said:

dis said:

Yeah, same with me but in the 8th grade. I remember one of my classmates had "Flowers in the Attic" in her purse and it fell out in front of one of the nuns. The nun gave her the DIRTIEST look but was only able to spit out one word: "INCEST." She then turned and walked away. Hilarious and the memory has stuck with me for this long....


I too learned about sex from a combo of VC Andrews and Earths Children, and that is the funniest thing I have read in a long, long time.


I hate Jondalar with a hot fiery passion. His arrival marked the point when Ayla went from being a misunderstood, slightly flawed character who struggled to survive in her given environment, to Slutty St. Ayla; Savior of the Cro-Magnon people.
His character was so…blah, I swear, Wolf and Whinney had more intelligence and personality.

I wished she ended up with Ranec, he seemed hotter, smarter (marginally), and he had that sexy artist thing going on. Yum!!

[bumptious]

thedivinemisst03 said:

I too learned about sex from a combo of VC Andrews and Earths Children, and that is the funniest thing I have read in a long, long time.

I think it's sad I learned about sex from dirty Cave Porn and Incest Stories. The nuns wouldn't talk about it, my mother wouldn't talk about it, hell NO ONE talked about it. I was so sheltered. The first time a class mate told me about the whole sticking the penis into the vagina thing I didn't believe it. Did. Not. Believe. It.

I wished she ended up with Ranec, he seemed hotter, smarter (marginally), and he had that sexy artist thing going on. Yum!!

Really? Ranec bugged the hell out of me. His desperation was so apparent. He was so neeeeeeeeeeedy. I would get all squicked out reading about he and Ayla's "Pleasures".

Then again, I get bored reading about Ayla and Jondalar's Pleasures. At least the horses fuck interestingly.

[Deleted]

I thought his neediness and desperation came off as some kind of misunderstood artist thing, plus he was only in one book and Jondalar has been boring me for 5 books now.

[bumptious]

thedivinemisst03 said:

eh, what can i say, i thought his neediness and desperation came off as some kind of misunderstood artist thing (plus he was only in one book) and Jondalar has been boring me for 5 books now...

True, he was a misunderstood artist thing....

Speaking of things, you know what cracks me up? The fact that Jondalar has (of course) such a large penis that no woman could ever handle it. Then Ayla came along with her extra special deep supervagina. So not only is Ayla the most beautiful, wise, mothering, hunter, healer type person - she also has the best pussy.

Sometimes I wonder about Jean Auel....

[dwanollah]

*hysterics*

I also love that All We Ever Knew About Sex We Learned From Jean Auel and VC Andrews. We are one fucked up generation, y'all.