The Plains of Passage

Written by Jean M. Auel

Narrated by Sandra Burr

Jean M. Auel’s enthralling Earth’s Children series has become a literary phenomenon, beloved by readers around the world. In a brilliant novel as vividly authentic and entertaining as those that came before, Jean M. Auel returns us to the earliest days of humankind and to the captivating adventures of the courageous woman called Ayla.

With her companion, Jondalar, Ayla sets out on her most dangerous and daring journey—away from the welcoming hearths of the Mammoth Hunters and into the unknown. Their odyssey spans a beautiful but sparsely populated and treacherous continent, the windswept grasslands of Ice Age Europe, casting the pair among strangers. Some will be intrigued by Ayla and Jondalar, with their many innovative skills, including the taming of wild horses and a wolf; others will avoid them, threatened by what they cannot understand; and some will threaten them.

But Ayla, with no memory of her own people, and Jondalar, with a hunger to return to his, are impelled by their own deep drives to continue their trek across the spectacular heart of an unmapped world to find that place they can both call home.

Fourth in the acclaimed Earth’s Children® series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: May 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543613285

Jean M. Auel

Jean M. Auel is one of the world's most esteemed and beloved authors. Her extensive factual research has earned her the respect of renowned scientists, archaeologists and anthropologists around the globe, culminating in her being made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture and Communication in 2008.

Reviews for The Plains of Passage

[Mariela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am in love with Ayla and Jondalar. But because these books are so long to read I found that I’m able to finish them with the audiobook while using my senses in multiple ways. This books is sometimes monotonous but suddenly something super interesting happens. If it where not for audiobook, I couldn’t be able to “read” their story. It’s been like 8 years now and with the audiobooks I have finished 2 books in a month!! I love this series because of all the details the author writes about, which is mostly, the reason why these books are so long.

[Sarah Bowen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like this book but it is super long and repetitive on certain points.

[Amanda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Are there any other books similar to these ?? I'm 54, and this is still my favorite series!!!`

[Ilene Zink · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one is a bit slow but a great book. As always I was not disappointed with this book in the series.

[Joe Scott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow ! The Best One Yet So Far In The Series !

[soness · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The narration is soothing. I often feel Jandalar is spoiled.

[Silje Knarvik · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good book. It is a bit slow going and long, but the dialogues are good, and the scenes with action are well-written.

[KG · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a good tale. It provides many types of people that they met on the way back including Clan. A lot of repetition for people that read the 1st 3 books but the story telling gets better and better from the 1st book until now. The character voices are more distinct and have more depth. Overall it is a good book.

[JAVIJAVIER · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is still a good book, although somewhat repetitive compared to the previous ones. Still looking forward to reading the fifth installment. (Translated from Spanish)

[Archman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This fourth installment of Ayla's adventures marked a turning point in my perception of the series: this is the book that felt the slowest and least engaging to me. In my opinion, the comparison with the previous ones leaves it a few steps below. (Translated from Spanish)

[Kela44 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's interesting how archaeology and anthropology combine with fantasy narrative. A bit too romantic for my taste with that erotic narrative of pulp novels or light erotic novels that I can't quite connect with. But it's art! And art is like that. There is drum music and other refined forms. (Translated from Spanish)

[Annexxis77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was considering slightly lowering the rating... instead of valuing it at 10... I was thinking more along the lines of 9.5 or even 9.0; which by no means would detract from the overall "valuation" of the novel, BUT..... I would have done so for the wrong reasons..... It's true that I found some differences with the previous publications, that is with the three preceding books, but I must also acknowledge that it wasn't due to the author's reason. Rather, and as I mentioned in a previous comment, during the reading of this installment, the "great" difference, for lack of a better term, is solely in the translation, where unfortunately the work and expertise of the translator itself marks very clear differences with the previous books... (A disappointment)...
Putting that aside, I still believe that this GREAT NOVEL (all of it... the 6 books) will surely shape the largest and best novel ever written.
As in other occasions, I took a glance at the previous reviews, and almost all agree that this installment LOWERS the quality.... I DO NOT AGREE.... for me, it not only maintains the quality, but I appreciate a much harder work in organizing the enormous amount of data it provides, and the mere fact of just attempting it would be enough, but considering the result... this installment is MAGISTRAL..... I don't want to give any "spoilers" by any means, but this magnificent "journey" continues with all the interest and tension needed.
Ayla and Jondalar; Whinney, Corredor, and Lobo ..... a wonderful quintet that delights any eager reader longing to "run adventures," on horseback... on foot... on the ice... under the jaws of a "terrifying" Wolf?????... really, I could rename this work as the NEVERENDING STORY, for I would love for it to never end, but given the direction the story has taken, I imagine that the last two installments will close the most extraordinary of all... at least I hope so....
Certainly, I can only recommend the reading of each and every one of the books that make up this extraordinary work.... THE CHILDREN OF THE EARTH..... It should become the go-to book for any reading lover... you wouldn't regret it.... (Translated from Spanish)

[Jana Maia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fourth book of the saga "The Children of the Earth." In this one, Ayla and Jondalar embark on the long and difficult journey back to his lands. It is a journey full of adventures, in which the temperance and love of the protagonists are put to the test.
Although it is not as good as the first three, it is entertaining for those of us who love Ayla, the cave heroine.
I read it in PDF. I recently acquired it in print, so I will read it again soon. (Translated from Spanish)

[March Delgado · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In this fourth installment, Ayla and Jondalar continue their travels. The first three captivated me, from here on, the level drops. (Translated from Spanish)

[Astur · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little more and it continues to keep the interest. (Translated from Spanish)