I'm nearly finished rereading the Earth's Children series for -- literally -- the fifth time. I've gotta say, it's one of the most profoundly excellent stories out there.
The level of vocabulary keeps me on my toes, and I find myself using words I often forget to apply just because of the constant memory jog that reading it causes.
The first time I experienced this wonderful series it was read to me by my mother at the age of twelve (the first four books anyway; the fifth one wasn't out until I was around sixteen. She read that one aloud to me too before I read it again myself.) Even though I didn't understand so many of the words and couldn't retain much of rich information, the basic concepts and power of the story still firmly held my attention.
Despite having it read to me and reading it again to myself twice, and reading it aloud once, and then reading them once again now, I'm still learning as I read. There is so much information packed into such a powerful and meaningful story. So much to learn.
Clan of the Cave Bear
Valley of the Horses
The Mammoth Hunters
Plains of Passage
Shelters of Stone
I can name all five of them off the top of my head. I can even go through the series event by event and recall the essential story. And still I enjoy reading it yet again. I expect to read it to my children.
It may be the best five books I've read, even if I prefer the more poetic and dramatic magical story of the Lighthouse Duet by Carol Berg when I claim my "favorite." But favorite doesn't necessarily imply best... Besides, the Earth's Children shaped many of my world views; that's nothing to blink at.
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