Ayla, one of the most remarkable and beloved heroines in contemporary
fiction, continues to explore the world and the people around her with
curiosity, insight, and, above all, courage.
As the story opens, Ayla, Jondalar, and their infant daughter, Jonayla,
are living with the Zelandonii in the Ninth Cave--a shelter of stone.
Ayla has been chosen as an acolyte and has embarked on the arduous task
of training to become a spiritual leader. The wisdom that Ayla gained
from her struggles as an orphaned child, alone in a hostile environment,
strengthen her as she moves closer to leadership of the Zelandonia.
Whatever the obstacles, Ayla's inventive spirit produces new ways to
lessen the difficulties of daily life: searching for wild edibles to
make delicious meals, experimenting with techniques to ease the long
journeys the Zelandoni must take, honing her skills as a healer and a
leader. And then, there are the Sacred Caves, the caves that Ayla's
mentor--the Donier, the First of the Zelandonia--takes her to see. These
caves are filled with remarkable art--paintings of mammoths, lions,
aurochs, rhinoceros, reindeer, bison, bear. The powerful, mystical aura
within these caves sometimes overwhelms Ayla and the rituals of
initiation bring her close to death. But through those rituals, Ayla
gains A Gift of Knowledge so important that it will change the world.
Spellbinding drama, meticulous research, fascinating detail, and superb
narrative skill combine to make The Land of Painted Caves a
captivating, utterly believable creation of a long ago civilization and
serves as an astonishing end to this beloved saga.
