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What changed in the movie
What changed in the movie, title by title: 14 in total. Tap a cover to open it. Titles you haven't marked as read stay locked so nothing gets spoiled.
- Referencenod to comics or other movies
- Cameoa familiar face shows up
- Setupplanted now, pays off later
- Behind the scenesproduction trivia
- ChangeCreb survives
In the book, an earthquake kills Creb at the end, shortly before Ayla leaves. In the movie, Broud banishes him and then lets him stay, and Creb is still alive when Ayla goes.
source ↗ - ChangeAyla wins the fight with Broud
In the book, Broud becomes leader, puts the death curse on Ayla and she is forced out. In the movie, Ayla takes on Broud in a fight, wins, and Brun shames him in front of the clan.
source ↗ - ChangeWho saves Durc
In the book, Ayla has to plead hard to keep her son. In the movie, Creb is the one who stops the baby from being killed for looking different.
source ↗ - ChangeWho Durc stays with
The book leaves Durc under the protection of Brun, who regrets picking Broud. In the movie, Ayla leaves her son with Creb.
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- Behind the scenesA finished script, no movie
John Sayles adapted The Valley of Horses for the screen along with the first book. The 1986 film's box-office flop killed the plan.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesTwo stories until they meet
Much of the book alternates Ayla alone in the valley with the journey of Jondalar and Thonolan, told through his eyes. Jondalar is how readers meet the Others and the religion of the Great Mother.
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- Behind the scenesIn stores before the movie
The third book hit stores in late 1985, a few weeks before the movie of The Clan of the Cave Bear opened in the US in January 1986.
source ↗ - ReferenceThe mix Auel made popular
Rydag, the half-Clan boy, carries an idea the series helped popularize: modern humans and Neanderthals had children together.
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- ReferenceThe river is the Danube
The Great Mother River that guides the trip is the Danube. The destination sits near Les Eyzies in the Dordogne, a French region famous for its prehistoric sites.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesWeeks on the best-seller list
The book spent several weeks on the New York Times best-seller list across 1990 and 1991.
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- ReferenceThe real Lascaux
Ayla finds the cave of Lascaux, one of the most famous sites of prehistoric art, in the Vézère valley. In real life it wasn't discovered until 1940.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesA twelve-year wait
The Shelters of Stone came out in 2002, twelve years after The Plains of Passage. It was the longest gap in the series.
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- Behind the scenesA 31-year saga
The final book came out in 2011, 31 years after the first. By 2025 the series had sold 48 million copies worldwide.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesAyla may return in animation
In November 2025 a 12-episode 2D animated series went into development at Pilepse Production. There is no date yet.
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