content: After waiting with great anticipation for 12 looonnggg years, I actually took the day off work when my copy arrived so I could immerse myself back in the Ice Age! 300 pages later, I gave up and decided to clean house instead. I now know why the book has the shortened title of SoS - 'cause if I EVER saw a book in distress this is it! I am now perfectly willing to believe all those rumors that Jean is dead - she couldn't possibly have written this drivel.(well actually she did, it was just in books 1-4) This has been my favorite series of all time and now, sadly, I don't care if she ever gets around to publishing book 6. Even Ayla's skills as a medicine woman can't revive this victim.