Return to Eden

West of Eden #3

by Harry Harrison

In "West of Eden" and "Winter in Eden," master novelist Harry Harrison broke new ground with his most ambitious project ever. He brought to vivid life the world as it might have been, where dinosaurs survived, where their intelligent descendants, the Yilane, challenged humans for mastery of the Earth, and where the human Kerrick, a young hunter of the Tanu tribe, grew among the dinosaurs and rose to become their most feared enemy. Now, in "Return to Eden," Harrison brings the epic trilogy to a stunning conclusion. After Kerrick rescues his people from the warlike Yilane, they find a safe haven on an island and there begin to rebuild their shattered lives. But with fierce predators stalking the forests, how long can these unarmed human outcasts hope to survive?

And, of course, Kerrick cannot forget Vainte, his implacable Yilane enemy. She's been cast out from her kind, under sentence of death, but how long will her banishment last? For her strange attraction to Kerrick has turned into a hatred even more powerful than her instincts -- an obsession that compels her to hunt down Kerrick and kill him....

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Alternate History, Fiction, Dinosaurs, Science Fiction Fantasy, American

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the ultra-excellent EDEN series. Written pretty well, you know, for an ustouzou.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinosaurs vs. humans: FLEE HUNT FITE TREK FITE EXPLORE *anticlimatic boss fight* DENOUMENT

I think the most interesting part of this series is the number of pages reserved at the end of this book for a detailed explanation of history from the dinosaurs' point of view, and then holy cow does this guy go nuts explaining the languages involved. Hands in the air, linguistics nerds!

[David Robert Bloomer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end has come

I've read all 3 of the Eden books this year. A lot faster than 26 years ago when I first discovered them. I wanted to see if they flowed as well with being read at a quicker pace. It does but there is a bit of an issue I have with this final novel, which I will come back to.

Don't read this review before you've read the other books as there will be spoilers. Not only to this book but to the 2 preceding titles.

So we pick up where we left off Vainte abandoned on an island. Kerrick with his family living by two male yilane by a lake. Other subsidiary characters all waiting in the wings. It starts moving all the characters along at a rate that isn't meandering but is slow considering how fast the last 50 or so pages seem to fly through. Also some aspects of the story seem superfluous to the main story. Which I'm sure could have been trimmed for more action.

It's a story of revenge and some aspects seem drawn out rather than meaningful to the story. I'm going to spoil it a bit now, but the massive build up ends in a rather quick and too simple of a way. Not killing off Vainte earlier seemed to be heading for a massive shoot out or something big. A quick event that is heroic but a huge let down, considering the build up. Which is something that seems to happen not just in this book but in parts of the other books to. A character out lives their usefulness , kill them off. The death of one of the main characters is treated as if it was no big deal but the character was a main stay for a while. I just found those parts annoying, as if the investment that the reader puts in, doesn't matter, the character has just become superfluous to the thrust of the story.

That's really my only problem with the book. Meanders sometimes and then is too quick when you want some bits expanded upon.
The trilogy is well worth a read but come the end you don't feel it ends. It could have a comeback at a later date but it won't be as the author passed away a few years ago. So enjoy a good adventure in a world that may have existed but for that pesky asteroid. Which has always confused me in this book. As we or as in this book the Tanu, exist because the dinosaurs ceased to be. How did the Tanu rise and birds abound to. Just an odd thing but it was always at the back of my mind reading it.

[Jindroush · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kopčem meets Godzilla.
Série se odehrává na naší Zemi, jenže v paralelním vesmíru, kde se nepřihodil anti-dinosauří asteroid, takže na většině světadílů se pohybují dinosauři, jen na jednom savci.
A inteligentní ještěři Yilané, kteří (přesněji které) ovládají biotechnologie vs poměrně natvrdlí Tanu, tj. pra-lidé, kteří se zatím dostali k pazourkům a především objevili tajemství výroby prapiva.

Yilané je kultura zcela matriachální, takže samice zcela běžně obtěžkávají samce svými vejci a jestli ti u "porodu" umřou nebo ne, jim je jedno. A rodiny, jako u všech vejcorodých, prakticky neexistují.
Na rozdíl od lidí, které známe, kde fungují blízké rodiny a maximálně tlupy, v přísně patriachálním uspořádání.

Z těchto všech protikladů uměl Harrison umíchat prakticky třídílný román. Od začátku jsem se obával, že vše ztolkienizuje, ale umí věci podávat i bez slovníčků a mimochodem, a celkem obratně se tak vyhýbá dlouhatánským popisům, raději nechá promlouvat postavy.
Samozřejmě, linií je mnoho a poměrně "zázračně" se mu z dramatických důvodů proplétají, ale daří se mu udržovat jakýs-takýs spád - o dost lépe v první části, druhý a především třetí díl už trochu ztrácí na tahu a hlavně směřují k předpokládanému závěru.

Některé promluvy pračlověků a pračlověkyň mi přišly nemírně moderní a inteligentní, přitom žiji v tom, že mám očekávat úroveň "muž hlad, žena jídlo hned", ale co já vím, jestli jim nekřivdím.

Čtení jsem se poměrně obával, protože Harrisona znám pouze jako autora nepříliš vážně myšlených sf, ale byl jsem velmi pozitivně překvapen. Série jako celek u mně osciluje někde mezi 3 a 4.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this series and am sorry to be done. It's a fabulous 'what if' (the asteroid never hit the earth) and provides a fully fleshed out scenario of how that might have looked. The interesting thing to me (one of them) is that the Yilane (dinosaur rulers of the earth) hate us (humans trying to dwell on the edge of this vast dinosaur kingdom) on the same practically molecular level we hate them on. Each species describes the other with identical feelings of horror and disgust, as at something that never should have existed in the first place, and both species feel said error should be promptly corrected. 'They are so cold and scaly/hairy and sweaty/disgusting smooth skin/disgusting warm hairy skin.' Even the young of the species arouses violent feelings of disgust and revulsion, so in the armed contests between these beings infants of both species are dashed against the wall or stomped into the ground, and the adults of each species can't believe the other would do something so heinous even as they themselves are doing it. These books are at once thoughtful looks at ourselves, and rip roaring adventure tales. Highly recommend.

[Ellis Wasend · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unrealistic boring and repetitive, most of what happens in this book already happened in the last one and there were so many opportunities to polish this one up. Get into the genetic engineering of the sorrosetto or maybe even some of the genetic experiments on yilané themselves. I would have loved to see some kind of dark underworld of a corrupt essita that forced scientists to manipulate yilané into becoming the stratified society they are today. Like why are some of them the greatest minds on the planet while others can’t even talk? As a dominate society wouldn’t that concern them? Maybe they would even want that to be the case but to control it for the sake of having some kind of slave class work force while the elites control everything? To many loose ends while also recycling action from the first books. Book 1&2 were great and I highly recommend but number 3 was pointless. To bad cause there was so much more room in this world to expand upon. I’ll read more Harrison for sure tho, thanks for creating this world nonetheless.

[John Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I think this is the weakest of the three books in this trilogy, this is no denigration when the other two books present such a high bar. The trilogy is among the most fondly remembered reads of my youth, and in going back to re-read them I found that everything I remembered (which wasn't much other than the simple premise and liking them very much indeed) has been confirmed: these books are a tremendous accomplishment of imagination and world-building, and I truly miss hearing the characters speak to each other (and to me, the reader) in their unique ways. Particularly the gloomy melancholy oppressed male Yilanè.

The author's reliance on subject matter experts for language and biology are laudable, I think, and make for credible dinosaur-descended antagonists, though I found myself annoyed by his flubs with geography, substituting Entoban (Africa) for Gendasi* (North America) far too often, especially in this third book.

My edition is the Bantam paperback of July 1989; my hope is that these fumbles were corrected in later editions.

[John Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get the feeling the author had run out of steam or interest by this 3rd book.

The final story starts with a gloomy Kerrick reflecting on humanity’s difficult situation - as though our illiterate Stone Age hero was writing his memoirs - but then switches to the present day where things aren’t so bad. Frankly, the story that follows feels like “more of the same.“ There's little new of interest or significance introduced about the dinosaur Yilane culture or the Tanu people. The story feels directionless as it dully heads to its conclusion.

I would have preferred a more comprehensive ending. Perhaps a stong suggestion of where this alternative world was heading.

Maybe Harrison intended to return to Eden but he never did.

[Miguel Ángel Alonso Pulido · Rating 5 out of 5]

Con este libro concluye la excelente trilogía de Edén y lo de hace de una manera muy satisfactoria, cerrando todas las tramas pendientes y mostrándonos el destino final de todos los personajes que Harrison ha ido creando durante la trilogía. Poco hay que decir a estas alturas, si te gustaron los libros anteriores debes leer este, que cierra la historia de este mundo alternativo en el que los dinosaurios jamás se extinguieron. En el caso de que no quieras invertir tu tiempo en toda la trilogía, quédate en el primero, pero si quieres la experiencia completa, te aseguro que te no defraudará.

[Steven Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent conclusion to the trilogy! I upgraded my rating from 4-stars (midway) to 5-stars now. I was a bit worried where he would go with this during the second book. But, this volume brought all of the threads to either satisfying conclusions or reasonable continuations - without expectations.

In the end, the trilogy is really about the life of the 'human' boy and his role as an interface between the cultures. It's ending does not require additional volumes, but realistically hints at the possibilities in the future, as our own experience always does. Neither too simplistic nor convoluted, Mr. Harrison strikes an effective balance between adventure and cultural observation.

The middle volume was mostly in the adventure vein, and I was worried that the "exploration" side of science fiction would be cast aside for the spectacle. But, I am very happy with the resolution in the final book. I recommend that anyone who's interest is kindled by the first volume enjoy the ride of the second one (a lot of it is needed for background in the final one). Then finish it out with this volume and enjoy a unique view at an "alternate" earth history.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this last entry into the "Eden" series. Harry Harrison expanded his world-building, language building and character development; it was a pleasure to see how the books improved from first to last. I was more invested in the characters, as the author spent time making them unique and in some cases, sympathetic and/or amusing. The character of Ambalasei was truly funny and I looked forward to her speaking. A nice ending to the series.

[Chuck McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant epic trilogy of novels in which the dinosaurs never went extinct, but instead evolved into a race of sentient beings that suddenly find themselves coming into conflict with primitive man. The characters, plot, and world-building (especially the decidedly unhuman culture and science of the reptilian Yilane) are all top-notch, and readers are guaranteed to be utterly engrossed throughout.

[Aaron Krell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this was a finale to a book series.

What I liked: Now what I liked about this book was aside from finding out from both sides of the war, that they both just wanted it to end. And, it ended with the yilani who started the war in the first place getting killed.

What I didn't like: The only thing I didn't like was when they started to talk about politics, and positions in social structure.

[Rafael Ontivero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un poco cansado de tanto dinosaurio, y el final tampoco es pare echar cohetes...

[J.R. Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun! Extremely detailed! And we'll executed and presented work of speculative fiction!
This book alone is worth the read even though is one of these.

[Brent Leinheiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book came to a nice conclusion, though the book was a bit shorter than I would have liked

[Darnoc Leadburger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry if you're a fan of this a book, but I'm about to take a crap on it. Not literally - I'm not some sick n twisted heathen - But I'm about to call it boring and lackluster and flat and longer than it has to be... kind of like this review.

In all seriousness, I found this book to a be a mix of everything I just listed off. It didn't grab me, and nothing about it sucked me in... it's probably not because of Return to Eden but rather Winter in Eden. I really try not to go into books with a closed mindset, but WiE and I didn't get along and I didn't expect to get along well with Return to Eden. And I didn't. Funny how these things work.

[Francesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'ucronia assoluta.
Immaginate una storia alternativa per il nostro pianeta. Ma non semplicemente una delle tante variazioni del flusso degli eventi storici, bensì qualcosa di più radicale.
Immaginate che sulla Terra si sia sviluppata una civiltà il cui progresso scientifico sia imperniato sulla manipolazione genetica di ogni forma di vita. Una civiltà in grado di costruire città con il tessuto vivente di multiformi specie arboree, di solcare il mare a bordo di grandi pesci-nave, di attaccare i suoi nemici con rampicanti velenosi, di studiare i tessuti utilizzando il potere di ingrandimento visivo di animali dotati di lenti naturali, di sparare usando come fucili i corpi sottili di bestie che emettono dalla loro bocca spore venefiche prodotte da altre piante a loro volta modificate, di combattere il freddo con animali termostatici da indossare, di suturare le ferite o nettare i corpi con animaletti coagulanti o pulitori. Continua a leggere qui: http://letturefantascienzaedintorni.b...

[grundoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I thought it best to clear out a series or two before starting in on any more fresh ones, so this is probably my farewell to Harrison. Overall this has been quite a good speculative fiction trilogy – what if Earth's dominant species hadn't been wiped out a ways back? – and I was really enjoying this final installment precisely *because* the on-going villainous plot had thankfully come to a perfectly satisfactory end. But apparently leaving well enough alone wasn't the story he wanted to tell, so the final third of this shifted back to a bit of a disappointing slog to an utterly predictable finale.

[Andreas · Rating 2 out of 5]

What if dinosaurs had not become extinct, but instead evolved sentience? These sentient dinosaurs have also developed biotech to a certain extent, using non-sentient dinosaur species for various purposes. In the trilogy, the dinosaur civilization founds a colony in America and comes into contact with Stone Age humans. This whole thing could rapidly have descended into sillyness but it is mildly entertaining and thought provoking. The three novels are:

West of Eden
Winter in Eden
Return to Eden

http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=831

[Malcolm Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concluding story that follows the story that concluded the main story.
As much as I love this trilogy, this book does feel a little redundant in that the main plot is dealt with in the first two books. This is more of the story of what they did next.
Still an enjoyable yarn, I particularly like the city of the Daughters of Life storyline, but the main thrust was Kerrik getting to grips with which species he is and how the Tanu should live.

[Gabor Hernadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the last volume of the trilogy we can follow the lives of the human and jilanè characters known from the previous books. Unfortunately less action-packed than the first two, sometimes even tends to be boring a bit and the main plot threads converging only at the last pages a nit meaninglessly. The world itself still interesting and amusing although

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this when I was a kid, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm giving it 3 stars because I suspect that if I re-read it today I wouldn't be quite so captivated. Good stuff for younger sci-fi fans though.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK summer reading. The premise was intriguing and the writing was overall well done. There were slow spots and I had trouble sometimes following the internal logic of the culture of the sentient dinosaurs but, like I said, it was good escapist summer reading.

[Антон · Rating 5 out of 5]

Сама книга средняя и даже в какой-то мере скучнее предыдущих двух. Но финал все искупает.
Финал.. и чувство расставания с миром тану и иилан.

Надаске - лучший герой за три тома. И сам, и его история свободного одиночества.

[Chris Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

The alt-world details remain interesting, deserving of at least a raised eyebrow, but the book as a whole just doesn't hang together well. Perhaps it's because I read it some time after the previous volume and the novel depends on the emotional tension from the story to date?

[John Tallett · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're an anthropologist or wannabe you might be interested in this fiction. I gave it a 4 only because the premise is interesting and very well executed. Otherwise it was pretty dull and not worth reading.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A completely unique idea that was great fun to contemplate

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry's concepts of biosculpting were ahead of his time

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh! What can I say? The last of the Eden series. Gosh! I wish there was more to read!!!!!