Content levels
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
"It would be sheer and utter folly to attempt to journey into a time that we knew nothing about." These were Mark's uncle's words a few minutes before the explosion that threw Mark against the controls of a space-time machine - hurling him back to 50,000 B.C. Victim of this twist of events, Mark is trapped in the terrifying days of the dawn of man, destined to play out the deadly game of fight for survival across the plains of the Ice Age. Stepping out into a world old beyond comprehension, Mark suddenly finds himself stalked by monstrous half-men - the hideous Neanderthals - in a desperate chase that mounts to nightmare proportions. Hopelessly cut off from his only means of escape, Mark stumbles upon one of the most remarkable cultures in all the fantastic history of mankind - the Cro-Magnon. Here among giant warriors, in this faraway corner of history, he finds refuge and friendship - and a glimmer of hope for return to a home that is fifty-two thousand years away! Brimming with details of thunderous wars between man and mammoth, crammed with vivid descriptions of the Neanderthals who prowled the plains in wicked packs, this tale charges toward a spectacular climax. Unforgettable in its evocation of an incredible world, MISTS OF DAWN is told with the force and reality that only a writer of remarkable skill and an anthropologist of rare wisdom, such as Chad Oliver, could give it.
Is Mists of Dawn appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
Parents should know this 1952 adventure features prehistoric violence including wars between humans and mammoths, encounters with Neanderthals described as 'monstrous,' and survival peril suitable for middle grade readers comfortable with action-adventure.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include death and violence.
Who'll love this
Kids who love dinosaurs, prehistoric life, and adventure stories will enjoy this tale of a boy trapped 50,000 years in the past fighting to survive and find his way home.