Allan Richard ShickmanReseñas

Zan-Gah by Allan Richard Shickman
A pre-historic adventure

Genre: YA adventure
Pages: 160
Published: 2007


The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature's wonders and terrors.


I wanted to read this book in order to really read a book and think about those it was meant for. To try to look past me.

This is the story of Zan who in the beginning kills a lion, one the tribes are hunting because it had eaten a child. By this people have new respect for him, and this is the time he sets out to find his twin that was lost 1 year ago. The road there is filled with dangers from animals, nature and hostile strangers.

This is a book that I would recommend for young boys, yes sure girls could like it too but I do think boys would really fall for this one. First there is the danger of the hunt for young Zan, the hunt where he manages to bring down a might lion. Then there is his dangerous trip. He only has himself. He have to find his own food and kill it. He invents a new kind of weapon, the sling and with this he can catch rabbits, and more. He learns how to take care of himself, he gets taken captive by a hostile tribe and he does have one great adventure trying to find his long lost brother.

He is a strong character and even though it is never mentioned how young he is, I knwo he is pretty young. The author also explains things that people back then did grow up more quickly, and had children early. And also that they died earlier. That is a good part of this book, the subtle explanations of things that is good to learn. Without it being to, learn this and by that perhaps making it boring. Now it really a part of the story.

He also deals with some darker issues like a trauma someone gets, how Zan-s uncle got tired of was and killing, and how harsh reality was back then. If they did not find food, the tired got weak and soon the were too tired to even hunt.

For myself this was an interesting little adventure about a young boy coming of age in such a different time. It made me think that there is not much fiction out there about this era, ok I know some but it would be nice with more.

It says ages 11 and up, somewhat younger kids could read it too, and of course adults too,

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Come on, boys could pick that right.
Reason for Reading: The publisher sent it to me
Final thoughts: I do think young boys would enjoy this one

Zan-Gah and the beautiful country by Allan Richard Shickman

Genre: Historic adventure YA
Pages: 2009
Published: 151

The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan s troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan s people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael s cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.


This is the second book about Zan-Gah and his adventures in a prehistoric environment. In the last book he saved his brother and invented the sling. In this book he is married and his brother has lost his wife and is only getting stranger and more violent. The torment he suffered while a slave has put deep wounds in his soul. Dael is a tortured soul. Zan-Gah only wants to help. He finds a bit of hope when the tribes move away to a new land.

Dael is really really far along in this book, Zan-Gah has my sympathizes and he dearly loves his brother and tries to protect them. But his brother is leading them to ruin because he is violent and hateful.

Zan is the same nice person who wants peace and to give the tribes a better future. He is also rather blind at times, when it comes to his wife and when it comes to his brother.

This book is darker and more violent than the previous. I think it said 11 and up and there I do agree because there is death and war and bloody murder in this one. Still he writes it in regard for the age group so nothing violent and such written. But it is there, and yes it was another time but still the age should be held here because since it was a different time they might wonder how everyone got married early and had kids and such.

This book is about the journey towards a new land, settling there, the rift between two brothers and how wrong things can be. it also has a strong woman in it, Zan's wife Pax, and it deals with a lot of emotion. Serious things among the rest. An interesting YA book about an era we do not get to read much about.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: That is Dael, the scary looking one
Reason for reading: From the publisher
Final thoughts: I do think teenage boys could like it, the action, the adventure

This story is about a teen in pre-historic times, and his quest to find his twin brother who disappeared over a year ago. Zan-gah is brave and proud, and sure that if he starts his adventure, he will be rewarded in finding his goal. He encounters a lot of dangers and obstacles along the way, but never gives up hope.

I wish that I could say that I loved this book as I really enjoy adventure stories, but unfortunately, I had quite a few issues that I could not ignore. Overall, I thought it was OK, but I thought the concept could have been great and I had hoped for more.

First, I felt that the writing seemed to talk down to the reader. I know that this is a children's/young adult book, but readers still want to be immersed in the story and see the events through the characters' eyes. This was a book full of events that were told rather than shown, and after just telling the reader what happened, we were then told, with italics or exclamation points, what the events or actions meant, as if the reader would not understand. Perhaps these little asides were intended to draw in the reader, but to me they felt a bit condescending and repetitive. I think that this was done more to clarify what was happening than to condescend, but I didn't feel that the reiteration was necessary. We should be able to gather from context what a particular action or scene signifies, and examine that scene in relation to our own experiences. If every event is explained, we have no need to look for any other meaning or significance to ourselves, and it's then harder to connect or identify with the character without that bond.

I felt that the characters were interesting and diverse, but I didn't really feel as though I understood any of them. I did root for everything to come out OK in the end, but I couldn't really identify with the characters regarding their lives or choices or actions. I kept being surprised by the decisions that Zan made, because they were different than the ones that I would have made in his place. In a way this is a good thing, because I do generally enjoy unpredictable characters, but I admit that it did make me feel as though I didn't know Zan at all.

The second issue I had was the language used. It felt modern and out of place with the setting. The character names are all seemingly appropriate, and certain words in the presumed language of the pre-historic people, but then we have a teenage main character using modern English words like "proficient" that obviously didn't exist then. It just stuck out and unfortunately didn't work for me. Again, I realize that this was probably done in an effort to make the story more accessible to younger readers, but it was distracting and took me out of the story.

The third issue that I had was that there was just too much I found unbelievable. There were close calls, sure, but every time there was the least amount of trouble, the characters would find an incredibly convenient way out of it with little or no effort at all. Yes, Zan-Gah is described as resourceful, but he didn't really show this quality - and when he did, it was not his resourcefulness that benefitted him, it was luck or someone else coming to his aid.

There is a theme of unity and working together and loyalty that appealed to me, however. Zan-Gah helps to facilitate between his clan and those of his neighbors. Although it was effected very easily, with little more effort than gathering the people and making a short speech, still, he enacted a change for the better, and I did like that. I also liked the fact that he did not give up hope of his brother, and went to try to save him, against all odds, and knowing that he may never return. I was proud of Zan-Gah for his bravery.

I think that this book is one that younger readers may enjoy.

Dael, Zan-Gah's twin brother, is tormented by his nightmares and memory of killing the old wasp woman, Hurnoa. He decides he needs to leave his people. Leaving his home and family he asks Sparrow, the mute heart broken female, to travel with him. As Dael travels he starts to feel differently on everything. Two broken souls traveling together not knowing where to go. But Dael remembers the connection he felt for the red people as they are as alien to him as he is to his people and wants to live with them. But where things go smoothly and Dael fits in, there is still trouble around the corner.

We start to see a new side to Dael here. He is far more than the broken destructive man we thought he was prior to this book. In Daels journey we visit old places and memories of Daels' from childhood to his living with the cruel people how took him through to the current time back with his family. Dael starts to reflect on his life and the terrible things he had done to others. We get a view of Dael from the inside as he heals, and as well from others who view him from a new and his changes.

Seeing Dael through fresh eyes helps us to see Dael as not being the violent man we remember giving him a fresh start in our minds as with the new people he is living with. This was a great way to take Dael from what we remember him as and place him in new surroundings to give us, the reader, a chance to feel for Dael. Even come to like him.

We see the evolution of man and their abilities to learn and do new things in the world. We learn of different life styles in which different people in different regions lived. Different surroundings, different believes, different living. We see the red people now and their way of life, which turns out to be the best thing for Dael, and Sparrow.

I liked seeing Dael with his own book with his growth and learning. This is his healing period. We are reminded in the beginning of the friends and family he left, and in the end we hear of them again. The world these cave people live in is quickly changing, and they are the ones evolving quickly to change it. I like the take on the evolution of caveman that is viewed in this book. Nice to see a view of the evolution of the times from the beginning when man had nothing but themselves and the land around them.

Is it true what some people say, that you can never go home again? In this third book of the Zan-Gah prehistoric young adult series, Dael has decided to leave his people, the Ba-Coro tribe. In the first book, Zan-Gah goes to find his twin brother Dael, who had been captured by the Wasp People and then sold to the Noi tribe. In the second book, the two brothers lead the Ba-Coro people to the Beautiful Country where the Wasp People had formerly lived but died out in a plague. However, haunted by his abuse at the hands of the Wasp and Noi people and the deaths of his wife Lissa-Na and their child, Dael has become very violent and unpredictable. After the Ba-Coro tribe almost divides between the followers of Dael and the followers of Zan-Gah, Dael goes to dwell with the Painted People whom they had met on their trek to the Beautiful Country.

He asks a young mute girl named Sparrow to accompany him, almost like a servant, and his pet wolves, Dara and Nata which he had given to two of his followers, also come running after them. The painted people, who call themselves “the children of the earth,” live in the land of red rocks and color their skin with crimson dye from the soil. Their council of elders is headed by a woman named Mlaka. Dael makes friends with a man named Koli, but Mlaka’s brother, Schnur, is the tribe’s shaman, and he becomes Dael’s enemy. Dael had learned some medicine from Lissa-Na and helps cure some of the painted people. Also, Dael has dreams and “fits” which Schnur believes are visits to the spirit world over which he thinks that he himself should have control. And Dael is liked by the crows who dwell nearby, but the shaman interprets this as an evil omen too. Slowly, Dael’s inner wounds begin to heal, but Schnur considers him a rival and even tries to kill him. Will Dael choose to remain with the painted people or return home? And if he wants to go home, will he survive the shaman’s wrath to make it?

Like its predecessors, Dael and the Painted People is a well-crafted story with easy-to-follow action and the right amount of suspense to keep the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. Parents may want to know that after Dael and Sparrow left the Ba-Coro, the statement is made, “That night, under the doubtful orb, on a soft and yielding place encircled by thorny growth, Sparrow conceived a child—while the two wolves wailed at the shadowy lantern.” However, no more detail than that is given, and the two later marry according to the tradition of the painted people. Also, Dael eats some special mushrooms which Lissa-Na had shown him and they seem to bring him into an ecstatic, almost hallucinogenic, state, but he eventually quits using them, and they cause some serious problems for Schnur when he finds out about them. There is a bit more mysticism in this book than in the other two, which some people may not care for, but generally it is an interesting and readable tale set in prehistoric times.

Dael and the Painted People is the third novel in the Zan Gah series and the best yet in my opinion. This one read like a novel for middle graders set in prehistoric times. I don't know how historically accurate it was but it was a great novel.

Dael has had a hard life and parted ways with his people the Ba-Coro. His only companion is Sparrow, a mute girl that fell in love with a boy who couldn't love her. She doesn't have any idea why she's going with Dael, but she is. Different points of view are read throughout the story, but we get a really good look into the mind of Dael who left so crazy with anger and, well, kinda crazy. And into the mind of Sparrow.

It is wonderful to see Sparrow assert herself and grow into a chatty, friendly girl when they join the Painted People who have a language that uses clicks and guttural sounds instead of words. It's the first time Sparrow can communicate and she is a totally different person. She lives up to her name and makes the first friends she's ever had and builds her confidence. Dael is amazed by her and has to learn from her. But he's also comforted by her and they grow into a comfortable existence with the Painted People.

Dael is still haunted by victims of his past and the tortures he indured. And he has been getting a reputation as a medicine man because of his knowledge of healing herbs and his ability to be in touch with the spirit world. He incurs the jealousy of the local Shaman who tries everything to discredit Dael, who is so ignorant of the man's jealousy he doesn't watch out for himself.

Throughout the novel, life is portrayed much as we've all been taught our prehistoric ancestors lived. I think this is a great novel for anyone that has an interest in reading a novel set in this time period. The action in the story is compelling enough to move the story forward, maybe slower than other books, but it kind of mirrors the lifestyle of the Painted People. I found this to be my favorite of Dr. Shickman's books so far and read it quickly in an afternoon. With his descriptions and having read the previous two books, I expected to look up and find myself in the Painted land. I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to Dr. Shickman and to Earthshaker Books for the ARC of Dael and the Painted People. This in no way influenced my review of the book.

I was thrilled when I was contacted about reviewing the third book in the Zan-Gah series. Although I received the book quite some time back, I held off reviewing it. While reviewing the many other books I had back-logged. I read this book a chapter at a time. I don't normally do this. The reason? I wanted to re-read it quickly a week or two before I posted my review. In my classroom we are currently reading our core curriculum's novel "Dar and the Spear Thrower". I wanted to be able to showcase the Zan-Gah Series to my students. I believe the story it tells is much richer yet still gives the students a glimpse of the time period. I was excited as we started the unit last week to be able to show the books to my students. I pull them from my shelves until we start the unit.

In Dael and the Painted People we find Zan-Gah's twin leaving the Ba-Coro clan. He takes with him Sparrow. He is not sure why he asks her at first. Maybe because he is lonely and she has always been an outcast because of her inability to speak. They are accompanied by two wolves, Dara and Nata. They are ready protectors, as well as hunters in a land that is harsh. It is obvious from the beginning of the book that Dael is still haunted by his past and still has so much pent up anger. It was refreshing to read that he and Sparrow meet the Painted People, also known as the Children of the Earth. They paint their bodies red. It is through this clan that Dael finally begins to find peace and healing. It is here he finds love and learns to harness his anger.

Once again I have say that the characters were well fleshed out. If I had to pick one of the three books as my favorite I would have to choose this one. To see such a change in a character was wonderful and believable. I have loved this series. When our department chair came and informed me we could choose alternate books to go with our Core Units, this was at the top of my list. Why? It is well written. I think it covers the concepts much better than the books picked by our district. Most importantly, they want us to encourage our students to read more books by the author, so I would prefer having them read a series. I've already shared this with one of the other teachers and she is as excited as I am and has started reading the series to her students. I look forward to many more books by this author that I can share with my students.

Article first published as Book Review:Dael And The Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman on Blogcritics.

Background and nurture often have an impact on personality, which is extremely difficult to overcome. In life though, challenges and continual change often have an impact little imagined by others. In Dael and the Painted People, Allan Richard Shickman has given us an intensely satisfying story that does an amazing job of rounding out his Zan-Gah series.

Dael is a tortured individual, the brother of Zan-Gah, kidnapped at youth and both tortured and abused by his captors the Noi. Having killed an elderly woman, a Shaman of the tribe, his entire is life turned upside down. Anger rules him and has finally set him on a course to leave his family and his beloved brother. The anger makes Dael a different man, his dreams and visions make him Shaman to a large group of followers and yet a pariah to his own family. After an egregious fight Dael chooses to leave his own tribe and move on.

Followed from his home by another who did not fit he finds the young woman Sparrow has become his companion. Not capable of speech she is quiet and shy and yet determined. While she does not care for Dael, she too must make her way to a different life. Held together by danger and cold they have no choice but to interact, and thereby form a sort of bond. When they reach their final destination, Dael has found his anger has begun to burn away. They are both accepted readily by the Children of the Earth and indoctrinated into their group. Here begins the story of the rehabilitation of a man and woman, both outcasts and the amazing journey that remakes their lives.

Dael is such an interesting character, so like his well respected brother in many ways and yet so set apart by his experiences. You can see the good simmer below the surface and in some of his interactions, but it is so hidden by the anger and the seizures that it becomes difficult to like him. Following his story is so uplifting and his life becomes so remarkable you find yourself cheering as each change occurs and his life moves into mysterious paths. There is a great deal to learn from such a character and his development.

Sparrow is finally in a place where she can excel. She has evinced a great deal of courage in following a man she does not really know, and does not care for. Yet she understands her life must change. Just the very fact that she made this decision to move from a caring family into the unknown gives you an alternate view of this young woman. She is strong and brave, and is willing to face grueling challenges to become whole. Unaware of how or where she will end up, her life become a testament to that courage and she reaps the rewards with joy.

Shickman has given us a story set at a time of great upheaval; the time of the caveman, and through his precise writing he has built a world of both danger and beauty. The time and place is believable and you can picture the both beauty and savagery through the insightful prose.

I would recommend this for the young adult reader, as well as those young at heart. The adventure is strong and the background interesting. The challenges can certainly be related to the very same encountered today, at least those requiring decisions and courage. The dangers are different and yet we know they still exist. This would be a great book for your child’s library.

This book was received free through EarthShaker Books. All opinons are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Thoroughly enjoyable and powerful writing, this third installment of the series has a different voice than the first two. Here we have the original character, Zan-Gah’s twin brother Dael. Dael is now a young man with a past that haunts him. This book takes place directly after the second book where Dael and ,a young girl, Sparrow try to find meaning to their life after outcasting themselves from their original clans.

I read this quickly and really did enjoy this series but one part about the book bothered me . It has stuck with me after reading the book and this thing kinda rubbed me the wrong way which was at one point the book breaks the 4th wall. I felt Mr. Shickman had a powerful reason for doing so but when it happens I just felt like the reader was getting yelled at. It didn’t stop me from liking the book but I think it took me away from the healing message that Dael life was going through and as I think of the book now my mind keeps going to that 4th wall break.

Although I took one star off from 5 I still love this series and think that in general it should be promoted more because I have never seen or read anything else like it.

Dael and the Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman is the third book in the Zan-Gah series. The main character in this novel is Dael, Zan-Gah's twin brother. Dael has been through a lot. He was kidnapped by the wasp people as a child and tortured. He also lost his wife and child during childbirth. Dael is left emotionally scarred. He is full of hate and bitterness. As a result of his actions he must leave his home with the Ba-Coro. He takes with him, Sparrow, a young woman who can't speak. Together they make their way in search of the painted people.

Allan Shickman has not gone easy on Dael. Dael has been through a lot in his life. He is full of anger and bitterness. All that he loved he now despises. In the past two books I've felt sorry for Dael. His character is very rough around the edges. Dael's put up a lot of walls that keep people out and make him hard to like. In this book some of the walls come down. I really liked how the author showed a different side of Dael and the inner struggles that take place inside of him. I was surprised that Dael took Sparrow with him. Sparrow can't speak and is meek. She didn't seem the sort of companion Dael would have chosen to go with him on his journey. I really liked seeing her character develop throughout this story. In a way her name suits her personality. Like a sparrow she is small and delicate but she's also strong and resourceful.

The story line in this book is really good. Even though this is Dael's story, I was really glad that Shickman didn't leave out the characters from the previous books. Dael's journey in this book is really symbolic to the inner healing that takes place inside Dael. Every step he takes toward the Painted People, he takes a step away from his harrowing past. I really like that the Painted People are a complete contradiction to how Dael has lived his life. The Painted People are very friendly, accepting and generous. They accept Dael and Sparrow with no questions asked and make them part of their tribe. However trouble seems to follow Dael where ever he goes. He quickly makes an enemy of Shunar, the tribe's shaman. Shunar will stop at nothing until he can get rid of Dael. The altercation between the two characters really tests Dael's resolve.

This is a wonderful series set in prehistoric times. Allan Richard Shickman does a wonderful job writing about the hardships and challenges of living in this time period. The characters are wonderfully developed.
Dael and the Painted People is a story about forgiveness, strength, and restoration. It is an emotionally charged adventure that is overwhelmingly brilliant. This is one of those series that kids as well as their parents enjoy reading. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and highly recommend this series.

How would you react if your kind, sweet brother turned into a bitter, vengeful enemy? In the first book of this series, Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, Zan-Gah’s twin brother, Dael, had been captured by the Wasp People, who abused him, and then sold as a slave to the Noi People, who also abused him, so Zan goes in search of his brother. Zan and Dael escape, along with Lissa-Na, a Noi woman who has nursed Dael, and Rydl, a Wasp boy whom Zan has befriended. At the end of the book, Dael marries Lissa-Na. As Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country begins, Lissa-Na dies in childbirth along with her and Dael’s baby. Dael has healed from his abuse physically but not emotionally and becomes very spiteful and unpredictable.
In his hyperactivity, Dael asks Zan to go with him on a quest which the boys had talked about since childhood, finding the source of the Nobla River. Zan’s wife Pax, Rydl, and a couple of Dael’s friends accompany them. Dael’s unspoken motive is to take vengeance on both the Wasp and Noi peoples. However, when they reach the land of the Wasp People, which Zan calls the Beautiful Country because it has plenty of water, vegetation, and animals, they find that a plague has killed all but one person. The group then decides to bring all the five clans of the Ba-Coro people to live in the Beautiful Country. What dangers and enemies will they face along the way? And how will the attitudes and actions of Dael, who now resents his brother’s position of leadership, affect the Ba-Coro, especially when some of the Noi People want to settle nearby?
As I said in my review of Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, which was a winner of the Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award, there are not a lot of books for young adults set in prehistoric times, at least that I have seen. I shall be honest and note that Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country did not quite hold my attention as well as the first book, but it is still an interesting story that is told with a great deal of excitement and adventure. Again, because of the savage and somewhat barbaric scenario in which it takes place, it is not for small or sensitive children. However, the violence portrayed is not gratuitous or overly detailed. Teens can profit from reading about the development of Dael’s problems, how Zan works to help his brother handle them, and their final resolution. A further sequel, Dael and the Painted People, is due out later this year.

Would you have the courage to hunt a lion with only a spear? Zan is a teenage boy, much shorter than other young men his age and not very handsome, who lives in prehistoric times with his father Thal, mother Wumna, uncle Chul, aunt Siraka-Finaka, cousins, and other members of his clan. The five clans of the neighborhood sometimes are at war with one another and other times work together. As the book opens, they are united in seeking to destroy a lion who had slaughtered a child. When the hunters close in around the beast near the great rock Gah, it leaps out, and Zan happens to be at the right place and the right time to kill it, thrusting his spear into the lion’s neck. Aniah, the great warrior and leader of the northern clan, names him Zan-Gah.
Zan has a younger twin brother, Dael, who had just disappeared about a year before. Zan is sure that Dael is still alive, so he determines to go in search of his brother. After he starts out, he kills a snake and uses the skin to invent the sling. After passing through the Hru clan, he comes to Aniah, who tells him that his brother was probably captured by the wasp people, the clans’ age-old enemy. After entering the wasp people’s territory, Zan himself is captured by them, mistaken for Dael whom they think had escaped from the Noi people to whom they had sold him, and made a slave for a year, during which time he pretends to be dimwitted and learns many of their secrets. Escaping with help from Rydl, a young boy whom he has befriended, he goes on to the Noi and rejoices to find Dael. However, to get home they must escape the Noi and then pass back through the wasp people. Can they make it? Or will they be recaptured and maybe even killed?
It is interesting to read a novel for young people set in prehistoric times because I have not come across very many such books. Zan-Gah did a good job of holding my attention. The plot moved along nicely, and various aspects of the story tied together well to make a unified whole. There are a lot of excitement and suspense for readers with a sense of adventure. Some people may object to the killing of animals and the savage behavior of people, but the events are set in a time and place where killing and the threat of being killed were a part of everyday life for both humans and animals, and no graphic or gruesome descriptions are found. However, the book might not be appropriate for smaller children or those with especially sensitive natures. Teenagers and adults too will appreciate Zan’s passage from the uncertainties of boyhood to the strength of manhood. I certainly found it a satisfying read. There is a sequel, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country.

Dael's life has fallen apart. The calming that came to Dael over the few years home with his healer wife quickly shatters as his loving wife passed away during child birth with their child. He now feels the need to make dangerous journey through the potentially deadly world again, to see where the local river starts. Also in his mind, to find the Wasp people as they are still an unknown threat to his cave dwelling people. Zan is convinced to go with his brother fore his worry for him in this state of mind. But with learning the fate of the Wasp people brings another idea to the minds of the twins. Zan once again uses his gift of speech to help convince his people to take advantage of the fruitful land left empty.

I think I enjoyed reading this book more than the first. It could be read on it's own as Allan has done a great job of reflecting on the happenings in the first book to bring you up to par, but I think knowing what all happened to the characters in the first book helps make this book more enjoyable. Many of the people Zan meet and touched on their lives in the first book return in this book, a few years later. It is nice to see the connections revisited and see where the people are now and how that small touch Zan had affected their lives.

I really like the potential in the plot of this book in the beginning. There are more pieces and possibilities to the out come of the story. And the journey based on the decisions made is a good one. The characters in this book were more connectible for me too. Even though Zan is still the main character of the book we start to get a deeper look at Dael, his twin brother, and he kind of stole the spot light for me when he was mentioned. The dramatic character growth of Dael was amazing and well done. Dael is a character that catches your attention and is anything but dull.

I still think this series is a great series for young readers to pick up.

Zan is a young boy in a prehistoric era when man used stones and sticks for their defense in a time where nature and man can be enemies to each other, but he's eager for to embrace manhood. In his first hunt, of a dangerous lion, Zan proves himself and receives his full name ~ Zan-Gah ~ along with scars to be proud of. Now being of the mans status instead of the boy status, Zan decides to embark on a search for his twin brother who wondered off a year before and never returned. Zan knows from his dreams and the shared soul that twins have, that he would know if his brother was dead. Zan leaves for his dangerous journey though unknown lands and unsafe camps, learning more of himself, the land, and even creating a weapon of his own.

This book is not my normal genre of read, but thinking of finding books I could share with my son really struck me with this book. So, I agreed to review the book. This book is a quick and easy read. I would suggest this book to young readers around 10-12 years of age who enjoy reading of prehistoric times.

There are a few secondary characters, but mostly you have your main character Zan. I didn't feel as connected to the character as I normally would in books, but this is a short read for young readers. I remember back to when I was younger and I didn't really want to read. I wanted books that where quick and to the point. This book fits that very well. But, toward the end of the book I started to feel more for Zan-Gah and the connections he was making in the world. But the book mostly focuses on his journey and some feelings he has around the times.

As realistically written as its predecessor, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country takes place years after Zan is reunited with his twin brother. Where Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure grips you with its page-turning action, this one attacks you with an emotional roller coaster that has you holding your breath until the end.

The main theme of this book for me was the trials of brotherhood, as Dael pushes his brother further and further away as he struggles to live his life normally outside of captivity. We're given flashbacks of what Dael was like before he was imprisoned, and those scenes only made my heart ache more for Zan-Gah, as he's gone so much to get THAT brother back. Dael is definitely a darker character, but he has gone through a lot. The only thing that was keeping him sane has been lost to him as well, which makes the struggle that much harder. Just like the brothers, all of the characters in the story are beautifully written and all have a purpose in the book.

I really don't know what else to say. This was as realistically and well-written as the first, and just as enjoyable. It's a must-read for middle graders and some YA readers as well. Full of action and emotion, it will enthrall even the most reluctant of readers.

While Zan-Gah is most definitely a different type of read for me, considering it's aimed more toward the younger audience, I can say that I definitely enjoyed it thoroughly. So thoroughly, in fact, that I actually surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the read. The story was full of adventures and moments that might take your breath away. Shickman's storytelling is wonderful. The writing was a little basic, but considering the age group and story, it did it's job to get the story across and still manage to evoke emotion.

Our main character is very courageous and I think one of the things that I find most interesting about this book is the character growth that you can actually see from the main character as the story unfolds. He literally grows before your eyes, doing what he has to in order to survive and find his twin. The other characters were just as fascinating, especially when you started to learn about the different clans.

The setting to this story is set in prehistoric times, which added a bit of uniqueness to this story compared to other books in its genre. The environment described were both beautiful yet scary at the same time, practically a force of its own to be reckoned with. The story moved fluidly, with no snags that made the story pause in any way. The ending felt not only believable, but very natural. It ends well, all things wrapped up nicely, but still leaves you with a feeling of wanting a little more... which is always a good thing.

I enjoyed Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure thoroughly. It's both realistic and enjoyable, full of action and personal growth. I'd recommend this for both middle grade and young adults, as well as some adults that may just want a quick, fun read.

In this sequel to Zan-Gah we are carried on a roller coaster of emotions through the main character Dael, Zan-Gah's twin. He has been rescued by his brother yet he mind still lives through the two years he spent as a slave to the Noi where he was starved and tortured. During this time he fell in in love and married. After his wife dies in childbirth he pretty much snaps. He wants revenge on just about everyone. He decides he doesn't want to be a twin so he changes his appearance and develops his own following. For all of his troubles there is always an underlying hope that things will change for him and will work out. Zan-Gah's love for his brother and his memories of what he was like a a younger person before he was kidnapped keep him believing in his brother.
I loved the tension brought on when Zan-Gah married a girl who loved to hunt. This was not looked on favorably by his clan. He supported his wife in this. This is what made their bond stronger. This book has so many wonder discussion points. Topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder is just one of the many things kids can look at and connect to current events. The idea that people must change and adapt is another discussion point. Once again I sing praises to the author for creating such a wonderful book to recommend to teens and adults

I was thrilled to receive this book for review. Our county's core curriculum requires students to read Dar and the Spear Thrower. There is not a lot for them to follow up on. Now I can recommend this book to them.
Zan-Gah is the story of a young teen who earns his rights to be considered a man when he joins a hunt to kill a lion. The lion thinks he has found a weakness and lunges for Zan only to be killed. Zan is marked by the lion and renamed Zan-Gah. He is now considered a man. After the celebration Zan-Gah decides he must try to find his twin brother. Most in the village believe Dael is dead. Zan-Gah has no such feelings so he sets out to find him. He is diplomatic in his dealings with others, yet also prepared to do battle with them if necessary.
The author has created such a vividly descriptive world the reader feels as if they have entered the world as a participant.

This book has a lot to offer the reader. They will learn about family, courage and relationships. I've recommended it to other teachers at my school as an addition to our curriculum. Not matter what it will be added to my shelves.

This is the sequel to Allan Richard Shickman's book Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. I received this from the author's publicist for review.

To be honest, I enjoyed this sequel much more than the first book. The strained relationship between the twins created a source of tension and sense of expectation from the start. I was eager to see what would become of the twins - Would they find resolution? Would Dael become the brother Zan remembered? The journey to those answers was eventful and strange with the end result being inevitable.

In the first book, the main focus was on Zan and his becoming a man with growing popularity. Even though we still "heard" from Zan in this book, the main focus was on Dael; Dael with his roiling emotions, unstable mental condition and lust for blood.

Without giving any spoilers away, I will say that Dael's unsettled spirit will get him into quite a few situations he didn't have to be in. Because he was so blood-thirsty, he almost couldn't control his own self. His followers even became wary of him after awhile ... until one incident converted them completely to Dael's control and powerful magnetism.

Overall, this book is still mainly written with boys in mind, ages 11 to 14, but I believe there are some girls that would enjoy this as well. The dynamics within are wonderfully written and will keep the reader intrigued until the last page ... at which time you'll wonder whether there's a third book in the works ... ??? Perhaps Zan-Gah and the Red People? =)

To begin with, the story is an easy read and is geared mainly towards young adults ... I'd say mostly males. There's a young boy who kills a lion and earns his "stripes" into manhood ... literally. Once that's done, and the following celebration is over, he sets out on a journey to find his twin brother which has been gone for over a year.

Once on that journey, Zan-Gah (meaning Zan of the Rock - The place where he killed the lion) encounters many situations that help to mold and shape him into the wise man that he becomes at the end of his journey.

The story was well-written and I felt that I got to know what made Zan tick. There were only a few of the supporting characters that were fleshed out enough for me to get to know them, but it worked well in this story. I think getting to know too many of the supporting characters would've taken away from the importance of Zan and how he became who he ended up being (I'm trying not to give spoilers away here).

There is a sequel to this book that covers the relationship between Zan and his newly found brother, Dael. I'm ready to begin reading it so I can see how the two co-exist again after being apart for so long.

So, overall, for this first book, it was interesting and made me think about how the tribes live, the different rules they govern themselves by and the roles of the females and males in each tribe. I think a young boy between the ages of 11 to 14 would enjoy this book the most as they would be able to relate to Zan-Gah better than their female counterparts.

Review written by my 12 year old brother

Pressed by love for his brother and a bad conscience, the hero undertakes a quest which leads to captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood, and takes the role of leadership amongst his people.

Allan Shickman writes a fantastic tale in which Zan battles his conflicts while in search of his beloved lost brother. The book has won three awards and has had many positive reviews, and it captivates readers of all ages. Zan-Gah, A Prehistoric Tale is very well written and Mr. Shickman uses a lot of great writing skills to draw all the positive attention this book has gotten.

However, I had a few negative thoughts about this book. The main one to me, is that the whole book is written in third person, a point-of-view I'm not exactly fond of. Another is that even though at the start of the book, Zan is in his early teens, but he acts way too mature and is already married by the end of the book. But all in all it was a truly great book that had me excited to read the second.

Zan-Gah And The Beautiful Country is a wonderful story set in prehistoric times. It picks up a few years after the first book. The story line is interesting with many layers. The story is centered around Dael's revenge and the journey the Ba-Coro make to find a more fruitful land in which to live. Once again Allan Shickman has blown me away with his beautiful descriptions of the countryside. His characters are so multi-dimensional. This book focuses a lot on Dael, Zan-Gah's twin that was captured in the first book. Dael suffered cruelly at the hands of his captors. The event left him broken and severely altered. Dael is the complete opposite of what he had been before his capture. Where he once was happy and good natured he is now bitter and hard. Dael wants nothing more than to get revenge on those who tormented him for so long. Dael and Zan-Gah's characters mirrored each other. They are both leaders. Zan-Gah leads with wisdom and Dael leads with passion. I really liked the development of their characters. It was interesting to see how the brothers reacted to each other. My favorite character is Rydl. Rydl originally belonged to the wasp tribe. He befriended Zan-Gah in the first book and came back to live among the Ba-Coro. Rydl has come a long way since the first book. I love Rydl's curiosity and ingenuity. Overall this was a fantastic book. One side note. This book is intended for children. It has a few violent scenes that might be disturbing to some children.

** spoiler alert ** As I started this novel, I was struck by the extreme sadness and madness that Zan-Gah's twin Dael suffers. Not only has he suffered two years of extreme conditions of torture and starvation that have turned this once laughing, joyous and carefree boy into a truculent, angry young man, his wife and baby die in childbirth. She was the only one that could calm him, soothe his anger, push his memories away of his time of capture.
After her death, he becomes an angry young man. Today we might have a name for his behavior. What, I'm not sure, but all he wants is war and death and when he decides to go after the Wasp people, Zan-Gah goes with him along with two other boys and Zan-Gah's wife, who has never acted like a typical woman. They do not know that their formidable uncle, Chul follows them. They find the Wasp people all dead of disease or war and only one old woman left alive, Hurnoa. She tries to tell what happened but she doesn't really know. Zan-Gah urges Dael to leave her alive, she is weak and dying anyway, but his hatred is so great he kills her over night.

Because the land of the Wasp people is beautiful, food is plentiful, a lake is right there, Zan-Gah decides to put it to the elders that they should move there. They make the long and laborious trek with a few losses on the way. When they get to the Beautiful Country, they are rewarded with the land that Zan-Gah described. But soon, camp fires appear on the other side of the lake. Dael is still unstable. He wants to fight the Noi, the group that captured and tortured him. He has disowned his twin and done things to make himself appear less like him.

Through all this, there are the invention of new weapons, the attempt to grow crops, the discovery of a volcano and a deep abiding love story between husband and wife. It's also a love story between brothers and how one never gives up on the other. The story pulls you in, even if you think it won't. Honestly, it took me a little longer to get into the story this time, but once I did, I stayed up until two am to finish it so I could find out what happened. There is a satisfactory ending and there is definite closure. I wouldn't mind reading more of the adventures of what goes on in the future.

Again I tried to figure out what Dael's illness was other than Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but it was more than that. And I felt sorry for him because his anger was on the edge, always and you knew the torture he must have suffered was terrible. I also tried to figure out what kind of illness could have wiped out the Wasp people. They lived near a volcano and I wondered if something to do with that could have killed them, but Hurnoa never mentioned gas or a smell or ash, so I guess it wasn't the volcano. I really enjoyed this novel. It was compelling once I got into the story and I've left out much of the story. I'd say anyone that can read the words can read this story. It's a great prehistoric adventure novel and would be great to be included in middle grade libraries (6-9th). It's a short novel, 151 pages and the writing is simple and flows easily from chapter to chapter.

After I read this book for review, I did something I don't normally do. I read it to my children. This book was written for children and I thought what would be better than not only getting an adult perspective but also that of a child. I've learned that just because I like it, doesn't mean my kids will like it. So I enlisted the help of my two kids to help me review this book.
My opinion: I like Zan-Gah. This book was packed full of adventure. The main character Zan-Gah is a courageous boy. He leaves on a journey to find his twin, who has been missing for years. He encounters all sorts of obstacles along the way. I loved seeing Zan-Gah mature throughout the story. His character growth was the most interesting part of the story to me. Zan-Gah's survival skills are throughly tested throughout this book. He has ongoing faith and a will to survive that is inspiring. I also loved the setting. It was harsh and beautiful at the same time. Allan Shickman did a fantastic job describing the scenes. The supporting characters were also very well written. I can't think of one thing that I didn't like about this book.

Kids opinion: Both kids liked this book. My son's favorite part was the action. It kept him interested throughout the book. His favorite character is Zan-Gah. He thought Zan-Gah was very brave. My daughter's favorite part was when Zan-Gah killed the lion. She was thrilled by that part of the story. Her favorite character is Lissa-Na. She thought Lissa-Na was not only smart but brave as well.

I was thrilled to share this book with my children. Sometimes I have trouble finding books that I think my son will like. I knew that in the past he's been interested in reading about prehistoric times, so I thought this book would be perfect. I was right. I was even more thrilled that my daughter liked it as well. I definitely recommend this book. There is some violence in this book. However I didn't think it was out of place, after all Zan-Gah lived in harsh times. I used this as an opportunity to talk to my kids and explain about what was going on in the book. We will definitely read the next book Zan-Gah and the Beautiful County

I received this novel from Earthshaker books to review. I am not being paid to review it and my review is an honest review of the book. That being said, I thought this was a great story! I don't know how realistic it was but it was easy to read broken down into small chapters and the story really was captivating. I'm a lover of history, prehistoric history included and though I'd never really heard of anything in this story except the Mastodon, who's bones Zan-Gah found, it was a very primitive world.

The story begins with Zan's brother having been missing for a year already and Zan feels guilty because he wandered off when the two had a fight. Before that they had been inseparable. But Zan can't worry about that at this point because the next day, for the first time, the five clans are getting together to hunt down a lioness who killed a child. She has to be taken down before more children are killed. It is an uneasy alliance between the clans who fight usually, but they've called a truce. Out of sheer luck, Zan kills the lioness when she looks for a weak spot in the circle that is closing in around her and sees him, a young boy. She heads for him and he holds his spear steady. She dives right into it and kills herself. He is named Zan-Gah, Gah being the rock where he killed her. This is not a big part of the story.

The majority of the story is his search for his missing brother. They are twins and he has dreams every night that his missing brother, Dael is still alive. He fights with his parents over it but in the end, he goes after him. He discovers many things about the world her lives in and his enemies. He creates a new weapon purely by accident. He is captured by the same people that captured his brother for a time. But his brother isn't with them any longer. He suffers in the desert and almost dies. But he continues his search for his brother because he loves him and believes he is not dead even when he believes he, himself is dying.

The landscape is harsh, the people are harsh. Food is scarce, water is scarcer and you can feel the dryness of the desert, the heat on your back, the ache on your sore bare feet as you walk with Zan-Gah in search of his twin. You can feel the joy when he finds water and food and feel his desolation when he is so thirsty that his mouth is like chalk. You can also see the mind of a great leader forming, planning, and beginning to take over what one day will be his nation.

I totally recommend Zan-Gah to anyone, especially teachers, teaching about the hardships faced in prehistoric times. There is violence in the book, as there would be during that time period. I'd say fourth grade and up. It's definitely an easy read at 148 pages so maybe some reluctant readers would enjoy it. I hesitate to allow my ten year old to read it because it's a signed copy, but if he keeps it at home, maybe. For all you librarians out there, I'd keep this one in mind. Elementary school teachers should also keep this one in mind as well.

There is a follow up novel that I'm reading next call Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country. I'll be reading it next.