It is the Stone Age of France; a prehistoric era of giant mammoths, painted caves, and fearsome cave lions. Fleeing starvation in their home territory, thirteen-year-old Sev and his family have been grudgingly accepted into the powerful Bear Clan. Yet as his father climbs the ranks of the mysterious group of shamans known as the Lion Lodge, Sev finds himself questioning the strange beliefs of his adopted band. Determined to unravel the secrets of the Lodge and prove his bravery, Sev accepts a dare to enter the Cave of Lions—a forbidden cavern high on the mountain where the shamans of the Lodge commune with powerful spirits.
When Sev’s trespass is revealed by his rival, Bakar, he is forced to make an impossible choice: join the Lodge or be exiled from the Clan—and exile is a potentially fatal sentence in the Ice Age world. Even joining the Lodge is no guarantee of survival, as their deadly politics are reinforced with dangerous tests of loyalty.
A YA adventure novel set in France during the last Ice Age, The Eyes of the Leopard is inspired by archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. Brian Hayden’s lifetime experience in the field studying prehistoric and ethnographic hunter-gatherer societies. Hayden’s expertise brings realistic depth to this classic coming-of-age story, painting Sev’s life of communal hunts, ritual feasting, and spiritual ceremonies “with the vivacity of a graphic novel” and providing an excellent introduction for young readers interested in archaeology. With art by professional archaeological illustrator Eric Carlson, the novel has been acclaimed by Hayden’s peers as a successful union of scientific work and storytelling.
Editions:
ISBN: 9781989467428 (paperback). $19.95 CAD, $17.95 USD
Size: 5.5 x 8 inches
Pages: 192
Available via your local bookstore, Chapters-Indigo or Amazon
Distribution in the UK via Gazelle Book Services
ISBN: 9781989467435 (eBook). $9.99 CDN, $7.99 USD. Available via Amazon Kindle
Reviews:
“The Eyes of the Leopard by novelist and anthropologist Brian Hayden is a deftly crafted work of historical fiction that takes place in the paleolithic era of virgin forests and rolling plains in what is now known as France, and in a time of stone age cave art and tribal rituals. An original and richly illustrated story that will have special appeal for young readers with an interest in Paleolithic/Neolithic cultures and adventures, “The Eyes of the Leopard” is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to middle school, highschool, and community library YA Fiction collections.”
— Midwest Book Review
“This is a book aimed at younger readers, but it will be read with delight by many adults as well.”
— Tom Sandborn, Vancouver Sun
“A YA novel filled with adventure and realism. Written and inspired by the author’s life experience as an archaeologist and anthropologist, he provides us a peek into the lives of an early society of hunters and gatherers of the ice age. This exciting coming-of-age story provides a bridge between times with such relatability. Every reader will identify with Sev, a 13-year-old boy who is learning to navigate the ageless battles of life. Curiosity, social pressure, and survival force him to challenge and survive his environment, and emerge a man. ”
— Darleen Wohlfeil, Story Monsters Ink
“Through the eyes of a young hero, Brian Hayden shows us the life of the great hunters of the Paleolithic that he knows so well. The style and the words exchanged have the vivacity of a graphic novel. . . . We travel to the heart of an imaginary country, but . . . they are places of adventure which are the most exceptional habitats and decorated caves that archaeological science has revealed to the world in the last century and a half. . . . This saga is therefore also a breathtakingly realistic story that compels admiration. This story goes far beyond Brian Hayden’s scientific writings; it anchors them in the passion that our society has for the sciences of ancient times.”
— Jean-Michel, Geneste Former Chief of Scientific Studies for Chauvet Cave. Former Chief Curator of Lascaux Cave for over twenty years. Former Director of the National Centre of Prehistory. Honorary General Curator of French heritage.
“Other novelists have tried to capture this time and place, often almost as sci-fi thrillers, but Hayden’s story is different. It rings true in details of everyday life and of extraordinary moments of the boy’s first communal hunt, his exploration of a forbidden cave and his initiation into the group’s secret society. Hayden demonstrates a novelist’s ability to capture human experiences of friendship, rivalry, love and survival in this vivid coming of age story. . . . Hayden also provides a comprehensive scientific knowledge of their lives and achievements . . . to combine them all so successfully is remarkable. I highly recommend this novel to the young reader certainly, but really to anyone interested in historical fiction.”
— Timothy Earle, Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University. Author of The Evolution of Human Societies and numerous works on inequality and social complexity.
“I couldn’t put it down and neither could my daughter. The Eyes of the Leopard is a triumph of historical fiction, bringing to life a time rarely written about, with the detail and nuance only an archaeologist of Brian Hayden’s calibre could provide. Don’t miss this read. Share it with every schoolteacher, child and amateur archaeologist in your life. They will thank you for it.”
— Manda Aufochs Gillespie, author of the Green Mama series. Founder of Folk University and passionate YA book club leader.
“I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I can’t wait until my grandson reaches the age where he can read it. I know he will love it too. It’s a beautiful coming of age story that every young person would benefit from reading.”
— Janine Harrison
Media related:
Vancouver Sun article. Book review
Radio Canada ohDio interview with Brian about his new novel.
Book Trailer: YouTube and Literary Titan
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