The Cave
By Victor Kelleher
Cover and internal illustrations by Lorena Carrington
ISBN 9780645378863
280 pages, RRP $19.99
Trim size: 190×128 mm
Category: Upper middle-grade fiction
Published April 2024 by Eagle Books, an imprint of Christmas Press
About the book:
Irian, Ulana and their Clan have made the cave their home ever since they used fire to drive off the Beast – a sabre-toothed tiger that had been preying on them. Protected by an ongoing fire at the cave mouth, they continue to keep the Beast at bay… until one fateful night when the fire goes out! What happens next shatters the Clan and leaves Ulana badly injured and Irian too traumatised even to speak.
Alone and adrift in their dangerous prehistoric world, they have little hope of survival. What saves them is a chance meeting with a prickly old woman called Trug. Grudgingly, she takes them on a strange, unexpected journey of discovery, flinging them into the many wonders and hard realities of ancient times.
And that hazardous journey will eventually lead them full circle: back to the challenge of the cave, and the enduring reality of the Beast….
An exciting story set in a richly-recreated Paleolithic past, this novel for middle-grade readers is both an extraordinary adventure and a moving exploration of loss, survival and courage.
About the author:
With many novels to his credit, Victor Kelleher has written successfully for both adults and for young people. Formerly an associate professor of English, he has long since devoted himself full-time to fiction. He is a past winner of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year Award, has twice received the CBCA Honour Award, and has either won or been short-listed for many other such prizes, including the Science Fiction Achievement Award and a short-listing for the Carnegie Medal. Wanderer, like much of his fiction, reflects his deep concern for the natural world. He currently lives in Tasmania with his artist wife.
Victor’s previous novel with Eagle Books, Wanderer(2022) was shortlisted for the 2023 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
Selected reviews:
Eagle Books, 2024. ISBN: 9780645378863. (Age: 11-15) Highly recommended.
In contrast to Kelleher’s previous works, the Gibblewort goblin stories and the futuristic Wanderer, The cave is set in prehistoric times, where cave men are very much at risk from the elements and the fierce animals that are their predators. Irian and his clan are cave dwellers, guarding the cave from the wild animals that attempt to return to their lair. Their clumsy weapons are spears and axes, though the best weapon of all is fire, if only they can protect and nurture it. It becomes a rotating duty to stand guard through the night, fuelling the flames.When Irian and his father fail in their duty and succumb to sleep, the Beast returns and annihilates all but the boy who escapes through a small cleft in the cave. It is a horror that traumatises Irian to the point of losing all speech and shuddering in fear whenever his thoughts turn to that night. There is however another survivor, the severely wounded Ulana, and the two of them unite to find a way to survive in the harsh environment. An old woman, not of their clan, but a travelling trader, Trug, joins the two children and helps them to navigate the landscape, along the way sharing some of the secrets she has learnt. It is a story about the discovery of fire, and the power that it gives the cave people as they learn how to create and maintain it. And then as they master the striking of flint, more sophisticated weapons can gradually be perfected. The cave is a scary adventure story. The little group have to travel through snow, rain and flood, always on the alert to danger from leopards and other wild creatures. Along the journey, Irian has to rediscover his selfhood and find the courage to stand tall and take his place in the world. There are strong moral lessons about caring for others, sharing knowledge, and working together for the better of the community(Read Plus)
Victor Kelleher is adept at describing Irian’s world, such a contrast to our own, with telling detail. The Beast is never fully described, but it could be a Homotherium, a sabre toothed cat. Other animals mentioned include bear, hyenas, wolves, pards (leapard?) and lynxes. Irian has been traumatised by his encounter and has retreated into himself, he is mute. Ulana, is less introspective and does the bulk of the hunting, although both do their fair share of gathering firewood and food. It is only when Irian learns that he can make a bow that may possibly be able to kill the Beast that he starts to confront his own inner turmoil. This story deftly intertwines these two struggles – the attempt to oust the Beast and regain their Cave and Irian’s inner struggle, both of which Victor writes about with understanding and compassion. He gives a portrait of someone who is not a warrior but a toolmaker, a craftsman learning his craft. This vividly imagined past world is an immersive read with Irian a compelling character. Young readers will find it almost impossible not to delve deeper into the fascinating world of life in the stone age. (Mia Macrossan, StoryLinks)
Legendary Australian author, Victor Kelleher, brings us a unique adventure set in Palaeolithic times that will have readers intrigued and learning in equal parts. The Cave has always provided their people protection from the Beast. But one freezing night, when the fire is allowed to die, the Beast attacks – leaving most of their tribe dead. When Irian and Ulana find each other the next day, they must join together to try and survive in their harsh world. Irian lost his voice during the attack, but he is determined to find a way to destroy the Beast and avenge his tribe, and thereby regain his real voice. When they come across a strange old woman called Trug, she teaches them how to make fire. We then go on a journey filled with adventure as our three unlikely friends face danger and seek knowledge. But in a time where just existing is hard enough, will they survive to face the Beast again?Filled with bravery, friendship, and the value of trust, we have a terrific tale best suited to readers aged 11 to 15 (Lamont Books).
Kelleher laces the fairly straightforward text with hints of more complex philosophical tension—Ulana’s utilitarian idealism favours sharing resources and knowledge, while Trug relies on more defensive trade tactics, with Irian suspended between them, fighting his own demons and slowly fostering a sense of purpose in the aftermath of losing his known world. Kelleher sets out to humanise the cave-dwelling people, whose language and inner worlds are not far from ours, emphasising their surroundings and discoveries. Readers of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet may appreciate the elemental struggles, while others will enjoy the novelty of the setting (Books+Publishing)
This brilliant piece of writing by Victor Kelleher is breathtaking from beginning to end. A coming-of-age novel, it is filled with adventure, personal growth, courage, survival, strength, and renewal. Set in paleolithic times of spears and newly discovered fire, it is the age of Beast…..Poetic prose presents dazzling images of nature, the rugged and wild places the characters traverse. They must make difficult decisions and are enriched by the kindness and hospitality shown by the isolated people they meet, learn the importance of sharing what they have, and to always honour friendships. Don’t miss this outstanding novel that will leave you as enriched in knowledge as were the characters of the story from their journey.(Kids Book Review)
