Hominids (Neanderthal Parallax Series #1)

Hominids first appeared as a serial in Analog Science Fiction, won the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the John W. Campbell Award the same year; In this polished anthropological SF yarn, Neanderthals have developed a radically different civilization on a parallel Earth, as both sides discover when a Neanderthal physicist, Ponter Boddit, accidentally passes from his universe into a Canadian underground research facility. Fortunately, a team of human scientists, including expert paleoanthropologist Mary Vaughan, promptly identifies and warmly receives Ponter.

The Clan of the Cave Bear is a historical novel by Jean M. Auel about prehistoric times set somewhat before the extinction of the Neanderthal race after 6.000.000 years as a species, and at least 10-15.000 years after Homo sapiens remains are documented and dated in Europe as a viable second human species. It is the first book in the Earth's Children book series which speculates on the possibilities of interactions between Neanderthal and modern Cro-Magnon humans.

The Neanderthal is among the most mysterious relatives of Homo sapiens: Was he a dull, club-swinging muscleman, or a being with developed social behavior and the ability to speak, to plan precisely, and even to develop views on the afterlife?
For many, the Neanderthals are an example of primitive humans, but new discoveries suggest that this image needs to be revised. Half a million years ago in Ice Age Europe, there emerged people who managed to cope well with the difficult climate – Neanderthal Man. They formed an organized society, hunted Mammoths, and could make fire. They were able to pass on knowledge; they cared for the old and the handicapped, burying their dead, and placing gifts on their graves. Yet, they became extinct, despite their cultural abilities.
This richly illustrated book, written for general audiences, provides a competent look at the history, living conditions, and culture of the Neanderthal.