The story began in West of Eden, which depicts a war between a group of Cro-Magnon-level humans that evolved from New World monkeys and a reptilian race called the Yilanè, who are descended from the prehistoric mosasaur and have become the dominant lifeform on the planet.

In Winter in Eden, Kerrick and Herilak (fellow chieftain) searches the burned Alpèsak and discovers two Yilanè males.

Kerrick and Armun try to find each other and finally end up with the Paramutan (northern whale hunter humanoids).

Vaintè initially obeys, but later defies efforts to make peace with the humans, so Lanefenuu banishes her.

Dave Langford reviewed Winter in Eden for White Dwarf #99, and stated that " These are tricks and turns of mere short-story weight, while the epic potential lies elsewhere: with the long-term inevitability of either human/dinosaur coexistence or one species' extinction, with the advancing glaciers that can't be conveniently bluffed or set fire to.