No Traveller Returns

No Traveller Returns (Lost Treasures)

By: Louis L'Amour, Beau L'Amour

Narrated by: Scott Brick, Beau L'Amour

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

Louis L’Amour’s long-lost first novel, faithfully completed by his son, takes listeners on a voyage into danger and violence on the high seas. 

Fate is a ship. 

As the shadows of World War II gather, the SS Lichenfield is westbound across the Pacific carrying 80,000 barrels of highly explosive naphtha. The cargo alone makes the journey perilous, with the entire crew aware that one careless moment could lead to disaster.  

But yet another sort of peril haunts the Lichenfield. Even beyond their day-to-day existence, the lives of the crew are mysteriously intertwined. Though each has his own history, dreams and jealousies, longing and rage, all are connected by a deadly web of chance and circumstance.  

Some are desperately fleeing the past; others chase an unknown destiny. A few are driven by the desire for adventure, while their shipmates cling to the Lichenfield as their only true home. In their hearts, these men, as well as the women and children they have left behind, carry the seeds of salvation or destruction. And all of them - kind or cruel, strong or broken - are bound to the fate of the vessel that carries them toward an ever-darkening horizon.  

Inspired by Louis L’Amour’s own experiences as a merchant seaman, No Traveller Returns is a revelatory work by a world-renowned author - and a brilliant illustration of a writer discovering his literary voice.

With the preface and afterword read by Beau L'Amour

"A highly entertaining nautical adventure.... Beau L'Amour has done his father's fans a service by showcasing the future best-selling author's already developed storytelling and mature insights into human nature." (Publishers Weekly) 

"Although L'Amour's name will be forever linked with the American West, fans should welcome the opportunity to read some of his early work.... The insight into each character is typical of everything L'Amour ever wrote." (Booklist)

©2018 Beau L'Amour (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"L'Amour is popular for all the right reasons. His books embody heroic virtues that seem to matter now more than ever." (The Wall Street Journal)

"A master storyteller." (Kirkus Reviews)

“A highly entertaining nautical adventure . . . Beau L’Amour has done his father’s fans a service by showcasing the future bestselling author’s already developed storytelling and mature insights into human nature.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)  

I hate Hamlet endings.

Slow start but good once it gets going. Written like a bunch of short stories until connecting the characters together on the ship. The title should have told me how it was going to end. Would have given it 5*s if not for the ending. If you're ok with no happy ending you may like it more than me.

Superb

I’ve always loved the Western Novels of Louis L’Amour. After reading this novel of the Merchant Marine I’m saddened that he did not continue to write in this venue.
Having severed in both the Merchant Marine and US Navy I found the book both factual full of memories of ships and the men who go to sea in them.
I’ll be forever grateful to Beau L’Amour for his finishing this novel. My only regret is that it ended to soon, and that there will be no more.

Insightful to fans of Louis.

This book is very insightful to me. His description and obvious love of the sea, as well as his thought processes outlined by the writing of several different interactions between people, shows so much about many of his other novels. "The walking drum." the far blue mountains." "Sacketts land." and several of his short stories are all reflected here. Many of the sayings and the beliefs he expressed in his books are reflected here. But what I liked most, was the insight into his mind.

In all, an outstanding novel for people who are fans of Louis. I dont know if people would enjoy if they were not fans of louis, or at least not to the extent I did, but they might.

Romance of the tramp steamer era.

As told by the master with an assist from his son. Scott Brick is at his best! Thanks

Great Story

Classic Lamour with twists of personal interaction. Greatful for the completion by Mr Beau. Will continue with the lost stories of my favorite author.

heady story line sometimes hard to follow.

slower moving without action packed story line takes a long time to set the stage. more documentary style.

wow

I always thought Louis was a strickly cowboy writer, this story was amazing! so many interesting stories and tales about sailors from the 30s.

Another great story by my father's favorite author

so glad to have listened to my father's favorite author. Brings me closer to my own father and can understand why he read all his stories. Thanks to his son for completing his works.

An Engrossing Novel -- Brilliant Narration

So much more than a novel of the sea. Engrossing stories of the men who work on board a tanker in about 1938. While each man's backstory story is presented as separate from the others, ultimately the authors show that the men, for good or bad, are related in some fashion.
I found the time period of the novel equally fascinating and even though it takes place only 80 years ago, the description of the societal culture and the hardships faced by the characters could be centuries old. (Thanks to my parents' stories about life during the Great Depression, I have some inkling about the truth of the novel.) Some prophetic passages written by Louis L'Amour in the 1930's are especially powerful.
As to the Audible edition: Scott Brick narrates with a lyrical style that made all the characters seem so real. Had I read the book I never would have reached the enjoyment and understanding that Mr. Brick brings to his readings.
Also, The preface and afterward by Beau L'Amour added so much understanding about his father's life and how this ``lost'' novel came to be.

not as good as I was expecting

Love L'amour and have almost every book, that's the only reason I didn't return it half way through or rate it lower.