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.

3 people found this helpful

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.

5 people found this helpful

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.

4 people found this helpful

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.

1 person found this helpful

Captivating, deep, complex and contemplative!

Is it the masterful storytelling of Louis L'amour, the brilliance of Scott Brick's narration, or the careful, guiding, intuitive hand of Beau L'amour that make this book great?

The answer is a resounding 'yes' to all.

It is difficult to write a review of this book without any spoilers, but I shall try.

Let me begin by saying nearly everything that can be said about the story is meticulously told us by the Foreword and Afterward by Beau L'amour. There is no way to concur with his assessment more. It was spot on. (You will have to listen to both, as well as the book, to understand.)

In my view, this book is more about Louis L'amour than anything I have ever read by him. It IS him. This story is the code book to nearly every question that you ever entertained about who Louis L'amour WAS and how he became who he remains to this day.

THE STORY:
Gripping, real, complex, deep and more. If this was completed and published in its day, it should have been a classic work, much along the lines of Herman Wouk's "The Caine Mutiny". You are THERE. You are on the ship. You are in the berths with the men, you feel their pain, their joy, experience their dreams, crushed and resurrected, only to be crushed yet once more. You begin to know them, really know them, their backgrounds, their lives, their mindset, their character and who they might have become. The story take you deep into each of the 33 living, breathing crew members lives. As it is with the plight of a total stranger, empathy is difficult, but it is impossible to pass this story without empathy growing and growing for even the roughest of characters (except maybe one or two ;-). These are men, real men. This is the story of men as they were, as they lived and as they strove to live in the 1930's upon the sea, but more truthfully, also on land and the balance they strove for between the two. More the literary sentimental type, I found myself very gripped with emotions, hopes and sympathies for these men who didn't exist, but most certainly lived in that time. "No Traveler Returns" is a top shelf piece of literature and makes me resent just slightly the difficulty Louis L'amour had in gaining acceptance as a serious writer. As he is the master of storytelling, if this had been published early on, he would have become a master of classic literature. The writing flows, yet leaves no salient detail without description, it draws you in and it sits you down by the fire to hear a story in Louis' exceptional way.

THE NARRATION:
In my opinion, there was no one else that could have done this story justice as Scott Brick did. His amazingly unhurried, yet not ponderous fashion of narrating the story...told it! (What can I say, he is Scott Brick!). One minute he was the German, the next he was the Irishman, the next the officer, the next an Aussie, the next the perfect hobo, the next the reserved officer, the next the passionate seaman. A true master of his craft. His voice trailing with that signature hint of sadness beneath its depths at just the right times. Great job Scott!

SUMMARY:
Beau L'amour has paid his debts to his father with this work! (Assuming there were any left!! Thank you Beau for carrying on your father's work and sharing him with the world! :-) What a tribute! This work is Louis L'amour. As Beau points out, you can see him at different times, at different scenes, in those unique forays into philosophy and by his classical lines of dialogue. The ending was difficult for me, though I saw it coming and tried to prepare, I see that it was necessary, but with the 'closing' of this book, you see the 'closing' of a short era of time never to return; the men who made it, the men it made, the men it left behind and the men it buried. "No Traveler Returns" is a deep and complex work as Beau tells you ahead of time. If you listen, truly listen, to every voice, every life, you, yourself will never return...The next book you read by Louis L'amour will always have this backdrop in your mind.

If you are a Louis L'amour fan, this is one you cannot pass up!

1 person found this helpful