“A man had to talk to somebody and most cow-horses received a lot of confidential chatter which they were in no position to repeat.”
A prolific writer like Louis L’Amour almost always leaves behind unfinished stories and drafts of ideas. His son Beau has gone through all the writings Louis L’Amour has left behind and released 22 “Lost Treasures,” even though they were sure to “frustrate” the readers. Some of the stories get you very interested in just a chapter or two and then they end. Beau fills in the gaps with what he knows from his father’s life, times of other writings and stories from the dinner table.
I’ve only read one L’Amour book before this one – Sitka. I really enjoyed it and loved how L’Amour brought characters to life so quickly. Sitka was set in Alaska during its pre-territory years. I requested this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for a fair review.
Some of the stories in this volume are westerns, but others are set in the Far East or are written as mysteries. The shorter drafts are interesting, but I really got hooked into the longer drafts. One of the most intriguing ones that I wished L’Amour could have finished was about people who were realizing they were reincarnated and had important information for mankind that other people were hunting. Another one toyed with the idea of a tapestry having the secrets to a treasure woven into it and passed down through several generations and many people were trying to get their hands on it.
If you’re looking for some good character studies or like short stories, you would enjoy this book. Fans of L’Amour’s would enjoy it for sure. If a volume 2 is every released, I would probably read it just to see what other characters L’Amour came up with.
Do you like L’Amour books? Which is your favorite? Comment below!
