Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - The Lonesome Gods

The Lonesome Gods
The Lonesome Gods
Author: Louis L'Amour
Here is the fascinating story of Johannes Verne, a young man left to die by his vengeful grandfather, rescued by outlaws and raised in part by the Indians of the desert. Strengthened by the love of two women -- Miss Nesselrode, whose mysterious past fires her ambitions for the future and Meghan, a willful young beauty -- Verne grows to become a ...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9780553253986
ISBN-10: 0553253980
Publication Date: 1/1/1984
Pages: 450
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 9

4.3 stars, based on 9 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

readingmachine avatar reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Louis L'Amour at his best! I am a huge fan of his western epics and I could not put this one down until it was done. If you like westerns, you will like this book.
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
My favorite L'Amour book. Saw this copy in hardcover and had to pick it up.
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is one of Louis L'Amour's best books yet.
ruffedgedesign avatar reviewed The Lonesome Gods on
Helpful Score: 2
I discovered this book through another, "A Thomas Jefferson Education" by Oliver Van DeMille. "The Lonesome Gods" is a story of an education, a story of survival, a story of vengeance, and a story of the desert. Johannes Verne's grandfather wants him dead, and he very nearly kills six-year-old Johannes, after murdering the boy's father. But Johannes survives and learns to thrive in the desert. In the process, he meets a number of interesting people (many of whom becomes mentors), learns about his family's past, unravels a mystery or two and always takes what he can from a situation, stashing away knowledge for future reference.

I've read this book twice, two of my kids have read it more than once, my husband has read it. It's a well-written story that is much deeper than a simple, rustlers-steal-cattle-cowboy-makes-them-pay tale. L'Amour obviously knows his subject matter; he creates wonderful, multi-faceted characters; and, with the first sentence or two, immediately draws you into the life of Johannes: "I sat very still, as befitted a small boy among strangers, staring wide-eyed into a world I did not know. I was six years old and my father was dying."

My one negative comment is this: L'Amour gets a little heavy-handed with the didactism. That, however, is a very small price to pay for such a compelling story.
instantkarma60 avatar reviewed The Lonesome Gods on
Helpful Score: 1
Like all of Louis L'Amour books, this was a great one. But this one to me was a little philosophical about what choices a young man makes in life. It turned into one of my favorite L'Amour books.
Read All 21 Book Reviews of "The Lonesome Gods"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 4 more book reviews
This was an excellent read! I couldn't put this book down, it just flowed.
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 628 more book reviews
Excellently written western story of survival and coming of age. Well researched and comprehensive.
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on
Reading is more than a hobby for me - it's a passion. I list reading in the same category as... breathing. Except for Westerns. Until I picked up "The Lonesome Gods" by Louis L'Amour.

This wonderfully detailed adventure draws us in immediately by introducing Johannes Vernes, a young boy traveling with his dying father across the desert. His father, whose bravery is legendary, is determined to find a home for his son before he becomes an orphan. Unfortunately, Johannes already has a lot to overcome - a long-standing family hatred threatens his future, the harsh desert threatens his survival, and his own youthful inexperience at times threatens his success.

L'Amour's love for writing this book showed clearly in his lush depictions: The development of California, the exotic but stark beauty of the desert, and the effort he put into bringing each character to life. This book felt so authentic and was such an enjoyable read. More Westerns please!
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 22 more book reviews
A book to morph into your soul. This is a modern classic that is - in some cases - more readable for those who aren't especially avid. Don't want to take on War and Peace? This is the book for you. Very realistic, very accurate. I've ridden in country like this, and L'Amour knows how to write about it.
reviewed The Lonesome Gods on + 60 more book reviews
excellent read-always love L'Amour. have probably read this at least three times!


Genres: