Comstock Lode

Rating:
Summary: Comstock is a Gold Mine of Fun Reading!
Review: I just finished reading Comstock last week, when I happened to be up in the California gold country myself. I'm a garden writer, author of 5 published books, and I was in Placer County, speaking to the Auburn Garden Club. The town of Auburn, which sits in the middle of the gold rush's richest territory, is a neat place, one to visit if you get the chance. I noticed too that there is still a very busy mining supply store right on one of Auburn's main streets. There's still gold and silver being found up there!
But I digress: All of us who read Louis L'Amour's Westerns have probably noticed that while all of them are fun to read, some are certainly better than others. I thought that Comstock was darn good, and certainly one of the best of his books set in California. If you enjoy a fast-paced, action packed Western, I expect you'll like Comstock. I recommend it!


Rating:
Summary: "Comstock Lode" can be read over, and over, and over...
Review: "Comstock Lode" is just fantastic! This book was written by the famous Western writer, Louis L'Amour. Louis L'Amour has written over a hundred books, including the famous Sackett novels. The setting of this story is in the mid-1800's, during the gold rush in America. The story is told in Virginia City, Nevada.

The main character is Val Trevallion, a young man of twenty-four with a harsh past. Both of his parents were killed when he was young and he has taken it upon himself to have revenge on the killers. He is a quiet man but very strong because of his work in mines. Though he has not had the best education, he is very smart. Grita Redaway is Val's friend from his past. Her parents were also killed by the same people who killed Val's parents. She is a very beautiful and an intelligent actress. She is independent though with a streak of stubbornness in her. Al Hesketh is the villain of the story. He is a cruel and wicked man, only thinking of himself and how he can become rich.

The story begins in Cornwall, England in the year 1859. Val is fourteen-years-old when his father and mother decide to move to America. His father wants to work his own mine in California. He saves enough money so they go to America by boat. When they reached Gunwalloe, the Trevallions decide to travel to California with another family, the Redaways. The Redaways have only one daughter, Grita, who is eight-years-old. A few days before they leave, Val's father goes to buy supplies a few miles away. Suddenly, drunken rustlers attack the wagons in which Val and Grita's mothers are in. The drifters kill the mothers then beat up Mr. Redaway. During the whole time, Val and Grita are hidden nearby; Val protecting Grita and shielding her from the sight. After they leave, killing Mr. Redaway, Val and Grita go find Mr. Trevallion. After the dead are buried, Mr. Trevallion, though heartbroken, decides to carry on to California with Val while Grita goes to live with her aunt. But on the way to California, Val's father is killed by the same men who had killed his mother. Val swears to have revenge on the murderers. Ten years go by, during which Val shoots two of the people who were involved in the murders. Val then realizes that he has wasted his life and decides to settle down and have his own mine in Virginia City, Nevada, where the Comstock Lode is. He gets good land and finds some silver in his mines. But trouble seems to follow him everywhere. He finds out that Grita is in big trouble, in which the remaining men who murdered his parents are involved.

Love this book, and is one of my favorite L'Amour books. Louis L'Amour is the type of writer that, whatever he writes, you'll know before-hand that you'll love them. "Comstock Lode" is no exception. Some other of my favorite L'Amour books are:

*North to the Rails*
*Sackett Series*
*Matagorda*
*Crossfire Trail*

...and this list can go on and on and on!

Rating:
Summary: "Comstock Lode" can be read over, and over, and over...
Review: "Comstock Lode" is just fantastic! This book was written by the famous Western writer, Louis L'Amour. Louis L'Amour has written over a hundred books, including the famous Sackett novels. The setting of this story is in the mid-1800's, during the gold rush in America. The story is told in Virginia City, Nevada.

The main character is Val Trevallion, a young man of twenty-four with a harsh past. Both of his parents were killed when he was young and he has taken it upon himself to have revenge on the killers. He is a quiet man but very strong because of his work in mines. Though he has not had the best education, he is very smart. Grita Redaway is Val's friend from his past. Her parents were also killed by the same people who killed Val's parents. She is a very beautiful and an intelligent actress. She is independent though with a streak of stubbornness in her. Al Hesketh is the villain of the story. He is a cruel and wicked man, only thinking of himself and how he can become rich.

The story begins in Cornwall, England in the year 1859. Val is fourteen-years-old when his father and mother decide to move to America. His father wants to work his own mine in California. He saves enough money so they go to America by boat. When they reached Gunwalloe, the Trevallions decide to travel to California with another family, the Redaways. The Redaways have only one daughter, Grita, who is eight-years-old. A few days before they leave, Val's father goes to buy supplies a few miles away. Suddenly, drunken rustlers attack the wagons in which Val and Grita's mothers are in. The drifters kill the mothers then beat up Mr. Redaway. During the whole time, Val and Grita are hidden nearby; Val protecting Grita and shielding her from the sight. After they leave, killing Mr. Redaway, Val and Grita go find Mr. Trevallion. After the dead are buried, Mr. Trevallion, though heartbroken, decides to carry on to California with Val while Grita goes to live with her aunt. But on the way to California, Val's father is killed by the same men who had killed his mother. Val swears to have revenge on the murderers. Ten years go by, during which Val shoots two of the people who were involved in the murders. Val then realizes that he has wasted his life and decides to settle down and have his own mine in Virginia City, Nevada, where the Comstock Lode is. He gets good land and finds some silver in his mines. But trouble seems to follow him everywhere. He finds out that Grita is in big trouble, in which the remaining men who murdered his parents are involved.

Love this book, and is one of my favorite L'Amour books. Louis L'Amour is the type of writer that, whatever he writes, you'll know before-hand that you'll love them. "Comstock Lode" is no exception. Some other of my favorite L'Amour books are:

*North to the Rails*
*Sackett Series*
*Matagorda*
*Crossfire Trail*

...and this list can go on and on and on!

Rating:
Summary: L'Amour is like reading, only easier
Review: Louis L'Amour is not a literary genius. He's a fine author though, and he writes a compelling Western. Comstock Lode was the first of his novels that I read, well over ten years ago, and found it to be an enjoyable treat. His stories are rich in accurate historical detail, yet not overwhelming. His writing style isn't literary, but it's good. His characters are reasonably three dimensional, especially in comparison to other writers of Westerns. (I find Zane Grey nearly unreadable.) Most of all though, his books are fun.

This book in particular recounts actions in and around the greatest single discovery of silver in the United States. Though the particular details of the plot have long since left me, during a recent visit to Virginia City, years after having read Comstock Lode, I was able to explain to my companions why the cemetery held the remains of so many from Cornwall, England. So I can say that at least some part of the book has remained with me over the years.

Rating:
Summary: L'Amour is like reading, only easier
Review: Louis L'Amour is not a literary genius. He's a fine author though, and he writes a compelling Western. Comstock Lode was the first of his novels that I read, well over ten years ago, and found it to be an enjoyable treat. His stories are rich in accurate historical detail, yet not overwhelming. His writing style isn't literary, but it's good. His characters are reasonably three dimensional, especially in comparison to other writers of Westerns. (I find Zane Grey nearly unreadable.) Most of all though, his books are fun.

This book in particular recounts actions in and around the greatest single discovery of silver in the United States. Though the particular details of the plot have long since left me, during a recent visit to Virginia City, years after having read Comstock Lode, I was able to explain to my companions why the cemetery held the remains of so many from Cornwall, England. So I can say that at least some part of the book has remained with me over the years.

Rating:
Summary: i've read it several times and will read it again!!!
Review: This is my all-time favorite L'Amour book. I read it for the first time several years ago and have since read it many times over. Each time I have read it, I find something new that only adds to the story.

I have read many L'Amour novels and this one stands out because of its detail of the charactures. L'Amour explains why his charactures act as they do while still containing all of the typical content of most of his novels. If you read one L'Amour novel, read this one!!

Rating:
Summary: i've read it several times and will read it again!!!
Review: This is my all-time favorite L'Amour book. I read it for the first time several years ago and have since read it many times over. Each time I have read it, I find something new that only adds to the story.

I have read many L'Amour novels and this one stands out because of its detail of the charactures. L'Amour explains why his charactures act as they do while still containing all of the typical content of most of his novels. If you read one L'Amour novel, read this one!!