Listen free for 30 days

Preview

  • Desert Death-Song

  • A Collection of Western Stories
  • Written by: Louis L'Amour
  • Narrated by: John McLain
  • Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Desert Death-Song

Written by: Louis L'Amour
Narrated by: John McLain
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.40

Buy Now for $26.40

Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

A collection of stories from the most famous Western author of all time! Desert Death-Song is a compilation of some of Louis L’Amour’s greatest stories, many of which might otherwise be difficult to find. Whether he was writing under his early pen name, Jim Mayo, or his own, L’Amour’s stories are unforgettable, touching on rough and rugged American ideals, and set in the untamable frontier of the Western United States. Nearly a dozen stories are presented here that represent the best of L’Amour’s yarn-spinning writing, a choice collection handpicked from the variety of pulp Western magazines in which the author first became known.

The most popular author of Westerns the world has ever known, L’Amour wrote stories full of mavericks, outlaws, romantics, and heroes. His characters follow the unspoken laws and morals of the Wild West, and the pictures he paints are unrivaled in their authenticity. From gold prospectors to sheriffs, the characters of L’Amour's tales will never be forgotten.

©2013 Louis L'Amour Enterprises, Inc. (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Desert Death-Song

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.ca reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for JAMIE

Wish there was a few sounds

Narrative is very good but I do wish there was some sounds that really makes and experience

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Langer MD

Expectations Were Set Low.. But I Enjoyed It

This pulpy Western stuff is not in my wheelhouse - I'm more of a Fantasy/SciFi guy with interests in Mystery/Thrillers, True Crime Exposés, Courtroom Drama, and Biographies. I also occasionally listen to Children's Books, Spy Thrillers, Horror, Classics, and the occasional Romance.. essentially I'm willing to give anything a chance. But Louis L'Amour has always been quite clearly outside of my usual tastes. This collection of eleven short stories written in the 1930s was offered for Free as part of the 'Plus' catalogue, however, so I decided to give it a listen. I am glad that I did.
As in any collection of short stories, a few tales are boring, a few are acceptable, and a few are outstanding. They all deal with stereotypical "Cowboy" themes: riding the range and six-shooter showdowns (it's satisfying 'Old West' fare).. but you will definitely find a couple that leave you yawning.
Regardless, even the best narratives in this selection will never be confused with "literature" (and the plots/settings/characters are universally 2-dimensional). Rather, L'Amour writes action-heavy stories that are clichéd but instantly immersive - I could picture myself on the veranda of the Bunk House with the Rancher's daughter on my arm waiting for the black-hat-wearing rustler to show up, guns ablazin'.
[Yes, it's stupid, but allowing myself a little brain-candy now & again is just fine].

John McLain reads all of the stories in this compendium and does a marvellous job. His pronunciations are occasionally glaringly weak, but his diction, pacing, cadence, and voice-acting are exceptional. McLain's strongest suit is his tone, however - gritty and appropriately serious with a gravelly timbre and a slight drawl that fits the text perfectly. Bravo to Audible Studios for the casting choice.

Make no mistake: this stuff is nonsense. If it weren't free, I wouldn't spend any money on it.
Maybe the trick is to set aside reservations and just let yourself enjoy the silly.. if you can do it, 'Desert Death-Song' is a quality sampler that rates 6 stars out of 10.

TO THE PRODUCERS: It's unforgiveably difficult to find a specific story in this collection. Please include a navigable menu (or a PDF). It will improve this product immensely

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for J. McIntyre

A series of corny cliches

I’ve been reading westerns lately. Thought I would give this series of short stories a try as I had seen L’Amour’s name on a list of top western books. I managed to finish the first story but that was it. One cliche after after another. I’m assuming this was like the 400th book he wrote and he was just cutting and pasting by this point. Don’t bother - life is too short!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!