The Diamond of Jeru

by Louis L'Amour, Dramatization (Reader)

Deep within the jungles of Borneo flows a legendary river of diamonds …
 
An ex-Marine on the run from the nightmares of war. An American scientist and his beautiful wife on a desperate journey to save their marriage. An aging native shaman trying to teach his grandson one last, all important, lesson.  All are headed up an uncharted river into a confrontation with a mysterious warlord trapped by a deadly curse.
 
The Diamond of Jeru is a tale of love, redemption, heroism, and magic from master storyteller Louis L’Amour. Set in Sarawak in 1955, this full dramatization features an international cast of actors, cleverly crafted sound effects, and a stirring musical score that combine to create a unique audio adventure.

Library Journal Best Audiobooks of 2015
Audiofile Best Audiobooks of 2015 

Praise for  The Diamond of Jeru

"Groundbreaking production values…a bellwether of what audiobooks could become" — Library Journal , starred review

"Beau L’Amour has pulled out all the stops…A sweeping film-like audio production" — Audiofile Magazine, Earphones Award


An Audio Dramatization, Read by a Full
Joe Morton
Joel Bryant
Traci Dinwiddie
Time Winters
Jack Ong
Michael Ng
Hayden Lee
Nicholas Hosking
Jon Jon Briones
Ronabir Lahiri
Peter Lavin
Josh Rosenthal
Glenda Morgan Brown
Paul Ganus
Will Macmillan
Sanjay Chandani
Benny Tjandera
Jee Teo
Nick Ballard
Bru Muller
Lee Reherman

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Audiobook, Westerns

Audio CD

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels, though he called his work "frontier stories". His most widely known Western fiction works include Last of the Breed, Hondo, Shalako, and the Sackett series. L'Amour also wrote historical fiction (The Walking Drum), science fiction (The Haunted Mesa), non-fiction (Frontier), and poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into films. His books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death, almost all of his 105 existing works (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) were still in print, and he was "one of the world's most popular writers".

Reviews

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good story about an American couple who decide to go into the wilds of Borneo to search for diamonds. The husband is a scientist and both are prepared to deal with adventure. A local American who was a marine learns about the plan of the couple and realizes that the natives they have hired are preparing to rob and perhaps abandon the couple. The former marine decides to work to help and even the couple. This adventure is well written and exciting.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exceptionally well produced full cast audiobook.
I've read several L'Amour Westerns, and imagine my surprise to realize he wrote books outside that genre. This was set in the jungles of Boreno about a decade following WWII. It was rich with mythology, culture, language and customs of the natives. Really enjoyed this.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun pulp tale that never quite reaches epicness. Nonetheless, if you like Indiana Jones, you will probably feel right at home with this one.

[Caleb Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!!!!!!!! You must listen on audible.com

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun audiobook performed by an ensemble. It is like an old radio show. Many different "players" plus the sounds of the jungle to draw you into the story.

[Judy Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Diamond of Jeru
Author: Louis L’Amour
Stars: ***
Genre: Thriller
Time Period: 1955
Location: Sarawak, Borneo
Readers: Many
Storyline: From the Goodreads description, modified for SEO
Deep within the jungles of Borneo flows a legendary river of diamonds …

An ex-Marine on the run from the nightmares of war. An American scientist and his beautiful wife on a desperate journey to save their marriage. An aging native shaman trying to teach his grandson one last, all important, lesson. All are headed up an uncharted river into a confrontation with a mysterious warlord trapped by a deadly curse.

The Diamond of Jeru is a tale of love, redemption, heroism, and magic from master storyteller Louis L’Amour. Set in Sarawak in 1955, this full dramatization features an international cast of actors, cleverly crafted sound effects, and a stirring musical score that combine to create a unique audio adventure.

Library Journal Best Audiobooks of 2015
Audiofile Best Audiobooks of 2015

Major Characters:
Mike Kardec - Mike is rumored to know where to find diamonds in Malaysia. But Mike has demons to deal with from his war days; he’s a hero but he feels lost. He declines a guide job for a married couple (John and Helen Lacklan) initially but changes his mind when he meets Mrs. Lacklan. He decides to guide the couple but before the expedition begins, the Lacklans pick another guide whom Mike learns is a conman and maybe a murderer.

John Lacklan - I’m not really sure what’s bothering Mr. Lacklan, it’s just clear that he’s not very happy. It sounds like part of his problem is he thinks his wife is being unfaithful. Even before they arrived in Malaysia Helen was aware of his fears.

Helen Lacklan - Bright and charming, Helen Lacklan gets Mike Kardec’s attention quickly. She’s apparently the one who wants this trip to try to mend whatever is wrong in her marriage. Helen seems to notice Mike too but never moves on her interest.

Review
I hadn’t read Louis L’Amour before this audiobook so I didn’t have any preconceived ideas about his work. I knew he was better known for his Western novels but this book sounded interesting so downloaded it. It was an old story about redemption, love and loss and, of course, jungle tribes in Borneo.
The story got 2 stars because I felt like I’d seen or read this same story many times over. What got the extra star for me was the audio production. Listening to this audiobook brought back memories of listening to the old mysteries on the radio in the 40s like The Shadow and Inner Sanctum.

This production had multiple actors, sound effects and even music. I felt like I was listening to a play on NPR. The story was still the story but the effects but it all to life so all in all, it was fun.

Recommendation:
I gave this book 3 stars. If you’re not an audiobook fan because of all the “he said” or “she said” then this might be a book to get you started. It was a play, not just narration and it was fun. This might be the future of audiobooks!

[Greg Handley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook format. The story started out slow for me and delved into mysticism a bit as a twist, but I enjoyed the story overall. The beginning of the audiobook is a bit grating to listen to with loud high pitched metallic noises constantly ringing out to portray a warehouse or shipping type environment. I could have done without that exacting realism.

Past that the story does improve on audiobook and feels like a story that would be told like Indiana Jones. Maybe not their best story or origin, but it tells a chapter in their life. That's how this adventure story came across to me. Very much a book that is reminiscent of Indiana Jones and Jewel of the Nile type stories that came after it.

I'd suggest this to anyone who wants a light adventure read. I did enjoy the audiobook format, but it may be better read as a book. The voice acting was very good, but some of the background noise they add for realism doesn't stay in the background and can almost hurt your ears if using ear buds.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4. 5 stars
I'm a HUGE fan of L'Amour! I thought I'd read most of his library, but this find was a surprise. There was a movie version of this book which I saw on TV a few years ago starring Billy Zane.
I enjoy a good narrator on an audiobook. The recent trend in audiobooks is to have various other voice actors doing the characters instead of the one person doing all voices. I have no problem with that.
This is a brilliant example of multiple voice actors. It listens like a play/film complete w/sound effects & background music. The actors did a great job of helping me visual the characters better.

This isn't a western that L'Amour is known for. Many people don't realize that he also wrote adventure thrillers. This is the story of an expedition in 1955 in Borneo in search of diamonds.

Great characters, story, lots of action/suspense.

I'd recommend it to those who enjoy audiobooks that are adventure/suspense/thriller stories (but not mysteries).

[Roger King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advantages of the audio production used here are different voices for each character (eliminates all the he said/ she said); disadvantage is the overproduced Borneo jungle background sounds. But this is the first I learned L'Amour wrote non Westerns--well, 'Last of the Breed' was a Cold War story about a guy escaping from a Soviet prison camp, but he was an American Indian who used native crafts to outwit the commies.

[Matt FritzMiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the “audio book” version of this book. Quotes are used because there were sound effects, background noise, and everything that you would think of in the audio version of a movie. When I listen to an audiobook I like the descriptions and the purity of the words. The story was good and what I would expect of Louis l’Amour. The audiobook version was entertaining, but not what I look for in an audiobook and definitely left something to be desired.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dramatization on audiobook. Set in Borneo, this jungle thriller was complicated by the native superstitions that affect the diamond hunters' greed. I want to look for the movie version as well.

[Angelica Taggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read a Louis L'Amour book. I thought he was mostly Westerns. I listened to this one, and it had good actors but lots of other noises that detracted, like background camping noises, etc. A gruesome story, not my style.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pulp!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very enjoyable read. Will read it again.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from westerns!

[Ranette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Searching for a rare diamond, attacked by natives and suffering blow darts. Lots of adventure

[Graham Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent L'Amour adventure. I seem to recall watching a TV movie version with Billy Zane that was spot-on. Great story.

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous audio production in an atypical setting for this author! I enjoyed the break from the Wild West

[Yasser Maniram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good production and story. Very entralling.

[Esther May · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Louis L'Amour book. It was set in a really different place than others I have read. I enjoyed it, but it was not my favorite L'Amour.

[Tom Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Louis L'Amour stories!

[Michael Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louis L'Amour can tell a story better than most. While I have read almost all of his 100+ books, this is one of the few non-western titles of his I have read. Well worth it.

[Christy Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick, dramatized, audio book. Because it was so short, it felt rushed and choppy. I didn’t like the inferred attraction between a married woman and the marine.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is fine, but the audio book is quite amazing.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man suffering from PTSD after the Korean War decides not to return home but to take a different path…. A path fraught with diamonds and peril….

[Jim Bartlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is good to see a non western work by Louis L’Amor given new life in this dramatised audio version.

[Brennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diamond is right, this book was a gem. What an adventure! Not my usual type, but my Grandma has been reading his books for ages. Definitely a new fan.

[Alex Spooner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Out of all the great books this author has written, this was one I wouldn’t recommend.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read a non-western by Louis L'Amour. Short and sweet. There is always a woman to rescue. Set in Borneo.

[Marty McSkywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fantastic story with an exciting presentation! Classic adventure story, one of L'Amours best in my opinion!