Epitaph

Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story of the build up to the shoot out at the OK corral. Russell does a good job of putting the pieces together for the readers, the shoot out a result of months of grudges, politics, weather, inflammatory journalism, jealousy, loyalty, and frustration. Even the death of Garfield plays a part. Then, what happens afterward. It is fiction, but Russell includes what seem to be primary sources so it seems like embellished nonfiction. Since so many of the primary witnesses either couldn't read or write, or were killed, probably anything written about that gunfight would have to be labeled as fiction. I enjoyed the story of the loyalty of the Earp brothers and Doc and their wives. They would kill and die for each other. And when necessary, stop the killing. Russell warns you about 85% of the way through to quit reading, if you like happy endings. Of course I kept reading, and I kind of wish I hadn't. The book drags from that point on, and no one likes to see the heroes grow old and become human ....


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