Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Gunman's Rhapsody by Robert B. Parker, Ed, Jr Begley ISBN: 1-4025-0788-7 Publisher: Recorded Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2003 Format: Audio Cassette List Price(USD): $37.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.33 (51 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Light version of the old west
Comment: Robert Parker writes a novel telling the tale surrounding the exploits of the Earp brothers in Tombstone, Arizona in the 1880's. He does so in a very simply written style reminiscent of the simple pace of life in the old west.
Parker is not one for intensive and in depth character profiles and the main characters are portrayed in a shallow and wooden manner. The story is seen through the eyes of Wyatt Earp. We are introduced to the Earp brothers, Virgil, Morgan, James,Warren, and their significant others as well as well known old westerners like Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson. Unfortunately, we never get to know them. The story chronicles the famous feud between the Earps and the "cowboys" (Clanton brothers, McLaury brothers etc.), that led to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Unbelievably, the gunfight is covered in one page of text.
Parker does very little to add to what we already know after having seen movies like Tombstone and Wyatt Earp. At least it was a book that can be read relatively rapidly.
Rating: 5
Summary: Gunman's Rhapsody: Spenser travels time to the Old West
Comment: Gunman's Rhapsody, I was pleased to find, is up to Parker's usual page-turning standards.
It's a fictional retelling of the Wyatt Earp saga "with the full weight of American history behind it," according to the publisher. If that be so, then Kevin Costner's recent film portrayal of Earp is closer to history than the earlier versions by Burt Lancaster and Henry Fonda.
And Parker's insights both deepen and widen the Earp reputation. Parker's pen brings to life a host of storied characters, including Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson, friends of Wyatt and the other Earp brothers, as well as foes such as Clay Allison, John Ringo and Curley Bill Brocius.
And Parker puts real flesh on the bones of the oft-told story of the feud between Sheriff Johnny Behan and Wyatt over showgirl Josie Marcus, which led to the famous shootout at the O.K. Corral.
Josie was the love of Wyatt's life, but in hindsight one almost wonders if all the blood spilled over that romance was worth it. If for none other, it's almost reason enough just for the joy of reading Parker's retelling of this cornerstone saga of the wild and wooly old American West.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Good, Quick Read
Comment: I decided to read this book after having glanced at a couple of pages. I don't know Parker's other works and this is the first Western genre novel that I've read. In short, it's a good read and Parker does a good job of portraying the characters in a realistic manner rather than the overblown "larger than life" characters in other books. The simple style matches the much simpler time where the story is set. And Parker does a good job of matching the story to the actual history, at least as much as we really know about it.
I disagree with SWH (above) about not pursuing the Doc/Wyatt relationship. He (Wyatt) is pretty clear that the only thing that joins them is loyalty based on common experience. For this novel, that suffices.
About the only question I was left asking was why Bat Masterson appeared in it at all. His re-appearance mid-story doesn't add anything and is about the only uneven thing in the book.
Overall...a good day at the beach/park/on the plane read.
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
