Epitaph

A Novel of the O.K. Corral

By: Mary Doria Russell

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Mary Doria Russell, the best-selling, award-winning author of The Sparrow, returns with Epitaph. An American Iliad, this richly detailed and meticulously researched historical novel continues the story she began in Doc, following Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday to Tombstone, Arizona, and to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

A deeply divided nation. Vicious politics. A shamelessly partisan media. A president loathed by half the populace. Smuggling and gang warfare along the Mexican border. Armed citizens willing to stand their ground and take the law into their own hands....

That was America in 1881.

All those forces came to bear on the afternoon of October 26, when Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers faced off against the Clantons and the McLaurys in Tombstone, Arizona. It should have been a simple misdemeanor arrest. Thirty seconds and thirty bullets later, three officers were wounded, and three citizens lay dead in the dirt.

Wyatt Earp was the last man standing, the only one unscathed. The lies began before the smoke cleared, but the gunfight at the O.K. Corral would soon become central to American beliefs about the Old West.

Epitaph tells Wyatt's real story, unearthing the Homeric tragedy buried under 130 years of mythology, misrepresentation, and sheer indifference to fact. Epic and intimate, this novel gives voice to the real men and women whose lives were changed forever by those fatal thirty seconds in Tombstone. At its heart is the woman behind the myth: Josephine Sarah Marcus, who loved Wyatt Earp for forty-nine years and who carefully chipped away at the truth until she had crafted the heroic legend that would become the epitaph her husband deserved.

©2015 Mary Doria Russell (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Hillary Huber provides a stalwart, gutsy portrayal of Kate Haroney, the brothel madam whose tempestuous relationship with Doc Holliday was scandalous even in the Wild West. Huber gleefully portrays the cunning Josephine Marcus, a scrappy former prostitute who became Earp's common-law wife. Almost half a century after the gunfight, Huber adds tenderness and a touch of frenzy as Josephine persists in her version of the epic shoot-out." ( AudioFile)

Poor choice in narrator

I just couldn't get past characters like Ike Clanton, Morgan Earp, and many others sounding like petulant 10 year old boys. It should've been narrated by a man.

Excellent story and narration

This novel gets into the heads of all the participants of the gunfight at OK Corral but primarily focusses on Wyatt Earp. The story is told in a realistic, sympathetic manner showing the good, the bad and the ugly of very human not mythological people. It is a sequel to the author's earlier book about Doc Holliday, centered in Dodge City. The narration is very enjoyable. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Realistic, Triumphant and Sad

This sequel to the novel Doc, adds even more heart and emotion to the real life people who have been frozen in legend. Their lives in Tombstone Arizona in the early 1880's, comes to life and you cannot help but cheer or cry for them. This book rings true and shows the impact on the lives of those who walked away from that fateful gunfight. A damn good novel.

Entertaining and (largely) Factual History

Would you consider the audio edition of Epitaph to be better than the print version?

No, I would not. Hillary Huber is a very competent narrator and does a superb job in Taylor Stevens' novels on Vanessa Munroe (all of which I have listened to and enjoyed thoroughly); however her voice simply does not work in Epitah. I realize this is a minority opinion based upon the other Audible reviews, but when she speaks as Wyatt Earp, Earp's brothers, and most of the other male characters (excluding Doc Holliday where she does an excellent job with his accent), it sounds more like adolescent youths rather than tough cowboys.

What other book might you compare Epitaph to and why?

I have not read very many historical novels of the Old West, so I struggle to come up with any kind of comparison.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

As I indicated above, in most, but not all cases, the voice simply does not match the characters she attempts to represent. On the positive side, she does exceptionally well with the female characters and with Doc Holliday. She also enunciates well and does not commit any flagrant errors in pronunciation.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

What moved me the most throughout this book was the character of Wyatt Earp and the accuracy of most of the historical narrative.

Any additional comments?

I strongly recommend that people who are interested in this book read it in print vs audio.

Fantastic!

I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone who's fascinated with Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday. I feel like I got the true version of who the Earp's and Holiday were. For once a book that's true and not a kinda true but mostly made up book.

A wonderful historical novel. I Lived in this world.

I read this after I read Doc, which was likely the best sequence. I would highly recommend both. Great character development. Great stories. I give credit for what seems to me great historical accuracy.
It is a rare novel that allows me the ability it become part of that novel's world. This does that well. I now feel like I am part of these people's lives.
Thanks Mary Doria Russell for that.
And if like me you are a cross genre reader the novel The Sparrow displays the author's skills and versatility, albeit in an entirely different world.

SO GOOD!

Would you listen to Epitaph again? Why?

Most definitely. I listened to "Doc" first and was worried that "Epitaph" wouldn't be as good. Boy was I wrong! I actually preferred the latter and found myself in a state of disbelief when it ended.

What other book might you compare Epitaph to and why?

Lonesome Dove Series - Larry McMurtry
The Son by Philipp Meyer

Have you listened to any of Hillary Huber’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, this was my first.

If you could rename Epitaph, what would you call it?

It wouldn't rename it. Epitaph is perfect.

Any additional comments?

You will not be disappointed!

Poor narration almost ruined this book for me

I chose this book after thoroughly enjoying Doc, by the same author. Unfortunately the narrator made listening to this one a tedious experience. With inflection divorced from the meaning of the text and renditions of grown men in the voice of whiny teens, her performance was distracting. I should have bought the book.

Best of all books on Tombstone and ok Corrall

Very in depth on all characters

Excellent narration, includes all who were actually there in the y 1881

Patrick MCMaster

Good book!

I have watched several movies about the Earp family but of course the books are always better Epitaph was very descriptive, I felt as I was there during the OK Corral shoot- out, but towards the end the story lagged and lulled. I wondered when it would be over, but overall it was a good book and I recommend it for a good read especially if you likewesterns and historical fiction. One day I'd like to go to Tombstone Arizona and visit because there's so much history there.