All right, boys and gals, here is my first try at a review. Sorry I took so long to get around to it, but when ya work 60 hours a week, time is scarce! Since William Layton and Captain Cox have set the bar, I'll try to live up.
TOMBSTONE
Matt Braun
Pocket Books Edition:April 1981
St Martin's edition:September 2002
St Martin's Press,175 Fifth Ave.,New York, NY, 10010
This book apparently was written a while back and brought back out by St Martin's press. It follows the adventures of Luke Starbuck, a bounty hunter/cattle detective type invented by Matt Braun. In this story, Starbuck enters into Tombstone, Arizona on the tail end of the famous O.K. Corral fight. He takes a job offer by Wells Fargo to go in and bust up a gang in Tombstone that has been robbing their stages. In this story, the two factions in Tombston, Wyatt Earps family and the Clanton/Curly Bill Brocious gang, are actually partners in crime. The famous fight is portrayed as a falling out amongst theives. Starbuck enters town and assumes the identity of "Jack Johnson" and begins to worm his way into the gang, working to find evidence against Wyatt Earp to arrest him and, if necessary, kill him. Along the way, we get to meet the various Earp brothers, even the ones rarely mentioned in most movies. We always hear about Virgil and Morgan, but James, the oldest, and Warren, the youngest, are seldom mentioned. Also, Curly Bill and various of his co-hourts are brought out into the light.
This story uses a ficticious character to explore one theory of the Earp/Clanton fight in Tombstone. While I must admit I don't like the light that is cast on The Earps and my hero, Doc Holiday, it is an excellant story and is probably closer to the truth than Earp/Holiday aficionados will care to admit. Mr Braun uses a mix of real facts with a little literary license to create a good story. I recomend it highly. I have a few other Matt Braun books I am working on. One involves the Texas Rangers in early 1920's Galvaston, another follows the adventures of Luke Starbuck in the James Gang. These I hope to finish soon. I have already completed Matt Braun's "Doc Holiday" and will review it soon! Well, that's all fer now. Y'all keep yer powder dry!
