GUNMAN'S RHAPSODY

Tombstone, Arizona, is the setting for Parker's first Western, about the tensions of pride, politics, and love that led up to the 1891 gunfight at the OK Corral. Ed Begley Jr.'s reading matches Parker's spare storytelling. The inner emotions of gunman Wyatt Earp are understated but ever present, with Begley allowing the text to speak for itself. There's a feel of historical accuracy both in tone and detail, and one can almost taste the dust on Begley's lips. The standout aspect of the book isn't Parker's tight plotting or tense action, but his richly complex portrayal of Wyatt Earp. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]