I was told that there is a book written and unfortunately I saw the movie first. There is nothing wrong in my opinion with embellishment or making something fantasy. I enjoyed seeing an actual railroad and the conductors or whatever but the issue is how the story was presented. Too many ends were cut and left to dangle. People coming people going..... The plot changed so many times I just felt like I watched 10 different shows that have nothing to do with the other. The story isn't about what we know happened in history but more like a Whipping here a Buring body there massive killing of black people... Oh and then the train pops up and your in a whole other world for about 5 mins until it's back to the strap! The Actors were great.... This one I would say is all on the director. I am warning you to not throw away 10 -12 hrs of your life as I did. I know you're wondering "well why did he watch the whole thing". Every episode I wanted so badly for things to come together and work out like an aha moment...... But it never came.