Borrowed Time

I read this with the expectation that it's a story inspired by Doc Holliday and his friendship with Wyatt Earp. This isn't a biography, so you can't go into it thinking it's going to be like that. It's factual for the settings, and some of the things that happened. It's a historical fiction novel "inspired by" true events. I thought of it as when someone writes a "fan fiction" book because they liked a certain TV show or movie and wanted to write their own idea with those same characters. It is an easy read and fast. Only thing is that it has a repeating situation it seemed like to me: Doc's sick, Wyatt takes care of him; Doc gets shot, Wyatt takes care of him; Doc's sick again, Wyatt takes care of him. These parts go on for a bit, and comparatively, the parts where Doc isn't sick don't have as much time and detail put into them. Overall, I liked it. I've started the 2nd one after this in the series "Holliday in Tombstone" and enjoying it so far. Then I'm going to read the biographies I bought: Karen Holliday Tanner's book "Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait" and Gary L. Roberts book "Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend". There are some other ones I want to get later that will be like this one, the "fan fiction" type, and I'm looking forward to those, as well.

One of the best books I've read in ages! Most books I've read on the old west are generally written more about the Earp family and their story with John "Doc" Holliday as a side character. This book really focuses on Doc's life and humanizes him in a way I've never seen before. He was more than just a gunslinger and gambler. He was a man tormented by the fact that he had a deadly disease, and lived his life like everyday might be his last. The story is so well written that you find yourself engulfed in it and the characters. The friendship between Doc and Wyatt Earp is so real and so natural, it's almost like you know them personally. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! A really fantastic read, I couldn't put it down! I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series!

Being a fan of all things Old West and in particular "Doc" Holliday and the Earps, I decided to pick up a copy of "Borrowed Time". Almost instantly I found myself teleported back in time to places rich in detail and atmosphere. From the rolling plains to the bustling cowtowns, I could clearly envision myself in these settings. The descriptions were vivid as well as historically accurate which as a student of the Old West I found very satisfying. I could almost smell the smoke filled saloons, or feel the cold wind blowing in from the plains. Doc Holliday, usually portrayed as a one dimensional, almost abrasive character in books and film was brought to life in Ballard's story as a living, breathing, complicated man complete with real emotions and a depth that's severely lacking in most other characterizations. This not only applies to Holliday but all of the other characters as well. I particularly enjoyed the banter between Doc and Wyatt, conversations that seemed as natural as any you might have with a best friend. None of their interactions seemed contrived or stiff. The story telling, besides being richly descriptive, also had an easy going style and a nice flow, balanced nicely between dialog and action. This was one of the few stories I've read, Western or otherwise that I felt connected to the characters and cared about them as well. It was an engrossing novel I simply couldn't put down. A winner for sure and honestly I can't wait to read the second book in this series and anything else that S.M. Ballard writes. ---J. Place Winooski, Vermont