Holliday in Tombstone

"Holliday in Tombstone' is less a sequel and more of a "second chapter" in the story which began with Ballard's "Borrowed Time". The two books blend seemlessly from one to the other. Just as with "Borrowed Time" Ballard successfully re-creates the Old West atmosphere with living, breathing realism. The blending of fact and fiction are again expertly knitted together into a compelling and moving tale of friendship, love, addiction, murder, and revenge. This book gets to the very core of Doc Holliday, a man who sees the specter of death coming but is unable to do anything about it. A young man who once had a promising life ahead of him now faced with the ugly truth that he is in fact living on borrowed time. The turmoil, agony and heartache that Holliday goes through is a side seldom seen. Ballard does an excellent job conveying real emotions, pulling the reader in and not letting go. This is not just another shoot 'em up story full of bland disposable characters. It's a portrait of the man, not the legend. I'm sure Doc would approve.

This is the second book in the S.M. Ballard series, I didn't think the first book could be topped but I was wrong. The second book, "Holliday in Tombstone" was absolutely terrific! Such a riviting story full of action, adventure, friendship, hardship, love, and the terrible inner turmoil that made up much of Doc Holliday's life. The rich detail of the inter-twining lives of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp and their friendship is engrossing. I greatly enjoyed reading this book, I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend it to everyone who wants a fantastic read! I can't wait for the next one in the series!