The author of such acclaimed speculative fiction as The Sparrow moves into the historical fiction arena with this novel about the Wild West. The titular protagonist is Doc Holliday, a participant in the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral, but Russell does not focus on this infamous event that defined Holliday's life in the eyes of the public. The story starts with Holliday's birth and his relationship with his mother, whom he idolized. She later dies of consumption, the disease that will kill Holliday. Holliday trains to be a dental surgeon, but illness prevents him from practicing. He then moves west to Dodge City to prevent his illness from progressing. This is the fateful move that brings him together with Wyatt Earp and his sometimes female companion and prostitute Mária Katarina Harony.
VERDICT Full of well-developed characters and rich historical detail, Russell's excellent novel will appeal to readers who enjoy a lively and vivid work of historical fiction or to Western buffs curious about this notorious character. [Library marketing; see Prepub Alert, 11/22/10.]
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