This was a great read. Probably my first "western." All the characters were so rich and full, that you felt like you knew what made them all click. And ultimately this book is about friendship and loyalty and the many challenges that can try to tear folks apart. Great story, great characters. And fun to boot!

Good read if you like getting a more realistic look into what has become an overly simplified gunfight story... Doc introduces us to some very interesting characters, and mde me want to read more of Mary Doria Russel's work. I am reading Sparrow now which so very different.

A good book, but not as rich as A Thread of Grace.

This was an absolutely fabulous book - one of my Top 10 for 2011.

Separating the man from the legend, Mary Doria Russell’s Doc is an extraordinary read about John Henry Holliday, better known as Doc Holliday. This book kept me glued to its pages for days. Taking the information that is known, she builds a story that rings with conviction and passion. The plot is concentrated mostly over the year of 1878, the year Holliday met the Earps, and with the part-time prostitute who was often by his side, Kate Harony, lived in the notorious Dodge City, Kansas. First and foremost, this is a story of loyalty and friendship. The care and camaraderie between the Earps and Doc Holliday is exceptional. As Morgan once states about Doc, “He didn’t have any brothers of his own, so we took him as one of ours.” The contrast between Wyatt Earp, a masculine, strong and willful man to the frail, weak, slowly dying Holliday is beautifully drawn and highlights the charismatic nature of both men. This is far from a rip-roaring, lead pumping western. Doc is a beautifully drawn, character-driven story that is told with wit and skill. A secondary plotline featuring the murder of a coloured boy, helps to define the nature of these interesting men and, brings us a clear, sharp picture of the dirty politics that were behind the way Dodge City was being run. I found Doc to be a deeply moving story, and one that I will remember for a long, long time. Highly recommended

Engrossing. I loved it.

Well written, but the story seems to wander along aimlessly without any real direction. It has a few moments here and there, but what a snoozer! I expected much more after reading Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow (which, by the way, is an amazing book).

Beautifully written. A moving portrait of human beings struggling in dehumanizing conditions, forging compassionate links with each other in spite of the difficulty and despair in their lives. Who would have imagined that a novel about gunslingers in the Old West could depict the redeeming power of love?

MDR is a gifted author. The character she created for Doc via charming dialog is vivid and complex, as is his mistress. I marked many snippets of wisdom as I read and have recommended the book to many.

This is an historical fiction book about Doc Holliday of Wyatt Earp fame. The book focuses mainly on the time he spent in Dodge City. I enjoyed the book and found the character of Doc growing on me. Mary Doria Russell is one of my preferred authors. This book was very different from the others I have read, but I still enjoyed it. I heard her speak just after this book was released. I would recommend attending one of her talks if the opportunity presents itself. She had much to share.