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Territory (novel)
Encyclopedia
Territory is a fantasy
western
or Weird West
novel by Emma Bull
, published in 2007. It placed 4th in the 2008 Locus Poll Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award
in the Best Novel category.
, is obvious. However, this novel takes that magic-in-a-familiar-setting approach in a quite distinct direction.
The principal male 'point-of-view' character, Jesse Fox, is a horse trainer in the manner of John Solomon Rarey
(a real period character; regarding his methods the author includes a prefatory note to the effect: don't try this at home, kids). He has professional qualifications as well, but no stomach to pursue them: he is drifting, uprooted by unease over the uncanny abilities that have led to his sister's demotion to madwoman status and his own share of such abilities. The principal female POV character is Mrs. Mildred Benjamin, widow of David Benjamin, supporting herself as a typesetter for one of the Tombstone newspapers but moonlighting as the freelance author of Wild West stories for a ladies' periodical. She, too, has a slight supernatural talent of perception---albeit not enough to spook her so badly.
The plot has multiple black magicians as its villains, but avoids identifying just whose hat is blackest until the final showdown. A bungled stagecoach robbery that involved one of the four Earp brothers, Morgan, leads to much ado with mis-directed posses and the deaths, a few at a time, of all participants except for him. Along the way Jesse Fox's Chinese buddy Chow Lung, another magician but one who is comfortable in the use of his powers, is also killed. This adds a plot anchor to keep Jesse in Tombstone that is even more forceful than the attractions of Mrs. Benjamin. Jesse helps fight a major fire in downtown Tombstone and has his injuries nursed by Mildred; Mildred's house burns and Jesse helps her defend the lot, her last major marital asset, from the machinations of a mining outfit that lays spurious claim to the whole neighborhood. Jesse escorts Mildred to a ball, where the dances are described in detail that shows much attention to accuracy, and where the pair witness the magical dimensions of an altercation between Wyatt Earp
and Doc Holliday
. The latter, in this telling, has the role of unwilling and finally of willing magical aide to Wyatt Earp
, who repays him by controlling his tuberculosis. By the closing pages Jesse has come to accept and is learning to manage his magical abilities, applying them to block Wyatt Earp
's deadly excesses in his well-meant efforts to defend and enlarge the well-being of his clan. What becomes of the connection between Mildred and Jesse is left to the reader to imagine.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
or Weird West
Weird West
Weird West is used to describe a combination of the Western with another literary genre, usually horror, occult, or fantasy.DC's Weird Western Tales appeared in the early 1970s and the weird Western was further popularized by Joe R...
novel by Emma Bull
Emma Bull
Emma Bull is a science fiction and fantasy author whose best-known novel is War for the Oaks, one of the pioneering works of urban fantasy. She has participated in Terri Windling's Borderland shared universe, which is the setting of her 1994 novel Finder...
, published in 2007. It placed 4th in the 2008 Locus Poll Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
in the Best Novel category.
Plot synopsis
The territory of the title is the vicinity of Tombstone, AZ in the year 1881, but also refers to the magicians' power struggle that is the fantasy element in this novel. Most of the characters are named for historical individuals from the era and setting; the author's aim appears to be a tale that parallels recorded events, but places those in a context where magic is real. The structural parallel to Ms. Bull's first novel, War for the OaksWar for the Oaks
War for the Oaks is a fantasy novel by Emma Bull. The book tells the story of Eddi McCandry, a rock musician who finds herself unwillingly pulled into the supernatural faerie conflict between good and evil...
, is obvious. However, this novel takes that magic-in-a-familiar-setting approach in a quite distinct direction.
The principal male 'point-of-view' character, Jesse Fox, is a horse trainer in the manner of John Solomon Rarey
John Solomon Rarey
John Solomon Rarey was one of the nineteenth century horse whisperers, an important figure in the rehabilitation of abused and vicious horses during the 1850s. Originally from Groveport, Ohio, Rarey trained his first horse at the age of twelve...
(a real period character; regarding his methods the author includes a prefatory note to the effect: don't try this at home, kids). He has professional qualifications as well, but no stomach to pursue them: he is drifting, uprooted by unease over the uncanny abilities that have led to his sister's demotion to madwoman status and his own share of such abilities. The principal female POV character is Mrs. Mildred Benjamin, widow of David Benjamin, supporting herself as a typesetter for one of the Tombstone newspapers but moonlighting as the freelance author of Wild West stories for a ladies' periodical. She, too, has a slight supernatural talent of perception---albeit not enough to spook her so badly.
The plot has multiple black magicians as its villains, but avoids identifying just whose hat is blackest until the final showdown. A bungled stagecoach robbery that involved one of the four Earp brothers, Morgan, leads to much ado with mis-directed posses and the deaths, a few at a time, of all participants except for him. Along the way Jesse Fox's Chinese buddy Chow Lung, another magician but one who is comfortable in the use of his powers, is also killed. This adds a plot anchor to keep Jesse in Tombstone that is even more forceful than the attractions of Mrs. Benjamin. Jesse helps fight a major fire in downtown Tombstone and has his injuries nursed by Mildred; Mildred's house burns and Jesse helps her defend the lot, her last major marital asset, from the machinations of a mining outfit that lays spurious claim to the whole neighborhood. Jesse escorts Mildred to a ball, where the dances are described in detail that shows much attention to accuracy, and where the pair witness the magical dimensions of an altercation between Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
and Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
. The latter, in this telling, has the role of unwilling and finally of willing magical aide to Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, who repays him by controlling his tuberculosis. By the closing pages Jesse has come to accept and is learning to manage his magical abilities, applying them to block Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
's deadly excesses in his well-meant efforts to defend and enlarge the well-being of his clan. What becomes of the connection between Mildred and Jesse is left to the reader to imagine.