Territory

Territory (2007) Emma Bull

Matilda is a widow living in Tombstone and working as a typesetter for the paper. Jessie Fox is a horse trainer who ends up in Tombstone after someone tries to steal his horse. In Tombstone Wyatt Earp is consolidating power, including keeping Doc Holliday in town.

In Territory we see Tombstone before the events that have been immortalized in multiple movies. We see the town through the eyes of three people: Matilda, Jessie, and Doc Holliday, and we see an alternate, magical view of the events leading up to the events at the OK Corral.

First things first, I have to admit to a fondness for Doc Holliday, developed after watching Val Kilmer play Doc in the movie Tombstone. I occasionally even heard Val Kilmer’s drawl as I read Doc Holliday’s lines, which is highly unusual for me. So part of the story being told from the POV of Doc Holliday drew me in relatively quickly.

I liked Matilda right from the start–a window trying to survive in a town like Tombstone could conceivably end up working as a typesetter. Same with Jessie, although for the first chapter I wasn’t quite sure.

Now just to make it clear up front, there is magic in this book. Jessie has magic, as do several other characters. If you have difficulty seeing historical characters using or admitting to the existence of magic, this is not the book for you.

But if you enjoy historical fantasies, then I highly recommend Territory. I’m not sure she always gets the drawl right, but to me that didn’t matter, as her story telling quickly drew me into the tale.
Rating: 8/10

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