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alias_sqbrHow exciting is Perth? Today my twitter feed was awash with excitement about the fact that it RAINED. And about an "earthquake" that turned out to be mostly the result of a plane going really fast. (I am not mocking here, I was pretty excited about the rain too. Even if I did have washing out)
I just finished reading "Territory" by Emma Bull. I quite liked it, but it's basically historical RPF based on famous people and events I know nothing about eg the gunfight at the OK Corral plus magic. Without going into the plot too much, it's the story of two original characters who get accidentally drawn into the drama happening in Tombstone: A man trying to escape his past who finds himself in the town seemingly at random, and a widow working as a reporter for the local paper. Shenanigans ensue!
I get the feeling Bull assumed everyone was familiar with the story and would be disturbed by anyone only knowing her version (I do mean to look it up on Wikipedia, but kind of enjoyed not knowing who anyone was). It stands up pretty well out of context, but events felt a bit random and the ending was rather sudden, partly I think because it relies on a bunch of foreshadowing that went totally over my head. Oh, and I kept imagining Doc Holiday as Doc Scratch, which was just surreal.
I couldn't help but remember that Emma Bull was involved in Racefail, and the book was exactly the sort of well meaning but flawed attempt to use Old West tropes in a more modern way that I would have expected. There are for example a bunch of fairly positive Chinese characters but they're a bit Magical Negro-ish (afaict the only actual black characters show up for a single line here and there in background descriptions) For some reason I got the impression early on that the main male character was American Indian, and by the time I realised he wasn't decided I liked him better that way regardless (the only actual references to Indians I really recall were brief mentions of Apaches as a vague potential threat)
Anyway, other than that, it was subtle, light and clever, I really liked the characters and am a little sad there's no more about them to read. I did find it slow going and kept getting distracted, but I'm not sure how much of that is me just not being so good at concentrating on novels any more.
I just finished reading "Territory" by Emma Bull. I quite liked it, but it's basically historical RPF based on famous people and events I know nothing about eg the gunfight at the OK Corral plus magic. Without going into the plot too much, it's the story of two original characters who get accidentally drawn into the drama happening in Tombstone: A man trying to escape his past who finds himself in the town seemingly at random, and a widow working as a reporter for the local paper. Shenanigans ensue!
I get the feeling Bull assumed everyone was familiar with the story and would be disturbed by anyone only knowing her version (I do mean to look it up on Wikipedia, but kind of enjoyed not knowing who anyone was). It stands up pretty well out of context, but events felt a bit random and the ending was rather sudden, partly I think because it relies on a bunch of foreshadowing that went totally over my head. Oh, and I kept imagining Doc Holiday as Doc Scratch, which was just surreal.
I couldn't help but remember that Emma Bull was involved in Racefail, and the book was exactly the sort of well meaning but flawed attempt to use Old West tropes in a more modern way that I would have expected. There are for example a bunch of fairly positive Chinese characters but they're a bit Magical Negro-ish (afaict the only actual black characters show up for a single line here and there in background descriptions) For some reason I got the impression early on that the main male character was American Indian, and by the time I realised he wasn't decided I liked him better that way regardless (the only actual references to Indians I really recall were brief mentions of Apaches as a vague potential threat)
Anyway, other than that, it was subtle, light and clever, I really liked the characters and am a little sad there's no more about them to read. I did find it slow going and kept getting distracted, but I'm not sure how much of that is me just not being so good at concentrating on novels any more.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-07 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-09 07:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-08 09:41 am (UTC)Hmm, I think I'll re-watch that tonight.
(I really enjoyed Territory, but then foolishly lent my hardcover copy to a certain fan I've since heard is legendary for not returning books.) =(
As for race-fail, from what I recall, Ms Bull's position in it is mainly that she is partnered to Will Shetterly, who was the Big Bad of the first race-fail.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-12 02:33 am (UTC)