false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1169251309m/39058.jpg 39058 9 Mervyn Peake's gothic masterpiece, the Gormenghast trilogy, begins with the superlative <I>Titus Groan</I>, a darkly humorous, stunningly complex tale of the first two years in the life of the heir to an ancient, rambling castle. The trilogy continues with the novels <I>Gormenghast</I> and <I>Titus Alone</I>, and all three books are bound together in this single-volume edition. <p> The Gormenghast royal family, the castle's decidedly eccentric staff, & the peasant artisans living around the dreary, crumbling structure make up the cast of characters in these engrossing stories. Peake's command of language & unique style set the tone and shape of an intricate, slow-moving world of ritual & stasis: <p> <blockquote>"The walls of the vast room which were streaming with calid moisture, were built with gray slabs of stone & were the personal concern of a company of eighteen men known as the 'Grey Scrubbers'.... On every day of the year from three hours before daybreak until about eleven o'clock, when the scaffolding & ladders became a hindrance to the cooks, the Grey Scrubbers fulfilled their hereditary calling."</blockquote> <p> Peake has been compared to Dickens, Tolkien & Peacock, but the Gormenghast trilogy is truly unique. Unforgettable characters with names like Steerpike & Prunesquallor make their way through an architecturally stifling world, with lots of dark corners around to dampen any whimsy that might arise. This true classic is a feast of words unlike anything else in the world of fantasy. Those who explore Gormenghast castle will be richly rewarded. <I>--Therese Littleton</I> 38776 book 1959 The Gormenghast Novels: Titus Groan, Gormenghast, Titus Alone total:937|5:428|4:281|3:142|2:55|1:31| 937 3831 1855 162 5 7 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Mon Jan 21 20:53:28 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 23 16:44:13 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 6 false false Wed Jan 07 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon May 14 10:57:22 -0700 2007 Wed Jan 07 20:31:22 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 5 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jun 13 07:17:34 -0700 2007 Thu Feb 05 07:19:34 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 2 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 08 18:47:33 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 08 18:47:45 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 2 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 05 17:42:11 -0700 2007 Fri Oct 19 22:23:10 -0700 2007
The writing is admirable. Rarely has a world been so vivid in my mind, and in such a distinctive style. Reading this, I saw the story unfold...more...]]> 5 2 false false Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006 Wed Apr 18 11:12:25 -0700 2007 Wed Apr 18 11:23:28 -0700 2007 the Lord of the Rings set. Did I just write that? Peake's imagination is otherwordly. His descriptive talent is singular. His language does remind me of Shakespeare or a particularly eloquent philosophical writer or something. The first two books are the best, concerning...more...]]> 5 3 false false Sat Jul 19 17:51:12 -0700 2008 Fri Jan 30 09:28:26 -0800 2009
.. & Lady Fuchsia is my patron saint:
"Less formidable, yet sullen as her mother an...more...]]> 5 3 false false Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1993 Sat Feb 07 06:16:08 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 07 06:16:49 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 2 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sun Oct 21 19:58:35 -0700 2007 Tue Dec 18 16:13:49 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 1 false false Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002 Sun Jun 08 01:54:28 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 08 07:59:05 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue May 05 12:27:03 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 13 11:23:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Sat Dec 01 09:30:41 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 01 09:34:04 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 2 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Mon Apr 07 07:00:34 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 21 06:33:38 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 0 false false Sun Oct 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 05 04:35:23 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 15 16:23:19 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false true Sat Oct 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 18 09:18:55 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 31 06:33:11 -0700 2009 1
Titus Groan - 4 stars

Starting with the birth of our titular character and ending at his 'Earling', every word of every sentence in between feels lovingly crafted, and makes up a thing of exquisitely dark beauty.
...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000 Tue Jul 31 21:49:51 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 01 12:50:20 -0700 2007 ]]> 3 0 false false Tue Mar 24 10:28:42 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 24 10:35:40 -0700 2009
Peake devotes most of his writin...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sun Apr 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 30 15:28:48 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 27 09:35:52 -0700 2009 The Gormenghast Trilogy (Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone), published between 1946-1959, was originally conceived as a four or five book series, but the author died after the publication of only the first two books, the third having been reconstructed after his death from h...more...]]> 2 3 false false Sun Jul 29 06:52:16 -0700 2007 Sun Jul 29 06:52:28 -0700 2007 I love nice descriptive writing as much as the next reader, but this is kind of ridiculous.]]> 2 2 false false Tue Mar 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Feb 26 15:45:19 -0800 2009 Tue Mar 31 14:30:20 -0700 2009
I have repeatedly been told of the mastery of this book. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood. In general, I do go for dark and intricate and elaborate. But I just couldn't make myself care about thi...more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=39058