Amazon.com
Mervyn Peake's gothic masterpiece, the Gormenghast trilogy, begins with the superlative Titus Groan, 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 Gormenghast and Titus Alone, and all three books are bound together in this single-volume edition.
The Gormenghast royal family, the castle's decidedly eccentric staff, and the peasant artisans living around the dreary, crumbling structure make up the cast of characters in these engrossing stories. Peake's command of language and unique style set the tone and shape of an intricate, slow-moving world of ritual and stasis:
"The walls of the vast room which were streaming with calid moisture, were built with gray slabs of stone and 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 and ladders became a hindrance to the cooks, the Grey Scrubbers fulfilled their hereditary calling."
Peake has been compared to Dickens, Tolkien, and Peacock, but the Gormenghast trilogy is truly unique. Unforgettable characters with names like Steerpike and 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. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
A doomed lord, an emergent hero, and a dazzling array of bizarre creatures inhabit the magical world of the Gormenghast novels which, along with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, reign as one of the undisputed fantasy classics of all time. At the center of it all is the seventy-seventh Earl, Titus Groan, who stands to inherit the miles of rambling stone and mortar that form Gormenghast Castle and its kingdom, unless the conniving Steerpike, who is determined to rise above his menial position and control the House of Groan, has his way.
In these extraordinary novels, Peake has created a world where all is like a dream--lush, fantastical, and vivid. Accompanying the text are Peake's own drawings, illustrating the whole assembly of strange and marvelous creatures that inhabit Gormenghast.
Introductory Essays by Anthony Burgess and Quentin Crisp
Twelve critical essays
Fragment of the unpublished novel, Titus Awakes
"Mervyn Peake is a finer poet than Edgar Allan Poe, and he is therefore able to maintain his world of fantasy brilliantly through three novels. It is a very, very great work . . . a classic of our age."-- Robertson Davies
"[Peake's books] are actual additions to life; they give, like certain rare dreams, sensations we never had before, and enlarge our conception of the range of possible experience."-- C. S. Lewis
"This extravagant epic about a labyrinthine castle populated with conniving Dickensian grotesques is the true fantasy classic of our time."-- The Washington Post Book World
Customer Reviews:
Unique, Eccentric Masterpieces of Fantasy.......2007-09-29
Nothing exists to prepare the reader for Mervyn Peake's world. If one were to room with Dickens and Edward Gorey at a castle in Middle-Earth, the experience would almost suffice; otherwise, the first few paragraph-long sentences will either send you running...or draw you in immediately.
Gormenghast is a vast, decaying castle, the ancient home of the noble family of Groan. This structure is modeled perfectly in the descriptive language, which is full of archaic meanderings but also unexpected hidden vistas of breathtaking imagery. The denizens are unforgettable- eccentric almost to the point of caricature, yet poignantly real and human. Their behavior superficially resembles palace intrigues and Shakespearian soap operas, but seen through a warped and dusty looking-glass. Before a dozen pages are turned, we have been treated to a wealth of detail, wit, and depth of emotion that could fill many lesser volumes.
The first two books, Titus Groan and Gormenghast, represent a complete narrative that, for all the seemingly incidental asides and poetic flights of hoary whimsy, is plotted with airtight precision and unstoppable momentum. Like a dozen Greek tragedies inextricably intertwined, every event contributes to the weight of the narrative river that bears us to the final pages.
There is nothing light or loose about the work; the overall sense ranges from bittersweet melancholy to outright despair and insanity. Yet, for all the weight and darkness, the moments of wit, whimsy, and naive joy will burn their lonely brightness into your memory. For every page of creeping dread and crumbling stone, there is an oddly touching scene of awkward warmth. It becomes very difficult not to love wayward Titus, fickle Fuchsia, caustic Prunesquallor...or even scheming Steerpike and brooding Sepulchrave; such is Peake's art that he invests even the initially unlovable characters with jagged edges that catch our sympathies.
The third book, Titus Alone, has its own unique allure but tends to suffer in comparison with the exquisite construction of the previous works. While noticeably (though only relatively) lighter in style and more urbanely surreal, Titus Alone is somewhat less grotesquely endearing and ultimately less satisfying. It is very much "The Further Adventures of", and as such neither subtracts nor adds significantly to the masterpiece of the first two books. Though memorable and enjoyable in its own right, one can sense without ever being told that this is an unfinished work- and possibly intentionally so.
Not everyone will find these works to their taste. The language is dense and intricate, and the humor carves its own niche- near, but distinct from, what is usually meant by "dry, quirky wit". But should you have the patience and courage to brave the thick hedges of verbiage that encircle this citadel, you will indeed find keen delights, shivering depths, and heartbreaking swells of emotion. These are truly some of the most unique works of fantastic literature ever written.
Some things to be aware of..........2007-05-25
If you're expecting epic fantasy, such as mythical creatures and quests, you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for a main plot or a main character, you won't find them here. And, if you desire the final book to be a climactic end to the trilogy, just turn around and walk away.
However, negative points aside, Titus Groan and Gormenghast are some of the best novels I've ever read. But how can this be? Well, with utmost honesty, they are truly unique, incredibly detailed in scenario and characters, and overall, the writing is just too darn good. For instance, the character Steerpike - whom I believe is the heart of the story - takes us through a polar opposite view of everyone else in the castle. He contains a similar stroke of insanity as the rest, but his supreme intelligence and subtle deceitfulness form an incredible antagonistic character, without being easily classified as the "villain" of the story. It is the ingenious journey through each characters' mind that brings this story to life, and I highly recommend it to anyone willing to understand the art of literature.
Unique and enthralling.......2007-03-12
These books (at least the first two...see the other reviews for the differences in the shorter 3rd novel) are like nothing else I've ever read. The negative reviews here seem to stem from an expected similarity to Tolkien et al. But this is no normal fantasy, and in fact bears (in my opinion) more resemblance to Dickens than Tolkien.
To understand the slow, long, plodding descriptions and plot that takes 800 pages to unwind, it is important to realize that the main character here is the castle itself, not the various players within it (not even Titus, although the focus shifts to him as the second book concludes and moves on to the third). As such, the page-to-page focus is not on the plot itself as the characters press onward, but on the castle and the various lives and realities encompassed within it. Peake returns constantly to descriptions of the castle, in a way that might drive plot-hungry readers mad. Take this example from p.631:
"The days flowed on, and the walls of Gormenghast grew chill to the touch as the summer gave way to autumn, and autumn to a winter both dark and icy. For long periods of time the winds blew night and day, smashing the glass of windows, dislodging masonry, whistling and roaring between towers and chimneys over the castle's back.
And then, no less awesome, the wind would suddenly drop and silence would grip the domain. A silence that was unbreakable, for the bark of a dog, or the sudden clang of a pail, or the far cry of a boy seemed only real in that they accentuated the universal stillness through which, for a moment, they rose, like the heads of fish, from freezing water - only to sink again and leave no trace.
In January the snow came down in such a way that those who watched it from behind countless windows could no longer believe in the sharper shapes that lay under the blurred pall, or the colours that were sunk in the darkness of that whiteness. The air itself was smothered with flakes the size of a child's fist, and the terrain bulged with the submerged features of a landscape half-remembered."
If this bores you, you will not enjoy these novels. If this enchants you, makes you want to keep reading and keep sinking into the dreamworld of the castle, then buy this book immediately. It is one of my favorites. Peake's deep, complex reflection on the nature of change and time is one of the most beautiful books I can imagine, and the memory of Gormenghast castle is haunting.
Gormenghast: Fiction for Masochists (a review in rhyme).......2007-01-24
To truly capture the tone of this work, nothing less than poetry will serve. And since these novels are pure tone with just a smattering of "plot", "character" or even "drama" this should be enough:
Gormenghast, a poem
Evil death is a grating thing
To what we wish is what we bring
Without hope or malice slight
Clean our knives so clean and bright
Hapless bent in turmoil and toil
Grievous and listless sits the gargoyle
Burned out and lonely beyond the pale
keeping time here is a solemn hell
Convulsions of manic ignorance
Wakes us from restless somnambulance
Dead trees cry out in pain
Infested bark sloughs off in the rain
Crass furtive hurting scars the day
Withered and bent hair turning to gray
Echos of love ignored and shunned
Smiling faces kicked and gunned
Creatures without hope, come to your king
To the eternal night, wretched we bring
Overrated.......2006-12-31
Strange at best. You wait and wait for a plot to develop and it never does. The series has no direction or purpose.
Average customer rating:
- Amazing imagery and mood-setting text
- No, It's Just A Chore
- A chore of Melvillistic proportions
- Gormenghast trilogy - could it be read better by anyone else?
- 'There should be no rich, no poor, no strong, no weak,' ...
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Titus Groan (Gormenghast Trilogy)
Mervyn Peake
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
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Gormenghast
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Titus Alone (Gormenghast Trilogy, Vol 3)
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The Gormenghast Novels
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Little, Big (P.S.)
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ASIN: 0879514256 |
Amazon.com
Mervyn Peake's gothic masterpiece, the Gormenghast trilogy, begins with the superlative Titus Groan, a darkly humorous, stunningly complex tale of the first two years in the life of the heir to an ancient, rambling castle. The Gormenghast royal family, the castle's decidedly eccentric staff, and the peasant artisans living around the dreary, crumbling structure make up the cast of characters in this engrossing story. Peake's command of language and unique style set the tone and shape of an intricate, slow-moving world of ritual and stasis:
The walls of the vast room which were streaming with calid moisture, were built with gray slabs of stone and 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 and ladders became a hindrance to the cooks, the Grey Scrubbers fulfilled their hereditary calling.
Peake has been compared to Dickens, Tolkien, and Peacock, but Titus Groan is truly unique. Unforgettable characters with names like Steerpike and 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. --Therese Littleton
Customer Reviews:
Amazing imagery and mood-setting text.......2007-06-12
No need to repeat the previous descriptions of the story/plot. Among the fascinating aspects of this book, is the repeated experience of finding yourself in the middle of the scenes. The descriptions and writing style are absolutely unique, and you find yourself remembering with great clarity some of the scenery and events. If you want action and quick moving events, stay away. But if you truly enjoy great literature and want a reading experience unlike anything else, then grab this book. It is truly a unique experience.
No, It's Just A Chore.......2006-09-19
Nothing more need be written. See, Peake! You can 'say' a lot with a little ...
A chore of Melvillistic proportions.......2006-06-16
Plot: The Groan Family has ruled the land of Gormenghast for over seventy generations. Gormenghast consists of an enormous castle, home to the Groan Family; the Mud Dwellers who live around the outside of the castle; wilderness. The story starts with the birth of a new Groan heir, Titus, and ends shortly after his first birthday is described. The royal family of Gormenghast, and all the inhabitants of the royal castle, adhere to rituals as if they were the food and oxygen upon which they are sustained, and almost everyone strives for a following of traditional that has become crystallized and has spawned a horror and abhorrence of change. But, an element of change has crept into their world of almost-rock-solid sameness, and that element is not named "Titus," as Titus is all set to be groomed as the Prime Maintainor of Tradition. The element of change is named Steerpike.
Steerpike is a very strange character, as he is both villain and hero. He is clever, ambitious, ruthless, and charming. He starts as a kitchen boy, and is destined to always be a kitchen servant. But, Steerpike is the Enemy of Destiny, as he refuses to accept the narrow path upon which he has been told to walk. While everyone else in Gormenghast strives to fulfill his or her rigid role to perfection, Steerpike steps off that path, takes cuts, trips people, charms people, manipulates everyone, and accomplishes two amazing things: he rises above his Station in Life; he breathes life into everyone, challenges them to try to out-think him, and creates that true horror called "Something New."
This book is extremely hard to classify into a genre. There are strong elements of fantasy, as Gormenghast was created in the mind of Mervyn Peake, but there is nothing magical, other-worldly (as in alien), or supernatural here. There are small, quiet, slothlike elements of creeping terror and suspense, but it is not a true horror novel. It is a high, slow, semi-farcical drama, playing out in an unreal land populated by unreal characters, who show elements of all-too-real flaws that we all know in small amounts.
Why do I mention Melville in my review title? Mervyn Peake's writing style actually stands alone, but I think it has some kinship with that of Herman Melville. "Titus Groan" is an incredibly detailed book, that can take pages to describe a scene that could be described in one-quarter of the words used. The pace can be arduously slow. And, tangents and side-stories abound. These factors could be the ingredients for a truly awful book, and Mr. Peake tip-toed along the edge of that, but he never stepped over the edge. While this book is an incredible chore to read, one other thing is equally true: Once you start, you feel compelled to keep going, no matter how challenging, and how daunting, that might be.
Actually, I think that the closest author to Mervyn Peake, in style and topic, is Gene Wolfe. "Titus Groan" and Mr. Wolfe's long, interconnected series ("The Book of the New Sun," "The Book of the Long Sun," "The Book of the Short Sun") share a love of detail, a penchant for tangents, complex characters, and nearly-poetic prose.
I have finished "Titus Groan" and will proceed to the next "Gormenghast" book, with a mixture of trepidation and eagerness. I expect to survive the ordeal, happy but not unscathed.
P.S.: Let yourself admire Steerpike, but trust him not!
Gormenghast trilogy - could it be read better by anyone else?.......2005-11-12
I began to fall for the wonders of the world of Titus and Gormenghast after reading Titus Groan. The complexity and intensity of the language at times feels more like poetry than prose. For more info on the trilogy itself read the editorial review at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0879516283/103-7360864-2418208?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance. If you can imagine Dickens writing gothic fantasy with the linguistic range of a poet then you are close. After buying the Audiobook trilogy by Michael Williams I can't recommend it highly enough. His voice is as rich as the characters that he is required to give life to. By turns crackling, humorous, bitter, angry, pathetic, depressed, ludicrous: Michael Williams voice catches the many moods and characters of these world's inhabitants and manages to convey the spidery, rasping, cloistered, dark and gothic atmosphere. If Amazon don't have it ask them to stock it! Also don't be put off by what some people say about the third book the third book is a classic if only for the character of Muzzlehatch.
'There should be no rich, no poor, no strong, no weak,' ..........2005-03-01
.... said Steerpike, methodically pulling the legs off the stag beetle, one by one as he spoke. 'Equality is the great thing, equality is everything.'
Extravagant? Yes it is! But what a wonderful type of extravagance. This is a fantasy novel like no other. I first read this novel many, many years ago and shared it with some of my special friends. And then, when I got married, I so loved reading it to my wife. Since then I have seen the television series ('Gormenghast' - based on this novel and its sequel). Now I picked the book up again and it's as enthralling, fascinating, captivating as ever.
Many novels introduce us to one or two memorable characters and detail their interaction - the tensions and the bonding. But in 'Titus Groan' Mervyn Peake creates a whole galaxy of characters - all extravagant and extreme - and then constrains them in such a tight environment. You could compare Gormenghast to another isolated society; that described in W H Hudson's 'A Crystal Age', but these worlds are very different. The interactions are thus intensified. For all their extremeness I wondered if Gormenghast and the people living there were no more than an analogy of a family - a group of people that allows itself controlled intimacies that it does not offer to the wider world.
'Titus Groan' separates itself from that other great fantasy world of 'Lord of the Rings' by its constrained boundaries. This is not a travel story ranging across wide horizons. It is a travel story of the human mind. It has horror, it has madness, it has dedication, and above all it has the most extraordinary vision and humour. There are four great scenes not to be missed - the burning of the library, Titus's first Birthday, the battle between Flay and Swelter, and the earling.
Other recommendations:
'Gormenghast' by Mervyn Peake
'Titus Alone' by Mervyn Peake
'Peake's Progress' which contains plays, short stories, drawings and wonderful poems all by Mervyn Peake
'A Crystal Age' by W H Hudson
'Lord of the Rings' J R R Tolkein
Average customer rating:
- Intoxicating.
- A large plateful, but satisfying
- Act II of a Forgotten Masterpiece
- Slow, but worth the effort
- Fascinating and Unwittingly Funny
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Gormenghast (Gormenghast Trilogy)
Mervyn Peake
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
20th Century
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Literary
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General
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Peake, Mervyn
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Titus Alone (Gormenghast Trilogy, Vol 3)
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ASIN: 0879514264 |
Customer Reviews:
Intoxicating........2004-05-26
This is a review of Gormenghast, that is, the second part of the Gormenghast trilogy (after Titus Groan, and before Titus Alone).
After a somewhat slow beginning, in which Mervyn Peake first briefly summarizes Titus Grown by drawing up a list of which characters have died or gone missing, then introduces the reader with the plethora of new characters that are the teachers of Titus, the now seven-year-old seventy-seventh Earl of Gormenghast, the pace hopefully picks up again. And as the pages turn, the story becomes more and more exciting.
Irma Prunesquallor's party, and then her romance and the way the whole affair eventually backfires on Wellgrove, although it does not push the plot further, were fun to read. Titus's growing love for his sister Fuchsia, and at the same time his attempts at shunning both the physical prison that is Gormenghast castle and the mental cage that is its sacrosanct ritual, attempts that lead him into the mysterious forest where lurks the Thing, and to the grotto where Flay has taken shelter, were passionating. Finally, Steerpike's mischievious, murderous ambition, and the others' suspicions that gradually turn into evidences, and the memorable chases in the shadowy maze of the fortress that ensue, were purely mind-boggling.
Mervyn Peake's characters are so complex that in the end you like the ones you despised and hate the ones you loved in the first book. His words give life to such an amazing imagery, it vibrates and dazzles, it's intoxicating. This is magic.
A large plateful, but satisfying.......2002-04-05
It's not really possible to review Gormenghast out of context with the other two books that sandwich it: Titus Groan leads you into the world of Gormenghast and Titus Alone makes you wonder how Gormenghast, the place, exists.
This second volume continues to follow the adventures of the murderously ambitious Steerpike, the maturity and self-awareness of Titus Groan, with some colorful side-trips into a courtship, the revelation of a creature completely antithetical to all that Gormanghast stands for, and a natural disaster that heightens the intensity of the conclusion.
I would heartily recommend starting with Titus Groan (it seems the only available edition has all three volumes in one), and working through them in sequence. But make sure you avoid all the scholarly apparatus that follows Titus Alone until you've finished all three: there are a few spoilers there.
As for the comparisons to Tolkein, I'm afraid I don't see it: they as different as can be. This is not a hero's quest and where it does come down to good versus evil, it's more to do with survival: the world of Gormenghast is a world of murk and shadows, with no clear delineations or values. Titus Groan's self-awareness and the choices he makes are what drive the story. In The Lord of the Rings, there's a sense of destiny to the decisions and actions: Gormenghast is much more personal, with Steerpike's ambition, Sepulchrave's sense of duty, Flay's vigilance, Titus's maturity all helping to propel the action.
Now go read this monster.
Act II of a Forgotten Masterpiece.......2000-06-03
These books rank with the greatest books of world literature, and only one of them is still in print? Every library in the world should have a copy of the trilogy. Anyway, here we find the story of the adolescence of Titus Groan. We are also given more depth into the other characters. I'd like to note that my veiw of Steerpike and Flay changed. When I read Titus Groan, I found Steerpike more a sympathetic character than Flay, here it is otherwise. I'd also like to mention on how the events in the previous book effect the life of Titus Groan in such a way that it seems as if it happened in real life. We see the conflict inside of him between the pride of his linege and the desire for freedom, that eventually has Titus flee the great castle. The conflict between freedom and desire for the home is carried into Titus Alone.
Slow, but worth the effort.......2000-01-14
This second part of the Gormenghast trilogy focuses on Titus Groan, 77th Earl of Gormenghast's youth, from schooling to his ascention to manhood. This book took me almost a year to read (one long break) - the first half of the book progresses incredibly slowly, even for Peake's normally languid pace - I just couldn't cope. I can appreciate his qualities as a wordsmith - his vocabulary is second to none but I couldn't help but think he could have shortened things somewhat- the schoolmasters' preparation to court Irma drags on and on, but her eventual marriage has virtually no importance to the main plot, and ends up seeming like a waste of time and space - 'I waded through molasses for what!'
In stark contrast, the latter half of the book contains Peake's best (I think) work of the entire trilogy, culminating in the hunt for Steerpike - which is superb. Definately a book of two halves, (bad cliche) but the reader is rewarded for their effort in the end.
Fascinating and Unwittingly Funny.......1999-08-01
Having read Titus Groan (which I enjoyed immensely), I decided to read Gormenghast. This took place some 10 years ago, but the book is one I still recommend and think about regularly. I will not attempt to review it in any real detail here, but I will add one comment about the book which other reviews usually leave out. This book is the funniest book I have ever read. It is not exactly a comedy, and I do not think it is intended to be riotously funny. I still reread sections of the book as they make me laugh so much it hurts. I think the reason it is funny (but only in places) relates to Mervyn Peake's mental illness, a condition which eventually led to his tragic death. The humour is black and warped. If you were to read the whole book through, this could be missed. The sections relating to Titus's schooling are fascinating and hilarious (strychnine poisoning) - yet I believe this aspect of the book is usually overlooked. There are other reasons to recommend this book, but for me, it remains a work of (partial) comic genius.
Average customer rating:
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The Gormenghast Trilogy
Mervyn Peake
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
20th Century
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British
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General
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| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Peake, Mervyn
| ( P )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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ASIN: 0879519746 |
Average customer rating:
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The Gormenghast Novel II Collectors Edition
Mervyn Peake
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
General
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Peake, Mervyn
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ASIN: B000M1NFUO |
Product Description
Masterpieces of Fantasy bound in genune leather
Average customer rating:
- Gormenghast trilogy - could it be read better by anyone else?
- Frustrating.
- Barely related to the first 2 books
- Awesome Virtuosity
- A new beginning rather than an ending
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Titus Alone (Gormenghast Trilogy)
Mervyn Peake
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
20th Century
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Literary
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General
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Peake, Mervyn
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Similar Items:
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Gormenghast
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Titus Groan (Gormenghast Trilogy)
ASIN: 0879514272 |
Book Description
With Overlook's new single-volume republication of Mervyn Peake's timeless Gormenghast novels in individual volumes, readers everywhere have embraced Titus Groan all over again. Peake's trilogy is an undisputed classic of epic fantasy, and finally Titus Alone, the final volume in the series, is available again.
As the novel opens, Titus, lord of Castle Gormenghast, has abdicated his throne. Born and brought to the edge of manhood in the huge, rotting castle, Titus rebels against the age-old ritual of which he is both lord and prisoner and rushes headlong into the world. From that moment forward, he is thrust into a stormy land of a dark imagination, where figures and landscapes loom up with force and vividness of a dream--or a nightmare.
This final installment in the Gormenghast trilogy is a fantastic triumph--a conquest awash in imagination, terror, and charm.
Customer Reviews:
Gormenghast trilogy - could it be read better by anyone else?.......2005-11-12
I began to fall for the wonders of the world of Titus and Gormenghast after reading Titus Groan. The complexity and intensity of the language at times feels more like poetry than prose. For more info on the trilogy itself read the editorial review at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0879516283/103-7360864-2418208?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance. If you can imagine Dickens writing gothic fantasy with the linguistic range of a poet then you are close. After buying the Audiobook trilogy by Michael Williams I can't recommend it highly enough. His voice is as rich as the characters that he is required to give life to. By turns crackling, humorous, bitter, angry, pathetic, depressed, ludicrous: Michael Williams voice catches the many moods and characters of these world's inhabitants and manages to convey the spidery, rasping, cloistered, dark and gothic atmosphere. If Amazon don't have it ask them to stock it! Also don't be put off by what some people say about the third book the third book is a classic if only for the character of Muzzlehatch.
Frustrating........2004-06-07
This is the third and last volume of the Gormenghast trilogy (after Titus Groan, and Gormenghast).
In this book, we follow Titus, now almost twenty, as he escapes from the Castle, flees its oppressive Ritual, and becomes lost in a sandstorm. Helped by the owner of a travelling zoo, Muzzlehatch, and his ex-lover Juno, he ends up in a big city. Of course, no one there has ever heard of Gormenghast, and the general opinion is that the boy is deranged, and with no paper, he's soon arrested for vagrancy.
Hopefully, there are a few people who believe in his story, or at least who are intrigued by it, and they try to help him. And now Titus, the deserter, the traitor, longs for his home, and looks for it all the time to prove, if only to himself, that Gormenghast is truly real.
I don't know how closely Titus Alone actually follows Mervyn Peake's intentions before mental illness struck him, but this final volume is indeed chaotic. Its characters and style, its setting and atmosphere have little to do with both previous books. Or maybe it's just me who didn't understand anything, but nevertheless, all I felt was bitter frustration.
Barely related to the first 2 books.......2002-06-22
This is supposed to be part 3 of the trilogy, but it has VERY little to do with the first 2 books (both of which I loved, BTW). The only thing in common with the first books is the character of Titus (who was a baby in the first book, so was really only a character in the second book). The first 2 books spend much (most) of their time in a rather enchanting world that is confined to a castle and the immediate area around it, yet none of this book takes place there. Much more disturbing, however, is this volume takes place in a VERY different time period than the first two books. The first 2 take place in a castle that is lit by candles and has no visible technology (the only thing that is described that was invented in the last 800 years is a reference to "guns", but they are never used and it is unknown how primitive the "guns" would be). In this book they have cars, airplanes(!), and tiny self propelled spy devices that don't even exist today! (Not to mention helmets that give you superhuman strength, and other fantastic future things - it goes from medieval castle straight to comic-book future). It is not even internally consistant - one woman flys an airplane to visit a ruin she last saw during a failed expedition to explore the unknown in one direction, an expedition that had to quit because of an unpenatratable LINE OF TREES (were the trees so tall they could stop the airplanes?). At "plot" is barely in existance, and has lots of people doing things for no rational or decernable reason (really a stark contrast to the first 2 stories, which went to some length to give you insight into the characters).
Read the first two, then skip this one - it is not only not in their league, it will actually diminish your remembered enjoyment of the first two.
Awesome Virtuosity.......2000-06-03
To my knowlege, the only thing ever written in the English language that even comes close is Shakespeare's latter plays. For characterization, plot, description, humor, pathos and sheer gothic intensity and wonder, Peake's Gormenghast trilogy may be without parallel in all of human literature.
Read it and find out what the English language is capable of.
A new beginning rather than an ending.......1999-10-30
I enjoyed this book very much but it IS rather different from the preceding novels (Titus Groan, Gormenghast), which are really complete as a pair. Though related it is not necessary to have read them in order to follow the action of this story.
Young Titus Groan, Lord of Gormenghast after his Father's assassination and the death of the villainous Steerforth, decides to set out to see something of the world beyond the eccentric traditions of his decayed and moribund realm. He finds a decaying and eccentric city, where he makes some allies as he becomes a nine-days wonder.
Peake excelled at depiction of a monstrous and decaying world filled with wierd eccentrics. If you like that kind of thing, you'll love this book!
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, published by Institute for Evolutionary Psychology on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 4267 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: "I have my battleground no less than nations": Peake's daydream of Gormenghast.(Mervyn Peake)(Critical Essay)
Author: Jamie A. Hughes
Publication:
Journal of Evolutionary Psychology (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: Institute for Evolutionary Psychology
Volume: 25
Issue: 1-2
Page: 24(8)
Article Type: Critical Essay
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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