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Mervyn Laurence Peake
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Titus Groan (The Gormenghast Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Mervyn Peake (Author), Anthony Burgess (Introduction) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,012 ratings
See all formats and editions
First in the classic gothic trilogy. “A masterpiece . . . a moody, melancholy comedy with an underlying wit and profundity that cannot be denied.” —Speculiction

The basis for the 2000 BBC series
Now in development by Showtime

As the novel opens, Titus, heir to Lord Sepulchrave, has just been born. He stands to inherit the miles of rambling stone and mortar that form Gormenghast Castle. Meanwhile, far away and in the kitchen, a servant named Steerpike escapes his drudgework and begins an auspicious ascent to power.

Inside of Gormenghast, all events are predetermined by complex rituals, the origins of which are lost in time. The castle is peopled by dark characters in half-lit corridors. Dreamlike and macabre, Peake’s extraordinary novel is one of the most astonishing and fantastic works in modern fiction.

Praise the Gormenghast Trilogy

“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.” —Robertson Davies, New York Times-bestselling author

“A sumptuous, poetic epic . . . considered by some to have an equal or even greater degree of importance to the development of modern fantasy as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.” —SFF180

“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 . . . 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.” —SFF Book Reviews
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    Gormenghast Trilogy
  2. Print length
    338 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    The Overlook Press
  6. Publication date
    June 26, 2007
  7. File size
    6589 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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

From Publishers Weekly

In this illustrated Gothic trilogy, a young heir matures within the confines of bleak Gormenghast castle. Volume three includes 12 critical essays and Peake's unfinished Titus Awakes .
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MW9PQ88
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Overlook Press; Overlook ed. edition (June 26, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6589 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 338 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,012 ratings

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Mervyn Laurence Peake

Mervyn Laurence Peake

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
1,012 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Westley
5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated Classic
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2002
Verified Purchase
Titus Groan is impossible to classify. Is it fantasy? Is it gothic? Is it a Dickensian flight of fancy? Well it's been classified as all of these things, but none of these labels is quite adequate. It is perhaps ultimately best described as a black comedy. The book begins with the birth of the 77th Earl of Gormenghast, a gigantic castle were ritual rules all. Gormenghast castle seems to exist in an alternative universe to ours; however, there is no magic or cuddly hobbits, just grim realism.
The plot chronicles the ramifications of when the royal family and servants encounter Steerpike, a young kitchen worker who finagles his out of kitchen service (most jobs in the castle are assigned along heriditary lines). A self-possessed rebel and clever 17-year-old, Steerpike turns their world upside down. Steerpike is like many people you may know, manipulative, self-serving, and solicitous. However, the royal family and servants are so exceedingly self-occupied, that they are easily tricked by this young upstart. Steerpike may just be the most likeable villian ever; it's hard to blame him for the things he does considering the easy targets he selects.
The book is packed with other extremely memorable characters, including the sullen royal daughter (Fuschia), the Countess who seems to care only about her "pets," innumerable wild birds and and white cats, and her sisters-in-law, the identical twins (Cora and Clarice) who are the primary pawns of Steerpike. The book also provides splendid details about the castles and its world, not surprising considering that Peake is perhaps best known as an illustrator (a few of his illustrations are included here). The writing is dense and ponderous at times, but provides so many laughs and pleasures, that it is well worth the time investment. Of course, Titus Groan is just the first part of an epic. I have not read the remaining two books yet, but am tremendously excited to do. A most highly recommended read.
48 people found this helpful
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Poisoned Blade
4.0 out of 5 stars A Gothic Drama Told Through Macabre Imagery (Spoiler Free Review)
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2009
Verified Purchase
Titus Groan is often mentioned with Lord of the Rings and incorrectly categorized as epic fantasy. This is a gothic drama. The story revolves around a dysfunctional, simple minded, royal family that adheres to archaic traditions. Trouble ensues when an ambitious youth manipulates them in a grab for power. Titus Groan could have been a short story. Weighing in at 400 pages, with 350 pages of deeply poetic detail, you should only read it if you like authors like Charles Dickens. If you're a fan of richly detailed descriptions, you'll probably enjoy this book. In order to help you figure out if you'd appreciate Titus Groan, I've made a simple quiz:

1) Which description do you prefer?
A - Making use of the miniature and fluted precipice of hard, white discoloured flesh, where Fuchsia's teeth had left their parallel grooves, he bit greedily, his top teeth severing the wrinkled skin of the pear, and the teeth of his lower jaw entering the pale cliff about halfway up its face; they met in the secret and dark centre of the fruit - in that abactinal region where, since the petals of the pear flower had been scattered in some far June breeze, a stealthy and profound maturing had progressed by day and night. As he bit, for the second time, into the fruit his weakness filled him again as with a thin atmosphere, and he carefully lowered himself face down over the table until he had recovered strength to continue his clandestine meal. (+50 Points)
B - Steelpike bit into Fuchsia's pear. It was yummy. (0 Points)

2) For every one of these words that you know, give yourself 5 points.
a) perspicaciously (+5 Points)
b) escutcheon (+5 Points)
c) conflagration (+5 Points)
d) seraphic (+5 Points)
e) escarpment (+5 Points)

3) Do you like the style of the characters in Tim Burton movies?
a) Yes, the grotesque personifications are humorous. (+10 Points)
b) No, they look all weird and stuff. (0 Points)

4) Would you like to read about a rotten royal family in a crumbling castle fall to pieces through manipulation?
a) Yes, to hell with kings and monarchs! (+10 Points)
b) No, that sounds kinda lame and depressing. (0 Points)

5) Do you like parodies or dark humor?
a) Yes! (+5 Points)
b) Nope! (0 Points)

Ok, add up your points:_____
See what score is closest to your point total.

100 Points - You should buy the entire trilogy today! Your mind's eye will be filled with vivid images of manipulation, treachery, decay, and parody. You will reread this book again and again!
80 Points - You'll enjoy reading this book and will be deeply entertained.
60 Points - You may have trouble with the book, but you'll probably finish it because the story is entertaining.
40 Points - You should probably skip this book.
25 Points - There's enough drama on TV. There's no reason to read this book.
0 Points - If someone puts a gun to your head and forces you to read this book, take your chances and try to escape!

So, there you have it.
103 people found this helpful
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Blank
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, bleak, lovely, tedious, beautiful, unrelenting
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2016
Verified Purchase
Six stars. Eleven stars. 432 stars. Tedious and bleak and beautiful. Funny and moving. Wonderfully written and very, very, very slow. Then suddenly, disorientingly sensual. Gormenghast the castle – miles long; dank, moldy, full of hundreds or thousands of unused rooms packed with useless and peculiar things. A tower where the death owls live. A giant dead tree with painted roots growing out the side of the castle. Lives ruled by inflexible, all-encompassing, oppressive, and unrelenting tradition. Gormenghast the land – always raining, too hot or too cold. Gormenghast the mountain – the peak always hidden by clouds.

The people - Lord Sepulchrave, 76th Earl of Groan, Countess Gertrude, the wonderful, pitiful twins Ladies Cora and Clarice Groan, Mr. Flay, Dr. and Irma Prunesquallor, Swelter, Nannie Slagg, Sourdust, Barquentine, Keda, Rottcodd, Pentecost, The Poet. The Grey Scrubbers. The Mud Dwellers who live outside the castle and spend all their time making beautiful carvings, most of which will be burned. The best of which will be placed in a museum that no one visits. And stuborn, 15-year-old, clumsy, and maybe doomed Lady Fuchia, whom I love with all my heart. And nasty, scheming, capable, admirable, and maybe evil Steerpike. And 1 1/2 year old Titus – 77th Earl of Groan. Everyone; almost everyone; odd, eccentric, and unhappy.

The plot doesn’t matter – for what it's worth, there is Titus' birth, scheming, betrayal, murder, suicide, a deadly knife fight, bodies eaten by owls, endless ceremonies, drunken revelry, and a toddler standing alone on a raft in the middle of a lake in the rain. The writing, the place, and the people do matter. The words grabbed me by the neck and forced me through the slowest, hardest sections. It felt like the hood of my jacket had gotten caught in a subway door and I was being dragged down the platform. I love this book.
24 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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marcos
5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo leitura no estilo de Dickens
Reviewed in Brazil on December 15, 2022
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Ótimo livro e que devia ter sido traduzido para PT BR a muito tempo. Mas nenhuma editora traz essa maravilha para cá
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Sop for Desolate Times
Reviewed in Canada on April 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Delivered as expected, although cover had a slight rip. Glad to have the book great reading in these desolate times.
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Eric Millington
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a fantasy book without elves, dwarves, wizards etc, it is completely brilliant and I consider it a 'must read' for anyone looking to fully immerse themselves in a story, the writing is deeply descriptive though so if you're looking for a fast-paced whizz through type book then this isn't it. The only odd thing with this particular edition (I have read all three books years ago so I'm revisiting the tale) is right at the beginning as the actual story begins on the same page as the introduction, in fact, it's right down at the bottom of the page (see pic') which is a bit odd.
If you haven't read Titus Groan then you're either going to love it or hate the dense, descriptive style (although without it the book would lose all it's power, all it's 'weight').
Customer image
Eric Millington
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2020
This is a fantasy book without elves, dwarves, wizards etc, it is completely brilliant and I consider it a 'must read' for anyone looking to fully immerse themselves in a story, the writing is deeply descriptive though so if you're looking for a fast-paced whizz through type book then this isn't it. The only odd thing with this particular edition (I have read all three books years ago so I'm revisiting the tale) is right at the beginning as the actual story begins on the same page as the introduction, in fact, it's right down at the bottom of the page (see pic') which is a bit odd.
If you haven't read Titus Groan then you're either going to love it or hate the dense, descriptive style (although without it the book would lose all it's power, all it's 'weight').
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9 people found this helpful
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venita coelho
5.0 out of 5 stars Difficult intelligent read - but so much fun!
Reviewed in India on November 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
A playful author and a wicked sense of humour and a fantasy that moves along at it's own pace. But is very delightful! Loved it.
2 people found this helpful
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O. Marzia
3.0 out of 5 stars Per appassionati di fantasy
Reviewed in Italy on May 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
Il romanzo è molto corposo, e la mancanza di una trama ben delineata rende la lettura un po' faticosa. Abbondano le descrizioni, e a volte si perde un po' il filo del discorso. Il wordwise è pessimo. Sembra faccia apposta ad evitare le parole a bassa frequenza o desuete. Mi aspettavo di meglio
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