In a genre that has traditionally delivered the message “Good Will Triumph Over Evil,” these novels might be considered a grimdark precursor. Perhaps much of the reason the Gormenghast trilogy has remained largely obscure to today’s fantasy readership is due to its unconventional narrative and unrelenting darkness. And though Tolkien might have set the formula from which the vast majority of later fantasy writers borrowed or stole (no sense in being coy about it), Mervyn Peake earns his position in the fantasy pantheon for this prodigious and masterful history of Castle Groan, a crumbling, sprawling edifice beside craggy Gormenghast Mountain. Share book reviews and ratings with Thomas, and even join a book club on Goodreads.Ī sumptuous, poetic epic that took its author 13 years to complete, the Gormenghast Trilogy is 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. Book cover artwork is copyrighted by its respective artist and/or publisher. See /privacy for more information.All reviews and site design © by Thomas M. * For information about everything mentioned in this episode visit *If you'd like to support the show, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes, become a Patreon at Hosted on Acast.
* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop at uk./shop/backlisted where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops. Timings: (may differ due to variable advert length)ġ3:51 - The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings by Geoff Dyer. Also in this episode, Andy marks the belated UK publication of Maud Martha, the sole novel by poet Gwendolyn Brooks (Faber) while John enjoys Geoff Dyer's new book about tennis and much more, The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings (Canongate).
With Joanne's expert guidance, John and Andy revisit Peake's visionary work for the first time in decades and are surprised and delighted by what they discover.
Novelist Joanne Harris (Chocolat, A Narrow Door) is our guest for a celebration of Titus Groan (1946), Gormenghast (1950) and Titus Alone (1959) by Mervyn Peake, three novels which are often referred to, erroneously, as the Gormenghast Trilogy.
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