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. The three Ballantine Adult Fantasy volumes were sold both individually and in a boxed set.

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 & stasis:

"The walls of the vast room which were streaming with calid moisture, were built with grey slabs of stone & were the personal concern of a company of 18 men known as the 'Grey Scrubbers' [..] On every day of the year from three hours before daybreak until about 11 o'clock, when the scaffolding & 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 & 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