Holy Knight
July 12th, 2007, 02:05 PM
I'll kick off the books section with a masterpiece written by a modern genius : Mervin Peake (1911-1968).
The Gormenghast Novels number 4 volumes in the series, released in 1946, 1950 and 1959 respectively. Sadly, the quality of the third one had noticeable changes in word patterns as the author had been afflicted by Parkinson's disease. The last volume is incomplete as the author died before getting more than a few pages done. Interestingly, his wife ended up writting more than 45 000 words of it before she, too, died. For us fans of his writting, were are left with an unfinished work which still remains highly satisfying to read.
The attraction of these novels is primarily the author's style. It is heavy, highly descriptive writting of a higher order that I have yet to see surpassed in any modern piece of literature. Not only that, but his stories are compeling and complex, expressing a depth of character, mood and setting which give us a unique world, complete with its own rituals, individuals and atmosphere.
For those new to this series, or unused to reading long novels with a wide range of vocabulary used in an intricate way, it might take a while to get into it. However, once you do, there is no escaping the addictive nature of Mervin Peake's writting. By the time I was reading the second novel, I was relishing each word, devouring the rich texture each paragraph held with an intensity you can only get with the very best of literature.
And so, if you haven't read it, go buy it. If you have, what are your thoughts?
EDIT: For those who wish to buy it, I recommend the trilogy offered by Overlook press:
http://www.biblio.com/m/83/0879516283.jpg
ISBN: 0879516283
Publisher: Overlook Press, The
Place: New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date published: 2000
Pages: 1172
I found it to be an excellent quality printing and the heavy feel of the pages enhances the atmosphere of the book. There are other publishers, but I would recommend this one. They also add in extra critiques that were made over the years at the end of the book.
The Gormenghast Novels number 4 volumes in the series, released in 1946, 1950 and 1959 respectively. Sadly, the quality of the third one had noticeable changes in word patterns as the author had been afflicted by Parkinson's disease. The last volume is incomplete as the author died before getting more than a few pages done. Interestingly, his wife ended up writting more than 45 000 words of it before she, too, died. For us fans of his writting, were are left with an unfinished work which still remains highly satisfying to read.
The attraction of these novels is primarily the author's style. It is heavy, highly descriptive writting of a higher order that I have yet to see surpassed in any modern piece of literature. Not only that, but his stories are compeling and complex, expressing a depth of character, mood and setting which give us a unique world, complete with its own rituals, individuals and atmosphere.
For those new to this series, or unused to reading long novels with a wide range of vocabulary used in an intricate way, it might take a while to get into it. However, once you do, there is no escaping the addictive nature of Mervin Peake's writting. By the time I was reading the second novel, I was relishing each word, devouring the rich texture each paragraph held with an intensity you can only get with the very best of literature.
And so, if you haven't read it, go buy it. If you have, what are your thoughts?
EDIT: For those who wish to buy it, I recommend the trilogy offered by Overlook press:
http://www.biblio.com/m/83/0879516283.jpg
ISBN: 0879516283
Publisher: Overlook Press, The
Place: New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date published: 2000
Pages: 1172
I found it to be an excellent quality printing and the heavy feel of the pages enhances the atmosphere of the book. There are other publishers, but I would recommend this one. They also add in extra critiques that were made over the years at the end of the book.