- Hardcover: 128 pages
- Publisher: Hodder Children's Books; New edition edition (9 Sep 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340683236
- ISBN-13: 978-0340683231
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.7 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 821,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Master of the macabre, Mervin Peake, retells the story of young Titus Groan who, tired of the endless and senseless ritual of the kingdom of Gormenghast, leaves the boundaries of the world in which he grew up to embark on an adventure that sees him trapped in a desert of grey space.
Rich in both language and imagery, Boy in Darkness is intriguing and compelling and bears all the hallmarks of the Gormenghast trilogy that has captured, delighted and appalled the imaginations of readers of all ages.
A captivating introduction to the work of Mervyn Peake, Boy in Darkness is a classic and fantastical tale that will appeal to anyone who enjoys good story-telling and is not afraid to dip their literary toes into deeper, darker waters. Age 11 and over. --Susan Harrison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Titus escapes for adventure, but tired and suffering from lack of food and water, he is captured by Hyena and Goat - a mysterious pair who hate each other. But both realize he will be the perfect sacrifice for Lamb who has waited many years for a mortal on which to use his diabolical art.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I never gave this book to my children until they were adults. I would not even have read it to them when they were small. Boy in Darkness can be legitimately slated from all sorts of literary viewpoints -- the story-line is rather meandering, we could have done with some more indication of how the empire of the mines went into decline and of where the Lamb came from in the first place, the writing would have benefited from revision here and there and so forth. But gripping -- yes, and some! This is a raw nightmare, and maybe all the more effective for lack of finish in the craftsmanship. What it suggested to me was a perverted version of The Island of Dr Moreau, but I have no idea whether there was any direct influence or whether the resemblance is coincidental. The author was, to put it mildly, talented but mentally disturbed. The central character is obviously Prince Titus, but otherwise I find Boy in Darkness quite unlike the Gormenghast trilogy. I looked dutifully for symbolism and whatnot, but I soon gave up on that. Any hidden meanings are best left vague and undefined. The other three personae, or at least two of them, are probably based on people Peake knew, but the Lamb -- a woolly toy gone so horribly wrong that I nearly locked away the children's teddybears when I first read the book. It's not like Stephen King, it's not like Lovecraft (who I just love but who surely never frightened anyone). It's not like anything I know, even my own nightmares.
Format:Paperback
This is an incredible story, very frightening and alien. Much of the fear is because we are not told all about what is going on, and the uncertainty adds to the apprehension. I'm not convinced that the boy is Titus; there are no clues either way, but I think it all seems more biblical than Groan. I thought the lamb was a kind of God, who ruled the land and was modifying the life forms for some unspecified reason. The battle between the boy and the lamb is very unsettling, and I was in my thirties when I first read it. I can't believe a publisher could have considered it suitable for children - there is very little of Peake's work that I would let a child read. I can only assume that those responsible had never read it. Someone should have their knuckles rapped!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Boy in darkness is based on Titus Groan from Peake's masterpice, Gormenghast. It is very strange even surreal with it's half-animal, half-men characters.
The book is very original and a must for any Peake or Gormenghast fan. An unusual feature of the book is that Peake never mentions the boys name though it is quite obvious to anyone who has read the Gormenghast books that it is Titus the young Earl.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
