In cooperation with the Mervyn Peake Estate and to coincide with the Mervyn Peake Centenary Year, Peter Owen has gathered together a selection of long out-of-print short stories, and a good number of never before published illustrations, by one of England s most unique and multi-talented artists. Boy in Darkness , the centrepiece of this collection, will be of special interest to fans of the Gormenghast books, as it comprises a chapter in the life of Titus Groan that unfolds beyond the pages of Peake s monumental trilogy. A disturbingly atmospheric tale, told with the force and simplicity of allegory, Boy in Darkness distils the strange logic of the Gormenghast trilogy into a story of pith and mystery, which bears comparison with Kafka and Poe. Written across a range of genres, from a ghost story, to wry character studies drawn from his life in London and on the Isle of Sark, the other stories in the volume reveal surprisingly different facets of Peake s uncanny imagination. Ultimately, the collection coheres through Peake s powers to enchant the mundane and to render the fantastic normal.
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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.
About the Author
Mervyn Peake was born in China in 1911 of medical missionary parents. He began to draw, paint and write stories at an early age. His first book of poems, Shapes and Sounds, was published in 1941but he is best known for his pioneering Titus novels Titus Groan, Gormenghast and Titus Alone which have become classics in the literary fantasy genre. Mervyn Peake died after a long illness in 1968, just as his reputation as one of England s best-loved 20th century writers began to take hold.
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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.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
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!
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mervyn Peake ranks as one of my favourite authors of all time. His beautiful, descriptive prose sings again in this short story which initially takes us back to Peake's most famous creation, the vast castle of Gormenghast, where we find a young Titus already longing to be free of the stifling and pointless ritual of his home. So he sets out on what might be the darkest of his escapes from the castle. A truly fantastic, macabre tale follows, introducing some bizarre and very sinister characters. Will the Boy find his way back to the castle? And will he return unscathed (or unchanged)?
You don't need to have read any of Peake's other works to enjoy this book. But this is a wonderful return to a memorable character and even more memorable location, and the lucid and poetic descriptions familiar from the great Gormenghast books once again paint pictures that will probably never leave you.
Just a note - I have to agree with other reviewers that I think this book is totally unsuitable for children (in spite of the marketing for this edition). Some of the language may be rather too advanced. More importantly, some of the content is the stuff of nightmares - which is probably what your little-ones will be having if they read this.
For teenagers and adults new to Peake, this is a short, beautiful and chilling introduction to his work. For others it's a welcome return to his most original creation.
You don't need to have read any of Peake's other works to enjoy this book. But this is a wonderful return to a memorable character and even more memorable location, and the lucid and poetic descriptions familiar from the great Gormenghast books once again paint pictures that will probably never leave you.
Just a note - I have to agree with other reviewers that I think this book is totally unsuitable for children (in spite of the marketing for this edition). Some of the language may be rather too advanced. More importantly, some of the content is the stuff of nightmares - which is probably what your little-ones will be having if they read this.
For teenagers and adults new to Peake, this is a short, beautiful and chilling introduction to his work. For others it's a welcome return to his most original creation.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Not a children's book
I find it amazing that Boy in Darkness is being promoted as a children's book and has been reissued by a children's book publisher. Read more
Published on 18 May 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Peake at his best!
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. Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2001
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