Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site masscomp.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!masscomp!carlton From: carlton@masscomp.UUCP (Carlton Hommel) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Gormenghast Message-ID: <709@masscomp.UUCP> Date: Fri, 24-May-85 23:02:10 EDT Article-I.D.: masscomp.709 Posted: Fri May 24 23:02:10 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 25-May-85 09:43:05 EDT References: <2055@topaz.ARPA> Reply-To: carlton@masscomp.UUCP (Carlton Hommel) Organization: his home terminal Lines: 48 Keywords: Gormenghast Peake Summary: Don't expect plot I assume what is being discussed is the Gormenghast Trilogy, by Mervyn Peake. It consists of _Titus Groan_, _Gormenghast_, and _Titus Alone_. My copy lists an original publication date of 1946, with a reissue in 1967. In article <2055@topaz.ARPA> Alastair Milne writes: > The cover art is very good. You guys must be talking about a reissue. I have the Ballantine 1968 printing, with a blotchy read, white, and green cover. I'm glad to see the covers have been improved upon. > "Ghormenghast" is 50 (on a good day) pages of action stuffed into 500 pages > of print. By "action" I mean anything at all happening. I think you missed the point of the book. Peake is primarily a poet and an illustrator. He didn't set out to write a rousing tale of action adventure; he was using the written word to capture the essence of characters he had already drawn. I feel very sorry for you if your copies do not have his sketches. First editions of the Ballantine release had a center insert of eight glossy pages of his work. Later editions relied solely on untextured, black ink sketches. Granted, some parts of the novels were downright dull to a 17 yr old. I found the _Titus Alone_ a grave dissapointment after _Gormenghast_. But I imagine that upon rereading, I will find new things to marvel over. Some truely great writers have their own styles. Heinlein writes of the supercompetent, Anthony of the adolescent. Vance writes travelogues, Asprin writes comedies. Decrying Peake for lack of "action-adventure" is like depreciating Hogan for lack of "love interest." > How could you make a movie of it? What is there to show? Lots of scenes stand out in my mind. The Great Fire. Barquentine chastising Steerpike. The great chase leading to Steerpike's capture. The imprisioning of the twins, Cora and Clarise. The Countess and her birds. The home life of the Prunesquallors. Flay's kitchen. The Schoolroom. And, of course, the main character, Gormenghast Castle. Dune suffered in its translation to the screen because they tried to pack 400 pages of action into a two hour movie. If we extend your 500/50 thought, we find from 150 - 200 pages of action for the entire trilogy. Just about what the serialization of Star Wars ran to. :-) Dune also suffered from an attack of excessive costume design, which took liberties with the novel. No need to experement with Ghormenghast; Peake already described each characted in meticulous detail. Carl Hommel Husband: Bibliography is not my business. Wife: How do you explain the 4000 volumes upstairs?