What's your opinion about it ? Is it really better than

>>8652699
The world in it is too Chinese-inspired for the majority of fantasy-readers who are racist white males.

>>8652704
Redpilled (and hence viciously racist) fantasy reader here, can confirm.

I hate women and minorities btw. And people with active sex lives

>>8652699
I think it's pretty popular, no? Seems a lot more visible than most books written in the 1950s.

>>8652699
It has an eerily surreal atmosphere and tone throughout the whole trilogy. Very few of the characters are """"normal"""", which is reflected in the dialogue. I don't really think it's comparable to LoTR in the way you're pitting them against each other; narrative wise the story doesn't follow the same 'epic' tropes that Tolkien uses. But I think in terms of the writing and the 'world creation' (I don't mean that in the pulp fantasy sense where armour and weapons are described in detail, Peake is much more flowery and organic with his prose.) It's much more interesting than fantasy-grand-daddys big ring adventure.

>>8652740
So why's it so unpopular? Bear in mind that even presenting an argument against oppressed people's theory represents an exerted effort at the diminishment of their voice, that is, before you respond to what is effectively the concluded fact of the matter (as supported by this racist gentleman >>8652707), stated here:

>>8652704

>>8652699
It isn't unpopular at all. It was published 70 years ago and we are still reading it. It's a classic at this point, I don't think it's going anywhere.
It's modernism and fantasy and the two mix well in novels, but don't share the readership. It's similar to Wolfe, but he has epic styled narratives so is easier to read in that respect.
>>8652704
It's not Chinese at all. It's main theme is criticism of European aristocrat traditions and decay of virtue in their ranks.
They open the novel with a baptism which is not understood at all at the beginning.

>>8652784
Peake grew up in China so arguably a lot of the caste description itself comes from Chinese architecture. The satire of aristocracy can really work as either Chinese or European.

That said, it's less popular because it sits at an intersection between fantasy and great literature, too verbose for most fantasy readers but not serious enough for /lit/. I think this is completely misguided, by the way. It's one of the greatest works of all time in terms of prose and characterization.

>One day the entire Gormenghast series will be turned into a shitty YA Tim Burton tier movie pandering to Tumblr

I dread that day, I really do.

>>8652798

Now that you mention it the Gormenghast castle reminds me a little of the Forbidden City. Are the other two books worth reading or is it obvious how much Peake's mental illness is having an effect on the quality?

>>8652798
It's serious enough as a work, I'd take it over say Woolf any day of the week, but the perception that fantasy=entertainment for plebs really does mess with it. But I'd say this as a trend is becoming less pronounced, even if fantasy as a whole is as far as contemporary publishing goes a steaming pile of shit.
>>8652808
I have only read the first for now. It feels complete as a work.

>>8652808
I liked the other two a lot. If you enjoyed Titus Groan then you'll probably like gormenghast. They're pretty similar in terms of style and setting. Titus Alone is different, not necessarily worse but I can see why people are disappointed.

The real sad part are the scribbles of the incomplete fourth novel.

It's a wonderful work but it's sad and ultimately without redemption, it also requires some effort to read which is why it's slipped away from mass audiences. Also remember LotR only became very popular again with the release of the films.
It's also inherently antifascist unlike most popular books.

>>8652784
Nah, there's clear inspiration from Peake's time in China. The boy-lord growing up in an enormous but decaying palace cut off from the world, the elaborate but half-forgotten rituals, the wacky hierarchies of official posts... it's very late Qing Dynasty.

Obviously there's also a lot from Europe, probably more, but the Chineseness is real.

>>8652763
It isn't.

>>8652763
Well I didn't answer that question in my post because I don't believe it's unpopular. It's a classic, and even if a series like ASOIF was given 70 years to age and appreciate, it wouldn't in my opinion be held to the same standard of literature that Gormenghast is now.

>>8652848
>Also remember LotR only became very popular again with the release of the films.
People need to remember this. It wasn't huge beforehand.

>>8652848
What do you mean by antifascist? Could you give examples of other popular books that are held in high regard that are not-anti-facist?

>>8652808
>>8652815

I'm confused as to how you manage to read only one of the main 3. I suppose not everyone is necessarily interested in completing a series in a consecutive read, but It's sort of like just reading fellowship of the ring, it just seems a bit unnatural. That being said the first three (and in my opinion the only three that should be counted as official and canonical to the series) are best enjoyed read in order, it starts a bit dense but it's rewarding.

>>8652699
I think the setting would make an excellent Space Station 13 map.

>>8652942
>>8652815

I've read both Titus Groan and Gormenghast but I thought the ending to Gormenghast was pretty perfect in every way. Kind of curious to see where Peake was taking Titus but it's interesting the entire book series was going to be larger.

>>8652973
Yeah it was supposed to cover his entire life but since 2/3 are his childhood in gormenghast the one book outside that feels out of place

Is the BBC series any good?

>>8652699
Purple prose: the series

>Titus is seven. His confines, Gormenghast. Suckled on shadows; weaned, as it were, on webs of ritual: for his ears, echoes, for his eyes, a labyrinth of stone: and yet within his body something other – other than this umbrageous legacy. For first and ever foremost he is child. A ritual, more compelling than ever man devised, is fighting anchored darkness. A ritual of the blood; of the jumping blood. These quicks of sentience owe nothing to his forbears, but to those feckless hosts, a trillion deep, of the globe’s childhood. The gift of the bright blood. Of blood that laughs when the tenets mutter ‘Weep’. Of blood that mourns when the sere laws croak ‘Rejoice!’ O little revolution in great shades! Titus the seventy-seventh. Heir to a crumbling summit: to a sea of nettles: to an empire of red rust: to rituals’ footprints ankle-deep in stone. Gormenghast. Withdrawn and ruinous it broods in umbra: the immemorial masonry: the towers, the tracts. Is all corroding? No. Through an avenue of spires a zephyr floats; a bird whistles; a freshet bears away from a choked river. Deep in a fist of stone a doll’s hand wriggles, warm rebellious on the frozen palm. A shadow shifts its length. A spider stirs …

>And darkness winds between the characters.

Jesus Christ

>>8653003
That's kind of the point. The prose is representative of the ritualistic life of the castle

>>8652901
Yes, it was. Lord of the Rings was a book that every family in the UK owned prior to the films. The films just helped carry that popularity through another generation.

>>8653003
Peake was a poet. I like how he brings a bit of rythm into his writing.

>>8653021
No, it wasn't, as you just said yourself.

>>8653025
Spastic.

>>8653031
Embarrassing.

>>8653003
That's the style, yo. Not everything has to Maximum Hemmmingway.

>>8653025
he didn't say that, pay attention.

>>8653003
i think I might have to read this in translation.

>>8653025
What do you even mean by your post

>>8652992
I want to know also.

>>8653041
>>8653061
>The films just helped carry that popularity through another generation
The point was that LotR wasn't huge in the time before the film, not that it was never huge.

>>8652992
>>8653085
It's really bad. Christopher Lee is Flay, which sounds like perfect casting until you see it.

Also Fuscia is like 25 and hot for some reason.

>>8653105
LotR was pretty big with flower children and college students in the sixties. There were tons of hobbits and Gandalfs at Woodstock.

>>8653161
I saw Christopher lee and that Stephen fry was in it, so I assumed the best

>>8653180
I never made it past Titus' birthday, so I assume Stephen Fry plays someone in the later stages of the story.

Sourdust and Barquentine are merged into the same character, which is kinda lame. The guy who plays Prunesquallor does a great job though. Overall it's kind of cute if you're looking for light entertainment, but it definitely doesn't come close to the books.