
Titus Groan
The Gormenghast Trilogy, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Rupert Degas
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By:
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Mervyn Peake
About this listen
Deep in the labyrinthine corridors of Gormenghast Castle, a child is born. Titus, 77th Earl of Groan, is heir to arcane and all-embracing rituals that determine the activities of everyone from Lord Sepulchrave, his father, to the vast cook, Swelter, and the irrepressible Dr Prunesquallor. But not the steely and devious Steerpike, who will lie, cheat and even murder to get on.
One of the greatest feats of sustained imaginative writing, the world of Gormenghast Castle is brilliantly realised in this darkly fantastic novel. It's rich description and vivid characters make it one of the most enduringly popular works of the 20th century.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©1973 Mervyn Peake (P)2011 Naxos AudioBooksListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
Enter the world of Gormenghast - a vast, meandering city reminiscent of London or Byzantium. New to U.S. audiences, Peake's trilogy, aired on BBC Television in 2000, created a cult following in the UK. Rupert Degas acts out all the parts of this gothic novel with extreme characterizations, based on the BBC show, contrasted with lengthy spates of narrative. On the day Titus, 77th Earl of Gormenghast, is born, a young upstart named Steerpike escapes his hereditary kitchen job to change his life and fortunes. Steerpike encounters many characters, who get bold treatment from narrator Degas. The thick accents and dialogue take some getting used to, especially in the early scenes. Nonetheless, Gormenghast fans will love Degas's performance.
Unfortunate performance.
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Excellent story, engaging reader
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Maybe others will like it. but it's just not my Gormenghast.
disappointing
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Disappointment
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BAD CHARACTER VOICES
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From the Ministry of Silly Voices
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This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
The story might be okay, many have said it is, but this narrator is dreadful.How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
I didn't get very far into the book before giving up on it so I can't fairly judge the story itself.How did the narrator detract from the book?
The narrator attempts to whisper when it says the character whispers, groan or screech or cackle when it says the character did so. The result is a wheezing, groaning , inaudible mess which would require sitting with your hand on the replay button to decipher. I got half way through and abandoned the attempt to finish this book, something I've rarely ever done. It's quite simply the worst narration I've ever come across.Very Hard to Listen To
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Character voices are unintelligible.
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