These are all alike in that I haven't come across anything else quite like them, though there might be echoes of the Finney in the Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury If you find you like him, he wrote a massive 6 (?) book series that has been well-regarded outside the genre inside, I haven't heard many people discuss it. I've only read a few short stories and the first novel by John Crowley, but he writes beautiful prose and his later novel, Little, Big has become a classic. I haven't read Lud-in-the-Mist, but I'm guessing it's one you might like to check on ditto Islandia. I loved TG.Īnyway, a bit more time and so a few more some titles and authors you might find of interest: I should reread Titus Groan and finally get to Gormanghast. Anyways I am not familiar with the fantasy community at large so forgive me if this is basically equivalent to describing Lord of the Rings or something. Key phrases I've loved were 'unbridled potations' and describing music as sounding 'like the wind through bare branches on a moonless night'. The story resembles Norse Sagas in plot (Njal's Saga is mentioned in the introduction) but is written in extremely poetic 17th century English throughout, which never lets up. The Worm Ouroboros is from 1922 and all of the characters have extremely incongruous names (Lord Juss, Fax Fay Faz) and it is ostensibly set on 'Mercury'. Some of the best naming of characters I've ever seen (Lord Sepulchrave, 76th Earl of Groan, Professor Perch-Prism, Titus Groan, Pentecost, etc). It is fantastical in the sense that it takes place in comprehensive created world (although very little of that world is described aside from the castle).

The writing style is insanely vivid and the action and plot reminds me of Loony Tunes as far as grotesqueness and comedy is concerned, although it isn't goofy or silly, but remains serious and dignified throughout. There is no magic and it is mostly a complicated grotesque romance/drama of manners.

I am interested in reading more fantasy and if I could find more of these works that stand out, I'd be very happy.įor those unfamiliar, Gormenghast is a trilogy (in my opinion the last book is not a part of the trilogy) set in a city-sized castle.

What I'm wondering is if there are any other works that people care to recommend (or just to discuss) that have this quality. There is something about these works that is hard to describe, so I hope anyone reading those knows what I mean, but how singular and unique they are in plot, storytelling style, language use, imagery, symbolism, philosophical meaning, etc. Two works that have stood out to me majorly are The Worm Ouroboros by Eric Eddison and Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake. I read a lot of literature but not too much fantasy or science fiction, although I've read an alright amount of both by normal people standards.

Titus groan goodreads