Mervyn Peake — Titus Groan

London, Eyre & Spotiswoode, 1946. First edition. Cloth. The first edition of the opening novel to the celebrated Gormenghast series, considered among the greatest works in modern fantasy literature. The first edition of Titus Groan, the first novel within the groundbreaking dark fantasy Gormenghast series, written by pioneering author and surrealist artist Mervyn Peake.  In the publisher's original red cloth, with original half-title preserved. With a facsimile first impression dust wrapper. Considered among the greatest fantasy works of the twentieth century, the Gormenghast series is particulalry praised for its dark yet quirky pseudo-medieval settings and characters, with Peake today being coined as one of the 'Big Three of Fantasy', alongside Tolkien and Robert E. Howard.  In this first novel, the wacky characters of the castle are introduced, and particularly revolves around the scheming kitchen boy Steerpike and his quest to disrupt the order of Gormenghast. In the publisher's original red cloth, with original half-title preserved. Externally, mostly smart, with minimal marks to boards. Fading to spine, and bumping to the head and tail, and to the extremities. Slight spotting to end papers. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are mostly bright and clean, with minor age toning, and spots to extremities of the odd leaf, more frequent spotting to title leaf and final couple of leaves. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .