The trilogy finally comes to a close, and while I loved the first two books in this entry, this one might actually be my favorite. It’s less driven by the castle and its rituals, with Titus making many decisions, but not necessarily having a ton of agency. With an entirely new setting and a whole new cast of increasingly erratic characters, this final entry in the trilogy is a wild ride from start to finish, as Titus is anything but alone.

The next entry into the Horny Goth Novel Craft Study is either going to be a novel or theory, depending on which I finish first.

Buy link: Barnes and Noble | Unabridged | Libro.fm

Previous parts: Titus Groan, Gormenghast

Reading Gormenghast is interesting for me. It’s very slow story, that really takes its time establishing its themes, tone, and characters before absolutely going at max speed for the last third or so. It took me a while, amid travel woes, personal and professional upheaval, but it’s finally here: Part 2 of the Horny Goth Novel Crafty Study in which I talk about Gormenghast, the second entry of the eponymous trilogy

Buy link: Bookshop | Unabridged | Libro.fm

After finishing my revision and resubmission, I needed to take a step back from barreling through writing novel after novel, inhaling every release, not really learning anything new, and getting my soul crushed in query trenches. The step I’m taking to recover from the intensity of writing-to-publish, I’ve decided to make a reading list to help me develop in pretty specific ways. While a craft study might not make any difference in my outcomes in the traditional publishing trenches, I’m having a great time learning and studying, improving my craft while I wait for responses. This series is me writing about the books I’m reading to learn how to write a “horny goth” novel because that’s the type of book I want to write next.

I’m kicking off the Horny Goth Novel Craft Study series with Titus Groan, the first book in the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake.

Buy link: Bookshop | Unabridged | Libro.fm