Editing Gormenghast (series) (section)

==Story==
===''Titus Groan''===
{{Main|Titus Groan}}
The story begins with the birth of the [[eponym]]ous Titus, as the heir to the throne of the House of Groan, and finishes just over a year later with his "Earling" or formal investiture as the seventy-seventh Earl of Groan, after the untimely death of his father [[Sepulchrave]]. As Titus is only an infant in this novel, he plays a minor role. The main plot therefore follows the somewhat bizarre inhabitants of Gormenghast Castle, and in particular chronicles the rise to power of [[Steerpike]], a scheming [[kitchen boy]]. Steerpike successfully destroys the existing order of the castle by inciting the power-hungry and shunned twin sisters of Sepulchrave, Cora and Clarice, to burn Sepulchrave's beloved library. This event drives Sepulchrave into madness and eventually into taking his own life. Although Cora and Clarice are not exposed as the perpetrators of the fire, they are now under Steerpike's power. A [[subplot]] involves the feud between Sepulchrave's loyal [[servant]] Flay and the [[chef]] Swelter, which ends in a fight to the death.

===''Gormenghast''===
{{Main|Gormenghast (novel)}}
The second book follows Titus from the age of seven to seventeen. As the 77th earl and lord of Gormenghast, he dreads the life of pre-ordained [[ritual]] that stretches before him. His desire for freedom is awakened by the sight of his foster sister, known only as "The Thing", a [[feral child]] who lives in the woods of Gormenghast (due to her mother being banished as an outcast) and who terrorizes the Bright Carvers, the inhabitants of the mud dwellings outside the castle walls. Her life of wild freedom makes him realise that an existence is possible other than the rigid formalities and ritual of the castle. Meanwhile, Steerpike continues his rise to power by killing Barquentine, the Master of Ritual, and taking his place, but he is eventually unmasked as a [[traitor]] and [[murder]]er. The castle is [[flood]]ed by a [[rainstorm]], and in a watery duel with Titus, Steerpike is killed, leaving the way clear for Titus to reign. However, his desire to leave Gormenghast is now overwhelming, Titus flees the castle for the wider world beyond Gormenghast Mountain.

===''Titus Alone''===
{{Main|Titus Alone}}

The story follows Titus as he travels far from Gormenghast and finds a futuristic city dominated by [[scientist]]s and [[High technology|advanced technology]]. He then travels to a region where a huge modern [[factory]] stands by a lake, filled with identical-looking workers. There is a smell of death from the factory and it is hinted that sinister experiments are taking place there. Titus is increasingly haunted by his memories of Gormenghast and begins to realise its importance to his identity. At the same time, the world he encounters is so different from his old home that he begins to doubt that Gormenghast ever really existed.

Titus is helped by mysterious inhabitants he meets, such as Muzzlehatch, the owner of a [[zoo]], who drives a [[shark]]-shaped [[car]] and becomes a friend and [[mentor]]. He is also helped by Muzzlehatch's former lover, Juno, who in turn becomes Titus's lover for a brief period. However, Titus also becomes involved with Cheeta, the daughter of the scientist who runs the factory, and who grows to hate Titus and sets out to destroy him. This novel is more randomly plotted than its two predecessors, without a strong lead character or a fixed setting. A heavily edited first edition was published in 1959; a fuller version compiled by Langdon Jones from Peake's early drafts was issued in 1970 and forms the basis for all subsequent editions.