This first offering in its Gothic imprint from the Wisbech-based publishers, who previously specialised in obscure European Literature, is a novel set in an apparently deserted landscape surrounded by distant mountains. In the centre of this plain stands a mighty Castle. Within this Piranesi-esque structure dwell a youth, Almeric, and his servant (or possibly captor) Manes. As the tale unfolds mysterious masters are referred to which overshadow the action just as the mountains dominate the Castle.

     Overall the feel is of William Hope Hodgson re-writing "The Secret Garden". Distant unseen cities are suspected of being aflame, the cellars are filled with the corpses of previous servants, an Homunculus is decanted amidst medieval philosophy. Perhaps Gothic is not the term to define this work. Certain stylistic aspect's that I expect from Gothic novels, (the story within story, the torment of lone woman, triumph of rationality over superstition, etc.) are not present. Instead this book reminds me of fin-de-siécle works of J-K Huysmans and others with its lone aesthete withdrawn from the gross hoi-poloi.

     I enjoyed this work and look forward to both the next two volumes to complete the story and fresh reprints from the Literature line.

Reviewed by Kaz Rathgar.