Where to Start with Brian Catling
For most readers, the ultimate gateway into Brian Catling’s dense, image-rich library is The Vorrh. As the book that launched him into mainstream speculative fiction fame—with high praise from literary giants like Alan Moore and Terry Gilliam—it perfectly encapsulates his signature style: a heady, hallucinatory blend of historical fiction, dark fantasy, and surrealism. If you want to experience his prose at its most epic and world-altering, begin there.
However, if a massive, complex trilogy feels too daunting, his standalone novel Hollow or his eerie ghost novella Munky offer excellent alternative entry points. They showcase his architectural prose and pitch-dark humor on a more self-contained scale.
The Vorrh Trilogy in Publication Order
The Vorrh Trilogy is a singular, continuous narrative that must be read in publication order. Reading these books out of order will result in complete confusion, as the surreal mythologies, character identities, and temporal shifts build directly upon one another.
- The Vorrh (2015) – The trilogy begins by introducing us to the Vorrh, a vast, sentient, prehistoric forest in Africa that has existed since before the dawn of humanity. Within its depths lies the Garden of Eden. The story follows a diverse cast of characters, including an English soldier attempting to bow-hunt his way through the forest, the cyclops Ishmael, and historical figures like Raymond Roussel.
- The Erstwhile (2017) – The second installment expands the universe, shifting between the dark heart of the Vorrh and Victorian London. It introduces the Erstwhile—fallen angels who were tasked with guarding the Garden of Eden but became dormant, buried, or forgotten, only to wake up in a changing world.
- The Cloven (2018) – The final volume brings the surreal saga to a dramatic and chaotic conclusion. The boundaries between the forest and the outside world dissolve as the characters struggle with the consequences of colonial greed, ancient prophecy, and the nature of the Tree of Knowledge.
Standalone Novels & Novellas
After completing the trilogy, or if you prefer to read standalone fiction, Catling published several highly distinct books. These can be read in any order, though reading them in publication order reveals his evolving style up to his passing in 2022.
- Earwig (2019) – A haunting, gothic tale set in mid-20th-century Europe. It follows a man named Albert, who is employed to care for a young girl with teeth made of ice. As the ice teeth must be constantly replaced, the novel weaves a bizarre, claustrophobic story of memory, trauma, and identity. It was adapted into a feature film in 2021 by director Lucile Hadzihalilovic.
- Munky (2020) – A whimsical and eerie novella published by Swan River Press. Set in an interwar English village haunted by the spirit of a monk, it features a famous ghost hunter named Walter Prince. It functions as a delightful blend of classic ghost story and farce, with cover artwork by Dave McKean.
- Hollow (2021) – A masterpiece of Boschian dark fantasy. Set in a ruined, fantastical landscape, the story follows a band of mercenaries tasked with delivering a sacred oracle up a towering mountain. It is filled with grotesque creatures, religious ecstasy, and bizarre architectures that feel like a Hieronymus Bosch painting come to life.
Collections and Collaborative Prose
Catling’s background as a poet and performance artist shines through in his shorter prose collections and collaborative works. These are harder to find but essential for completionists.
- The Stumbling Block, Its Index (1990) – An early, highly experimental prose-poetry collection. It consists of a series of prose descriptions of imaginary, symbolic objects and instructions, reflecting Catling’s work as a sculptor.
- Several Clouds Colliding (2012) – A collaborative project with author Iain Sinclair. It document a series of performances, lectures, and archival interventions held at Swedenborg House in London, exploring shared historical and artistic themes.
- Only the Lowly (2019) – A "fractured novella" consisting of ten interlinked stories. Set in a post-apocalyptic seaside resort after an event called "The Great Arising," it follows the lives of Bertie and Cara, and details a slave race of genetically engineered human-animal hybrids known as "The Lowly."
Anthology Contributions
- A Love Letter to Europe (2019) – An anthology published in response to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Catling contributed alongside many other British writers and thinkers, offering a personal essay reflecting on European culture and connection.
What to Know Before You Start: Surrealism, Dyslexia, and Sculpture
Before diving into Brian Catling’s work, it helps to understand his unique creative background. Catling was a Professor of Fine Art at Oxford and spent decades working as a sculptor and performance artist before writing novels. His writing is intensely visual, architectural, and tactile; he often described his prose as another medium for his sculpture. Additionally, Catling struggled with dyslexia and a stutter throughout his life, which heavily influenced his fluid, image-driven style, prioritizing sensory impact and dreamlike logic over traditional, linear narrative structures.