📖 Overview
B. Catling (1948-2022) was a British artist, poet, and novelist best known for The Vorrh Trilogy, a series of fantasy novels that earned critical acclaim for their surreal imagery and unconventional storytelling.
Before his literary career, Catling established himself as a performance artist and sculptor, with his work featured in the Tate Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art. He served as Professor of Fine Art at The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford University.
His debut novel The Vorrh (2012) combined historical figures with mythological elements, centered around a vast primeval forest. The book attracted attention from prominent authors including Alan Moore and Tom Waits, leading to wider recognition of Catling's literary work.
Beyond his novels, Catling published several poetry collections and continued to create visual art until his death. His work frequently explored themes of mythology, colonial history, and the intersection between the real and supernatural.
👀 Reviews
Readers admire Catling's dense, surreal writing style and unique world-building in The Vorrh trilogy. Many note his ability to blend historical figures with fictional elements. Common praise focuses on the poetic, dreamlike quality of his prose.
Reviewers specifically mention:
+ Creative mythology and folklore integration
+ Complex, layered narratives
+ Vivid sensory descriptions
+ Original take on fantasy conventions
Main criticisms include:
- Difficult to follow multiple plotlines
- Slow pacing, especially in middle sections
- Characters can feel distant or underdeveloped
- Writing style too abstract for some readers
Average ratings:
Goodreads: The Vorrh (3.6/5 from 4,800+ ratings)
Amazon: The Vorrh (3.9/5 from 450+ ratings)
Several reviewers compare his style to China Miéville and Jeff VanderMeer. A common reader sentiment is that his books require patience but reward careful reading. The experimental nature of his work creates clear divides between those who embrace or reject his unconventional approach.
📚 Books by B. Catling
The Vorrh (2012)
A surreal fantasy novel set in a mythical African forest called the Vorrh, following multiple characters including a cyclops, a former slave, and historical figure Eadweard Muybridge as their paths intersect in colonial-era Africa.
The Erstwhile (2017) The second book in The Vorrh trilogy continues the narrative of the mysterious forest, introducing fallen angels known as the Erstwhile and expanding the story to London and Germany between the World Wars.
The Cloven (2018) The final installment of The Vorrh trilogy brings the various narrative threads together, focusing on the aftermath of colonial exploitation and the true nature of the forest's powers.
Earwig (2019) A standalone novel set in 1950s France about a strange young girl with ice for teeth and the man hired to take care of her.
Only The Lowdown (2019) A collection of poetry spanning Catling's career, incorporating themes of mythology and the supernatural that appear in his prose works.
The Erstwhile (2017) The second book in The Vorrh trilogy continues the narrative of the mysterious forest, introducing fallen angels known as the Erstwhile and expanding the story to London and Germany between the World Wars.
The Cloven (2018) The final installment of The Vorrh trilogy brings the various narrative threads together, focusing on the aftermath of colonial exploitation and the true nature of the forest's powers.
Earwig (2019) A standalone novel set in 1950s France about a strange young girl with ice for teeth and the man hired to take care of her.
Only The Lowdown (2019) A collection of poetry spanning Catling's career, incorporating themes of mythology and the supernatural that appear in his prose works.
👥 Similar authors
Jeff VanderMeer writes ecological fiction that merges natural and supernatural elements while exploring mysterious zones beyond human comprehension. His Southern Reach trilogy shares The Vorrh's sense of an unknowable wilderness that defies conventional reality.
China Miéville creates fantasy worlds that reject traditional genre conventions and incorporate political and historical themes. His world-building combines the grotesque with the mythological in ways that echo Catling's approach to fantasy.
Michael Cisco writes experimental fiction that blends surrealism with horror and philosophical elements. His work shares Catling's interest in dreamlike narratives and unconventional storytelling structures.
Robert Holdstock focused on mythological fiction centered around primordial forests and their connection to human consciousness. His Mythago Wood series explores themes of ancient woodlands and their supernatural properties similar to The Vorrh.
M. John Harrison writes literary speculative fiction that crosses genre boundaries while maintaining a focus on atmosphere and psychological depth. His Viriconium series demonstrates a similar approach to mixing historical elements with surreal fantasy.
China Miéville creates fantasy worlds that reject traditional genre conventions and incorporate political and historical themes. His world-building combines the grotesque with the mythological in ways that echo Catling's approach to fantasy.
Michael Cisco writes experimental fiction that blends surrealism with horror and philosophical elements. His work shares Catling's interest in dreamlike narratives and unconventional storytelling structures.
Robert Holdstock focused on mythological fiction centered around primordial forests and their connection to human consciousness. His Mythago Wood series explores themes of ancient woodlands and their supernatural properties similar to The Vorrh.
M. John Harrison writes literary speculative fiction that crosses genre boundaries while maintaining a focus on atmosphere and psychological depth. His Viriconium series demonstrates a similar approach to mixing historical elements with surreal fantasy.