Titus Groan first catalyst is the birth of Titus Groan, the heir to Lord Sepulchrave, which interrupts the centuries-old daily rituals which are practiced at all levels of the castle's society, from the kitchens to the Hall of Bright Carvings in Gormenghast's upper reaches. Though he is the title character and integral to the plot, Titus appears only infrequently as an infant during his first two years of life. The second is Steerpike, a ruthlessly ambitious kitchen boy, whose rise drives the plot of "Titus Groan". His escape from the kitchen during the castle celebration of Lord Titus' birth introduces change into
Walking on Glass sight to be independent stories. Two of the stories are set in and around Islington in North London, the other is set in the far distant future. Eventually, links between the three storylines become apparent. Quiss's Gothic castle is a combination of Franz Kafka and Mervyn Peake. After saving Quiss from suicide Ajayi reads the titles of the books on the wall: ""Titus Groan", she read, talking softly to herself. "The Castle", "Labyrinths", "The Trial"" Iain Banks commented that the book "didn’t do exactly what it set out to do and I think you have failed to an extent if