The Prestige by Christopher Priest
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Book Reviews of The Prestige
Book Review: A complex tale of magic and mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
The Prestige tells the story of an intense rivalry between two turn of the century illusionists, Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier, using multiple viewpoints to create a complex tale of magic and mystery. The rivalry begins at a seance conducted by Angier. Borden, seeking to discredit Angier, disrupts the proceedings. During the ensuing confusion, Angier's pregnant wife falls, and miscarries her baby. Angier, infuriated, seeks revenge against Borden, triggering a cat and mouse game of dirty tricks and one-upmanship which escalates over the next two decades, eventually poisoning the lives of their progeny.
The Prestige is deeply rooted in the world of magic, where illusion is everything. It is a tale told primarily by two magicians, men whose lives are dedicated to concealing the truth behind their illusions, who harbor secrets both natural and seemingly supernatural. It is Priest, however, who eventually reveals himself as the ultimate illusionist, challenging his readers to discover the truth so cleverly concealed within this book.
Borden's diaries explain that an illusion has three stages. First is the setup, in which the nature of what might be attempted is hinted at, or suggested, or explained. Here, the magician will make every possible use of misdirection. Second is the performance, where the magician's lifetime of practice and his innate skill as a performer conjoin to produce a magical display. The third stage, called the effect, or the prestige, is the product of magic.
In The Prestige, Priest has achieved an consummate illusion. Using Borden's diaries to open the book, he starts the set up, providing some sketchy details about the events which form the backbone of the novel. Then, he turns to Angier's memoirs, the equivalent of a performance. Details are added, and Priest uses all his skill as a writer to produce a wondrous display of riveting writing. Finally, he treats his readers to the effect, which I, in keeping with conjuring tradition, will not reveal. Rest assured though--you'll be thinking about it for days after finishing the book.
Part of Priest's outstanding performance is the theme of duality that permeates The Prestige. The book is dedicated to Priest's twin children, Elizabeth and Simon. Alfred Borden may or may not have had a twin. The magicians themselves often comment on their similarities, and they independently strive to develop the same illusion, The Transported Man (carrying the theme even further, Angier's version produces unliving dopplegangers which may be considered his twins). Finally, there is the fact that there are (at least) two sides to every story, certainly evident from the writings of both men.
I highly recommend this winner of the British James Tait Black Award and the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. After finishing, I think most readers will marvel at the illusion, and wonder, "How did he DO that?"
Book Review: awesome and fascinating
Summary: 5 Stars
My first book by Christopher Priest and I am already in love. I find difficult to label such a book, that takes equally after Science Fiction, victorian-like, and fantasy genres. I had the impression that I was reading a classic book, written in an old-fashion way, classy and genteel.
The story starts nowadays, when Kate Angier meets Andrew Borden. This down-to-earth part tends to become more and more mysterious. All through out the book given to Andrew by Kate, we soon learn more about their ancestors, two rivals, who fought until the end, wanting to be and stay the best of all..
First, we learn about Alfred Borden, an ambitious and talented magician who explains the hows and whys of his ascension, how he became a famous artist in spite of his working-class origins. He talks about his rivalry with another well-known magician called Rupert Angier. The last part of the book (read by Andrew) presents another point of view, with Angier's diary. Suddenly the story turns out different, some unexplained facts and details told by Borden are partially explained, but the mystery remains. The fantasy part is quite subtle, the book seems still "realistic", no big effect, no spectacular stuff to impress the reader. We soon understand that this novel is mainly about doppelgänger, in many ways. We have two points of view, different, complementing each other. We easily understand what it will happen, but still don't know how, the novel is a trick in itself, one of those mentioned by both Albert and Rupert, you know how it will end, but ignore the process.
The author makes the most of such fascinating themes as brotherhood, rivalry, physical and psychological doppelganger, delusion, reality, with style and refinement.
I also recommend the movie derived from this excellent novel, The prestige, by Christopher Nolan with Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. The plot may have some alterations compared with the book, some could say it is too far from the novel, but it still works perfectly too, a great movie for a great novel.
Book Review: Sci-Fi tinged story of magicians rivalry gets new life thanks to film of the same name
Summary: 5 Stars
The story of rival magicians told via diary kept by Alfred Borden about the feud between Borden and rival magician/spiritualist Rupert Angier. As with the film The Teleported Man act that Borden develops plays a major part in the story as does Tesla so the basic premise is the same although it is played out differently here and equally as compelling as Nolan's film.
"The Prestige" is well written with rich characters and Priest captures atmospheric turn-of-the-century England quite well. The film is a nice companion piece to the novel with using the same basic plot to tell the story in a different medium but Priest's novel does allow better insight (no surprise since it's written and internal thoughts and feelings are quite difficult to portray on film)into the motives and issues between the two. Some of the twist and turns of the plot here resemble ended up in the movie while the movie makes some radical departures in comparison. What worked for the movie wouldn't work for the book and vice versa so just be prepared for a different experience. I will warn you that some expecting a fast paced thriller will be probably be disappointed as this is the type of novel that you invest in but the results are rewarding.
World Fantasy Award winning writer Christopher Priest first published "The Prestige" in 1995 and with the release of the movie interest has picked up so hopefully those who missed the novel the first time will get a chance to enjoy it. As to the differences between the novel and film there will be those that the novel is better--I'd argue that it's different (it was once said by director David Cronenberg that the best way to remain faithful to the book is to be as unfaithful in telling the same story as possible because of the different formats).
Book Review: Amazing feat of prestidigitation
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of many, many books that only made it onto my radar because there was a movie coming out. If I know that a movie I'm particularly interested in was based on a book, I make every effort to read the book first. I am SO glad that I did. Christopher Priest's haunting mystery story is without question one of the finest novels I've read this year.
Andrew Westley, a man adopted at a young age, is summoned for a meeting at the home of a woman he's never met. At the same time, he recieves in the mail a book penned by his biological great-grandfather, a famous stage magician, about his life and the practice of magic. Upon meeting the woman, Kate, Andrew discovers that his ancestor and hers were great rivals on stage, a rivalry that lasted their entire careers, and the feud has continued through their families over the centuries. Reading manuscripts left behind by their predecessors, Andrew and Kate begin to piece together the truth about the feud that drove their families apart and the horrific secrets of the lives their grandfathers led.
This is a fantasy novel in many respects, but beyond that, it's a mystery. What's more, is an amazing mystery. The lives of Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier are intertwining riddles, secrets that overlap and comingle in ways even the men themselves don't understand. This, to me, is the best kind of mystery -- the sort where the reveal leaves you stunned but, at the same time, embarassed that you didn't see it coming, because it's so perfectly constructed. The book reads like a magic trick, except at the end the curtain is whisked away and all the secrets are revealed.
I'm still anxious to see the movie, but now I find myself nervous that it couldn't quite live up to the novel. This was fantastic.
Book Review: Spellbinding!
Summary: 5 Stars
A part of the urban fantasy subgenre of contemporary fantasy, The Prestige tells the story of two illusionists of the early 1900s. For various reasons, these two magicians, of wholly different characters, have fallen into a feud, each trying to outdo the other on stage and in their personal lives. Alfred Borden is a magician of the old style, naturally gifted in magic, a stage magician who despises those who use magic tricks to pretend to real magical ability. Rupert Angier is a magician down on his luck that turns to pretending to be a spiritualist to make ends meet (although eventually he does make it to the stage). It is from this their feud stems, but it eventually goes way beyond that.
I recommend this book be read by those who like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke. The history filled with magic plot line will appeal to Clarke's readers. I recommend that those who like reading the old pulp magazines give The Prestige a shot also. If you like a good mystery and don't mind a sort of incomplete ending you might like this book as well. I enjoyed it, although I was disappointed in the ending, but then, I like my books to feel like the story is complete, and this one will leave you wondering.