In 1878, two young stage magicians clash in the dark during the course of a fraudulent seance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and revelation as they vie to outwit and expose one another.
Their rivalry will take them to the peaks of their careers, but with terrible consequences. In the course of pursuing each other's ruin, they will deploy all the deception their magicians' craft can command--the highest misdirection and the darkest science.
Blood will be spilled, but it will not be enough. In the end, their legacy will pass on for generations...to descendants who must, for their sanity's sake, untangle the puzzle left to them. Christopher Priest lives in England. Winner of the World Fantasy AwardWinner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize In 1878, two young stage magicians clash in the dark during the course of a fraudulent seance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and revelation as they vie to outwit and expose one another.
Their rivalry will take them to the peaks of their careers, but with terrible consequences. In the course of pursuing each other's ruin, they will deploy all the deception their magicians' craft can command--the highest misdirection and the darkest science.
Blood will be spilled, but it will not be enough. In the end, their legacy will pass on for generations . . . to descendants who must, for their sanity's sake, untangle the puzzle left to them. "The Prestige" is now in production as a major motion picture from Newmarket Films, directed by Christopher Nolan "(Batman Begins)" and starring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, David Bowie, and Scarlett Johanson. Shooting begins the second week of 2006, aiming for a Fall 2006 release. "A dizzying show of a novel . . . Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment "--"The ""Washington"" Post" "A dizzying show of a novel . . . Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment "--"The ""Washington"" Post" "Hypnotic . . . "The Prestige" provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment."--"San Francisco"" Chronicle" "A brilliant conjuring act by one of the master illusionists of our time."--"Wired" "Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act "--"Entertainment Weekly" "As ingenious as it is suspenseful."--"Newsday"
"Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of "The Prestige" . . . Magnificently eerie."--Anthony Quinn, "The Sunday Times" (London) "Beautifully written . . . Two magicians vie with each other to create the perfect illusion: vanishing from one part of the stage and reappearing instantaneously in another. It's a story of utter fakery and scientific audacity. The pioneer of electrical power, Nikola Tesla, appears in a supporting role; to say more would reveal too much. Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and "The Prestige" is his finest novel to date."--"New Scientist" "A taut, twisting, prize-winning story of two magicians and their fierce fin-de-siecle rivalry that taints successive generations of their respective families . . . An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain."--"Kirkus Reviews" "Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies . . . Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill."--"Publishers Weekly"
Industry Reviews
"Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act!" "One of our most gifted writers." -- John Fowles "Just as a magic act should be: filled with haunting marvels." "Hypnotic..."The Prestige" provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment." "Beautifully written . . . . Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and The Prestige is his finest novel to date." "A dizzying show of a novel . . . . Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine . . . . A brilliantly constructed entertainment!""" "A dizzying show of a novel . . . . Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine . . . . A brilliantly constructed entertainment!"" " "One of our most gifted writers."--John Fowles "Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of The Prestige . . . Magnificently eerie."--Anthony Quinn "The Sunday Times " " . . . a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recent years. Don't miss the magic show!"--Gahan Wilson "Realms of Fantasy " "A brilliant conjuring act by one of the master illusionists of our time." --Wired on The Prestige"One of our most gifted writers." --John Fowles on The Prestige"Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act!" --Entertainment Weekly on The Prestige"A dizzying show of a novel....Imagine Possession rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment!" --The Washington Post on The Prestige"As ingenious as it is suspenseful." --Newsday on The Prestige"Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of The Prestige . . . Magnificently eerie." --Anthony Quinn, The Sunday Times"Beautifully written . . . Two magicians vie with each other to create the perfect illusion: vanishing from one part of the stage and reappearing instantaneously in another. It's a story of utter fakery and scientific audacity. The pioneer of electrical power, Nikola Tesla, appears in a supporting role; to say more would reveal too much. Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and The Prestige is his finest novel to date." --New Scientist on The Prestige"A taut, twisting, prize-winning story of two magicians and their fierce fin-de-siecle rivalry that taints successive generations of their respective families...An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain." --Kirkus on The Prestige"Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies...Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill." --Publishers Weekly on The Prestige"Hypnotic...The Prestige provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment." --San Francisco Chronicle"The Prestige is in every way a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recednt years. Don't miss the magic show!" --Gahan Wilson, Realms of Fantasy"Just as a magic act should be: filled with haunting marvels." --Time Out London on The Prestige A brilliant conjuring act by one of the master illusionists of our time. Wired on The Prestige One of our most gifted writers. John Fowles on The Prestige Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act! Entertainment Weekly on The Prestige A dizzying show of a novel....Imagine Possession rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment! The Washington Post on The Prestige As ingenious as it is suspenseful. Newsday on The Prestige Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of The Prestige . . . Magnificently eerie. Anthony Quinn, The Sunday Times Beautifully written . . . Two magicians vie with each other to create the perfect illusion: vanishing from one part of the stage and reappearing instantaneously in another. It's a story of utter fakery and scientific audacity. The pioneer of electrical power, Nikola Tesla, appears in a supporting role; to say more would reveal too much. Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and The Prestige is his finest novel to date. New Scientist on The Prestige A taut, twisting, prize-winning story of two magicians and their fierce fin-de-siecle rivalry that taints successive generations of their respective families...An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain. Kirkus on The Prestige Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies...Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill. Publishers Weekly on The Prestige Hypnotic...The Prestige provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment. San Francisco Chronicle The Prestige is in every way a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recednt years. Don't miss the magic show! Gahan Wilson, Realms of Fantasy Just as a magic act should be: filled with haunting marvels. Time Out London on The Prestige" A brilliant conjuring act by one of the master illusionists of our time. "Wired on The Prestige" One of our most gifted writers. "John Fowles on The Prestige" Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act! "Entertainment Weekly on The Prestige" A dizzying show of a novel....Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment! "The Washington Post on The Prestige" As ingenious as it is suspenseful. "Newsday on The Prestige" Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of "The Prestige" . . . Magnificently eerie. "Anthony Quinn, The Sunday Times" Beautifully written . . . Two magicians vie with each other to create the perfect illusion: vanishing from one part of the stage and reappearing instantaneously in another. It's a story of utter fakery and scientific audacity. The pioneer of electrical power, Nikola Tesla, appears in a supporting role; to say more would reveal too much. Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and The Prestige is his finest novel to date. "New Scientist on The Prestige" A taut, twisting, prize-winning story of two magicians and their fierce fin-de-siecle rivalry that taints successive generations of their respective families...An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain. "Kirkus on The Prestige" Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies...Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill. "Publishers Weekly on The Prestige" Hypnotic..."The Prestige" provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment. "San Francisco Chronicle" "The Prestige" is in every way a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recednt years. Don't miss the magic show! "Gahan Wilson, Realms of Fantasy" Just as a magic act should be: filled with haunting marvels. "Time Out London on The Prestige"" "A brilliant conjuring act by one of the master illusionists of our time." -"Wired" on "The Prestige" "One of our most gifted writers." --John Fowles on "The Prestige" "Extraordinary--like a dazzling magic act!" --"Entertainment Weekly "on "The Prestige" "A dizzying show of a novel....Imagine "Possession" rewritten by Barbara Vine, or Robertson Davies at his most smoothly diabolical. A brilliantly constructed entertainment!" --"The ""Washington"" Post "on "The Prestige""""As ingenious as it is suspenseful." -"Newsday "on "The Prestige" "Nothing quite prepares you for the sinister complexity and imaginative flair of "The Prestige" . . . Magnificently eerie." --Anthony Quinn, The Sunday Times "Beautifully written . . . Two magicians vie with each other to create the perfect illusion: vanishing from one part of the stage and reappearing instantaneously in another. It's a story of utter fakery and scientific audacity. The pioneer of electrical power, Nikola Tesla, appears in a supporting role; to say more would reveal too much. Priest masters the merging of SF and mainstream, and The Prestige is his finest novel to date." --"New Scientist" on "The Prestige" "A taut, twisting, prize-winning story of two magicians and their fierce fin-de-siecle rivalry that taints successive generations of their respective families...An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain." --"Kirkus" on "The Prestige" "Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies...Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill." --"Publishers Weekly" on "The Prestige" "Hypnotic..."The Prestige" provides the satisfaction of an ambitious and well-told entertainment." --"San Francisco"" Chronicle" ""The Prestige" is in every way a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recednt years. Don't miss the magic show!" --Gahan Wilson, "Realms of Fantasy" "Just as a magic act should be: filled with haunting marvels." --"Time Out ""London" on "The Prestige" ," . . a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recent years. Don't miss the magic show!" ." . . a marvelously scary entertainment with one of the creepiest final revelations in recent years. Don't miss the magic show!" -- Gahan Wilson "Realms of Fantasy" "Remarkably akin to the style of the late Robertson Davies...Priest has brought it off with great imagination and skill." "A taut, twisting, prize-winning story . . . . An unexpectedly compelling fusion of weird science and legerdemain."
