The Prestige
The Prestige is a 1901 historical fantasy and horror novel by Christopher Priest. The story is set in England, in the 19th century. Key subjects include magicians, journalists, music-halls and music halls.
Open Library readers give it an average of 3.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, and 62 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 24 editions across 3 languages.
At about 384 pages, most readers finish it in 7–8 hours.
About The Prestige
Two 19th century stage illusionists, the aristocratic Rupert Angier and the working-class Alfred Borden, engage in a bitter and deadly feud; the effects are still being felt by their respective families a hundred years later. Working in the gaslight-and-velvet world of Victorian music halls, they prowl edgily in the background of each other's shadowy life, driven to the extremes by a deadly combination of obsessive secrecy and insatiable curiosity. At the heart of the row is an amazing illusion they both perform during their stage acts. The secret of the magic is simple, and the reader is in on it almost from the start, but to the antagonists the real mystery lies deeper. Both have something more to hide than the mere workings of a trick.
Opening line
“It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soon to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier.”
Awards & lists
- ✦Hugo Awards 2007 — Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (nominee)
- ✦Nebula Awards 2007 — Best Script (nominee)
- ✦World Fantasy Awards 1996 — Best Novel (nominee)
- ✦Locus Awards 1997 — Best Fantasy Novel (nominee)
- ✦Arthur C. Clarke Award 1996 — Overall (nominee)
- ✦BSFA Awards 1995 — Best Novel (nominee)
Quick answers
Who wrote The Prestige?
The Prestige was written by Christopher Priest and first published in 1901.
What genre is The Prestige?
It is usually shelved as Historical Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fiction and Magicians & Illusionists.
How long is The Prestige?
The median edition has 384 pages, about 7–8 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
What books are similar to The Prestige?
Readers who like it often enjoy The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
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