The Prestige bk by Chrstr Priest - discussion

chud-  Christopher Priest's "The Prestige" (spoilers):



"The central rule of magic always holds good - what is seen is not what is actually being done."

-Christopher Priest, The Prestige



I've recently had the pleasure of reading the aforementioned book and, having engaged in a brief discussion about it in the Current Reading thread, thought it might be worthwhile to open a thread to pick the book apart.

What did you all think of The Prestige? Theories? Conjectures?
In particular, what did you think of the ending?
What was Priest saying by having Rupert Angier alive and well almost 100 years after his "death"?

The Prestige is very much a smart study in dualities:

What is seen versus what is actually happening misdirection (both in their magical acts and the first person narratives of these unreliable narrators), Borden versus Angier (in their contrasting upbringings, in their ideologies, in their physical appearances, etc.), Bilocation /cloning/, Twins, the actual effect or "prestige" of Angier's In a Flash, In a Flash versus The New Transported Man, Nicky Borden and Andrew Westley /book char I d n recall by name (part of framing story of descendants?/ , etc.


post #2 of 17
-I think it’s a fascinating and very enjoyable exploration of identity, obsession and the essence and paradoxes of magic. The opening pages of Borden’s book beautifully illustrate the art of the magician. I love the way Priest sets about describing the Pact of Acquiescence. The tacit agreement between the viewer – who understands what he’s witnessing is pure deception, and yet suspends all critical thinking – and the performer. Before reading this book I’d always thought more about the trick itself – the payoff prestige - than the essential showmanship pledge that transforms a clever yet unremarkable piece of sleight-of-hand into magic. Even more fascinating is the way Priest uses these very same techniques to devise a novel that really does pull a few rabbits out the hat.



...   //read all through