Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

Stephen and I are starting a Buddy Read of The Prestige by Christopher Priest, who passed away in February. While Priest only has one novel on the Hugo/Nebula list, The Inverted World, he had multiple nominations and wins of the BSFA, World Fantasy & Campbell Awards. This book was the 1996 WFA winner & was made into a film starring Hugh Jackman & Christian Bale in 2006. Anyone is welcome to join and post comments in this discussion thread.

7% in, it seems like the story moves along pretty quickly. I did see the movie some years ago, and I remember the ending was good but a little confusing. I hope that the reading of the actual source will clarify it.

Thanks Allan, I’ll get started shortly. I haven’t seen the movie and I have only a vague idea what the story is about, so I’ll be approaching it without any preconceptions.

my partner loves this book.

Just a few pages into the book, the character narrating the story (at this point) talks about how he has always felt he had a mysterious connection to an identical twin, though there is no evidence he ever had a sibling. (He was an adopted child but has learned who his birth mother was.) This seems to be an instance of a common motif in Priest’s work, in which there are often doubles, twins, or what seem to be distinct versions of the same character.

I plan to join you later this week

I took a quick sidetrack to read The Bezzle when it came off hold, but it was short & I'm back on The Prestige now.

I’m 20-25% through. It’s an interesting story with some narrative oddities. At this point I don’t think there is much to discuss. Some reveals to come, no doubt.

I’m at about 10%, but I notice some of the quirky narrative too. I anticipate making some headway tomorrow.

Brief comment behind spoiler warning on the narrative oddity:

(view spoiler)[

Most of the book so far has been ostensibly a first person memoir by a Victorian stage magician named Alfred Borden. However from time to time there seems to be a second narrative “I” involved who may disagree, even negotiate over what is being told, with the first. It isn’t at all clear what’s going on at this point.

(hide spoiler)]

Got to 38% today, the beginning of Part 3. The 1st part was like the movie, as I recall, but it's been a long time since I saw it. The 2nd part starts to deviate & now, by this point, it's a different story. I'm really enjoying the storytelling - it's very engaging & has moved along very efficiently, with only a little confusion about who is who because of the time periods. I see what you mean about twins though, what you pointed out seems to be an important fact about the events, though I don't quite know what yet.

A possible explanation for some of the oddities has occurred to me. It will be interesting to see to what extent I’m right.

Still in Part Two, hoping to make good progress today and tomorrow.

Finished Part Two. Terrific story so far.

Finished Part Three, a short section set in the book’s present day (the 1990s). Interesting development of the story. Looks like Part Four is a longer one set back in Victorian times.

We’re about at the same spot, nearly halfway through, 25 pages into Part 4. I agree with you, this is a terrific story. It’s really well-written and there have been no slow spots. It’s been intriguing from the start. I’m no longer confused with the characters, that’s clear now and it has gone completely different from the movie. The mystery of the twin remains, but we have a hint of the answer.

I have a copy of this on my rather large ‘to be read’ shelf. You have inspired me to blow off the dust..

Looking at the current Amazon rankings before I commence reading and now I’m really intrigued

#10 in Christian Science fiction
#24 in Christian fantasy fiction

Andrew wrote: "Looking at the current Amazon rankings before I commence reading and now I’m really intrigued

#10 in Christian Science fiction
#24 in Christian fantasy fiction"

It's well worth the reading!

Got to 62% last night & it continues to be excellent. The lengthy Part 4 tells the story from Rupert's point of view. Some events are repeated from the opposite side, but there's considerable background & motivation added, carrying the story along. Really good.

I hope to finish today. Still very interested.

I haven’t noticed anything that would seem to qualify it as “Christian” fiction so far.

Just finished. Certainly an absorbing tale.

Finished today, fantastic story. I liked it a lot better than The Inverted World, which was much more SF, but it’s the only other book of his I’ve read. Similar to the movie in some ways, but not a complete copy. The movie’s worth watching too, even if you’ve read the book. Thanks for the BR, Stephen!

I’ve really enjoyed it too, thanks Allan. I’ve read several Priest novels and this was the most entertaining. Tremendous storytelling, lots of mystery and flash.

I swear I am. going to start this. I have had several Priest books sitting around for years, but the only one I ever read was the one about the moving city, which I loved.

I've started it yesterday and it is awesome.

I quite liked Inverted World but The Prestige is easier to hook into. Only 85 pages in but it’s clear what the story is about.

Not sure where the Christian themes and sci fi come in yet though

I never did see anything that would justify calling it Christian.

Andrew wrote: "Not sure where the Christian themes and sci fi come in yet though"

I don't either, but maybe this will clear it up:
https://www.theastromech.com/2023/06/....

I've finished it and it is great, multi-layered and open for interpretation (view spoiler)[like I guessed the possibility of twins/doubles for transportation, but also a strange mirror images of lives of both illusionist, almost as if they are the twins (hide spoiler)]

Oleksandr wrote: "I've finished it and it is great, multi-layered and open for interpretation [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[

I also guessed that “Borden” in particular was actually two men (probably twins) living a double life. This seemed to be the explanation for the double “I”s and references to the “Pact” in his journal. Angier’s thoughts on the difficulties of this, when the newspaperman tells him about it, are the same kind of questions that occur to the reader. But it seems to be the only explanation.

(hide spoiler)]

still haven't started but it is up next

It sounds good. I too will read it - when I've finished current book.

My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Oleksandr wrote: "My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Oh, oh. You gave it 5 stars. Sometimes when you give something a high rating I don't agree and vice versa. I am starting this today, so we shall see, won't we.

Kateblue wrote: "Oh, oh. You gave it 5 stars. Sometimes when you give something a high rating I don't agree and vice versa. I am starting this today, so we shall see, won't we.
"

I guess it is 2nd book this year that got 5* from me. Yes, we'll see

Finally finished. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Terrific characters. Interesting themes. I did not see that end coming!

Andrew wrote: "Finally finished. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Terrific characters. Interesting themes. I did not see that end coming!"

Pretty darn creepy!

I liked it. I got a little bored after I figured it out during the Tesla visit, but still really good.

I fixed this thread so it would show our ratings. If anyone wants to know how to do this, let me know. It's pretty stupid! You have to go back in and edit the thread after you create it.

LATER NOTE: No, you don't have to go in after you make the thread, you just have to put the name of the book in a certain space. It's to make a discussion thread be first on the list that you have to go back in and edit the thread for. Sorry if I confused everyone

I'm up to Part 4. Liking it a lot. It is really intriging trying to figure out what is actually going on. Apart from the whole doubles thing - twins, Two families, two households etc, I'm still lost. But it is still a nice read. Well written.

I read this years ago. At the time I guess I wasn't in the mood to try to figure out a complex plot, so it was only a 3 for me. The movie is lovely, though.

I'm finished. Thought it was really good and such a complex plot - still trying to get my brain around it. And what a creepy ending.
Gave it 5 stars.

My only gripe would be the Victorian writing style. I can see why Priest did that. But Victorian novels is one of my least favourite genre.

Must read it again some time.

I agree with Cordelia about the style. It reminded me of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Ed wrote: "I read this years ago. At the time I guess I wasn't in the mood to try to figure out a complex plot, so it was only a 3 for me. The movie is lovely, though."

There's a movie? Is it called "The Prestige or does i have a different name?

Same name, it stars Hugh Jackman & Christian Bale as the feuding magicians. It’s a little different, but not hugely.

Thanks, Allan, I may rent it from Amazon.