Comments on things mean a lot: The Prestige by Christopher Priest

I thought the film was amazing - gave me quite the...

2012-02-13T10:50:56.492Z

I thought the film was amazing - gave me quite the shock. Have been meaning to read the book for ages and hopefully will one day soon!

I haven't read the book yet. I have seen the ...

2012-01-28T21:14:04.586Z

I haven't read the book yet. I have seen the movie though, which was enjoyable - but the cold feeling remains, so that must be the same as what the book has that you experienced. I might give the book a try, as I like this kind of novel, though not the cold atmosphere!

I think it's possible to engage emotionally wi...

2012-01-28T20:57:26.720Z

I think it's possible to engage emotionally with the artistic (bracing myself to sound pretentious here) perfection of a certain kind of novel first and its characters by extension. It's kind of like engaging with visual art. That is how The Prestige worked for me, but nothing else I've read by Priest worked the same way. The coldness of you found here goes rampant in his other books. It's almost as if the structure and subject matter of the Prestige had the perfect balancing, vivifying effect on his imagination. (Priest is the ex-husband of one of my *other* favorite fantasy writers, Lisa Tuttle. Reading their novels, I can pretty much see how things didn't work out for them!)

The movie is very much a matter of taste. I saw it after reading the book, and it may be the only time I've thought a movie was as just as good as a book I adored. It's not one of those movies that tries to BE the book, which for me is always really important.

I'd seen the movie a couple of years ago and l...

2012-01-24T12:50:17.187Z

I'd seen the movie a couple of years ago and loved it, and I didn't realize it was a book until recently -- I just read it in December! When I started the book I thought it was much better than the movie, which is significantly different. The movie doesn't include any of the present day story.

You really can't compare the two because they are so different. I hate to admit it but I actually think I like the movie better.

I haven't read the book (yet!) but I saw the m...

2012-01-22T17:43:33.955Z

I haven't read the book (yet!) but I saw the movie. I liked it, mostly, but my appreciation of it could be summarized the same way you summarized your appreciation of the book. It was a little while ago though, so when I read the book, I'll probably have to go and watch the movie again.

I have not read the book (yet), but I have seen th...

2012-01-22T05:47:01.043Z

I have not read the book (yet), but I have seen the movie which I thought was... brilliant.:) I saw it twice, very close together (first with my husband, and then with my mother), and I feel that it really rewards rewatching (much like Inception, also a Christopher Nolan film). The first time one is mostly busy keeping track of the story, while the second time the nuances become more clear. Also great acting, I thought, by Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine and David Bowie (whom my mother did not even recognise... )

LRK

I saw the film first and really enjoyed it. Very d...

2012-01-22T01:14:09.806Z

I saw the film first and really enjoyed it. Very different to the book though. Bowie does not make for a very good Tesla and there are no modern scenes, the film is entirely set in the past. But Bale and Jackman's performances make it worth the viewing if you ask me.

I've not read the book so I can't comment ...

2012-01-21T19:08:00.172Z

I've not read the book so I can't comment on that, but I did watch the movie a few years ago and I have mixed feelings about that. I really enjoyed the bulk of the film, the "smoke and mirrors" as you put it, but I was really bothered by the ending. What I liked about the film was that it was pulling back the veil on this idea of magic, and that much of the illusions can be explained by sleights of hand and other trickery... but then the end sort of threw that whole idea out the window and really annoyed me. But other than that, it was good fun!

I have never read this book, but I did see the mov...

2012-01-21T18:01:43.929Z

I have never read this book, but I did see the movie and mostly enjoyed it. I would have to rewatch it to say any more than that because I hardly remember it... I have never felt compelled to pick up the book.

The movie is fantastic, you should definitely try ...

2012-01-21T13:13:02.904Z

The movie is fantastic, you should definitely try it. Haven't read the book though so I can't compare. I've wanted to read this one, but somehow my library doesn't care ;)

I saw the movie and thought it was very clever, bu...

2012-01-21T05:46:00.916Z

I saw the movie and thought it was very clever, but haven't read the book. That said, it is hard to get this story out of your mind when reading The Night Circus, in my opinion. The Night Circus seemed slightly derivative based on my knowledge of this book.

I saw the movie once. That was enough. It's no...

2012-01-21T05:09:04.496Z

I saw the movie once. That was enough. It's not bad--I actually thought it was pretty good; both Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale do some amazing acting--but I felt about it the same way you feel about the book: more of an intellectual appreciation rather than any emotional engagement. It's hard to engage with these characters!

I think you should see it, though, just so you can see Colorado Springs, which is very near to where I live. ;) (Note that it looks nothing like it does in the movie, of course.)

You should indeed see the film!! I loved that movi...

2012-01-21T00:35:46.400Z

You should indeed see the film!! I loved that movie..though it had a lot of mixed reviews as well. I love books like this though :) Where the answer is right in front of your nose, but is put there so subliminally. Might have to check this one out :)

sigh It probably doesn't surprise you to kno...

2012-01-20T22:10:11.411Z

*sigh* It probably doesn't surprise you to know that I've never even heard of this book. Or the movie. How is it that a person can be so ignorant of the world around her? Oh well, at least now I can say that I've heard of it...though I'm not really sure if it's a book for me or not. But hey, it's nice to come here and not want to devour a book you've reviewed! I think this may be the third or fourth time it's happened in the past how many years! :P

I actually liked the movie. I saw it when it was i...

2012-01-20T21:26:59.706Z

I actually liked the movie. I saw it when it was in the theatre and I just saw it again last week. I'm a fan of Hugh and Christian Bale. It's been years since I read the book, but I remember really enjoying it.

Like Sandy, some of the things Marie said about th...

2012-01-20T20:24:17.776Z

Like Sandy, some of the things Marie said about this book make me want to go out and read it straight away, but I have been having trouble finding it in audio, which is the format I would prefer. Still, it is on my list, and I think about it every time I go book shopping. Reading this review reminds me of one last avenue that I might be able to look for this book in. Off to check that out now! Great review!

I read this way back in 2007, after seeing the film. And I preferred the book. I saw the film first, and to be honest I was a little disappointed in it.

I'd have to reread the book to really comment on it though, although it prompt me to buy & read more by Priest. He has a very distinctive style

This is one of my keeper books. But it is a cold i...

2012-01-20T18:03:27.049Z

This is one of my keeper books. But it is a cold intellect book and not very warm!

The movie focuses on the two magicians and I liked it a lot. The writers chose not to use the modern threads at all.

After I looked at both novel and movie several times, I thought that it would have been better to focus more on the magicians, that the book could have been more than it was, that it did not live up to its potential.

The movie is not linear so it can be confusing.

Rent it.

Great post!

I loved this book, but haven't yet seen the ...

2012-01-20T17:40:52.734Z

I *loved* this book, but haven't yet seen the movie. I agree -- the book had excellent atmosphere and kept me guessing as to the true story, all along...

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I didn&...

2012-01-20T17:24:06.186Z

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I didn't know this was a book. I have seen the film twice and it really is fantastic. It's my boyfriend's favorite movie of all time. I think you should check it out! It's very well done.

I haven't seen the film or read the book, but ...

2012-01-20T17:03:43.322Z

I haven't seen the film or read the book, but your review appeals to me. I also dated an attorney who was reading it, oh, seven years ago maybe. The idea of reading it stuck in my head back then.

Personally, I enjoyed the film to the point I own ...

2012-01-20T15:42:40.921Z

Personally, I enjoyed the film to the point I own a copy. I liked that it focused solely on the Angier and Borden storyline, and it does a smashing job when it comes to atmosphere. It's not bad; you might give it a shot.

I saw the movie, it wasn't bad. I didn't k...

2012-01-20T14:43:52.684Z

I saw the movie, it wasn't bad. I didn't know it was based on a book though. Honestly, the book sounds better than the movie thanks to your review.

I saw the movie when it first came out in theatres...

2012-01-20T14:14:54.365Z

I saw the movie when it first came out in theatres and LOVED it. Afterwards I realised that it was based on a book, so I got it from my local library. I think I used up all my renews on the book it took me so long to finish. I didn't like it at all - too complicated and boring for me. So I do suggest watching the movie.

I enjoyed the film and would definitely recommend ...

2012-01-20T14:14:18.108Z

I enjoyed the film and would definitely recommend it. I wonder if I would enjoy the book more having seen the film first?