The Prestige: A Story Told in Many Forms

It is the 1878, two illusionists meet at fraudulent séance. The results are less than ideal; in fact the fraudulent séance has gone awry for one illusionist and a negative self-realization of the other. Unfortunately, this event has sparked a feud between the two stage magicians. A feud that will cause fatal consequences and the problem that their children and children’s attempt to resolve.

Enter the world stage magic and fantasy.

I saw this book last Friday as I passed by a different bookstore in Cubao. And they were having their post-Christmas sale. There were a number of books about. Not as many as the Ancient Library of Alexandria nor the English village that claimed to have all the books in the world nor the books stored in the different great libraries around the world, but it had many.

While I was quietly browsing the book and making the rounds inside the bookshop then I saw this book. I hesitate to specifically state the genre of the book, only that it is a fantasy book.

The book was in softbound format and it was printed on a form of paper, newsprint. According to information found at the back of the book this was the first edition of the book printed in paperback. And that it had won the World Fantasy Award and Britain’s James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

I bought the book.

It is an interesting read it is one of the books that I have come across that have used the different forms of story telling in one tale. The use of different storytelling devices is quite effective in bringing together, contrasting, and developing the story and the views of the different characters in the book.

Its hard to put down the book once you have started to read it. Do I think it is a good book? Yes! Without a doubt, it is a good book. Will it become a classic, maybe only time will tell.

The Book was awarded the World Fantasy Award and Britain’s James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

A worthwhile read.