The Prestige... by Christopher Priest

Been a while since my last book. This is Book 36. This is the first time I've read a novel with the world of illusion as the main setting. Kids call them magicians... But they're illusionist. My very first exposure into this world was Harry Houdini, through the short story section in the Reader's Digest during my school days. Never liked the world of illusions much... I guess probably because I always get the feeling that the illusionists try to portray the dark side to make their 'magic' more captivating and enigmatic.

The book was slow reading. Took a long time cos in between I was caught up with other things; work, lethargy among others. It's mid year.... And partly also because the early parts of the book were rather slow in their development. Anyway, I plodded on cos I've this thing against giving up a book once I start on them.

Again, the story became more entrancing as it went beyond the second half. The writer weaved in real people like Nikola Tesla, who contributed a lot to commercial electricity to make the plot more plausible. Science enabled magic to happen when Tesla's invention allowed the main character to physically transport himself from one location to another. But an intrusion from his nemesis caused one transportation to go awry and he was left with 2 bodies, one reduced and the other not quite complete.

It is also a story of enmity and rivalry, bitterness; which were not allowed to end. Till death became of them.

A different read nevertheless.. one that brings illusion to delusion, and a tale that is engaging enough in its own sordid way.