Christopher Priest was an award-winning British science fiction author of such books as “The Prestige” and “The Islanders.”
- Died: February 2, 2024 (Who else died on February 2?)
- Details of death: Died of cancer at the age of 80.
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Christopher Priest’s legacy
Priest’s career centered on science fiction, and he rejected suggestions that the genre was unserious by nature. While he acknowledged that not all science fiction is serious, his own work explored fantastical themes with literary writing skill. Among the best known of his novels is 1995’s “The Prestige,” a tale of feuding 19th century magicians that incorporates the real-life scientist Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) into its narrative. The critically acclaimed book brought Priest awards, including the World Fantasy Award and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and it was adapted into a 2006 film, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, with David Bowie (1947–2016) playing Tesla.
“The Prestige” was far from Priest’s only award-winning book. He was honored with the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) Award four times, for “Inverted World,” “The Extremes,” “The Separation,” and “The Islanders.” His 1976 novel “The Space Machine” won the International SF Prize from the Ditmar Awards, and several of his books and stories were nominated for Hugo Awards. In 1983 – more than 15 years after the publication of his first novel, and nine years after he won the BSFA for “Inverted World” – he was featured in the literary magazine Granta’s “Best of Young British Novelists.”
Priest’s most recent novel was 2023’s “Airside.” He also published several collections of short stories, as well as nonfiction works.
Notable quote
“Once I’m in the thick of a novel I’m always amazed at how many ideas turn up out of the blue: fragments of overheard chat, bits you see on TV, even some terrible holiday knick-knack which has been lying around your house unnoticed for years. All these can suddenly seem relevant to what you’re working on. My novels have stuff like this growing all over them.” —from a 1995 interview with David Langford
Tributes to Christopher Priest
Full obituary: The Guardian
