Japanese Literary Awards

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Christopher Priest

クリストファー・プリースト

Kurisutofā Purīsuto

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1943-07-14 （Cheshire, England）
Died
2024-02-02 （Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland） age 80
Nationality
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Residence History
Manchester (early life) → London (worked as an accountant) → Hastings (resident) → Isle of Bute, Rothesay (later life, place of death)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Novelist
Active Years
1966-2024
Affiliations
H. G. Wells Society (vice-president)
Memberships
H. G. Wells Society (vice-president)
Influenced By
H. G. Wells
Nominations
Hugo Award (nominee), Hugo Award — Non-Fiction (pamphlet nominee)

Education

Public school in Manchester
Country: United Kingdom
Left public school in Manchester at age 16

Awards

British Science Fiction Association Award
1974
Work: Inverted World
Organization: British Science Fiction Association
Result: 受賞
Ditmar Award
1976
Work: The Space Machine
Organization: Australian SF community (Ditmar Awards)
Result: 受賞
Ditmar Award
1981
Work: The Affirmation
Organization: Ditmar Awards
Result: 受賞
Kurt Laßwitz Prize
1984
Work: The Glamour
Organization: Kurt Laßwitz Prize
Result: 受賞
World Fantasy Award
1995
Work: The Prestige
Organization: World Fantasy Award
Result: 受賞
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
1995
Work: The Prestige
Organization: James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Result: 受賞
British Science Fiction Association Award
1998
Work: The Extremes
Organization: British Science Fiction Association
Result: 受賞
British Science Fiction Association Award
2002
Work: The Separation
Organization: British Science Fiction Association
Result: 受賞
Arthur C. Clarke Award
2003
Work: The Separation
Organization: Arthur C. Clarke Award
Result: 受賞
John W. Campbell Memorial Award
2011
Work: The Islanders
Organization: John W. Campbell Memorial Award
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Indoctrinaire

1970 Science fiction

Early novel exploring political and social dynamics.

politicssociety
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Hiroshi Suzuki (Sanrio SF Bunko)

Inverted World

1974 Science fiction

A novel about a migrating city that examines time, perception, and reality.

realityperceptionmoving city
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Hitoshi Yasuda

The Space Machine

1976 Science fiction / Adventure

Science-fiction novel with adventure elements reminiscent of Jules Verne.

adventureVictorian-style SF
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yasuo Nakamura

An Infinite Summer

1979 Science fiction

A novel exploring time and memory with a dreamlike quality.

timememory
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yoshimichi Furusawa

The Affirmation

1981 Speculative fiction / Literary

An experimental work about unreliable narration and memory, well received beyond genre circles.

memorynarrationreality

The Prestige

1995 Fantasy / Speculative

A tale of rivalry between two magicians. Widely known through its film adaptation.

rivalrysacrificereality vs illusion
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Prestige / Christopher Nolan (2006)
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yoshimichi Furusawa (Hayakawa Bunko FT)

The Separation

2002 Science fiction

A novel about parallel realities and divergent histories. Award-winning.

parallel realitiesdivergent history
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yoshimichi Furusawa (Hayakawa Publishing)

The Islanders

2011 Science fiction / Linked stories

Linked stories set in an archipelago; award-winning.

islandsmemoryensemble
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yoshimichi Furusawa (Hayakawa Publishing)

The Adjacent

2013 Science fiction

Deals with adjacent worlds and the boundaries between them.

boundariesother worlds
Translations
  • Japanese translation by Yoshimichi Furusawa & Haruko Hosomi (Hayakawa Publishing)

The Gradual

2016 Science fiction

A later novel; see publication for details.

Bibliography

  • Indoctrinaire (1970)
  • Inverted World (1974)
  • The Space Machine (1976)
  • A Dream of Wessex (1977)
  • An Infinite Summer (1979)
  • The Affirmation (1981)
  • The Glamour (1984)
  • The Prestige (1995)
  • The Separation (2002)
  • The Islanders (2011)
  • The Adjacent (2013)
  • The Gradual (2016)

Adaptations

  • The Prestige → film The Prestige (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2006)

Translations by Author

  • eXistenZ (novelization of the film)

Translations of Works

  • Many works translated into Japanese and other languages (notable translators: Yoshimichi Furusawa, Yasuo Nakamura, Hitoshi Yasuda, etc.)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Use of unreliable narratorsNarrative that questions memory and reality
Recurring Motifs
memoryunstable realityidentityislands and boundaries

Health

  • Cancer (category indicated)
    晩年
    Reported to have suffered from cancer in later life and died of the disease.

Legacy

Regarded as one of the leading British SF writers since the New Wave era, Priest was praised for his experimental narration and probing of memory and reality. He won multiple international awards and his works have been translated and adapted.

Academic Societies

  • H. G. Wells Society

Archives

  • Holdings and authority records exist in national libraries and authority databases (e.g. British Library, national catalogs)

In Popular Culture

  • The film adaptation of The Prestige (dir. Christopher Nolan) brought wider public attention.

Trivia

  • The Prestige was adapted into a film directed by Christopher Nolan.
  • Was nominated for a Hugo Award (Non-Fiction) for a pamphlet criticizing Harlan Ellison's handling of The Last Dangerous Visions.
  • Reportedly partnered with fellow writer Nina Allan in later life.