The Separation

[A] subtle, unsettling alternative WWII history from British author Priest. Many alternative history novels are bloodless extrapolations from mountains of data, but this one quietly builds characters you care about - then leaves their dilemmas unresolved as they try to believe that what they have done is “right.” * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review *Himself the father of twins, Priest has embedded dualism and imposture at the very heart of this alternative history in a way that keeps readers constantly questioning what seems to be going on. Churchill and Hess are major characters, but their doubles make more than just cameo appearances, too. Priest is clearly as immersed in the period as his creation Gratton. Throughout a narrative built from diaries, wartime memoirs and official memos, his wartime feel never falters. A complex and enigmatic tale of identity, illusion and deception * GLASGOW HERALD *Superbly constructed, the prose admirably spare and elegant … Priest is a powerful and underappreciated writer, and The Separation is a queasily gripping and intelligent work of fiction * DAILY TELEGRAPH *One cannot help but wonder how many discarded alternative personae litter the multiple paths of one’s personal history, or histories, and this, for me, is the most disquieting legacy of this remarkable novel * FOUNDATION *There have been many novelistic re-creations of the second world war in recent years, but Priest’s novel stands head and shoulders above them all … this book is an astoundingly good piece of fiction: its narrative is gripping, its characters are involving, its prose is resonant, poetic, subtle, its overall effect is thought-provoking, haunting, brilliant … This book is nothing short of a masterpiece * INFINITY PLUS *Like Hitchcock’s work, The Separation begs for repeated readings to appreciate the cold brilliance and execution of its intricate plot fully. A masterly novel that deserves to become a classic * MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION *An astonishing achievement, the sort of novel that in a saner alternate world might well be a candidate for mainstream awards and bestseller lists * LOCUS *

Christopher Priest is a genre-leading author of SFF fiction. His novels have built him an inimitable dual reputation as a contemporary literary novelist and a leading figure in modern SF and fantasy. His novel THE PRESTIGE is unique in winning both a major literary prize (THE JAMES TAIT BLACK AWARD) and a major genre prize (THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD), and was adapted into a critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film directed by Christopher Nolan (TENET, INCEPTION) starring Hugh Jackman (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, X-MEN), Christian Bale (THE BIG SHORT, BATMAN BEGINS), Michael Caine (THE ITALIAN JOB) and Scarlett Johansson (MARRIAGE STORY, THE AVENGERS).

THE SEPARATION won both the ARTHUR C. CLARKE and the BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION AWARDS.

THE ISLANDERS won both the BSFA and JOHN W. CAMPBELL MEMORIAL AWARDS.

Christopher Priest was selected for the original BEST OF YOUNG BRITISH NOVELISTS in 1983.