Christopher Priest (born 14 July 1943, died 2nd February 2024) was a British author, primarily of ScienceFiction. His best known works include ''Film/ThePrestige'' (which won a MediaNotes/WorldFantasyAward, and was adapted for film by Creator/ChristopherNolan), and ''Literature/TheInvertedWorld''. He also wrote novelizations of films, usually under a PenName like John Luther Novak or Colin Wedgelock. His novelizations include ''Film/EXistenZ'' and ''Film/ShortCircuit''.

His attempts to create scripts for ''Series/DoctorWho'' in the 1980s (called "Sealed Orders" and "The Enemy Within") and the resulting conflicts led the [[Creator/JohnNathanTurner the producer of that show]] to decide not to work with established literary writers in the future. (Nathan-Turner claimed Priest was "difficult", Priest claims the showrunners kept changing his brief and demanding rewrites so he walked.[[note]]"They inflicted a total of three different script editors on me, who all mucked around with the story and demanded different things... and [[Creator/JohnNathanTurner the new producer]] turned out to be an appalling little [[SoundEffectBleep [word obscured by microphone noise, and triumphant seagull cries] ]], who was more interested in being a media star than actually working with a lowly writer like me."[[/note]]) This is not the case with the new series, as Neil Gaiman has written two scripts and has expressed an interest in writing more down the future.

Priest was a huge fan of Creator/HGWells, who he openly acknowledged as a major influence on his work. In 2006, he became Vice President of the international H. G. Wells Society.

For the American Comic Book writer, see Creator/ChristopherPriestComics.

!! Works with a page on this wiki:
* ''Literature/FugueForADarkeningIsland''
* ''Literature/TheInvertedWorld''
* ''Film/ThePrestige''

!! Other works include:
* ''The Affirmation'' (1981)
* ''A Dream of Wessex'' (1977, US: ''The Perfect Lover'')
* ''The Extremes'' (1998)
* ''The Glamour'' (1984)
* ''Indoctinaire'' (1970)
* ''The Islanders'' (2011, a sequel of sorts to ''The Affirmation'')
* ''The Separation'' (2002)
* ''The Space Machine'' (1976, a sequel to Creator/HGWells' ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' and ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'')
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!! Tropes:
* UnreliableNarrator: A favorite, used in many of his works. In addition to its use in ''Film/ThePrestige'' and ''Literature/FugueForADarkeningIsland'', we have:
** ''The Separation'' features two: a pair of twin brothers, who each relate their own perspective on their story.
** ''The Islanders'' makes a mystery of it, leading the reader down a garden path until the realization strikes.
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