The subject of The Prestige is stage magic.
The Prestige is a 1995 novel by British writer Christopher Priest . The Prestige (film) . Its story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden , rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century . Obsessed with creating the best stage illusion , they engage in competitive one-upmanship with tragic results . Along with The Illusionist and Scoop , The Prestige was one of three films released in 2006 to explore the world of stage magicians .