Opinions on The Prestige?

I read the book after watching the movie and found it interesting enough. The story is a bit different, there are a few extra characters and you get more back story. I say go for it!

I've read the book and rewatched the film in the past month. While the book isn't particulary amazing, I still enjoyed reading it. The relationship between Angier and Borden is slightly different and the ending is completely different, so there are still some surpises for someone who has seen the movie.

I think the book and film are sufficiently different that you'll not run into a problem. The movie simplified many things a little bit, and cut out a whole arc involving a modern character learning the story bit by bit.

However, this is a case where I think the movie is better than the book. The movie is simplified, sure, but the book is highly convoluted in a way that is annoying at at times nonsensical, so the simplification of the movie - bringing everything into a near, chronological narrative - is an improvement in every way.

The ending is also changed in the movie, and simplified. This was a necessity because the movie cut out a whole character and arc that was important in the ending of the book, but while I found the end of the movie perfect, the end of the book seemed trite, predictable, and eye-roll inducing in comparison.

All that said, I am very bias in these opinions because - minor spoiler - I absolutely hate plots involving a modern person being thrown into a fantasy world or history world, which features in the book but is cut out in the movie (Similar to Howl's moving castle, if you've seen the movie and read the book: in the book, Howl transitions between the fantasy and real world at will. In the movie, all of that is cut, and again I much prefer the movie.)

I found the book very tedious. He really droned on in a lot of places, and the characters were quite boring people for the most part.

Then again, Priest is well known for being on the literary end of SFF. So if you like the literary genre, you'll probably enjoy it.

Honestly, I loved the movie and I am always a book is better than the movie person. With that said, I hated the book, it is a rare instance of a movie being better. I found the book to be rambling and incoherent without much plot.

I remember reading the book (in audio format) years ago, I really like it. It's a much more sci-fi story than I expected. I saw the movie after I think, I like them both. I can't remember what the differences are, some minor plot points probably.
Personally I recommend the book, it's certainly on my "to reread" list.

The novel takes a very different route at some points. Its interesting to say the least.

I like the book a lot, and a lot more than I liked the film, but then again I like Christopher Priest. I read the book first which was probably the better way round, the film was then fine but not stunning.

BTW I recommend The Separation. Another of Priests and very interesting indeed.

The novel is fascinating. I won't say better than the movie, because the movie was amazing, but the book it absolutely worth the read. it's structured differently enough that it feels like a different experience.

I read the book years before the movie was made, and really enjoyed it then. I have not reread it since seeing the movie though.

I've got to say that the book was way, way creepier than the movie was. I think that the movie is a more concise version of the story though.

Many thanks for all the responses! Good info from everybody. It seems opinions vary a lot, but overall it looks like "unique enough but poorer ending". It's probably worth a go, for the bigger story then...