The Prisoner

The Prisoner | Thomas M. Disch

so-so

Not super bad but not super good either. Did enjoy the esoteric bits… sometimes. This smells of late sixties disaffected James Bond type of stuff with LSD thrown in to be the difference maker- shaken not stirred- waking up the morning after to realize the wild ride was better on TV. Watch the show sooo much better.

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Bookwomble

The Prisoner | Thomas M. Disch

pick

This wasn't as good as I'd remembered it - it was better!

Disch captured the smart, jousting dialogue just right, and created the layers of suspicion, second-guessing, cautious trust and resigned betrayals of the TV series.

His story is littered with the Shakespearean and classical references of the original, and the Bard's "Measure for Measure" forms both a plot element and a subversive meta-narrative on the role of the characters within ⬇️

Bookwomble ... the book, and of the writer and reader of the book. Whether the follow-up novels by two different authors will measure up to Disch's high standards remains for me to see.

Oh, and did Disch conceptualise motion-capture CGI in this 1969 novel? I think he did! (edited) 7mo

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Bookwomble

The Prisoner | Thomas M. Disch

Having just bailed on a much-loved literary classic, I thought I'd dive into a cult classic instead 😁
I've been fascinated by the adventure/sci-fi/espionage/cultural-philosophy/dystopian TV series since I first saw it as a kid in the '60s, and Mrs. B was indulgent enough that our honeymoon was in Portmeirion, the Italianate Welsh folly-village of eccentric architect Clough Williams-Ellis, which was the principle location of the show. ⬇️

Bookwomble It's the three paperbacks at the front I'll be focusing on, a re-read of the Disch novel and, despite my obsession with the show, a first read of the other two.
"Be seeing you!"? 7mo

Ruthiella I remember watching this TV show with my dad when I was little. 7mo

Bookwomble @Ruthiella Your dad has impeccable taste, and demonstrates admirable TV parenting skills 🫣 📺😊 7mo

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RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble I'm sure someone watching The Prisoner now would find the giant white balloons laughable as a threat, but at the time they were damn scary!! 7mo

Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 Perhaps, certainly as a special effect, as it was used because of its lack of expense compared to the original more mechanical/robotic "Guardian" design, but I think the amorphous, smothering quality of it is rather nightmarish and intimidating, especially when it quivers inches away from a face ⚪?⚪ 7mo

The_Book_Ninja I, too, get themed hyperfixations about things. I see you‘ve read two of the books already since I was last on here. Hope you have fun with the rest, Wombie! 7mo

33 likes6 comments

SpaceCowboyBooks

The Prisoner | Thomas M. Disch

Love Disch, had no idea he wrote this. A few chapters in and it's delightfully British.

rwmg I didn't know the TV series was based on a book 5y

SpaceCowboyBooks @rwmg I think the book is based on the show and the reboot is based on the book. Kind of convoluted but it's a good read so far. 5y

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