The Prisoner
Author: Thomas M. Disch
Genre: Science Fiction
Year: 1969
Rating: 7.5 of 10
I was surprised to see that Thomas Disch wrote a TV tie-in and I usually stay away from these sorts of books, but occasionally there is a gem in the schlock pile. I’m glad I looked past the lame cover because the book was actually quite enjoyable. What struck me most about the story was how English it came across. The Brits have a lovely way of sounding polite while being condescending and the book was full of these antics. In many ways I liked this book more than the TV show, the book wrapped up nicely and had good dynamics, while the show stretched on for too long and began to feel repetitious. This book, for obvious reasons, was much different than the other Disch I have read, less edgy to be sure. I often wonder what it would be like to have to assimilate a move or program into a novelization, whether authors do it for the challenge or the paycheck, and how a writer can take a mediocre television show and turn it into a decent book. I’m looking forward to reading more Disch in the future but probably won’t touch a TV tie-in anytime soon.