Science Fiction author Christopher Priest has died of cancer, aged 80, working until his final days on a biography of J G Ballard. The trade has paid tribute to the “humour, mischief and intelligence” of the multi-award winning novelist, journalist and critic whose work spanned half a century.

The 80-year-old died on Friday (2nd February) following a diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma in the summer of 2023.

Priest was the author of 18 novels, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and World Fantasy Award-winning The Prestige (Simon & Schuster (UK) in 1995 which was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film of the same name, directed by Christopher Nolan. He was published by several major publishers over his half-century career, across both fiction and non-fiction.