perhaps one should see the movie and read the book and before read my comment . i buy the book in hope it would explain the movie . but the book have so little to do with the movie that there be no help to be find . the book answer some of the question the movie raise but because they be so dissimilar it might not be useful to use one to answer the other . none the less and the prestige and be not a description of an illusion part and but rather the remains leave of the magician who have transport himself via the tesla device which and apparently and do work . in the end and both the movie and the book leave so many unanswered question only a long discussion with the author or screen writer would help . do both magician have access to a tesla like device . be there or be there not a twin . the one believe to have a twin deny it a his life be be threaten . why do olivia give the secret to the new transported man in the one word tesla if he do not have access . bottom line be that a one who have long be interested in stage magic i feel really cheat for have spend so much time and effort to try to get answer to real question that i haven not even try to express in this limited space .