Magic Books - Page 2

Monster Manual II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)

Ed Bonny, Skip Williams, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Steve Winter

List Price: $34.95 By: Wizards of the Coast Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $6.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

MMII is not 3.5 Compliant 3 out of 5 stars.
15 of 17 people found this review helpful.

A good book for its time, but DMs should take note that this book is dated. Monster description blocks are not 3.5 compliant. This means that the monster's Base Attack Bonus is not clearly listed, nor is the Grapple bonus (although most Swallow Whole descriptions define this variable). Also, Damage Reduction has changed significantly, so be prepared to make some on-the-fly adjustments. Otherwise I would say that this book is very usable at all levels.

Editorial Review:

Even Greater Threats Await!

As heroes grow in power, they seek out more formidable adversaries. Whether sinister or seductive, ferocious or foul, the creatures lurking within these pages will challenge the most experienced characters of any campaign.

This supplement for the D&D game unleashes a horde of monsters to confront characters at all levels of play, including several with Challenge Ratings of 21 or higher. Inside are old favorites such as the death knight and the gem dragons, as well as all-new creatures such as the bronze serpent, the effigy, and the fiendwurm. Along with updated and expanded monster creation rules, Monster Manual II provides an inexhaustible source of ways to keep even the toughest heroes fighting and running for their lives.

To use this supplement, a Dungeon Master also needs the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide. A player needs only the Player's Handbook.

Self-Working Card Tricks (Cards, Coins, and Other Magic)

Karl Fulves

Amazon Price: $5.95 List Price: $5.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 64 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Only for beginner... 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

The book is well written. Explanations are really good but, the tricks are for BEGINNER! Some of them are so evident that I wouldn't even do them in front of my 6 years old nephew. But still, you have some (maybe 2 or 3) good tricks. So for the price, it's still good if you want to get into card tricks.

A little to complicated 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Got this book for my 11 years old son and figured out that descriptions for the tricks a little to complicated and not illustrated enough. The Klutz would be a better recommendation.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

THIS IS THE MAGIC CARD TRICK BOOK TO GET!!! I have had this book for a couple weeks now, and I LOVE the tricks! All the tricks are easy to do, you just have to follow the directions in the trick you are doing and it works out great! There are tons of different types of tricks, including a few tricks to do on two people at one time which I love. If you are a beginner this is DEFIANTLY the book I recommend for you.

On the other hand, if you are looking to build up your skill with sly cuts, shuffles, ect. This is not the book for you. But, If you want to learn fun, easy, card tricks this is the book to get!!

I have been doing the card tricks I have gotten out of this book along with tricks from "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MAGIC ( which is a great book, has great instructions, photos and coin, rope, card, string magic ) and the tricks are great. I do tricks to my whole family, my cousins, my aunt, my friends, everybody and everybody loves them and are amazed!!

THIS IS DEFIANTLY THE BOOK TO GET!!! 10 OUT OF 10!!

Editorial Review:

spectacular and entertaining tricks: card locations, coincidence tricks, mental magic with cards, tricks with double endings, tricks with two decks, predictions, tricks with borrowed decks, trick poker deals. Easy-to-learn, clearly illustrated, these tricks produce spectacular effects with a minimum of practice.

The Royal Road to Card Magic

Jean Hugard, Frederick Braue

Amazon Price: $9.56 List Price: $11.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $6.15

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Old but not outdated 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is the best book to start in card magic. Small, easy to follow, full of information. After you read this book, you will be able to understand the description of most tricks to learn, and also, you will surprise yourself figuring out tricks just to look at someone performing it. If you want to be a professional magician (not my case at all) you'll have to read a lot more, but, this book will be always a good reference.

I recommend after finishing reading RRTCM, move to Expert Card Technique written by the same authors.

The must-have classic 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The basic treatise on card magic. Though somewhat outdated, this is still the fundamental course on card sleights. Pretty good tricks in here too. Sound learning principles: learn sleight, learn tricks using the sleight, only then move on to next sleight. As this is inexpensive every magician ought to have this in his library, if only as a reference work.

Editorial Review:

With this book, anyone can develop a versatile repertoire of first rate card tricks. The authors, both noted authorities on magic, present complete, easy to understand explanations of basic techniques and over 100 complete tricks. More than 120 line cuts make explanations easy to follow, so that even beginners can develop professional-level skill. 121 figures.

Mind Magic: Extraordinary Tricks to Mystify, Baffle and Entertain

Marc Lemezma

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Some good stuff but a little corny 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I do a couple of tricks from the book. It teaches you a little about some of the fundamental aspects of magic, but the setting and situational instruction is kind of corny. I liked the street magic books a lot better.

Editorial Review:

Everyone knows that most magic tricks are simply sleight-of-hand. Mental magic, on the other hand, can give the illusion of real paranormal powers. This dazzling collection offers a rich selection of mind-reading, spirit-raising, future-telling illusions, complete with tips on how to present them most effectively. Read palms with amazing accuracy, predict the future with tarot cards, conjure up table-tipping spirits, find psychic connections between people and their possessions, receive uncanny messages from the beyond, and even seem to know what people are thinking. Of course, it's all in fun and all the explanations include the magician's "patter" that goes with each trick--assuring that no matter how spooky the effect, the audience isn't shocked or terrified, but delightfully amazed.

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards

Amazon Price: $7.00 List Price: $7.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: buycostumes.com - Model: 4144-106432 Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $2.74

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The Great Gypsy Witch Cards 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I love these cards. I received my first deck when I was seven, and had no problem with them, so they can certainly be used by beginners. They do have some dark cards, but that is a part of life. They are very accurate and enjoyable to use.

A reviewer mentioned that they were first published in 1903, true, then the reviewer said no tarot deck could claim that. There are tarot decks that are reproductions of decks made in the 15th century such as the Visconti Sforza, and then there are decks like the ever popular Rider Waite (first published in 1909) and Cagliostro Tarot (first published in 1912) so these decks definitely have been around too!

These cards are wicked awesome! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

:) I used these cards years ago. Sold them and bought a new pack the other day. (Wished I had never sold them to begin w/, but they were getting old.) Anyway already I am getting interesting results. I find them simple for beginners tho. The layouts are easy as long as the instructions are read throughly. The instructions are much more simple for me than the Rider-Waite deck, plus the explanations are not so scattered. I love my pack and would not give them away for anything. I like the fact that you can get a yes/no resp, something you cannot get w/ the Rider Waite deck (unless there are layouts out there I have not heard of). This deck allows simple quick explanations and not 5 or 6 outcomes that do not make sense or 5 or 6 events that do not even apply to the situation. This deck is really simple and any beginner should be able to pick it up quickly. If I can, anyone can. I highly recommend them. And it takes not time at all to pick up on the images and meanings.

Editorial Review:

Playing card deck of 52 cards contains miniature playing cards on the upper left and a descriptive picture with meanings on the remaining portion of the card. Also suitable as a regular deck of cards. Instruction flyer.

Mysterio's Encyclopedia of Magic and Conjuring: A Complete Compendium of Astonishing Illusions

Gabe Fajuri

Amazon Price: $19.96 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Quirk Books Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $18.05

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Editorial Review:

Using the same golden age of magic aesthetic that made our "Amazing Magical Wonder Deck" so popular, "Mysterio's Encyclopaedia of Magic and Conjuring" is the how-to guide that Houdini never left behind. It features literally hundreds of tricks divided into various categories for ease of use including: card magic, money magic, rope, silk, and handkerchief magic, small magic (lots of simple street magic here; everyday props; good for servers, etc.), stage magic (more complicated stage illusions, cabinets that make objects disappear, etc.), mind reading and telepathy.

Magic Eye: A New Bag Of Tricks

Magic Eye Inc.

Amazon Price: $14.99 List Price: $14.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $6.94

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Editorial Review:

N.E. Thing Enterprises, the creators of Magic Eye 3D images, continues to expand its incredible repertoire with this collection of mind-bending creations. Committed to exploring the artistic and technological boundaries of 3D images, N.E. Thing has once again surpasses itself in producing a mesmerizing array of original Magic Eye art.

Magic Eye fans--veterans and newcomers alike--will relish delving into this brand-new collection, and, as always, no funny glasses are required to experience this magical and breathtaking experience.

Mindfreak: Secret Revelations

Criss Angel

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harper Paperbacks Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $8.53

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

MindNUMB 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book from the MINDFREAK store in Luxor, Las Vegas. Less of a mindFREAK than a mindNUMB... This was one of the very worst books I have ever read, and I wasn't expecting much (he is, after all, a magician and not a writer).

The book was rambling and contained very little meaningful discussion. Instead, Angel spends page after page (after page...) lauding himself and his self-reported "laser-like" focus on his goals, his amazing imagination, and his laughable "signature poses". The "biography" portion of the book is thankfully short, with the balance of the book consisting of 40 "Mindfreaks" -- Magic 101-level tricks complete with photos of an "intense" looking Criss (who mostly just looks silly).

I actually felt LESS smart after reading this book. The real magic is how Angel makes your money disappear without providing you anything worthwhile in exchange.

Avoid this book.

Editorial Review:

The star of Mindfreak—the most astonishing and provocative mystifier of the twenty-first century—Criss Angel shares his philosophy of life and magic, goes behind the scenes of his groundbreaking TV series, and reveals the secrets to forty mind-blowing illusions that you can master!

Practical Mental Magic

Theodore Annemann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not what I was expecting, but still interesting 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

If you are looking for a book full of quick mental magic gags, this isn't very good. All the tricks in this book require either A) Advanced skills in slight of hand (palming, quick switches, etc) or B) A gimmicked apparatus. It isn't as easy as amazing your buddies at a party with some mind reading tricks. These are for more advanced magicians. It was also written in 1944.

That being said, it is a very interesting look into how some of this stuff is (or was) accomplished. I have seen several of these tricks used before and wondered how they were pulled off, now I know.

If you are a magician with basic skills in slight of hand, palming, and switching, then you will probably find some cool additions to your performance here.

If you are looking for some basic stuff to baffle your friends with, this is not the right book for you.

Editorial Review:

Outstanding collection of nearly 200 crowd-pleasing mental magic feats requiring no special equipment. Author offers insider's tips and expert advice on techniques, presentation, diversions, patter, staging and all else needed to make any trick a foolproof success. Lucidly written, thoroughly diagrammed book by one of magic's legendary figures.

Scarne on Card Tricks

John Scarne

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The best book on non-sleight-of-hand card tricks available! 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.

John Scarne is today perhaps best remembered as a leading authority on gambling scams and card cheats. However, in his prime, he was one of the best magicians in America. In the late 40s, as stated in the Introduction, Scarne decided to gather for magicians a set of card tricks involving no sleight-of-hand. The result is "Scarne on Card Tricks". The 155 effects in the book range from quick tricks and puzzlers to more elaborate card demonstrations. All of the effects are attributed to either the originator of the effect or to a magician who used the effect frequently. The book clearly bears Scarne's unique genius not only in the selection and variety of effects, but in Scarne's improvements of the original effects. There is no doubt that anyone can put together a most entertaining routine with the material in this book. Two words of caution. First, the copyright of the book is 1950 and so some of the patter is clearly dated and needs to be revised for contemporary audiences. (Patter is the words or story that accompany the effect.) Second, because the effects are easy to do when practiced, there is a tendency to perform the effects before fully thought out. For every hour learning the basic effect itself, two hours should be spent on how to present it in an entertaining and interesting manner. The book itself, however, remains one of the very best in card magic. Scarne's work clearly stands the test of time. Frankly, the book is a steal at the published price. I bought two copies because I knew I'd wear one book out. I did. The book is that useful.

Editorial Review:

This marvelous treasury of card magic presents the exact details of 155 professional card tricks that anyone can learn. The world's number-one card wizard, John Scarne, reworked an exciting series of classic card tricks to eliminate the need for sleight-of-hand. Simple instructions and clear diagrams illustrate Houdini's "Card on the Ceiling," Blackstone's "Card Trick Without Cards," Carlyle's "Piano Card Trick," Milton Berle's "Quickie Card Deal," and Scarne's own "Drunken Poker Deal" and "Knockout Card Trick." Scarne presents all tricks with advice on accompanying patter, offering helpful suggestions about the kinds of words and gestures that give performances a professional gloss. Introduction. Index.