talkmagic.co.uk

spooneythegoon wrote:http://www.emagictricks.co.uk/Absolute_Magic_by_Derren_Brown.html

Out of stock, rather predictably.
These books really aren't available at reasonable prices any more.
That's the bad news. The good news is that you can still buy The Devil's Piturebook DVD, which pretty much covers the contents of Pure Effect. As for Absolute Magic - I don't own it but I do know that there's similar material out there.

Material wise the devil's picturebook covers, I think, all of the card effects, but it still misses several other very good on card effects. There is also the lectures he did which cover his performance philosophy in pure effect quite succintly.

Sure, but is it not the point that you can't buy these (unless you're prepared to pay silly money)?

The books aren't worth the money you'd pay these days. I don't think there worth more than 50 quid each. You could get a lot more for your money.

I think you must be right, Lenoir. I honestly have not read either fully (I don't own them), but any book of the size that costs more than £50 has to be really pretty special. It's obvious that the DB label is driving the prices up and not the content.

For sure. They have great ideas and some nice effects, and even when Derren was hugely famous they sold well, but I don't think they deserve the hype they have.

I disagree. For me the books are invaluable, but I am very biased, but I can understand where you're coming from and indeed the prices are extortionate.

My neighbour has leant me his copy to read. He's a fan of DB and not a magician. His wife brought him the copy (2nd edition) on ebay for his birthday a couple of years back and he tried to read it but couldn't make head nor tails of it.

I'll let you know if I think that it's worth the price when I've finished reading it.

Both books were probably worth the original selling price but certainly not the inflated figures now being asked for.

This one was on ebay.com recently - no book is worth this amount - except to someone desperate enough to want it...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

First editions of Pure Effect will sell for a lot more than others also, for the additional content.

At least i have a fall back if i get a bit skint.

Lenoir wrote:For sure. They have great ideas and some nice effects, and even when Derren was hugely famous they sold well, but I don't think they deserve the hype they have.

Seconded.

There is a lot of stuff on theory, but don't expect it to be a clear and concise as say, 'Strong Magic'.

I thought the last section on 'Performance and Art' (in Absolute Magic) was completely unfocused, to the point were I think he dissapears up his own bum (a bit).

The main thrust of the book appeared to be: "When you perform magic, makes sure it's really good".

SpareJoker wrote:
The main thrust of the book appeared to be: "When you perform magic, makes sure it's really good".

Yep, I had both books and happily sold them on eBay. The above phrase about sums up both books. Or perhaps "if you're doing magic, really believe you're doing proper magic so your spectators believe, for a moment, that the magic is real too."

There. Saved yourself a few hundred quid.