The Illusioneer

Plot

Vaquera, Carlos: The Illusioneer
©2014 French Edition: C.C. Editions: Vanishing Inc.
©2019 English Edition: Vanishing Inc.
Hardbound. 298 pages.

You will learn:
32 card tricks
6 coin tricks
6 moves
Plus 8 essays

Belgium's Carlos Vaquera has an unrivaled fluidity and elegance when he performs. His close-up style is visual and effortless, and in this book he takes you through his life's work in concise, step-by-step instructions. With nearly 300 pages of instruction and beautiful illustrations, this book is a rare glimpse into the mind of one of Europe's real masters.

Contents of The Illusioneer

CARDS:

The Queens’ Shadows
A Fine New Trick
Franco
Les Pensées
Every Which Way
Running Pack
Black Jack
A Hell of a Poker Game
Clones
Traveling Signatures
Weighted Cards
Cards to Pocket
Damask
The Queens’ Return
Indifferent–Aces–Queens Transposition
Countdown
Traveling Aces — Invisible Palming
Leading Ladies
Day and Night
Les Rouges et les Noires
Colloc-Ace-tion
Catch Collectors
Speedy Sandwich
Sandwich à Trois
Delayed Sandwich
The Takeover Card
Topsy-Turvy
Escorial
A Melody for Two Playing Cards
All Backs
The New Phoenix Has Arrived!
Jacks of All Trades

COINS:

The Traveling Coin
Chiromancy
Coins through Table
Matrix — Premier
Matrix — Deuxième
Matrix — Troisième
ESSAYS

On the Craftsman
On Naturalness
On Music
On the Expert Teacher
On Eight Tenets of Magic
On Stage Fright
On Creativity
On Practice
MOVES

My Fan Control
The All-Square Control
My Side Steal
The Amilkar Side Steal
My Add-On Moves
Matrix — Quatrième

From Vanishing Inc.

PROS ABOUT THE BOOK:
1. It is well written. Very easy to read.
2. Most effects are solidly constructed.
3. Very clear credit of tricks/moves.
4. A lot of nice moves/handling/subtleties to learn.
5. Some articles are very inspiring.
6. Can open flat when reading.
7. Super high cost performance.

CONS ABOUT THE BOOK:
1. No presentational scripts at all.
2. Many effects need much time investment to make them work.
3. Not for beginners or even intermediates.

FINAL VERDICT
'The Illusioneer’ is very high quality book that you will come back again and again.
The materials are inspirational and will make the readers better performers.
Though there are no self-working or semi-automatic tricks you can adopt immediately, many effects are worth studying and they are not meant to be ’tricks’.

Readers should treat this book as a stepping stone to elevate their performance. The book will reward you when you invest your time to practise the material.
Nothing in the book is pip dream and everything can be smooth as silk if the students pay enough attention to the smallest details.
It should be on the shelf of every serious magicians.

Book Quality: 10/10
Effectiveness of Tricks: 9/10
Practical: 8/10
Creativity: 8/10
Cost Performance: 11/10
Final Score: 10/10

Reviewer
Ace
Excellent read but some effects are new methods for known/existing plots. Having said that l might even use one or two of them since they suit me better. Not revolutionary but worth it. Except for the essays... Very worth it!