Product Description
MAGIC LANTERN GUIDES: NIKON D80, Simon Stafford, A Lark Photography Book Simon Stafford's photographs have been used widely in newspapers, books, calendars, and magazines. Completely self-taught, he has built up a wealth of experience over the past twenty years with both film and digital cameras. Throughout his photographic career he has used the Nikon system extensively, and is now the Technical Editor to the Nikon Owners' Club International's Nikon Owner magazine. The new, mid-priced Nikon D80 replaces the Nikon D70s/D70 which was the subject of the best-selling Magic Lantern Guide ever! This model features a 10 megapixelsensor, up-sized 2.5" LCD monitor, and 4.5 fps capability.
Customer Reviews:
Nikon d80 Guide.......2007-10-03
This book is worth the price. I looked at a number of guides for the D80 and found this to be the best for me. More info than is contained in user manual. Easy to understand, contents set up easy for uses.
WOW!.......2007-09-13
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Nikon D80 is in there! This book definitely helps you learn about all the advantages of using your dslr. If you own any camera, get the accompanying book and you will improve your shots dramatically!
Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D80.......2007-08-01
Good, clearly written & understandable manual for the Nikon D80 Digital SLR camera body. I was very disatisfied with the manual provided by the manufacturer,(Nikon). Internet manuals are too laced with author's personal opinions & bias's. The Magic Lantern Guide is presented in a manner that genuinely helps the reader master the multiple settings required to sucessfully use this camera body. A digital SLR has many more adjustments for the user to master than does the equivalent film camera making fairly frequent referral to an understandable reference mandatory. This Guide definitely fills that need.
Great info.......2007-07-24
This book has a lot of extra info from the user manual. The book gives a lot of depth to all of many features of this camera and also gives some interesting back stories.
The author does not like auto features at all, but I found that the auto features work rather good on this camera. But he goes into the manual setting in great detail.
The index is rather poor but it is laid out so that you can find stuff okay.
I learned three or four solid things from the book so it was worth it.
Thorough and clear, but not creatively helpful.......2007-07-21
While I strongly disagree with those who so vehemently criticize Nikon's D80 manual (I actually think it is quite well written and very helpful, and refer to it often), I do think that this Magic Lantern guide is a must for D80 owners.
By the time I had finished my first reading of this book, I had a thorough and in-depth understanding of the workings of my Nikon D80 camera. The suggesions which accompany many of the sections were somewhat helpful, but nothing to write home (or even to Mr. Stafford) about.
Other than the many and annoying "typos" and poor editing (commented on by others, as well), the main shortcomings of this book (in order of importance) are: 1.) it provides little or no creative information about using the D80 or improving your photography with this camera generally (although, to be fair, that is not the reason I bought the book in the first place); 2.) there are not nearly enough illustrative pictures, and none are in color (which I understand is a printing cost-saving measure); and 3.) the index is much to meager - it could have been twice as long.
Still, I highly recommend this book to D80 owners (whether, like me, you have previously used a film or digital SLR, or you are completely new to SLR and/or digital photography). This is a valuable tool in learning your D80 and in making it more than just a "point and shoot" camera.
Average customer rating:
- high speed circuit layout techniques
- Not the final word by any means, but a good introduction
- Mostly a very solid book
- one of the best books around
- Useful book if you need a cook book, however ........
|
High-Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic
Howard Johnson
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall PTR
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Similar Items:
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High Speed Signal Propagation: Advanced Black Magic
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Signal Integrity - Simplified
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Introduction to Electromagnetic Compatibility (Wiley Series in Microwave and Optical Engineering)
ASIN: 0133957241 |
Customer Reviews:
high speed circuit layout techniques.......2006-05-21
I bought this book based on a friend's recommendation seven years ago. I have used this book along with Henry Ott's book as a desk top reference for the past seven years.
Not the final word by any means, but a good introduction.......2006-05-02
Add Johnson and Graham to the list of people who can write large, highly technical books full of useful, pertinent information, and package it all in a way that's mostly very readable and which mixes just the right blend of rigorous academic structure with good old-fashioned "when all else fails, you might get away with this" hacks. This book is by no means a thorough, academic grounding in the subject matter, but it works well as an introduction for people who have some background in conventional electronics, yet little or no background in the specifics of high-speed digital design.
Considering how specialized and complex the book's subject matter is, it's surprising how well the authors manage to avoid hard math; they obviously made a conscious effort to use the most intuitive formulas possible whenever they could. There are maybe a handful of differential equations in the book, but most of the math requires no calculus, just basic algebra. The moderately math-phobic should be able to handle this book if you can understand what derivatives and integrals are.
A bit of a rant: Everybody gets so hung up on the title! Did any of the people who complain that HSDD isn't really "black magic" actually bother to even open the book? Right in the preface, the authors explain that HSDD is regarded as something of a "black magic" by engineers because it isn't taught in most college programs, but "The authors would like to dispel the popular myth that anything unusual or unexplained happens at high speeds. It's simply a matter of knowing which principles apply, and how." The title is meant to be humorous, people; lighten up! A lack of a sense of humor is a sign of an ineffective engineer.
This book really is just an introduction. You're not going to go out and design a gigahertz-level PC motherboard when you've read it through, but it'll prepare you for more advanced material like the "Advanced Black Magic" sequel, and tons of similar advanced books on the market. The book's strength is in its easy writing style and broad, concise scope. Recommended for anyone who knows basic electronics but wants to become a professional signal electronics engineer.
Mostly a very solid book.......2004-12-23
Great book. BTW, the author lists a LOT of errata on his website, enough to take over an hour to mark up my copy (5th printing). Although it's nice he documents this so well, it's a pain in the rear, so you may want to verify the edition you're buying to avoid this extra effort. On page vi, above ISBN, look for reverse sequence; example: "10 9 8 7" indicates 7th printing (cryptic, I know). Most recent printing is 15th edition (least amount of errata). The book is loaded with equations and diagrams. It would be nice to see more derivations, but at least the equations are there in the text, and in the appendix. I thought a few other reviewers were a bit harsh. The book is not perfect, but nevertheless a great resource. His second book is impressive, but more advanced; this original title is my "workhorse" book. also, check out his website (sigcon.com) for lots of articles and resources.
one of the best books around.......2004-09-02
I dont know what the other reviewers are blabbing about...being an ASIC designer myself..I felt this book was the best introduction I could get to cross-talk, signal integrity, EMC and Metastability. Been through and done that a lot of times, but still this is one of the best things around
Useful book if you need a cook book, however ...............2004-05-04
This book is useful if you want to have a long series of equations available in one place to jog your memory. But if you want to learn something useful and practical- and real-world - then perhaps you would be better off doing a web search for application notes, tutorial papers, and articles, particularly from semiconductor manufacturers, and vendors of high-performance test equipment such as Agilent, Tektronix, and others.
To take one example (page 134,) Johnson purports to describe problems associated with a wire-wrapped prototype processor board containing TTL devices operating at high edge rates ( 2 ns.) According to Johnson, the design engineers failed to realize that the circuits would ring excessively, making the board unusable. To "prove" this he posits a model consisting of a 30 ohm TTL driver, with a 2 ns rise time, a 4" length of wire with 89 nH of self inductance, and a 15pf load - a series LRC circuit. Yes, this circuit will ring wildly, but the model is totally incorrect. The TTL input is not considered, which has a relatively low input impedance in the low state since it is current operated. This circuit -effectively a parallel LRC - does not ring nearly as much, as any experienced engineer knows. As a reality check, remember that wire wrap was successfully used for years by thousand of engineers. To listen to Johnson, though, this technology is almost unusable. Wire wrap circuits do ring, but under his example, the real amount of overshoot/undershoot is well within the limits of TTL. Further, no real circuit produces textbook looking traces, so the role of experience is to learn what worst-case design means, and what is acceptable for good manufacturing yield. Lesson: real experience teaches you how to produce correct, functional models. An incorrect model will cause you grief.
Much could have been done here, to be useful, by way of analysis and of recommendation. The wire should have been modeled as part of a transmission line, not as a lumped element, which any high speed digital design engineer would know, and the idea of terminating a transmission line should have been introduced. This is standard fare. Even with the series LRC, instead of deriving the formula for critical damping, he instead says: "This approximation (reduce Q to .5) is derived from the solution to a second order linear differential equation describing an RLC low pass filter. First find the point at which the derivative of the solution passes through zero (a maximum point) and then evaluate the solution at that point."
Got that? Take the derivative of a solution you want to find? Any book on circuits will reduce this to the solution of a quadratic equation. Obfuscating something that's really elementary does not help produce genuine insight. But this is what Johnson does throughout the book.
Isn't it simpler to say that if you have fast rise time signals, treat most connections as transmission lines, and add termination resistors? As for a series RLC, use the formula for critical damping: R = 1/2 (sqrt(L/C))
Product Description
It's great, and it's Nikon's most talked about camera introduction in years! The D200 is the long-awaited successor to the bestselling D100, and so it's almost guaranteed to have an instant following from pros and advanced amateurs worldwide. And along with the camera, those eager photographers will want Magic Lantern to help them learn the ins-and-outs of this exciting piece of equipment. A robust body houses Nikon's latest CMOS DX digital image sensor, high speed crop technology, 3D Matrix II Color Metering and NEF (RAW) image processing technology, and much more: all of which are fully, beautifully covered in this invaluable manual. 5 X 7 1/2. b/w illus. throughout
Customer Reviews:
Black & White.......2007-07-28
The Magic Lantern D200 guide is merely a slightly expanded version of the factory manual, it's barely bigger in size and B/W. The "bonus" quick reference card is very basic - as a D200 user you're unlikely to get any use out of the quick reference card unless you have difficulty remembering what ISO, WB, Mode etc. stand for.
The second D200 guide I've got is the Digital Field Guide. It is the better guide out of the two, but not by much. Unfortunately neither guide is very good at telling you how to get the best out of your camera.
The "should have been the manual" guide book.......2007-07-15
Despite its grayness cover and photos, this book is clear, straight forward
and very comprehensive manual. This book is the manual that should have been
included in the kit instead what's included today.
OK!.......2007-07-06
It was slow but was recieved on time. Book binding came loose but book still great.
A systematic approach to D200.......2007-06-09
Hello Fellow Enthusiasts !
I ordered it before ordering for D200, the reason is to understand the features of D200 before i get my hands on the real machine.
This guide is beautifully laid out, glossy papers and very expressive with sequence of chapters very thoughtfully designed.
Since I haven't seen the similar product offering by other publishers so can't comment on others or compare. But definitely it's worth reading and understanding the camera. if you are new like me to SLR and that too D200 then don't think twice and simply order it.
Good Luck
Vaibhav Mittal - India
Magic Lantern guide for Nikon D200.......2007-06-08
This is a concise, easy to read guide for the Nikon D200. It is easier to understand than the manual that comes with the camera. My only criticism, if any, is that the index is not as comprehensive as it could be.
Product Description
Michael Guncheon is a contributing editor for PC Photo magazine and is author of "Helpline," one of the magazine's oldest and most popular columns. He has also written for Digital PhotoPro and Outdoor Photographer magazines. His resume includes a long list of professional assignments in video and film editing, which includes commercials, music videos, and documentaries. He has taught technical seminars and is a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. This replacement for the ever-popular Rebel XT is destined like its forerunner to become one of the top-selling amateur category digital SLR cameras. Written by the author of the Magic Lantern Guide: Digital Rebel XT, this information-packed volume covers every feature! This Magic Lantern Guide has the answer to all their questions, because it explains in detail how to use all the wonderful enhancements: its ability to save large and fine resolution images direct to the CompactFlash Card, its user-selectable metering; and its single plate, high sensitivity, high resolution color CMOS imaging sensor technology, and the XTi's special feature
Customer Reviews:
Half a bargain.......2007-08-27
Good content but all pictures are black and white! What's the point for a photo book? Not as interesting and to the same level of the book written by C.Lowrie.
Best guide out there.......2007-07-03
Magic Lantern guides are all very good, but this one is better than most. I had a Canon XT and upgraded to an XTi (the next, slightly newer model). I also had the XT lantern guide so was hesitant to get the XTi version, thinking it might be a rehash.
While there were a few overlapping paragraphs, almost all of the content is entirely new and is specific to the XTi. There are things I can do with that camera that I didn't know existed. There are tips and tricks that make relatively complex tasks easier. I very highly recommend getting this book if you have the XTi. You'll be glad you did.
Magic Lantern Guides.......2007-06-28
I have two other Canon bodies and have Magice Lantern Guides for both of them. They are invaluable. The Guides go further than those provided by the manufacturers in explaining how the camera works and the various functions.
'The' Guide for Cannon EOS400D.......2007-06-03
Many years ago I purchased a 'Magic Lantern' guide for my then state-of-the-art Cannon EOS 35mm film camera, and was impressed. Hoping for the same sort of book-partner for my first digital camera - the Cannon EOS400D - I purchased the new 'Magic Lantern' guide, and was not disappointed...all the camera functions are explained in easy and simple language, from the basic right through to the advanced. I had the Cannon EOS400D, read the instruction manual - and still wondered what all the functions did ... this book answered all (yes, all) my questions.
great companion guide.......2007-05-30
this is a good book to reference when learning your new camera. Would have liked color pictures as examples to explain different things tho.
Product Description
Michael Guncheon is a contributing editor for PC Photo magazine and is author of "Helpline," one of the magazine's oldest and most popular columns. He has also written for Digital PhotoPro and Outdoor Photographer magazines. His resume includes a long list of professional assignments in video and film editing, which includes commercials, music videos, and documentaries. He has taught technical seminars and is a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Canon's digital camera is going to be hot, hot, hot! It's high quality, reasonably priced, lightweight, and constructed to feel comfortable in the hand. And the many avid amateurs snatching up this great equipment will want to understand how to get the most of every one of its state-of-the-art features, from its superb resolution to its super-fast speed. This Magic Lantern Guide has the answer to all their questions, because it explains in detail how to use all the wonderful enhancements: its ability to save large and fine resolution images direct to the CompactFlash Card, its user-selectable metering; and its single plate, high sensitivity, high resolution color CMOS imaging sensor technology. 5 x 7-1/2". b/w illus. throughout
Customer Reviews:
Must have for Rebel XT owners.......2007-07-13
If you want to learn all about your Rebel XT camera, this is the book to buy. If you are happy with the manual, then you may not need this book.
great camera manual.......2007-04-13
After reading some of the other reviews, I was hesitant to buy this book. I did anyway, and found it to be exactly what I was looking for - a book on how to use this camera to it's fullest. If this is what you're looking for, then buy this book.
Great book!.......2007-04-04
This is a must if you have the camera. Like I've read, the instruction manual is lacking.....especially if you're a novice. I plan to buy one for my daughter who just now bought the camera. It answers a lot of questions.
Must have for XT users.......2007-03-13
Good book that goes in depth a lot further than the factory manual that comes with all XT cameras. Gives lots of detail and a no brainer when you consider the lost cost versus high value. You'll always keep this one in your bag, trust me.
Canon Digital Rebel XT.......2007-03-11
I bought the camera and read through the manual, and found it informative, but then found this book which I feel is easier to use then the actual manual. It is the manual PLUS MUCH MORE. I no longer use the manual - I have this book. Highly recomended
Average customer rating:
- Best Book on Beliefs and Practices of Today's Witches & Shaman
- A Witches' Bible
- If you want to become a solitary witch,
- Nice work of Christian propaganda
- One of the best resources
|
A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches Handbook
Janet Farrar , and
Stewart Farrar
Manufacturer: Phoenix Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Buckland's Complete Book Of Witchcraft (Llewellyn's Practical Magick)
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Complete Book Of Incense, Oils & Brews (Llewellyn's Practical Magick)
ASIN: 0919345921 |
Book Description
Everything you need to know is here!
• The Sabbats
• Casting & Banishing the Magic Circle
• The Complete Book of Shadows
• The Great Rite
• Initiation Rites
• Consecration Rites
• Spells
• Witches' Tools
• Witchcraft & Sex
• Running a Coven
• Clairvoyance
• Astral Projection
Customer Reviews:
Best Book on Beliefs and Practices of Today's Witches & Shaman.......2007-09-11
Season's of the Witch!This book was very helpful in introducing what real neo-pagan witches do throughout the season's of the year.This is not fluffy reading about witchcraft.This is one of the first books i read about concerning the Gardinian witchcraft adherents.Little ,if anything,has changed with this book over the years.It's just the best classic on being a witch or shaman ,for all who follow the laws of the Witches Rede and worship the Wheel of Nature.Anyone who cannot relate to Mother-Nature,is simply living in denial of one's true being and mortality.Christians are so programmed to believe that one has full control and domination over Nature and her creatures.We,as humans,have some influence over Nature and our environment.Yet,Nature does not always quietly follow our desires and may even act harshly to our chalk-board plans.As we see with earthquakes,floods,forest-fires,hurricanes,blizzards and droughts.When people accept and respect the forces of Nature,then they can find peace of mind and happiness.The only thing that i didn't like about this book was the title.The word 'Bible' implies grand fable-stories of yesteryear.I would have entitled it,'The Witches'Credo',i.e. the set of beliefs relating to the enclosing coven of witches and shaman only.No modern pagan should be without this excellent book.
A Witches' Bible.......2007-09-10
This book is alittle on the dry side for my taste, but it's still none the less good reads, and helpful just the same. I enjoy this book overall I rate this book 4 stars. Happy Reading!
If you want to become a solitary witch,.......2007-08-10
Then this is the book for you. This has all of the information that you would need (it even is on a website for "Wicca Training" - I wouldn't pay someone to teach me how to read this book).
Some items you will have to look more closely at than others, but overall it is a great book.
Nice work of Christian propaganda.......2007-08-09
Hey there, Patriarch here. Everyone, or at least I thought everyone, knows there is no such things as witches! That's why those Salem witch trials were so stupid, they were killing people for being witches when there ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS WITCHES! It would be just as bad if they had been killing people that were orcs or goblins. But that's those stupid Christians for you. So here we have this stupid book, I'm sure it was written by Christians in order to make people think witches are real and justify those horrible witch trials.
Have you ever seen some old lady with a wart flying around on a broomstick shooting fire at people? Of course not, the utter idea of it is ridiculous. So don't believe in this propaganda. Witches don't exist now and they never have.
One of the best resources.......2007-07-03
The Witches' Bible is one of the definitive resources on all things Wiccan but it is just ONE resource. As with most teaching resources, it's always best to get your information from more than one source and from more than one viewpoint. The Farrar book may be a little dry and scholarly for some so it should definitely be read in relatively short sittings and then digested for awhile.
Average customer rating:
- Magic for Dummies
- satisfied customer
- Good fun and easy
- "Magic for Dummies"-- A review of a new magic book released July 1998
- The Secrets Behind Every Magic Effect Ever Made...
|
Magic for Dummies
David Pogue
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0764551019 |
Book Description
You don’t need a white tiger, expensive props, or hours of preparation to do magic. With a little practice, some clever misdirection (which lays at the heart of all magic tricks), and showmanship, you can surprise family, friends, and coworkers using a few everyday items!
If you’re looking to saw a beautiful women in half or make buildings disappear, we’re sorry, but this book isn’t you. But if you want to act out little miracles that you can perform on the spur of the moment with items that are usually within reach, then Magic For Dummies can show you how.
Magic For Dummies features more than 90 easy-to-perform deceptions, illusions, and sleights of hand for any event or occasion. You’ll discover how to perform entertaining card tricks, coin tricks, disappearing acts, as well as the always-popular mind reading trick. You’ll even see how easy it is to make money disappear as well as melt a saltshaker! Chock-full of show-stopping tricks, Magic For Dummies will:
- Get you started with easy-to-learn magic tricks
- Let you turn a restaurant into a your stage with tricks that include utensils, mugs, and even food
- Show you how to use a deck of cards to perform endless magic tricks
- Make you the life of the party with tricks such as “Call This Number,” “The Strength Test,” and “The Phantom Photo”
- Get you out of tough situations by giving you ten things to say when things go wrong
Filled with photos, patter, and presentation tips for every trick in the book, Magic For Dummies offers a great opportunity to become familiar with some of the coolest magic tricks ever performed. With the help of author David Pogue and the stunning tricks contributed by thirty-five of America’s top professional magicians, you’ll be leaving your friends, family, and coworkers spellbound at your mastery of the mystical arts.
Customer Reviews:
Magic for Dummies.......2007-08-23
It was helpful. I am writing a script that requires a small amout of simple magic. I needed the book for helpful hints.
satisfied customer.......2007-03-29
the recipient enjoyed this gift. however, some of the illustrations are hard to follow. aside from that, it is a good first magic book.. or even for seasoned magicians to brush up on some old tricks
Good fun and easy.......2006-11-10
This book provides the secrets behing some good fun and very easy to perform magic. The tricks are well described and if you are new to magic this is a great introduction.
"Magic for Dummies"-- A review of a new magic book released July 1998.......2005-08-08
(...)
If you're looking for some new magic tricks and a good laugh (Eccl. 3:4), read "Magic for Dummies" by David Pogue. Don't let the title fool you, even experienced magicians can benefit from this book.
The book contains many impromptu effects--things you can do anywhere with familiar objects. For example, you're in a restaurant with your friends and the conversation lulls. You take a packet of sugar off the center of the table and pour it into your clenched fist. Give it a little squeeze and "voila!" there's no sugar to be found.
You could adapt many of the tricks to a Biblical theme. For example, "The Phantom Photo" is an illusion where you assemble an empty picture frame, an audience member selects a famous movie star, and their photo appears in the frame. This same illusion and a little imagination could turn it into a lesson about the major Bible prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
Each chapter has something valuable. The effects are quite strong and unique. Many of the tricks were submitted by over 35 of the top magicians in the world. In addition to the secret, David adds tips and valuable suggested patter to the effects. The book contains several cartoons by Rich Tennant (The 5th Wave). One was especially appropriate for the Christian Conjuror and is included with this review.
I found the answers provided to common questions like "How did you do that?" and things you can say when you flub a trick very helpful. Although I wish I never needed to use those lines, reality proves me wrong. It's good to be prepared. To help you become a well-rounded magician, David has also included a couple of chapters on the history of magic, describing some of the most famous magicians and incredible moments in magic.
One appendix provides many places you can contact to continue with your interest in magic. There are many up-to-date internet addresses for information included as well. Unfortunately, the "Fellowship of Christian Magicians" is not listed. I've suggested this to the author for a future edition.
Even if you bought the book and decided not to read it, you could always use the book as a prop in your next show. For comedy effect when a trick goes bad, pull the book out of your bag and pretend to check out the secret. It's always humbling to let your audience know that you consider yourself a "dummy" sometimes.
All in all, "Magic for Dummies" is an excellent instructional book on magic for the beginner or professional. It's filled to the brim with practical illusions that you can do. David's sense of humor really makes the book fun to read. I give it a thumbs up!
The Secrets Behind Every Magic Effect Ever Made..........2004-10-31
Read the title again. Yes, that's right... Magic for Dummies, a book targeted towards interested laymen, holds the greatest secret behind all magic, whether or not you're Lance Burton or David Copperfield up on a stage or a teenage magician strolling the streets.
The secret behind all magic: showsmanship, patter, personality, and intrigue. The effects in this book, simple as they are, are the building blocks of all magic. Beginners will learn the integrity behind the magic, the showsmanship necessary to perform, and some great but simple effects. Intermediates will find the importance of showsmanship and patter... reemphasized tenfold - and, maybe, some new effects will be learnt. Advanced magicians? I can not speak for them... but sometimes, a magician needs to take himself down a few notches in practicing advanced, knuckle-breaking sleights and, instead, concentrate on the magic behind the magic - the presentation.
Behind Magic for Dummies exists a magic for professionals. There's a brief history of magic, a compilation of great magicians in history, a list of things to say when you make a mistake, and hilarious magic cartoons. For those who don't know much behind magic, this book holds everything from the old static pencil on hand to a simplified restaurant zombie effect.
I recommend Magic for Dummies for young and old alike, whether you be layman or magician... it will make a magician out of a layman and a wizard out of a magician.
I'll leave it at that.
Book Description
Unlock the Magical Power of
Vestiges, Shadows, and Syllables
Tome of Magic presents three new kinds of magic that you can integrate easily into any Dungeons & Dragons® campaign. These magic “subsystems” function alongside the existing D&D® magic system and offer new game mechanics, character options, and adventure possibilities. Within this tome you’ll find three new standard classes–one for each new kind of magic–as well as new spells, feats, prestige classes, monsters, and magic items tied thematically to each.
Pact Magic
Powerful entities known as vestiges exist beyond the boundaries of life, death, and undeath. The binder uses pact magic–a combination of symbols and secret rituals–to summon these entities, strike bargains with them, and gain their formidable and sometimes bizarre supernatural powers.
Shadow Magic
The Plane of Shadow is a dark, twisted reflection of the real world. The shadowcaster, by understanding the fundamental properties of the plane and unlocking its magical mysteries, learns to harness and channel its umbral gloom, shaping the darkness to serve her whim.
Truename Magic
Every creature has a truename–the word of its creation. The truenamer knows the primal language of the universe–the language of Truespeech–and learns the truenames of creatures and objects to gain control over them, transform them, or destroy them.
For use with these Dungeons & Dragons® core books
Player’s Handbook™ Dungeon Master’s Guide™ Monster Manual™
Customer Reviews:
Limited Use but does it well.......2007-01-12
I really like wizards and magic users so I really wanted to love this book. If you want something off the beaten track of magic, this provides some ideas. As an aid to most games, though, it doesn't provide much. It's a niche product for those looking for variants in magic.
New Ideas, New Problems.......2006-11-07
This is one D&D supplement that isn't riddled with dead pages. The book is interesting cover to cover, which at the very least makes it a good value in terms of the ammount of the product you are likely to use.
All three of the book's concepts are interesting and somewhat unique.
However, all three have mechanical issues that are left completely up to you, the user, to resolve.
If you are the type of person who wants a product to "works" out of the book, this is a bad product. Shadow Magic has its perks, but due to its design has massive spikes an lulls in power throughout your leveling. It is depressing how bad Shadowcasters are at levels 6 and 12, yet amazing at levels 7 and 13. This uneven growth can be very unsatisfying, leaving one to wonder "Why aren't I a wizard?" The binder has a very similiar problem, though somewhat less extreme.
Truenaming carries similiar baggage as the number of skill raising abilities erraticly varies from campaign to campaign, the class's power fluxates wildly from campaign to campaign.
Personally, I like the stuff in here, but its not very "plug in and play."
Inspiring.......2006-09-28
The first time someone brought this book to the table, I'll admit that I wasn't immediately impressed by it. However, I thought I saw some potential, so I borrowed it from a friend at work to read over the weekend. I read the whole thing, cover to cover, twice, before Monday.
This book has finally reminded me what it was I loved about D&D when I started playing second edition over a decade ago. Unlike most every other third edition book (and even more so with 3.5), Tome of Magic isn't just a gotta-catch-em-all collection of new feats, spells, magic items, and prestige classes. It is stuffed with truly new, fresh ideas. I had thought that the rules in the Expanded Psionics Handbook were a novel approach to spellcasting in D&D, but the alternate magic systems in Tome of Magic are worlds beyond psionics in scope and style. This book could easily serve as the basis of at least one, if not three or four, whole new campaign settings. Truly different, truly spectacular.
And a special aside for Truename Magic. This system is the way spellcasting in a fantasy setting should be. Lets face it. Spells per day? Choosing spells in the morning when you wake up? Transparently artificial, rediculous, and illogical concepts. Truename magic fixes this and fixes it right, while still being a viable and fun system to use.
Three New Dynamic Magic Systems.......2006-08-11
Tome of Magic offers you three new styles of magic to incorperate into your game.
The first, Pact Magic, bears a slight resembelence to the "summons" system from Final Fantasy VIII. They don't attack, as such, but instead provide you with interesting abilities. The only major draw back to Pact Magic is the fact that the book seems to set up the Pact users as almost inherently evil. The beings you have to make deals with are not nice in the least, and the complicated system of "I've used this one, so I can't use this one," will be tedious to a beginning player.
The second, Shadow Magic, could easily take the place of the Shadow Weave in a Forgotten Realms setting or be incorperated into basic games as an alternate style to normal magic. Of the three new styles, this one is the most traditional, combining a blend of "domain-like" styles and specalized magics. In addition, their powers eventually become spell-like abilitites. The only real downside of the system is the sheer lack of volume of spells. Even bards get more. What they lack in versatility, though, they more than make up for in power.
Finally, True Name magic feels incredibly similar to the Earth Sea book series, in that you discover more powers and abilitites with more names. The fact that this one is actually based off of a skill, the True Speak ability, makes it even more interesting. The Difficulty Classes on the skill's use are also very well done, ranging from 10 at lower levels, up into the 50's at higher levels. Best of all, the progression into Epic Abilities, though not really spoken of much, could be easily done by simply raising the DCs of things.
A fairly good book, but not for everyone. Each of the new magics is interesting and dynamic, but this book is not for everyone. If you like playing wizards and sorcerers (or maybe even clerics), then this book is for you; however, if hacking and slashing or sneaking and stabbing is your style, let your D.M. pick this one up.
Pretty good game supplement, if I do say so myself........2006-07-16
Not to insult other popular pencil-and-paper role-playing games of our time, but there's a reason why Dungeons and Dragons is the world's most renowned RPG of them all: Because the men and women who are responsible for its design are practically without peer in terms of sheer creative genius. Sure, I love the traditional themes of arcane and divine magic that almost all fantasy RPGs provide, and psionic powers are nothing to sneeze at, either. However, by delving deep into the esoteric aspects of world history and ideology and coming up with the three new types of magic for gamers and Dungeon Masters alike to add to their most cherished gaming campaigns, Wizards of the Coast has made sure that D&D Version 3.5 is everything they'd planned it'd be: dark, mysterious, inventive, and downright appealing.
Divided into three chapters, the Tome of Magic supplement explains how DMs can incorporate the likes of Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic into the mythical gaming worlds where their players' characters dwell in search of adventure. Players, too, can get an idea of what these more-or-less new forms of ancient power have in store for them and their allies as they sally forth into the depths of their alter egos' home realm. For instance, the chapter on Pact Magic introduces the Binder PC class and explains how participants in this occult and hence widely despised profession share their souls with a wide variety of Vestiges--beings whose existences in the world ended so tragically that their names have forever been carved into the stone tablet of history as their spirits transcended all reality into utter nothingness. Successful bondage to a Vestige grants a Binder that Vestige's powers and a physical trait that symbolizes the Binder's pact with his/her new patron. A failed pact grants the Binder the Vestige's powers as well as a successful one does, but the latter persona manifests himself/herself so heavily upon the former being that the Binder's behavior is warped by the spirit's own mentality, making the mortal perform eccentrically and--more times than not--downright irrationally.
Similarly, Shadow Casters, who participate in Shadow Magic, draw their powers form the Plane of Shadow--a literally dark and spooky reflection of the campaign's real world. It is by unlocking the mysteries of this twisted alternate reality and harnessing its nearly limitless gloom that these mages learn not only how to utilize this most umbral of all elements as the base of their spells, but also how to merge their own mortal existences with the Plane of Shadow to perform feats that no other being of their realm can, such as surviving for days without food or sleep and resisting the effects of poison and disease.
Finally, the Truenamer PC class is a student of the true universal language of all creation (called Truespeech) and as such learns the fundamentals of the third form of ages-lost mysticism, Truename Magic. By studying the fundamentals of this ancient tongue, a Truenamer can harness control over various objects and subjects, forcing them unto his/her will at the mere mentioning of their "true names"--namely, the names of their creation. To tell you the truth, the Truenamer PC class is a pretty fun one to play in a standard D&D gaming session--even more fun, in my opinion, than the standard Wizard or Sorcerer.
Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Tome of Magic has quite a few adventures in store for Dungeon Masters to put to use in their next gaming sessions--not to mention fifteen total Prestige Classes for PCs and DMs alike to try our (five for each of the three basic Character Classes presented in this book). The monsters are pretty impressive, too, and not just because they're illustrated so well by the most talented artists in the gaming industry, either. Then again, players who are satisfied with playing one of the more established Character Classes from previous releases of the D&D 3rd Edition and Version 3.5 gaming manuals and supplements will still want to check out the new spells and feats presented in ToM, if for nothing else other than to add even more variety to their PCs.
All in all, Tome of Magic is no disappointment in its quest to bring something new to the gaming table. I was definitely impressed, and I believe other Dungeons and Dragons fans will feel the same way I do. If you can find it in your local hobby shop or bookstore, then by all means, snag it! It's a definite keeper.
Customer Reviews:
A Mixture.......2007-04-07
This was the first popular esoteric rune book to contain some real academic research on runes. Thorsson's PhD gives him the background, research skills, and access to sources to put together a very impressive work. The awkward, dry, scholarly writing style adds to the percieved credibility.
Unfortunately, as we can see from other reviews, the average reader tends to accept the book as historical facts about the original runic traditions of Viking & pre-Viking times. Although the book is a cut above the New-Age pack, claims of authenticity are misleading.
Although it contains some good research that most of the other rune manuals lack, the esoteric ideas are largely based on the Armanen system invented in Germany in the early 1900s. The Armanen system was typical of the occultism of the day, mixing romanticised & poorly researched ideas about runes with poorly understood techniques borrowed from yoga, and a touch of Western ceremonial magic (itself mainly descended from Hebrew sources). It was a mish-mash of systems not so different from the anything-goes New-Age fusions of today.
The only problem with the book is that it does not always clearly separate recent inventions from pre-Christian sources, leaving the reader with the impression that it describes a pre-Christian esoteric tradition. It also contains a fair amount of speculation about historical sources that is not clearly identified as such, or made to look more credible than it really is (eg his argument for rune postures).
This book is useful to those interested in esoteric runology, but those interested in re-creationist or historical rune magic need to take it with a grain of salt. Read it, but first do the groundwork and look at the historical facts, then feel free to make your own speculations rather than rely on the imagination of the popular authors.
Sweyn
The Rune Primer
For runic concepts in magic ,this book is the best........2006-09-07
For many readers who are casually interested in the runes this book may not be for you. Most people who are interested in the runes wish to read about the divinitory aspects and learn them to gain a extraordinary council. However this book is not geared towards this reader aswell.It is a comprehensive book that covers the dynamics of runic "magic" and persuades the reader to go into thier unconcience mind to open powers that have always been there. If you are serious about runic cocepts this is the book for you.
Excellent Introduction to the Runes.......2006-08-22
This book is the first thing I think of when trying to introduce a person to the concept of the runes, including their symbology, magic, lore, and divination uses. You can tell the author has made a deep connnection with the runic system, and "knows his stuff". Worthwhile read, essential for anyone wanting to learn the secrets of the Runes.
Exactly what I was looking for.......2006-05-05
This is a great book. If you are looking for a book on using the runes for magic this is the book. Great info on the runes along with keywords, color attributions and astrological connections.
I have one critisism however, which in the end is not even that bad. As one reviewer mentions he gives body stances to enter into to better connect with the rune. From my time in magic I think he either missed this blind or knew of it and passed it on. One does not get into a physical position to invoke its power. Think more on an astral and mental level and you are close. If you use it in the section where you are training to use the rune after 10 minutes of visualizing in your minds eye your getting hotter. I won't cheat you out of the rest of the discovery.
All in all a great book without loads of historical b.s. to contend with. I got what I needed and did not have to go through a history class to get it. Mucho kudos.
Very informative..........2006-03-26
This is a really great book! It's very informative and great for a beginner to start out with. :o)
Customer Reviews:
Good for Interested Amateurs (like me).......2006-07-09
The book is clumsy to handle, due to its thickness and small pages. Nonetheless it contains innumerable card tricks, and a few mind-reading and illusion tricks as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover anything you're likely to see in Las Vegas.
Useful if somewhat limited book.......2005-10-28
Mark Wilson is certainly a name in magic and has been around for a very long time. It was on the strength of that name alone that I bought this book, but it wasn't really as comprehensive as I would have liked. Many of the presentations are useful to beginning and intermediate performers as they are. A full time professional like me can fall back on these presentations as well, but over all this is second string material for me.
[...]
a very good book !.......2005-06-07
Mark Wilson is no doubt a master magician and a master of all magicians. This is reflected in this volume. The tricks in this book are a mixture of classical as well as new tricks....both entertaining and mystical. Mark Wilson has dealt with every possible branch of close up magic, conjuring and some basic stage illusions.They are easy to do. Some close up tricks require basic sleight of hands which are worth learning. If you are really serious about magic as a hobby, then this book should be in your book shelf. And if you are planning to take it up as your profession, then nothing can be a good book to start with. Some of the basic sleights are still used by many magicians. The illustrations are really gems. The copy which I got from Amazon was a brand new copy though I purchased a used one.
I wish I got this book when I started out on the mystical world of magic 15 years ago.
The best there is.......2003-12-27
I recommend without hesitation this book for beginners or intermediates alike. It contains card tricks, sponge balls, cups and balls and even some stage illusions that you might find suitable with a little creativity or modification. It has card tricks that are pretty much already 'public knolwedge' to layman, but you might use them too using the way Mark Wilson teaches you to present them. However, there are also some advanced sleights on cards that beginners can learn easily because of the illustrations and the amazingly, EASY to understand text. Mark Wilson's Cylopedia of Magic. 5 out of 5.
best Magic Book.......2003-04-21
This book is not good, great, or awesome, but it's UNBELIEVABLE. The illustrations are very descriptive. When I first got this book I could learn a trick just be looking at the illustrations. (Though you should still read). There are over 17 types of magic listed and taught in the book. Some of these are, Sponge ball magic, Card magic, Cups and balls (the FULL routine), Stage magic, illusions, and more. This is the book to start up on for beginning magic. If you had to get only ONE book of magic, I would suggest purchasing this one. God bless you, and may your future in magic go well.
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