HIGH LEVEL MAGIC BY SIMON
Forbidden Illusions for Open Minds
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK:
THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOUR MAGIC DANGEROUS IN REAL LIFE.
Some things are better experienced than explained.
Some moments are best left unrepeatable.
This isn't about showing off.
It's about making an impact.
WHAT THIS BOOK IS
While most magic tomes dish out tricks for the perfect setting—quiet rooms, seated audiences, and all that jazz—this one’s a bit different. It’s a survival guide for the wild. Let’s be clear:
This isn’t just another “look what I can do” collection.
It’s not theoretical fluff you’ll never use.
It’s not about only performing when the stars align.
High Level Magic is your field manual—sharp, practical, and unapologetic—for those who want their magic to resonate when the stakes are high. Not on stage. Not in a studio. But in the real world.
Where distractions abound.
Where focus is fleeting.
Where reactions are the real deal.
And ordinary items transform into extraordinary illusions.
This book isn’t for the hobbyist fishing for applause.
It's for performers who want to craft moments that shatter reality in the most unexpected places. If that’s you—carry on reading.
A GLIMPSE INTO A DIFFERENT UNIVERSE
Every book I pen exists in its own universe, and what you’re about to delve into is a peek into this one. This isn’t a mere collection of tricks; it’s a compendium of moments that feel unstable, unexpected, and authentically real in ways they shouldn’t.
Many of these effects hinge on everyday objects—lighters, cigarettes, coins, leaves, borrowed bits and bobs. Nothing overly complicated, but everything has been crafted with intention and practicality in mind.
It’s not about flaunting skill.
It's about conjuring moments that leave people bewildered, even when they try to make sense of it all.
MAGIC RARELY HAPPENS UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS
In the real world, folks are busy chatting, moving about, and only half-listening. That’s precisely where this material thrives.
You’re not performing for a seated audience.
You’re diving into an ongoing scenario and flipping it on its head.
To pull this off effectively, you’ll need more than just technique.
Mastering attention is key.
This kind of work hinges on timing, awareness, and a touch of restraint. Knowing when to act often trumps knowing how to act.
Sometimes, doing less creates a stronger, more believable moment.
The effects in this book are designed to function under these real-life conditions. They’re direct, adaptable, and perfect for spontaneous performances.
THE EXPERIENCES INSIDE
1.
LOLLIPOP
You unwrap a gum wrapper. It flutters to the ground.
Something feels off, doesn’t it? The wrapper floats back to your hand. You hold it to a flame. A burst of fire.
And out of nowhere—a lollipop appears.
Visual. Engaging. The ultimate opener.
It’ll charm the socks off women and kids alike. Not because it’s simple, but because it’s magical in a way that transcends mere technique.
2.
HIGH LEAVES
A fresh twist on the classic sponge ball routine—but with leaves.
You take two leaves. One goes in the spectator’s hand.
The other in yours. They teleport. Yours vanishes—now the spectator has two. You pluck an invisible leaf from thin air.
Surprise! Now they have three. You gather all three leaves. Close your hand. How many are there? They all vanish.
No gimmicks. No special objects. Just leaves picked from the great outdoors. Organic magic at its finest.
3.
DEVIL'S CAP
You place several bottle caps on the table. Turn your back. The spectator hides a signed object under any cap.
They mix them up. You turn around. You find it instantly.
Every. Single. Time.
No electronics. No hidden helpers. No sleight of hand.
It’s bar magic meets strong mentalism.
Common objects. Impossibly precise.
4.
PICKPOCKETING
A spectator picks a card. They keep it close. Suddenly—your phone rings. Who’s on the line?
The deck is calling. And it knows exactly which card they chose.
The kicker? That’s their phone. It’s pickpocketing meets mentalism in a combo you’ve never seen. Your spectator will be utterly floored.
5.
SMOKED COIN
You hold a coin. Smoke rises from your hand.
It vanishes entirely. And reappears under the spectator's watch.
The smoke doesn’t come from some secret gimmick.
It comes from the environment itself. A cigarette.
A cigar. A blunt. The coin didn’t just disappear.
It travelled.
6.
VANISHING LIGHTER & CIGARETTE
You showcase the lighter with a clean display. It vanishes completely. Then you grab the cigarette. Poof, it’s gone too.
Both reappear wherever you fancy.
Bonus version: You light the lighter, bring it to the cigarette—a flash of fire. Both vanish simultaneously.
Pure visual chaos.
7.
LAST SMOKE (RISING CARD)
A card is chosen and returned to the deck. The deck goes back into its box. The spectator holds it. Lo and behold, the card rises from the middle.
No invisible threads. No electronics.
Next level: The card rises & disintegrates in the air... and then reappears inside the cigarette the spectator has been holding all along.
An illusion with layers. How far will you take it?
ROUTINES & FLOW
Most magic books teach individual tricks.
Standalone moments. Isolated events. Things that happen and then fizzle out.
But that’s not how real performance works.
This chapter isn’t about tricks. It’s about structure.
You’ll learn:
- The Three Layers of Flow - Hook, Build, Closer
- The Difference Between a Performance and an Experience
- The Emotional Arc - What Makes a Good Routine Unforgettable
- How to Build Your Own Routine with Intent
Plus three complete routines:
- I TRIED SMOKING ONCE - A thematic journey where everything disappears because you took a puff.
- NATURE'S GAME - Leaves, coins, and an impossible double reveal happening entirely in their hands.
- SUGAR & FIRE - A complete cycle of creation, disappearance, and return. **Fire takes. Fire gives back.**
REAL PSYCHOLOGY
Attention. Perception. Timing.
The Invisible Architecture of Magic.
Most performers get bogged down in technique—the moves, the methods.
The mechanics. That’s just part of the equation.
The other half plays out in the spectator's mind—without their awareness, without their permission.
This chapter dives into that invisible architecture.
Not theory. Not philosophy. Real systems you can put to work in real time.
- ATTENTION - How to shift people from distracted to locked in.
- PERCEPTION - How to steer what they think they saw.
- TIMING - When to kick off, when to reveal, when to move, when to wrap up.
- REAL-TIME ADAPTATION - What to do when they don’t quite get it, when they call you out, when chaos strikes.
AND THAT'S NOT ALL
You’ll also discover:
- Bonus routines
- Flow principles
- Psychological processes
- Ideas and expansions
- Real-world performance systems
THIS BOOK IS NOT SAFE
It wasn’t crafted to be.
It was designed for moments where:
- Attention is fragmented
- Conditions are unpredictable
- And reactions are genuinely raw
Most magicians shy away from these scenarios.
They’d rather stick to controlled environments.
This is for those who thrive in the wild.
WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR
This is for the performer who wants to waltz into any situation—a
