The Paper Engine by Aaron Fisher

Created by: Aaron Fisher

The Paper Engine is a seminal work in close-up card magic, authored by Aaron Fisher and re-released in a 20th Anniversary Edition. This hardcover book focuses on making sleight-of-hand invisible through optimized finger placement and misdirection, ensuring the audience's attention stays on the magical effect rather than the method. It includes a detailed chapter on the Gravity Halfpass, refined over two decades for easier mastery, and features full routines such as Search and Destroy, Slow Motion Sandwich, Fisher's Favorite Inversion, Revolution Number Nine, The Sexy Sad Sandwich, and Illusion Control. Buyers should note that this edition, produced by Vanishing Inc. and available through retailers like Saturn Magic, offers enhanced photography and is aimed at both seasoned performers and newcomers, providing a toolbox of techniques for creating direct, powerful, and deceptive magic.

Where to buy

Magicbox	The Paper Engine (20th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Fisher	£37.00	🇬🇧 Shop
Monster Magic	The Paper Engine (20th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Fisher	£38.50	🇬🇧 Shop
Alakazam Magic	The Paper Engine (20th Anniversary Edition) by Aaron Fisher	£43.58	🇬🇧 Shop

Key features

Focuses on invisible techniques and misdirection to enhance deception
Includes a new, detailed chapter on the Gravity Halfpass with 20 years of refinements
Contains full routines like Search and Destroy and Slow Motion Sandwich
Aimed at magicians of all levels, from beginners to experts
Hardcover edition with improved photography for better learning

Pros

Highly regarded as a modern classic in card magic
Provides structured guidance for professional-level performances
Encourages audience engagement through subtle techniques

Cons

May require significant practice to master the sleight-of-hand moves
Original editions were scarce and expensive, though this is addressed in the re-release

Effect

The Paper Engine presents a series of card magic routines where cards appear to move, change, and vanish in impossible ways. The audience sees direct and powerful magic with no visible moves from the performer. Cards transpose between the deck and a spectator's hand. A selected card vanishes and reappears in a different location. The magic happens in slow motion, making the impossible events even more astonishing.

Full details

The Paper Engine is a book by Aaron Fisher, first published in 2002. This 20th Anniversary Edition is a hardcover release with enhanced photography. It contains a collection of card tricks and routines that helped build Fisher's reputation. The book includes famous routines like Search and Destroy, The Original Slow Motion Sandwich Routine, Fisher's Favorite Inversion, Revolution Number Nine, The Sexy Sad Sandwich, and Illusion Control. A key addition is a new chapter on the Gravity Halfpass, which was only briefly covered in the original edition. Fisher spent twenty years refining this move and now provides a detailed, step-by-step guide.

Who should consider the trick

This book is for magicians of all levels. Seasoned performers will find advanced techniques and complete routines. Newcomers to card magic can learn a solid foundation in invisible sleight-of-hand. It is ideal for magicians who want to create direct, powerful, and deceptive magic for any audience. Steve Faulkner notes that Fisher's work has influenced thousands of card magicians.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The techniques in The Paper Engine require practice to master. The book focuses on making sleight-of-hand invisible through optimized finger placement and misdirection. Fisher's philosophy centers on moves that actively maintain audience attention on the magic, not the method. The new chapter on the Gravity Halfpass is designed for ease of learning. The material is a toolbox of methods that use subtlety and performance psychology.

What magicians say

Aaron Fisher expresses immense joy in creating The Paper Engine and sharing its magic. He encourages magicians to use the techniques to astonish their own audiences. Johnny Thompson praised the material as "top notch" and said it will "enhance the repertoire of any serious student of card magic." Steve Faulkner expresses personal admiration for Fisher, calling him a genuinely kind and influential figure. The book is described as a seminal text in card magic and a must-have for any magician's bookshelf.

What people are saying about The Paper Engine

magic-tv says...

The video also serves as a sneak peek into the magic community's latest offerings, spotlighting 'Your Round', a trick developed with Mark Bennett, and other fresh releases like 'The Vault Pro', 'Streamline 2.0', and the reissued 'The Paper Engine'.

MurphysMagicSupplies says...

Fisher describes The Paper Engine as more than just a collection of moves—it's a system designed to make sleight-of-hand invisible by optimizing finger placement and misdirection. The book's philosophy centers on keeping the audience's focus on the effect rather than the method.

RealMagicReview says...

Fisher's effects—like the legendary vanishing-deck routine Panic—have influenced thousands of card magicians, including himself. This video serves as a heartfelt tribute to a magician whose impact extends well beyond his published effects into the very fabric of modern card magic education.

SaturnMagicShop says...

Fisher stresses that powerful magic arises from misdirection supported by moves that actively maintain audience attention. The book is designed to provide a toolbox of techniques for creating direct, powerful, and deceptive magic.