Reviews: Read What Others Are Saying: page 12
213 ★★★★★ reviews
145 ★★★★★ reviews
90 ★★★★★ reviews
130 ★★★★★ reviews
Ted Lesley's Working Performer's Marked Deck Manual
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Elijah Williams (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 06 September, 2024)
Let me start by saying how overwhelmed I feel trying to tell others about this system without exposure. I'll just say the following:
We are all SO blessed that Chris (whom I've never met) would go to great lengths to allow us to have access to something truly special AND making it affordable. I'll never forget how big an explosion went off at the Magic Castle when this became available. The ability to mark ANY card or .... well. I'll just say the product you will receive will allow you so many decks to make and the way you want them. Lastly, do yourself a favor and buy the booklet too. You'll be glad you did.
The Sphinx Index
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Nathaniel Thedford
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 01 September, 2024)
This is absolutely amazing to me. Just reading the index of this collection is flabbergasting. I have just purchased this, however, from the reading journey that brought me here and the sources they all came from, I know I made a good investment. I gave up Magic as a young boy and never picked it back up. It took me another 37 years to realize just how "magical" that life really is.
All my thanks definitely go to all of the staff at Lybrary.com who put this together to make it available online.
Abracadabra!
Enchanted Ball Manipulation
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Gregg Webb (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 27 August, 2024)
Billiard balls has been my favorite part of magic. I haven't had a new book in a while and this one is great. I know the name James Swoger. The book has a good cross-section of techniques and effects and I like the use of the pockets - a ball penetrates the trousers, etc., and ends up in the pocket because as you bring the one out, you can palm out more to get ahead in your routine. Color changes, vanishes, multiplications, a multiplying routine and a gold ball routine and more. You can't go wrong.
TCF: Tarot Counting Feint
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Yukishige Kadoya (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 25 August, 2024)
All of Bob's booklets are well worth studying for any serious magicians. His Blank Jack is an outstanding Worker. There are other excellent routines hidden in there as well. This book and TCF: The Counting Feint must be read together. At $15 for the two books, they are a bargain! Highly recommended.
Corner of Piccadilly
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Peter Bernard (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 23 August, 2024)
Easy to learn and loads of fun. I got wide eyes and a “wtf” look from my teenage grandson. 10/10
Magician's DIY Tips and Tricks
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by FRANK ANDREWS (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 19 August, 2024)
I didn't think I'd find anything new here, but just two tips in this terse, useful booklet saved me $100 almost immediately. Recommended!
Shuffled Not Bored
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Cal Horelick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 16 August, 2024)
Don't waste your time. I purchased this and it was a waste of time and money. I had in my files Aldo Columbini's predect-a-bility and it is 100 times better than this. This was very very boring and Aldo's version was way more fun. You can thank me later.
Bammo Crambazzled Dossier
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Lou Lepore (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 15 August, 2024)
Great stuff. Worker material
The Systematic Seer
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Christopher M. Reynolds (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 13 August, 2024)
I live in California, where the recreational use of marijuana is legal. I smoke a lot of pot - vast, Cheech & Chong-level amounts of pot. With that said, my memory isn't what it used to be. I can barely remember the last sentence I wrote. Thank goodness for Ken de Courcy.
Genius often lies in the simplicity of great art. The secret method behind Ken de Courcy's "The Systematic Seer" is simple, almost to the point of being insulting. It's as easy as remembering a phone number, and that's no hyperbole.
It's not a magic trick but a complete method of stress-free divination for those new to the art or easily tongue-tied while attempting to spout some silver-tongued psychic rhetoric.
When I first learned the secret method, I felt cheated out of my seven dollars. But it was only jealousy. I was mad that I hadn't thought of it myself.
The Systematic Seer was released in 1976. Since then, other writers and performers (like The Deceptionary's Doug Dyment) have taken de Courcy's idea and expanded on it. But the original suits me fine.
After a few hours of memorization, I put it into practice.
Sometimes, I read palms on my lunch break at work. Making up bullshit off the top of your head every day can be exhausting. Using the Systematic Seer method, I could give instant readings to people after learning only their first names.
Like I said, once you learn the secret, you'll hate yourself for buying it. But the results are fantastic if you put the information into practice (like I did).
Whether you're a mentalist, magician, or fortune teller, you'll want to add this to your repertoire. The only prop you need to carry around is your memory.
Buy it. Use it. This works.
Secrets of a Psychic Reader
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Curtis Foster
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 12 August, 2024)
I purchased a physical copy of this from Richard Webster off Doug Dyment’s Deceptionary.com years ago for $35. Charles Garner was my little secret for a long time but I guess the jig is up and people recognize him (whoever he really is) as someone with some very important things to say to certain types of people (i.e. people like us). I won't mention any of the many gems I picked up from him in his books; you’ll have to mine them out of his two books like I did. Regardless, a lot of who I am (my persona), what I do, and my goals are what they are because of what I learned from Charles Garner. With some material so good, the less said the better… and I’ve already said too much.
Ageless Artifices
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by John Kauth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 08 August, 2024)
These are more novelties than tricks. They are best suited as casual conversation starters in a bar or around a dinner table. You have probably seen all of them at one time or another. With that in mind, since you receive printable versions of all the tricks, this is much better value than purchasing the separately pre-made ones. I have seen these on magic websites for $3 to $5 each. I like stuff like this because they can be adapted into new and more complex tricks with some imagination.
Chris Wasshuber runs a wonderful website with tons of useful information. In his review guidelines, he suggests leaving some brief bio information in the magic reviews. I am 76 years old. Five years ago, a cruise ship had a magic show. I purchased his promotional kit with a few tricks. The magic bug bit hard. I now own the Tarbell books, 13 Steps to Mentalism, and many, many books and videos on Magic and Mentalism, which I have studied. I lean toward Mentalism as a fancy sleight of hand is difficult with arthritis. I mainly do thirty-minute shows for senior citizens living in my area.
Menta Color
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by John Kauth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 08 August, 2024)
This is probably one of the better bargains on Lybrary.com. It beautifully illustrates a mathematical principle that I have seen used in other tricks. You will recognize the name when you see it. When this method is embedded in more complex tricks, it can be not easy to follow and understand. As a stand-alone trick, this is not amazing. As a teaching method for mathematical principles, it is outstanding. Lots of possibilities to invent new tricks based on this using photos or symbols.
Chris Wasshuber runs a wonderful website with tons of useful information. In his review guidelines, he suggests leaving some brief bio information in the magic reviews. I am 76 years old. Five years ago, a cruise ship had a magic show. I purchased his promotional kit with a few tricks. The magic bug bit hard. I now own the Tarbell books, 13 Steps to Mentalism, and many, many books and videos on Magic and Mentalism, which I have studied. I lean toward Mentalism as a fancy sleight of hand is difficult with arthritis. I mainly do thirty-minute shows for senior citizens living in my area.
Incredo Book Test
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by John Kauth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 08 August, 2024)
This book test introduces a simple, clever method I have never seen before. You may groan at the method as it is so simple, but it is worth the price. The description is accurate: Any book can be used, but shorter books are best. There are no duplicate books with switched covers or the usual methods of forcing a page. There is no force. With a slight caveat described in the method, any page can be chosen. In 1958, this booklet sold for $10, so it is quite a bargain today.
Chris Wasshuber runs a wonderful website with tons of useful information. In his review guidelines, he suggests leaving some brief bio information in the magic reviews. I am 76 years old. Five years ago, a cruise ship had a magic show. I purchased his promotional kit with a few tricks. The magic bug bit hard. I now own the Tarbell books, 13 Steps to Mentalism, and many, many books and videos on Magic and Mentalism, which I have studied. I lean toward Mentalism as a fancy sleight of hand is difficult with arthritis. I mainly do thirty-minute shows for senior citizens living in my area.
Number 5
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Marc Rehula (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 07 August, 2024)
This is a surprisingly adaptable little, uh, thing? It can be a magic trick, it can be a numerological reading, it can lead to a Tarot reading, it can be all of them. Whatever you want. I'm a fan of Raj Madhok's Life Force Triangle (originally from Syzygy), but now in the 21st century, it's trickier to use (see John Carey's update of the effect). Number 5 can serve a similar function as an opener, and has even more potential to initiate a conversation that can help you to move to other magic or other readings.
Expert Card Technique
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Matthew Shannon (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 04 August, 2024)
The PDF file arrived within about 10 minutes! Very satisfied vs twice the price on Amazon. Thank you for the solid service.
Cut and Restored Balloon
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Joe Libby (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 03 August, 2024)
This is one of those obscure tricks that's a real gem. The balloon restoring itself when you blow it up is very visual and should surprise your audience. The gimmicked balloon is pretty easy to make. If you are looking for something different in balloon magic tricks, you may want to consider this one. Recommended.
Autobend Silverware
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Joe Libby
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 03 August, 2024)
Devin used to make and sell this very visual effect. But this ebook has very clear directions so you can make your own autobend spoon (or fork) for a few dollars. The effect will take a little practice, but it is not difficult, and Devin includes a lot of information on handling and presentation. Thanks to the phenomenon Uri Geller created, people expect magicians and mentalists to bend spoons, so this should play well in all kinds of venues. Highly recommended.
Double Impossible Prediction
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ben Williams (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 28 July, 2024)
Wow! This card trick is absolutely incredible. I love the thinking and combining of card principles. Using the spectator deck to produce a miracle is thrilling. The magician makes two predictions (no switches), and then the spectator shuffles the deck. It seems impossible, yet it's easily achievable. I've performed this five times and astonished everyone, including a seasoned gambler and cardman. This has become one of my go-to tricks.
The Pitchman's Svengali Routine
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dana Perkins (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 24 July, 2024)
I've seen and read different Svengali deck pitches performed, and what I like about this one is that while it shows a variety of different tricks that can be done with the deck, it never reveals how the deck actually works. Yet the words and the handling steadily move the spectators in the direction of "I need to buy one of these decks!"
The Little Green Lecture
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ridgely Hunt (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 23 July, 2024)
I bought this for just one thing: Clocking the Deck. Obviously, there is way more here. Glad I have it.
Flea Circus
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Louis Lepore (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 22 July, 2024)
There are better ones on the market.
Crazy 8, Crazy Cash
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Louis Lepore (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 22 July, 2024)
Great stuff as always.
A Very Great Deal
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by hal barlow (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 18 July, 2024)
The method and effect are good, but nothing new. It is the presentation and funny tag lines that make this a five-star. You will actually want to perform this just as it is written. It is not hard to do, and very entertaining.
Across the Bridge
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Bastian Meitner (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 July, 2024)
I really like this trick, the principle does most of the work and you can focus on the presentation. I say "most" of the work because you'll have to get used to it...
Only downside is that you need a bit of space on the table.
The Gimmick MagiZette: Volume 4, Issue 2 (Oct - Dec 2014)
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Chet Cox (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 July, 2024)
Solyl and I are friends, separated by an ocean and a common disrespectful relationship with the English language. I doubt this would prejudice my opinion of the Gimmicks MagiZette.
This review is applicable to almost every issue of the MagiZette, as the quality, education level, and entertainment levels are of consistently high value, lessened perhaps by my inability to provide a column on a punctual, consistent basis. Blame a nomadic lifestyle, which has only recently settled.
Besides the columns that review magicians and their magic, various magic “tricks” of good quality and fairly simple skill, there are the occasional and clever comic panels and interviews. Where the Gimmick MagiZette truly shines, is with the priceless background and history of one of the birthplaces of our crafty art/artful craft. It would be a great benefit to see these articles bound into a compilation of the origins of effects and styles of the wizard’s craft, which includes some very important, yet little-known biographical stories and interviews of giants of magic.
—- All this for only two bucks an issue makes Solyl’s magazine a bargain and a historical treasure! Highly recommended for those winter reading hours!