Read What Others Are Saying: page 36
111 ★★★★★ reviews
68 ★★★★★ reviews
55 ★★★★★ reviews
75 ★★★★★ reviews
Six Easy-To-Do Card Miracles
reviewed by Christopher WeberRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 28 April, 2015)
Another book of winners! Thank you Paul for another wonderful contribution to the magic fraternity. The effects in Six Easy-To-Do Card Miracles are fun and easy to perform. Let's you focus on presentation which is what it's all about. The "Tips for Maximizing your performance" in the Introduction alone is are worth the price of the book! Something here for everyone and again, lots of great presentational possibilities. Enjoy Pauls' clean, clear relaxed writing style that is so easy to follow. The one thing I've noticed about Paul's effects can be summed up in two words..."They Work!" I'm sure you will agree...Enjoy!
Six Easy-To-Do Card Miracles
reviewed by Roy EidemRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 27 April, 2015)
Paul Lelekis has done it again! Low price & great, do-able, entertaining magic. If you don't do "Poker Mental" this handling is a breeze and so easy to understand in Paul's easy to read writing style. Multiple card effects are taught for one low price. Advise on performance style & the bonus effect are gravy on top.
Everyone Picks The Aces
reviewed by Paul LelekisRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 26 April, 2015)
I just noticed that there is yet another Bonus effect in Ronald Wood's e-book! It is his very first published effect! I just ran through it, cards in hand, and "Are These Your Card" is also a fast-paced commercial routine! Great thinking here!
Everyone Picks The Aces
reviewed by Paul LelekisRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 26 April, 2015)
Those who love close-up, whether it is table-hopping magic, strolling magic or just a party get-together will love both of the effects that Mr. Wood has presented in the e-book! No table is required and both offerings are quick, easy to perform effects that will please your spectators! The first effect, "Everyone Picks the Aces" is very clever "marriage" of a classic Larry Jennings effect and a Roy Walton effect with an excellent spin by Ronnie Wood! Both are VERY commercial effects with all patter included! Highly Recommended!
Flea Business
reviewed by Martin DuffyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 24 April, 2015)
I sold Flea Circuses for 8 years and only wish this book had been available to include with every purchase - its fantastic!
There's loads of advice, gags and bits of business that will prove invaluable to anyone owning - or thinking of buying - a Flea Circus.
I especially like the links to video clips in the pdf enabling you to actually see what Troy is describing in print.
Recommended!!
Hoax Issue 3
reviewed by Keith B.Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 18 April, 2015)
Issue 3 is chock full of good stuff. For those old to close up you'll find 'Color Blind' & 'Simple Sandwich' very old ideas that you've likely done already, but if your newer you'll find these excellent new ideas to ponder. The rest of the effects are all good.
For the price it's an absolute steal. Sort of a rebirth of Apocalypse & Richard's Almanac but all cards. I enjoyed it and I think most will.
Gems of Mental Magic
reviewed by Chet Cox (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 17 April, 2015)
One of the richest mine of mental magic/mentalism, still in use. Copperfield's Graffiti Wall? The principle is in here.
By focusing on principles instead of doing your thinking for you, it opens up the possibilities of making YOUR version of any effect being different from anyone else's - and uniquely your own.
Secret of Touching Cobras - Without Getting Bitten
reviewed by Tor Ravengael (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 07 April, 2015)
Part of the method involved here is sickeningly cruel beyond belief. It involves causing injury and pain to the animal over and over over again. I'm not being dramatic. The book clearly describes it as "injury," and that's exactly what it is. It's just plain sadistic. Although the description states that the book is for educational and informational purposes only, he nonetheless tells you where you can buy a cobra, and the text is littered with phrases starting with "if you are going to..." and suggestions on what to feed your cobra. Yes, your cobra. The one that you didn't purchase and don't have because the book is for educational and informational purposes only. But if you do have a cobra, here's how you can repeatedly torture it.
Killing Classics 2
reviewed by Paul HallasRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 04 April, 2015)
Another nice collection of card magic from Jozsef. The e-book contains nine effects, my favorite two being "Opener Easy Aces" (which if you have a blank faced card and a couple of decks you'll be doing in minutes) and 4/4 which if you make up you'll have a mind blower, it just needs a little table space to perform. I'm sure others will have their own favorites but these were the two standouts for me.
In the first routine mentioned the performer finds the four aces, then they aces become blank cards and the aces are down on the table. The other routine uses as it's starting point routines by Aldo Colombini and David Britland. Four quartered cards are selected from a bunch and the spectator decides which numbered cards they are placed onto. The selected numbers are totaled and the result used to find a card in a deck. This card matches the four quarters, then the rest of the deck is shown blank.
You'll definitely use something from this new booklet.
The Complete Oracle
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 03 April, 2015)
It is difficult to praise this eBook. So many things to say, none of it adequate. It is the best dollar investment I've ever made in a magic book/magazine/video. If you possess both the wit to recognize its value, and the rather meager price to buy this collection, you will not regret the time you spend pouring over it. You will find brilliant methods, unbelievable utility devices, lectures of value, and an amazing concentration of elegant magic contained with in. The tips, interviews, and lectures themselves will attract most serious performers to this work. Very high quality contributions by some inventive and insightful geniuses.
Kara's Crystal Visions
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 03 April, 2015)
This eBook contains a wealth of interesting and sometimes challenging questions. It can provide superior practice material for a Q&A routine. If you ever wanted to reach out and connect with your audience, well considered answers can supply that bridge. People love to hear about themselves and to have a "parental" voice guide them through life's difficulties. While some of the answers Kara gives are rather confrontational by today's politically correct standards, most of his answers are sharp and insightful. I feel that I got a real bargain and actually use this material in rehearsal and practice.
Balls
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 03 April, 2015)
Through the clever use of combined older methods, Mr. Olschewski has created a terrific 2 person concept that can also be accomplished as a single performer. The props are as promised, very inexpensive and should not require much maintenance or wear thru regular use. Whenever I see his name attached to an effect I know it will be something of quality. Once again, Mr. Olschewski does not disappoint. For such a meager investment you will gain a utility that has abundant possibilities.
Limitless: more than 50 effects using the Romero Box
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 02 April, 2015)
This eBook describes how to build the gimmicked box, but also includes other designs and variations. This is a very useful utility device for any card worker. But then, Mr. Romero outdoes himself as he and his friends present some 50 effects of such variety that you are sure to be drawn to at least a few. If you aren't handy and prefer to purchase the gimmick, his website is listed. Give this some serious consideration.
An Introduction to Mentalism
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 02 April, 2015)
Don't let the price fool you. This fine primer is worth at least a dollar a page for any starting mentalist. Mr. Browning expresses himself admirably as he guides the reader like the mentor that most of us wish we'd had. The groundwork he lays is sure to raise a fine crop of mental magicians and mentalists. I tip my hat to you sir and assure you that yours has become the first book on my recommendation list for budding "mind wizards".
Lucky 13
reviewed by Paul Booth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 02 April, 2015)
I have enjoyed a number of Dale Hildebrandt's offerings in the past. When I spotted Lucky 13 I was especially enthusiastic about the first offering using a person's own computer. Unfortunately, the premise upon which the method is based is Windows XP based and there are less and less of them every year. Otherwise, Mr. Hildebrandt is clearly targeting readers who have a well established library and a closet full of magic gadgets in this nice little book. His writing and thinking never fail to inspire me to take another look at some of the old books, methods and my own magic junk drawer. At a dollar a trick or essay, I'd say that its a pretty decent price.
Obscure Marlo
reviewed by Christopher Weber (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 30 March, 2015)
Another terrific e-book from Paul Lelekis. The effects in Obscure Marlo are all very direct and easily mastered by the average (that's me) magician. As with all of Paul's publications his explanations are excellent and easy to follow. His teaching style is very comfortable and the slights he teaches are presented and explained perfectly. I'm really enjoying working through "Obscure Marlo". The effects are all "workers" and the bonus presentational material will open the door to your own creative thinking and routines. Thanks Paul!
Obscure Marlo
reviewed by Roy EidemRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 29 March, 2015)
Truly "Marlo without Tears" as this is Marlo material within the grasp of this bar magician. Direct Magic with card magic easily executed and presented by card genius in our field. Paul is a worker's worker.
Obscure Marlo
reviewed by Enrico VarellaRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 24 March, 2015)
Hot on the heels of ‘The Art of Magical Entertainment’, Paul Lelekis publishes ‘Obscure Marlo’.
Those of the Marlovian card persuasion may embrace his prolific ideas, and ubiquitous variants, with enthusiasm. However, his works are still considered ‘obscure’ and ‘eccentric’ unless you spent time with the cardician at his Table in Chicago.
In this e-book, Lelekis demystifies Marlo and presents five main items, one of which has three routines in it. ‘The Switchless Switch’ is an easy sleight that allows you to ‘muck’ the packet. ‘The Poker Supreme’ allows you to explain how cheaters win in a hand of poker, with no need for challenging dealing. ‘Marlo’s 21-Card Trick’ uses a clever Marlo invention (often attributed to Vernon) to locate a selected card that transposes from one packet to the other two. ‘Without A Key Card’ uses a simple mathematical principle to locate a spectator’s card that he buried into the deck. ‘Space, Time and Love’ is a collection of scientific patter you can use in your pieces of strange with your pasteboards.
With my cards in hand, I tested out each effect and conclude that these are easy-to-do, cleverly-chosen, practical effects that Lelekis has tested out in the trenches. You may have to re-read some of his descriptions to grasp the relevance of the methods and applications; I did. Buy it, and use the ideas.
Improved Brainwave Deck
reviewed by Joel Kaplan (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 12 March, 2015)
Excellent! No worries about cards sticking together like the decks sold in magic stores.
Clearly explained.
Very thorough, as are all of Devin's products.
JK
The Magic Pendulum
reviewed by Chris Somerville (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 12 March, 2015)
There are a surprising number of books purporting to show how to use a dowsing pendulum for magic and mindreading effects. As an enthusiast over 50 years I think I have read them all and this is the best. It is also the cheapest, an absolute bargain. In fact most of the others are very highly priced, yet they contain less meat and a great deal more padding. Anderson's book is very well written, which isn't surprising since he was a journalist, and contains a great number of straightforward, well routined and professional quality effects, which is surprising since George was an Armchair Mentalist as opposed to the professional performer status of many of the authors dealing offering similar material.
This is a complete package for anyone interested in presenting an act based upon the Pendulum. There is an introductory spiel and each of the tricks offered will blend smoothly into the next. In addition to the modus operandi George gives presentation and patter ideas for each effect. The book also contains variations and additional material from other magicians. If I have any criticism it is that the act as outlined does not move to a proper climax. Nevertheless, with this book alone I am sure that many people will be able to create a very workable sequence to great effect. This is a very interesting angle from which to tackle mentalism which can be made very plausible to the layman.
I suggest that any mentalist is search of a novel approach should consider the Pendulum, and to any so inclined I strongly recommend this book.
The Magic Pendulum
reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 March, 2015)
This is a great little book. Shows you how to take standard Mentalism effects and incorporate a pendulum. The effects build one onto the other though I would not perform all of them in one sitting.
Black Art: a DIY version
reviewed by Chris Somerville (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 March, 2015)
This book is a great disappointment. It is called Black Art: a DIY version. It certainly isn't going to help anyone to do it themselves. Actually the authors have a very superficial knowledge of the subject. Also what little information is included is badly out of date. For example while the Black Theatre of Prague are mentioned in the blurb the Black Art technique they employed is never mentioned in the book. Probably the authors never knew about it and so can be excused. But surely the publisher should, if claiming this a DIY booklet, should have made some attempt to bring it up to date.
Black Art originally used a totally black stage with all white props and a performer dressed in white. He was assisted in his magic by secret assistants dressed in black velvet costumes, and with black velvet coverings for white props which were to appear. The invisibility of the black on black principle was ensured by the whole proscenium being covered with light bulbs facing the audience, in other words the picture was framed with bright light. These lights were known as "blinders".
A later development by the Black Theatre of Prague and other puppet companies was to do away with the "blinders" or illuminated proscenium. They too used black clad assistants and black covers for vanishes and appearances, but the technique was subtly different. Very narrow beamed spotlights were shone across the stage from the wings, creating a side-to-side curtain of light. The black clad assistants stood behind this curtain and pushed anything to become visible into the light from behind. This method of lighting became possible due to the improvement in stage lighting equipment and lenses to control the beam shape and profile. It had the great advantage of allowing coloured props and costumes rather than the all white necessity of the earlier system.
Another technique used, sometimes on its own and sometimes additionally, was Black Light. This used Ultra Violet lamps which gave out virtually no visible light, but which made objects or costumes treated with uv paints or dyes glow vividly on an all black stage.
All this information is non existent in this book. But even judging it on the technique it does purport to cover, Black Art using "blinders", it is sadly lacking in any D.I.Y. information. For example there is no mention of the type of the lamps to use, of how many or how bright - essential information if you want the effect to work. Nor is there any discussion of the use of black velvet which, because it has a slight pile or nap, has to be hung one particular way when it looks dead black. Hang it the wrong way and the black art effect just doesn't work. (Many magicians making a square circle production box, or constructing a black art well in a table, have discovered this the hard way.)
Personally I doubt whether the authors had any personal experience of presenting a Black Art act. I think their ideas are pipe dreams. That is not to say that they are without value ... but the value is slight in that they can only be used if you already have the knowledge that the book fails to deliver.
The Vampire Effect: how to cast no reflection
reviewed by David BurburyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 10 March, 2015)
Totally agree with Christian Taylor, was totally disappointed when I read it, its very hyped up in the description and falls very flat when you read the "method". not recommended
Pocket Riser
reviewed by John R Anderson (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 10 March, 2015)
Great trick and a great value for the price! Similar tricks are on the market and are very expensive. The video delivers exactly what is promised. The guy on the video is easy to understand and steps are easy to see and do. I made the gimmick in less than an hour. Highly recommended to the magician looking for a super close-up/walk around/table trick that plays big and packs small.
The Prototypes of the Everymen of Magicians (a parody)
reviewed by Ilse-MarieRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 07 March, 2015)
Worth every penny! They really should charge something for this. The biggest secret you will ever learn. But please don't tell it to ANYBODY!