Read What Others Are Saying: page 37
151 ★★★★★ reviews
103 ★★★★★ reviews
67 ★★★★★ reviews
105 ★★★★★ reviews
The Ultimate Page Force
reviewed by Ronald M LevyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 01 August, 2016)
I have always wanted to learn a way to force a page from an ordinary book by riffling the pages and having the participant call: “Stop!” All of the methods I had tried either looked contrived, or were not what a real mindreader would do, like throw dice to get a page number. Then I read Devin Knight’s “The Ultimate Page Force “ and finally found what I had been searching for. This is easy, (although like good magic, practice in front of a mirror is needed), and it looks natural, does not appear contrived, and looks like what a real mindreader would do. The excellent photographs that illustrate the step-by-step performance of the method are priceless, and complement the clarity of his explanation.
Devin Knight has given a true Utility that opens the door to the performance of many baffling and entertaining effects.
Production from Any Ungimmicked Magazine
reviewed by Ronald M LevyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 01 August, 2016)
How often have you watched magicians amaze you by producing something substantial, seemingly out of empty space. Devin Knight explains how you can produce a glass of spring flowers or silks from what is shown to the audience as a flat everyday magazine. The magazine is unprepared and there are no body loads. Merely tear off the back cover, forming it into a tube, and right there on your hand you can raise the tube and amazingly produce a variety of items.
This is well written and clearly explained with Devin’s helpful diagrams. The audience will be amazed that so much could be mysteriously tucked somehow in a flat ordinary magazine.
Ostrakinda
reviewed by Gerard ZittaRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 29 July, 2016)
Thanks for your review. What you are reviewing is the first effect ("OSTRA"). The last effect ("OSTRAKINDA") has nothing to do with TH. It is more similar to "CHEAT HAND".
Thanks for pointing this out to me. I have now added a summary of OSTRAKINDA and hopefully clearer explanations...
PS: I don't know how to rate my comment (-: so I am instead rating yours!
Ostrakinda
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 July, 2016)
"Which hand" routines are popular these days. Even the great Derren Brown does a which-hand performance Probably the best known--at least best selling--version is Mark Elsdon's Tequila Hustler. One way of doing which hand is heavily process driven, and Elsdon seems to have come up with an excellent way of hiding the process so that it doesn't look like something that you'd easily suspect. Ostrakinda really is Elsdon's approach as applied to Max Maven's positive/negative. In other words, you use Elsdon's process to determine whether the coin is heads or tails.
Being sort of an afficiando of all these which hand and positive/negative routines, I knew almost immediately that this is basically nothing more than substituting some verbiage in Elsdon's routine. But admittedly, I didn't think of it first, and it works perfectly. Is it worth $12 instead of Tequila Huster? (It is indeed less expensive.) Probably not. I think this might have been better as a variant included at the end of the Tequila Hustler book. If you don't have Tequilla Hustler, buy that ebook because it has a lot of theory, variants, and performance tips for this type of process. If you do have Tequilla Hustler and want to apply it to positive/negative, then Ostrakinda will do the trick. But after you read it, you'll probably agree with me that this would have been better as a variant rather than a stand-alone effect.
Why A Magic Square Should Not Be A Magic Square
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 July, 2016)
The Unknown Mentalist gives some excellent, practical advice on how to camouflage a magic square so that it doesn't look like a magic square or the dreaded mathe-magic. It's all in the presentation, of course, and he supplies you with a really good, straightforward, pure magic square routine that looks simply like adding random numbers, not necessarily selected as numbers. (Get the ebook, and you'll find out what I mean.)
Audiences are more sophisticated these days, and what was once astonishing in the gas-light era is just ho-hum in the Internet age. It's nice to read this thoughtful ebook. We need more writing like this to help us tweak classic performance tools for the 21st Century. I'm sure Martin Gardner would have been proud.
Why A Magic Square Should Not Be A Magic Square
reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 July, 2016)
Do not be square learn to present the square with the authors creative look on this much under used item. As in the advertising words states ''This is not about construction of a magic square. This is about presenting and representing a magic square in such a manner that the audience cannot uncover your secrets by doing a simple search on the internet, which is what is happening to most of the magic square routines these days.'' Not just magic square routines but other magic effects presented to spectators should be given the same train of thought. Back to this work on squares it is vary easy reading and well thought out as is all the authors works in my increasingly growing collection of his mathematics based creative ideas. As a lover of the late Martin Gardner's works I find his ideas Must have some how influenced the unknown mentalist ? or some over mathematicians work. I would also recommend visiting markfarrar.co.uk and to study his Magic Square resource page it will stimulate like this work by the Unknown Mentalist's your brain too.
The Psychic Tarot
reviewed by James Sadler (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 25 July, 2016)
I've been looking for a book with a concise, no nonsense approach to learning the cards. I couldn't be happier with Bob Cassidy's The Psychic Tarot.
Heart Matricks
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 23 July, 2016)
I had to read this a couple of times but it is another GREAT effect by the UNKNOWN MENTALIST. While MIND MATRICKS cannot be beat for entertainment value this is a great companion value. The effect CAN be done both humorously and seriously/emotionally. I'm glad to have purchased MIND MATRICKS, HEART MATRICKS, and TRIALOGUE from a great friend!!!
By the way, if you like the principle found in MIND MATRICKS and HEART MATRICKS, you might also want to purchase the ebook by Sam Dalal called 'Magic with an ESP Deck'. (Sold by Lybrary.com) The effect is called 'One in 14,400'. I have used it for quite a few years as it is very effective for the spectators as it makes THEM look psychic.
Thanks for updating this principle!
Again, my compliments to the Unknown Mentalist.
David W. Burmeister
Mind Matricks
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 23 July, 2016)
The UNKNOWN MENTALIST has done it again. This is an old effect that is modernized. I would recommend buying this immediately. It is a great effect with a great theme.
David W. Burmeister
Golf Ball in Glass
reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 20 July, 2016)
Devin Knight has covered all that is important use items that spectators would not expect or have seen used in a magic effect routine with amazed responce. Following the instructions I have successfully put a golf ball into a jar myself.
52.13 ACAAN
reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 20 July, 2016)
I purposely wont give a revue on this work instead I recommend purchase, learn, perfect, practice and perform for your self and you too will soon like this writers creative thinking mind. You wont be sorry for your small investment it will also inspire your own mind too
The Milky Way
reviewed by Ronald M LevyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 20 July, 2016)
These three entertaining effects with real drinkable milk ( Yes: real fresh cold milk! ) - in a real glass - have been revived and modernized from a lost U.F. Grant description. They can be performed for adults and children, and two of them are made for using at least two participants at a magic show. They are baffling. Devin explains how to inexpensively make the props yourself, and has figured out how to always keep the milk fresh and cold. His instructions for performance are clear and well written. This really is a lost and unattainable manuscript, and you will enjoy performing Devin’s updated versions of these three effects. Don’t pass this up. These effects could be the hit of your magic show.
Untraceable
reviewed by Jozsef KovacsRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 July, 2016)
Nice applications of an old principle. Especially like the first effect, it is very clever.
Golf Ball in Glass
reviewed by Devin Knight (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 15 July, 2016)
The golf ball in glass was used on the Penn & Teller Fool Us TV show. The magician used a force to have an item chosen from a list. It was a golf ball. He showed a duplicate empty jar which was secretly switched. A golf ball appeared inside the jar; he showed it could not be removed, proving it must have materialized inside. (Otherwise, how else did it get inside the jar?) This was a clever use of this idea, showing how this impossible object can be applied to magic routines and not just as a novelty to look at. A clever idea worth knowing.
Advanced Card Control Volume 2: False Deals
reviewed by Keith Faler (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 13 July, 2016)
Great video, highly recocommend it. I have 17 video clips of this series, also. I don't like the zip download format though.
You'r paying $29 for the video, which is expensive, so why not watch it, several times?? Instead of just watching clips that suit your particular needs.
I like to watch the video, several times, just to get the general overview, and a better perspective, of what's being taught.Then after that, I will then pick out several clips, that I can use, for my own card manipulations.
You can't get that from books. Books are very limited, not enough illustrations, and a waste of time to go through. With videos, you can eliminate the guessing games, you'll get, in reading books.
This is in response to the product description.
Let's Take A Breather
reviewed by Christopher WeberRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 12 July, 2016)
Here is another outstanding contribution to card magic from Paul Lelekis. Written in Paul's pleasant and easy to grasp style he explores some practical uses for the Breather Crimp. For those new to the Breather Crimp, Paul fully explains this secret device used as a tool to locate cards and aid in the execution of some amazing card magic. The making of the crimp is clearly illustrated and very easy to construct. Paul starts by giving some easy to understand and very practical advice that will help you incorporate the Breather Crimp into your own routines and generally improve your magic overall. As always his advice and performance suggestions are very solid "down to earth" based on real life experience from a person who has as we say in the education field, clearly learned by doing!
The routines are all very approachable by the average magician and as with much of Paul's material the impact on the audience far exceeds the technical effort the magician has to put into them. These routines work great and they are comfortable to perform with most of your concentration on the presentation. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn all about this amazing card utility. Here is another solid winner from Paul Lelekis for all of us to benefit from and enjoy!
Winnebago: an experiment in remote viewing
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 12 July, 2016)
Winnebago is essentially "Calling the Cards"--or in this case, card--with the twist of having the spectator as mentalist. (Watch Richard Osterlind's version of Calling the Cards on a few of his DVDs with the spectator's having three cards in his pocket. It is fantastic.) The routine, played as remote viewing, is OK; it will definitely work if you have a standard mentalism technique down cold; and although I haven't performed it yet, I am fairly certain that I could get a nice reaction out of it. But it's just not worth $15, more like $8 or $5--or maybe even less as one of nine effects in a version of Mark Elsdon's classic Conversation as Mentalism booklets that go for $30 each. Anyway, I hate to be negative to sincere, hardworking mentalists who put out material, but my rating reflects a good effect that is way overpriced.
The Best Short Change Scam Ever
reviewed by Ronald M LevyRating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 11 July, 2016)
This is really very well done. Devin first explains this scam in a way that that he plays the part of a scammer, and Devin’s writing fooled me and several other people - we would have lost money. Then he gives a clear unambiguous explanation of how the scam works, and Devin, in addition, gives good instruction on how to defend yourself from the scam by detecting that someone is attempting to pull it on you. This is necessary because several former storekeepers told me that they were once swindled by it, and that it is still practiced by scammers today. Good reading, and worth knowing.
Scripted #4: The 21 Card Trick
reviewed by Alfred Dowaliby (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 10 July, 2016)
Today I acquired "Scripted #4: The 21 Card Trick. As a professional magician for over 20 years who believes that patter (aka script) and presentation are the most important component of selling a routine to the audience, I was delighted. Mr. Brodahl has combined and incorporated elements of deception, psychology, comedy, and what Dai Vernon called an "emotional hook," into this very cleverly devised routine. The 21 Card Trick is a very old trick and quite likely the first card trick learned by the overwhelming majority of people who try their hand at doing a card trick. In its original incarnation, it is still a baffling effect: After all, when asked in an interview how he got into magic, Ed Marlo said [paraphrased], "I saw the 21 Card trick and that was it; I never turned back."
Mr. Brodahl has cleverly camouflaged the fact that, in essence, the trick is the 21 Card Trick. The hook is a test of the spectator's psychic abilities which from the outset, diverts the focus upon it being a hackneyed mechanical/mathematical card trick. I am sure that, at least laymen, will not recognize it as the trick they themselves learned. Without the necessity for difficult or complex sleights, there are a number of ruses and deviations from the classic handling that create impermeable layers of disguise that will not be seen through by any but perhaps the most ingenious of observers - and that's what this script and routine created by Larry is: ingenious.
Postscript: Despite my many years in magic, I had never come across the Jay Ose false cut, which is utilized to great advantage in the routine. It is amazing and ironic to me that if the cards were cut into three piles (as in the initial part of the cut) and then reassembled "fairly," i.e., in a manner that would result in the cards being truly cut, it would look like a false cut, whereas when the procedure of the Jay Ose false cut is followed in the reassembly of the three piles, it looks like a real cut. I will be definitely using the cut in my card magic.
Just Think
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 10 July, 2016)
This one goes way back. I got Just Think because I was curious. I had an idea of how it worked--and I was right. And for those of you who get this, you will immediately note that this effect uses the same principle as a famous item that has been on the market since the 1950s, though this version is 100% pure and uses no gimmicks whatsoever. I like Devin's use of this effect as after-show individual future telling and also his performance hints. I don't think that you can effectively use it for a main act unless, of course, you are a real fortune teller because to quote Rick Maue, "TERASABOS." Pros will know what I mean and could make some use of this. Mentalism neophytes, despite your skepticism, this kind of stuff really does work. But it takes chutzpah, audience management, personality, and experience.
Ask Pythagoras
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 10 July, 2016)
This is a great effect and Robin Gillett is another nice mentalist that I consider a friend.
This might scare some of you at the beginning because of the mathematical equations are shown. The mathematical equations just show you how this mathematical puzzle started. It even has a crib sheet so you can literally read the reading to the spectator.
But don't be afraid...This is Great!
If you can add and subtract YOU can do this.
Plus THE UNKNOWN MENTALIST has a routine that I know a lot of us will be doing also.
I now have four different effects I can do with the illusion of numerology and all really boggle spectators.
I definitely give this a 5+ star rating
David W. Burmeister
Scripted #4: The 21 Card Trick
reviewed by Ferry Gerats (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 09 July, 2016)
Very good publication. Amazing that it is free. Mr. Brodahl shows you how to turn the old hackneyed 21 cardtrick into entertainment. At the same time the given presentation obscures the fact that a mathematical procedure is the modus operandi for locating the chosen card. On top of that Mr. Brodahl also gives you an insight how the presentation came about. So if you want to acquire the skill to make your own presentations there is a wonderful lesson to be learned here!
Scripted #4: The 21 Card Trick
reviewed by Dave Arch (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 09 July, 2016)
Who can make the 21 Card Trick entertaining? Larry Brodahl and does in his Scripted #4 manuscript. In addition, I found several of his script ideas immediately applicable to other routines I currently perform. The greatest mystery of all is why it's free. Some very fresh thinking.
Elemental 2
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 09 July, 2016)
Again I want to compliment THE UNKNOWN MENTALIST about doing a great job with ELEMENTAL 2 and ELEMENTAL.
I do want to say that this requires a lot more memory work than SIGNATURE and STAR SIGNATURE but is well worth it.
Imagine revealing pretty much everything regarding the zodiac sign etc as these routines describe.
I'm proud to have this effect in my STAR SIGN collection from the UNKNOWN MENTALIST.
David W. Burmeister
Star Signature
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 09 July, 2016)
The UNKNOWN MENTALIST has done it again!
This STAR SIGN revelation is great no matter what caliber of mentalist you are!
I personally believe this is perfect to use for spectators not knowing their STAR SIGN as the prop has the dates and STAR SIGNS on it so the spectator doesn't have to spell anything in their head without looking at it.
I personally like THE ZERO QUESTIONS METHOD in this ebook.
Two effects that I will definitely use are SIGNATURE for impromptu use without props and STAR SIGNATURE with props.
I give BOTH of these effects a 10 STAR rating.
Again a job well done by a great mentalist and personal friend!!!