reviewed by Enrico Varella
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 February, 2019)
These seven gems in this new book is certainly worth your while. Well within the average skills of the magician, these, time-tested, effects you and will use, almost immediately - with some rehearsal, of course. I used the Apparition Coin, straight away, in one of my coin routines. The videos accompanying this book should easily facilitate your learning of Direct Collectors. This went straight into my bank of anytime-anywhere card effects. I sought a brown-bag after reading Paper Bag Blindfold, for I intend to do Sight-less, mind-reading, routine - simple, and devious. Packs flat, should play big! SLCTETC spells well when you want a variation of 'Spectator Picks 4-Of-A-Kind'. Enjoy this book!
reviewed by Rick Carruth
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 25 February, 2019)One of the highlights of my week is when Paul publishes a new ebook. Always very affordable and always full of good 'stuff'... an eclectic mix of effects for any skill level by a true worker. Amazing Magic 1 includes a nice array of card magic effects, sleights.. including videos, and a mental effect, a coin effect, and an ESP effect. The Best Buy for your money anywhere..
reviewed by Roy Eidem
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 25 February, 2019)Paul Lelekis is a full-time close-up worker who knows magic what entertains & dazzles his audiences. For 10 bucks you get commercial routines, performance subtitles, & videos from a real pro.
reviewed by Christoher Weber
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 February, 2019)It’s still winter here in the Northeast. I could use some “Amazing Magic” to warm things up. Here it is! Amazing Magic Vol.1 by Paul Lelekis. A wonderful collection of 7 effects that are all very solid straight-forward and performance tested for maximum audience impact. “Direct Collectors” features two great moves (video included) that are killer. A strong effect that as its title says is very direct. It rocks, and this one is worth the price of the book right here! “Triple Miracle” is an appealing prediction effect where Paul has brilliantly solved several of the little problems that are inherent with similar effects. A very cool coin move is taught in “Apparition Coin”. This move is entertaining to do and once you get the knack, it becomes one of those moves you’ll love to do just to fool yourself! What fun! Slctetc” is a very smooth four Ace production where each ace is produced in a different way; including a terrific method and patter for a well know force where the spectator cuts to the final ace. “Paper Bag Blindfold” is a riot! You’ll be making one for yourself as soon as you finish reading the method. It really works…check it out! “You Must Be Psychic” gives you the bare bones of an awesome effect that teaches a great stack that you might not be familiar with and has lots of room for you to add your own ESP patter. Finally, there is “Sympathetic Card Miracle” a modernized version of a fabulous Roy E. Smith routine. Very streamlined and backed up with some nice videos of the moves. A strong effect that you’ll find can be helpful in practicing a move you may have shied away from. Paul includes a convincing added subtlety that is a real kicker. Treat yourself to some Amazing Magic right now!
reviewed by Michael Lyth
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 February, 2019)
I don't own as yet but what a wonderful way to give something back to a visual impaired person. Without purchase I would still give a five star ratting for practicality
reviewed by Dave Arch (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 12 February, 2019)
Four items with three spectators I believe puts this Liar/Truthteller routine in a class by itself let alone the fact that Mr. Brodahl gives you a solid premise for why a magician would even care about being able to tell a lie from the truth. If you've read any of his other offerings, you know that the author's attention to detail is second to none. This is no exception. And as I get older, I appreciate more and more that he also figured out a way to minimize any memory work. Thank you Larry.
reviewed by Julie Ann Johnson
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 11 February, 2019)
This little book on pitching has been gold to many people, and still can be, for those who want to do the work. I have used Stan's ideas, and will continue to do so. For those who say it is "old-fashioned," I say, just try it at historical themed venues, and keep it light and breezy. It works. Everyone wants their horoscope on a warn summer day.
reviewed by Brian Smedley
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 01 February, 2019)
Great content!! Check out my video review of Kevin Casaretto book on my YouTube channel Magic, Ventriloquism and more.
Brian Smedley/Myriad Creative Entertainment.
reviewed by Albert Lucio (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 31 January, 2019)
The description for this trick is more clever than the method. When reading the description my head swirled with solutions. This was based on a "subtle principle"! it has to be interesting. So I contemplated it's construction. Will it be reminiscent of a Martin Gardner or Bob Hummer effect with the spectators placing and moving coins around the triangle in a procedural way? Will it have a cunning logic puzzle solution to discern the coin and colored spots like the truth/liar puzzle? Will this rely on a certain placement or revelation of information that the spectator unknowingly provides to the performer? Maybe an interesting force? Hmmm...What was the "subtle principle"? I was curious. As a collector of methods, I paid the meager $4 to test my solutions (solutions that ruled out rudimentary approaches like a confederate) and learn something new.
First off this is short document. Eliminate the cover and the triangle page and you have a one page trick. That's fine. There are some very clever tricks that only need one page to provide adequate instruction. The instructions are pretty clear. It is bare bones. No patter or script, just description. The "method" itself is quite sparse with no tips to help in execution.
The cost is... well... $4. It is not costly but given the method it is expensive enough to be annoying.
So what is the method? Like it reads it's a "subtle principle". So we have to examine that phrase. First, it's not a new principle, or even a clever principle. In fact, it's not technically a "principle." That would indicate that it relies on a system. It doesn't. As for the word "subtle," it would be correct to describe a requirement of the method to make the trick work. But their lies the problem... the method. It is both glaring and uninteresting. It is the flaw in the design of the trick, a design that doesn't feel thought out. A flaw that tries to hide behind the use of the triangle, which is unnecessary to the "subtle principle."
The most unfortunate part of the product is that if the creator had created a new principle or had applied an old principle in a clever way that it spurred new possibilities then this would be a better product. But neither happens. In the end it is a flimsy Cracker Jack box trick disguised with clever ad copy.
reviewed by Dave Arch (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 07 January, 2019)
The bump created by this ingenious device is truly invisible to my eyes and yet easily felt by my fingertip. Thank you, Chris, for providing a device in which I can place much confidence that my audience will not discover the secret no matter how much they handle the deck.
reviewed by Murshid Islam (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 06 January, 2019)
This download is a 90-second video, only 38 seconds of which is the actual explanation. I think potential buyers should know this even though it is a good double turnover.
reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 05 January, 2019)
What’s Old Is New
If you are looking to perform something new then look to the past. This a treasure trove of long forgotten principles and effects. Yes there are things in here you will probably never do but as pointed out in the introduction study the principle behind the effect and see if you can apply it. It is also fun to see some of the old effects from the past. Some of the old illusions would be great for someone who does haunted house attractions during Halloween. For the low price there are several Items that are worth the price alone. I put off for several years purchasing this publication, that was a mistake.
reviewed by Rick Carruth
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 03 January, 2019)
Like many of Paul's ebooks, this one contains a great cross section of effects. There is something for everyone. All effects are explained in great detail, as Paul walks you through the methods and performances with understanding and thoughtfulness. The Muscle Pass video alone is worth the cost. When Paul says you can learn it in seconds, he's on the up and up. I will be recommending 'Even More of My Favorites' to all my friends and readers. Good stuff...
reviewed by Christopher Weber
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 31 December, 2018)Even More of My Favorites by Paul Lelekis opened a new door for me. I had given up on the Muscle Pass, then Paul's version came along and the next thing you know, I was doing a Muscle Pass!! Hooray!" You'll love this Bonus effect. Worth the price of the book right there! The book contains some nice well thought out routines that really work well. I particularly enjoyed the non-card effects like Doubble Bubble Trubble and the Torn & Restored Boo-Boo. Two cool torn and restored effects that are perfect for a kiddy shows or just fun to perform anywhere for anyone. Lots of opportunity for some great laughs and audience interaction. Another non-card I totally enjoyed is the Impromptu Pellet ESP. A Mental Epic routine that's just perfect for informal situations. Little or no real preparation and it will play really big! Another one that's great for table hopping and can easily open the door to some fun audience interaction and presentational ideas. Paul's advice and performance tips on Impromptu ESP are a welcome addition to this book. Solid advice on gathering information that will aid you in making for a smooth ESP effect performance that will keep it casual and relaxed. World Class recommendations here, a wonderful reference!
reviewed by Robert Farmer
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 30 December, 2018)
The chapter on gaffed decks is worth the price of the book.
reviewed by J.A. Murphy (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 19 December, 2018)
Being a Racherbaumer publication, I suppose I should have expected all of the routines to involve cards, but being familiar with some of the wonderful non-card versions of this principle, I was hoping for more. A quick scan reveals one routine using business cards, the rest using playing cards. I'll probably eventually read them all, but it would have been nice to be forewarned that it's all cards.
reviewed by Alan Meyers (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 07 December, 2018)
This is, as I suspected before buying it, a reworking of Bob Hummer's trick "Little Stranger." Devin Knight has recently published his own version of Little Stranger. It's an interesting mathematical trick in both De Courcy's version and Knight's, but I prefer De Courcy's because it provides an excuse for a necessary but somewhat prolonged looking through the deck at one point in the trick, and because it has a better climax.
reviewed by Brett McCarron
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 26 November, 2018)
Partial review by John Braun
Sensational Effects (Nelson)
"Bob Nelson knows how to impress the spectators with the fact that mental telepathy is a fact, and he explains exactly how to do it. In these effects he shows you how to MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE exactly what you wish them to believe, and the impact of the tests and experiments is terrific.
"Invaluable to all who do, or aspire to do, this type of work, for it is a digest of the knowledge gathered over a period of many years by a specialist in this field. Recommended."
See full review in the March 1958 "Linking Ring".
reviewed by Jean-Marie Beckers (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 25 November, 2018)
Very highly recommended. Crystal clear explanation, help for easy memorization of the principle and very nice application for testing. The resulting magic square is nicely balanced. As one says: this is a no brainer, just buy it.
reviewed by J.A. Murphy (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 21 November, 2018)
Save your money! Buy the Colombini Farewell Lecture instead and get a routine that can actually fool people (Rachel's Elimination) plus 23 other Colombini routines. Tahoe's The Elimination Principle has a glaring problem which, in my mind at least, is extremely likely to discovered, and commented on, by one of the participants. Rachel's routine describes two different ways to avoid the problem. Tahoe's Intro says "The Elimination Principle was inspired by Max Maven’s Kurotsuke" -- I consider that a HIGHLY misleading claim! Kurotsuke is one of my favorite routines, but I would never dare try it using the method in this book. I kept thinking that I MUST have missed something, and I've gone back and reread the Tahoe method several times -- and I still come away saying "You've got to be kidding!"