reviewed by Enrico Varella
Rating: 
[5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 26 June, 2017)
I opened this book with a ‘closer’ – the last item in this book – ‘8-Card Brainwave’. The accompanying video clip got me excited with the simplicity of OLRAM, and the subtlety display attributed to the late-Daryl. I immediately put it into my routine.
Paul’s new book opens with an introductory essay that emphasizes his sensible approach to walk-around magic. Get closer to your audience by opening strong. Openers and closers are key effects that punctuate the entire experience for a performing magician. I worked through every effect in this book, and his Vanishing Cardcase is now in my repertoire. I intend to use Paul’s lead-in to ‘Martin Garner’s 4-Ace Opener/Closer’. I will also be using his ‘Not So Invisible Deck Routine’, which irons out a few major elements related to Joe Berg’s ingenious creation. Paul’s card control called LIFT is worth exploring within ‘Elimination’, as he raises the bar of card transpositions.
The main issue I have is: Do I close with an opener, or open with a closer? Enjoy this book.
reviewed by Christopher Weber
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 26 June, 2017)Openers & Closers 2 by Paul Lelekis is another terrific collection of effects that really work and you will use for sure. As with all of Paul's publications the tips and advice in the Introduction are worth the price of the book alone. Don't overlook these valuable recommendations. Here Paul shares words of wisdom on First Impressions, Final Impressions, Audience Control, Relieving Tension (for both your audience and yourself), and Confidence Building. You will see how Paul's suggestions in the Introduction fit perfectly into the effects that follow.
The effects all work great as openers and or closers. These effects are straight forward, and easy for your audience to follow. Paul has done the work for you by searching through dozens of books and hundreds of tricks to find the very best effects with maximum impact for you to make use of. The perfect way to "open the door" to the rest of your performance material.
The Vanishing Card Box is just one example of a perfect opener. It's easy to make up and you'll find it's as good if not better than many similar commercially available gimmicks. Again, it's an effect that smoothly and naturally leads onto your next effect. Check out Paul's two clever renditions of the Martin Gardner 4 Ace Trick (great as an opener or closer), and the Nick Trost 8-Card Brainwave which utilizes Daryl's addition that takes the heat off the cards for final display. These are two ready to go, easy to do effects that are marvelous ice breakers. Paul's Invisible Deck will have you rethinking possibilities of the Invisible Deck for sure! Some really cool ideas here.
You'll love all these effects and Paul’s little improvements and nuances make them all the better. Pick it up; you'll be very happy you did.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 24 June, 2017)
This ebook contains excellent material that ANY MENTALIST can use. It has DYNAMITE MATERIAL from the beginning to the end!!! After reading it, I think my head is going to explode. I will need to reread and practice several of the routines. I believe this is worth many times the asking price. Well done Peter Turner.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 19 June, 2017)
Another GREAT EBOOK by THE UNKNOWN MENTALIST. I personally like the idea for THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. If you use a peek wallet (Or any other information stealing device) and also your own way of calculating the magic square (Pardon me saying the magic square) you have it made. You can have the spectator secretly write down a two or three digit number and place it in your peek wallet. Now the performer can sense some numbers to place on THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. Now the performer can give a reading for the spectator (COLD READING) based on the spectator selecting one horizontal and vertical row only. At the end the performer can say based on your choices your AURA NUMBER is ____ (The same number that the spectator thought of in his mind and was placed in the peek wallet.) The spectator can be given the business card in the wallet at the end of the reading if he so wishes or just THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. Again, well done UNKNOWN MENTALIST
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 19 June, 2017)
Another GREAT EFFECT by the UNKNOWN MENTALIST. I've never owned MENTAL LOGS but am familiar with plenty of ADD A NUMBER type effects both with gimmicked and ungimmacked props. I've used this type of effect for both mental effects and for memory type effects. This truth Liar effect that THE UNKNOWN MENTALIST has put out would completely drive me crazy if I seen it done in a show. It seems that hardly any information is given to the mentalist, yet in the first part of the effect the mentalist comes up with the total of four unknown pin numbers. In the second effect the spectator does truths/lies about the total of four unknown pin numbers and the mentalist not only reveals the four pin numbers but also when added up by another spectator, it matches the total of the first spectator. I would recommend to definitely buy this...at 6 dollars you have a steal while it lasts. Also another great mathematical truth /liar effect is REVERSAL PLUS by MICHAEL DANIELS. They are both GREAT. I recommend knowing both.
reviewed by Eric Haddix (confirmed purchase)
Rating: 
[1 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 19 June, 2017)
Not really worth the money in my opinion. This is a well-known and well documented scam. A simple search for short change scams will turn this one up as the first hits.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 10 June, 2017)
The UNKNOWN MENTALIST should be named THE UNKNOWN AMAZING MENTALIST!!! This is another GREAT EBOOK! It is one of the most simple yet DECEPTIVE Stebbins stacks I have ever seen. Naturally it will take me a bit to master this. In my opinion every mentalist needs ALL of the UNKNOWN MENTALISTS card stack systems in their libraries. I'm very amazed with this and will learn the simple math that goes with this. WELL DONE UNKNOWN MENTALIST!
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 10 June, 2017)
Even though I prefer THE SLOKA DECK STACK and THE KARMA DECK STACK I really like this EBOOK. This is very thought provoking material that will take me a bit of time to get down but I will use it. I am very familiar with deck stacks. I'm just really amazed with this and didn't know really how versatile the stebbins stack is. Like many mentalists, I've always assumed that the Stebbins was basically just for beginners. I was wrong. Everyone needs to buy this. It will open your eyes to this stack. Well done UNKNOWN MENTALIST!
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Sunday 28 May, 2017)
This is another very unusual approach to a word test that I like very well. The UNKNOWN MENTALIST has done it again. I think I'm going to use this effect followed by the word list in WORLDS WITHIN WORDS ....OR THE GROW DEVILS PRINCIPLE. Either way I won't go wrong. This will pack a nice one two punch to the spectators and can be used close up or on stage. I recommend this highly! UNKNOWN MENTALIST, I'm glad to have you as a friend!
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Sunday 28 May, 2017)
More high praise for the UNKNOWN MENTALIST. This is another GREAT star sign divination. If you want to go entirely prop less with a number of spectators, do this effect followed by SIGNATURE and then WORLDS WITHIN WORDS STAR SIGN ROUTINE. OR if you want a few props use this followed by ZODIAK GODS or HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGER or STAR SIGNATURE. Either way you can't go wrong. Once again, well done my friend. You are definitely an asset to the mentalism community. I recommend this very highly!!! What a great approach to unusual mentalism procedures.
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 27 May, 2017)
Here is another instant peak center tear technique for business cards. Whether you need another one of these in your arsenal is up to you, but this one is fairly straightforward and easy to learn. There's one caveat: The spectator has to write or draw with the card in profile rather than landscape orientation. This seems weird to me as the natural inclination is to allow someone to use the larger landscape area on the card. But if this doesn't bother you, give this a whirl. Compared to a couple of other techniques that I use--the Osterlind Perfected Center Tear and Ran Pink's Think Pink--this one is probably easier and will take less practice. But in my opinion, the UBT (Underground Bottom Tear) is still the easiest, most reliable center tear for business cards, with Think Pink being the best one for index cards, and the PCT for random scraps of thin paper.
reviewed by Roy Eidem
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Wednesday 24 May, 2017)
Wonderful mix of strong card & coin magic. Paul works daily in the real word of performers. Great tricks & sound advise on how to connect with your audience maximizing entertainment & magical impact.
reviewed by Jack Tawil (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 22 May, 2017)
Great read and an amazing principle. It's a must have for any magician - amateur or professional!
reviewed by Rick Carruth
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Wednesday 17 May, 2017)Openers and Closers is undoubtedly one of my very favorite ebooks by Paul Lelekis. From beginning to end, there is something for every performer. Setting the mood.. and cementing the performance are the two aspects of one's performance you absolutely can't ignore. First impressions.. and last impressions.. are vital, and Paul teaches several of each to give you a nice selection to compliment your style. I particularly liked the matrix, as I'm not a very good coin guy, and I'm always looking for something to make others think I know what I'm doing! Although most of these effects are certainly within range of most performers, I would say they are generally in the intermediate range. Not to worry.. Paul includes a couple of strategic videos to help 'up' your performance and understanding. Very well written and easy to grasp, Openers and Closers will become one of your 'go-to' resources.
reviewed by Christopher Weber
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 15 May, 2017)Openers & Closers by Paul Lelekis is just what you are looking for to find a super strong knockout routine to put your close-up performance over the top. Here there are seven top notch effects plus to great articles packed with useful information and advice on presenting your opening and closing effect. Paul’s brilliant take on these time honored effects brings new live to some classics of magic. As always Paul gives you the real scoop on performance and entertainment that you can apply to all of your magical performances.
Paul’s clear and precise writing makes these routines a pleasure to learn with cards or coins right in your hands. He always finds a way to make more difficult moves easier and more economical while at the same time strengthens the overall effect!
These are all winners for sure. I particularly enjoyed his work on the coin routines, "Matrix" and the "New Copper/Silver/Brass". The ESP card effect "Shock" is a killer that you will really use! Openers & Closers is a fantastic bargain that you should not pass up. Take advantage of the opportunity and pick it up today!
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 13 May, 2017)
I definitely recommend this. This and seeing signs ARE worth having!
reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: 
[4 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Monday 08 May, 2017)
This is a pro routine in several phases. As previously mentioned, there are no new methods, but I like the reading-body-language aspect of the performance a lot, though the last phase requiring some pre-show is not really for me. The ebook is extremely well written with performance patter, side-bar tips, and variations. It's everything you'd ever want about performing this effectively. (Other authors could use this ebook as a style model.) I realize that the price is to scare away amateurs, but on an objective basis comparing it to similar routines, this is overpriced.
reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Sunday 07 May, 2017)For me, the basic principle here is really novel and amazing. With a little thought, it can be applied to various other presentations.
As usual, UM has come up with some very clever n solid routines applying this principle and all the variations play really well. Since learning this, I could actually perform this over a dozen times and each time my audiences were pleasantly amazed.
For the given routines, all the necessary 'work' is provided readily - just learn and perform. I am actually planning to apply this principle to a travel theme - instead of jumping from word to word, the spec will 'travel' from city to city and I then know which city he ended up on. The scope for this principle is truly vast.
Highly recommended.
reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Sunday 07 May, 2017)
Really enjoyed this rare collection. And a huge one - by some of the smartest magic brains.
There are many gems to be discovered. Actually this is double bonanza - the section on routines is one and the bio sketches of so many performers is the other.
The price is a steal.
reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Date Added: Saturday 06 May, 2017)
Another GREAT EFFECT by the UNKNOWN MENTALIST, my favorites in this material are ROMAN ENIGMA and BLIND DATE 1. In fact I printed three copies of ROMAN ENIGMA on cardstock, then I performed the effect on my wife and blew her away with it. It's that good and very easy to do. All the material here is GREAT no matter what you choose to. I think I'll start carrying around ADVANCED BRAIN KNEWMEROLOGY, ROMAN ENIGMA, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGER along with a few other effects that I have. WHAT A CLOSE UP PRESENTATION. This has my highest recommendation!