Reviews: Read What Others Are Saying: page 64
157 ★★★★★ reviews
111 ★★★★★ reviews
73 ★★★★★ reviews
110 ★★★★★ reviews
My Q and A
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Colin White (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 08 June, 2012)
Scott does it again. A must for any mentalist who really wants to entertain their audience. Another fully routined complete act with little preparation which is fully practical
Tarot in Your Pocket
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Colin White (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 08 June, 2012)
Great. This will leave you asking why didn't I think of that. The reason is you are not Scott with his flair for developing simple ideas into full performable routines. This can be developed into a complete act and all you need is a few double sided blank cards and a five minutes once only preparation.
The Corporate Mentalist
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Colin White (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 08 June, 2012)
This is powerful stuff. Wonderfully clear explanations coupled with practical advice. It is a must read for any mentalist hoping to enter the corporate market. This is a shining example of how to routine an act.
Swipeit
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Bradley (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 06 June, 2012)
I purchased the original short manuscript for SwipeIt when it was first released and I have now had the chance to read this new, updated edition.
First of all I found the new technique for the secret move to be great and I love how it looks much cleaner than the original version.
As well many of the contributions are great. I particularly enjoyed Mauricio Jaramillo's contribution "Words" and have been playing around with his principle for a while now. Also "iShiner" and "iThumper" are great ways of using the iPhone as a utility device for different effects.
All in all this is a great ebook and well worth the price. I will be using SwipeIt for Remote Viewing and Ebook tests the next time I get the chance.
Isabella's Star
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by James Braund
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 05 June, 2012)
I posted this elsewhere but thought I should put it here in particular as its being sold here...
I got this when it was at the lower price and I thought it was underpriced then, I'm glad to see the price has risen but is still too cheap in my opinion at $28. What you get is not only the diabolical date divination method but also a full routine complete with some really nice subtelties and a delightful back story to set the scene for the piece.
The routine itself shows all the signs of coming straight from a worker's set list - it has all situations covered and each stage of the process has been boiled down to be as direct as possible and the subtleties selected seem to be the result of actual permforming rather than speculative idealism. So often I have bought an ebook and thought "great but this just won't work in the real world." I'm pleased to say this isn't the case with David and Peter's well crafted routine - motivated, direct and the justification for the methods selected is laid out in the book. As a straight bit of mindreading it plays well right of the box so to speak. I perform storytelling/bizarre type magic informally so needed to swing wildly away from the presentation described in the book in order to fit my style - that is where the true genius of their creation shines brightly.
At the core of Isabella's star is an ORIGINAL method (quite a rarity these days) for divining the actual date a spectator has in their mind. The method is wonderfully direct and relatively simple when you consider similar star sign divinations. I'm sure those who would be most interested in this are like me - they have a stack of sign and date divinations which we read in earnest hoping for something practical and convincing but ultimately fell short in delivering. Many I have read used long fishing sequences and/or required considerable memorising and/or calculation. Izzy's star does not suffer from that hinderance. In fact I prepared a small crib and was able to play around with it amongst friends fairly quickly.
What excited me the most about this, indeed compelled me to sing its praises to anybody who'll listen, was the method. It is possible to remove it from the given routine and apply easily to other effects, even replacing other methods within one's current routines. It doesn't involve endless fishing, outs or guesswork, by its nature it creates little hits on your way to the reveal and to be honest it wasn't too taxing on my simple brain (which is most pleasing!)
I had for some years been searching for a book test that would allow me to force (in order to reveal) a particular date from the huge book - Haydn's Dictionary of Dates. I had played with the idea of an imp pad or c.t, allowing it to be a free choice followed by a reveal but I disliked having the spectator writing anything down. I never found anything that I liked so it remained an idea gathering dust at the back of my mind, until I discovered this gem of a method. It was whilst experimenting with the book of dates that I remembered another smaller book I had bought on impulse and never found a use for - a victorian lady's pocket diary with birthday reminders in the back of it. About 120 names and their birthdays were inscribed in fine script and perfect for the Izzy's Star method transitioning it from the stage to intimate close up. Once you have it in your arsenal the more innovative will undoubtedly find far greater and more complex uses for it but for me it is enough to have my spectator select their date I reveal it with a little help from my spirit guide/genie in a bottle/resident ghost or whatever takes my fancy. I love that I can use my old props and reveal or have the spectator imagine a date of their own choosing, that it's easy to do but so clever that it defies reverse engineering and to be blunt - that it just so direct with no akward wordplay or ambiguity.
I have to thank David and Peter for devising and releasing this and making so many things possible for me now that I had long abandoned. It's a well thought out routine for those inclined to play it as is but the method is simply sublime - congratulations on such innovative thinking. I cannot imagine how on earth you came up with the core modus but I'm glad you did. I really do hope there is more to come from you guys but you have set quite a bar for yourselves - this should become a principle anybody interested in date and star sign related divination needs to be familiar with. Direct, simple and the method itself can be applied to other effects - what more could anyone want? For the price I still think you get a lot of value for money, maybe the price will rise once people start using this (they will) and others catch on to the value of having in their possesion this most devious tool.
Sincerely and fraternally
James
Isabella's Star
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Leonard Coulson
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 29 May, 2012)
Isabella's Star is a beautiful and inspiring routine that allows you to divine anyone's birth date.
This is an exceptional work for several reasons: the methodology is completely new (these guys created a great system to divine a thought of date), it includes a fully structured and complete routine and it also includes a very personal component due to the story provided with it.
The main method behind it is the best date divination I've read so far because it doesn't include fishing and it's completely invisible for the audience. Terrific routine!
The Dark Waltz
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 18 May, 2012)
This was my first book on Bizarre Magic and I loved it. The Esasys were excellent and really got me thinking. Great routines. My only problem was when I sat down to read it I could not put it down. Looking forward to my second read through. Even if you are not into Bizarre (I have one toe in the water) there are lessons to be learned from this book
Routine in Major D
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Skott Hughes (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 16 May, 2012)
This is a very clever set of effects (4) that are shown in the great style of card master Juan Tamariz. The video is long and the routine comes in at around 15 to 20 min depending on your presentation.
Taught very clear. The only draw back is 3 a hand poker effect that's shown in the middle isn't shown in the explanation. (I fig. it out though). A real good effect and worth the price.
The Expert at the Card Table
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 14 May, 2012)
Pentalogy
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 12 May, 2012)
Give me more - this is one of the best book purchases I have made - there is so much usable material - Thank You Shane! After reading this book I am looking at all my material from a different perspective. This is what magic is supposed to look like.
Between Two Minds
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Phil Reda
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 11 May, 2012)
The section on the edge marked deck was worth the price alone. Other chapters are interesting from a plot perspective and can be updated. Overall good read.
Digit
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Phil Reda (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 07 May, 2012)
Interesting concept. Still looking for the proper place in a routine to use this. I may be wrong but repeating this as in rock sissors type of routine would be easy to figure out. I think it is overpriced for what it is and better value can be found in other publications.
Psychic Phenomena: Interactive Tarot Readings from the Stage
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Greg
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 02 May, 2012)
I'm sorry, but this e-book is rubbish. At ten pages, it is ten pages too long, as its only advice on how to give an interactive tarot reading from the stage is "Call the name of the card out in a loud commanding voice and hold it up high. Then deliver a short, punchy, up-beat reading for the audience member based on that card." It never gets any more specific than that.
The rest of the 'manuscript' is about how this kind of gig is better than lugging records around as a DJ or how important it is to hold your female volunteer's hand and be polite.
The audacity!
The Real Work of Cold Reading
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Craig Browning
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 29 April, 2012)
This treatise should be required study for anyone getting involved with Mentalism but most especially those that plan on doing a Q&A styled act and/or One-on-One Readings. Bob cuts through the B.S., rips apart the theories and gives the student one of the most fair and least biased perspectives on this skill that you're likely to find. I recommend this book to ALL of my students as well as the various newbies I find posting questions on the subject on the forums.
When it comes to the Cold Reading skill-set I only recommend a small handful of writers, Richard Webster towering well over the heads of most with John Rigg's taking up 3rd place, which puts Bob in the middle as the #2 guy to trust. There are others (Ron Martin, Larry Baukin, Loren Tindall and Jerome Finley to name a few) but you owe it to yourself to start with Bob and leave the more questionable material that's out there, alone!
Bent On Strange
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ron Martin
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 25 April, 2012)
What a GREAT ROUTINE to have on hand for that perfect moment! You can easily have everything you'll need - a key or two to bend - if your participant(s) don't have one. Just carry them on your keyring.
Bob's routining is perfect! The handling of the key(s) makes the bend invisible. You can show the key as straight, IMMEDIATELY put it in THEIR hand if you wish . . . and the strangeness can occur there! Either before and/or after - the key is bent, it is shown to be a strong one and is demonstrably NOT going to bend using their fingers.
And best of all? NO gimmick to be caught with! The cleanest of clean routines.
I think this is a perfect one-on-one effect when you feel that doing something very strange is called for. Bob also explains how to use this effectively in a group setting, as well.
Air Dream Illusion
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Nathan Anon
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 23 April, 2012)
This ebook is a very poor quality product. The description is very misleading into thinking the buy will be purchasing a "new" method and that this is a "magician fooler". Unfortunately this is nothing special.
The product has been typed very poorly Word and the drawings look like they were done in MS-Paint.
The "dimensions" in the book (that go with the terrible "illustrations") are not enough for a builder to assemble properly.
My main question is, if this is such a great illusion and a magician fooler, where is a photo of the final build to even prove this has been tested?? All there is in here are the concept drawings (in MS-Paint) and I suspect this hasn't ever been audience tested or even built.
Basically another product where a magician is trying to make some $$ by revealing secrets. There is nothing new in this design to make this more deceptive than any other illusion out there. My advice, don't bother with this.
Build Your Own Psychic Calculator
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Floyd Morrow (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 April, 2012)
A few days ago, I gave this book 5 stars because it is a great book on how to modify calculators. After reading all the supplemental information on mental math effects, I have to give it another 5 stars because there is a real gem on page 46. I have been reading mental math and magic books for the past 50 years and I have never seen anything like it. The 3 By 5 Trick is easy to learn and a real reputation builder. Try it - Play with it - you'll like it. This effect, by itself is worth the price of the book. Thank you Shawn Evans.
Dissolving Aces
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Craig Campbell
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 April, 2012)
Not impressed at all with this. Pretty much just learned how to do this effect by watching the video one time. Not a very good effect.
Build Your Own Psychic Calculator
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Floyd Morrow (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 09 April, 2012)
Great book. Clear instructions with detailed step by step photographs. Calculators are easy to find at Office Max or Amazon. The effects are easy to understand and perform.
Personal Touch
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Ben Salinas (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 04 April, 2012)
I am a big fan of Docc Hilford's effects and writings because his effects are real-world. These are not pipe dreams or 'neat ideas', they are fully-developed routines that have been refined on paying audiences.
Personal Touch is devastatingly powerful and oh so simple to do. You can use this to reveal your spectator's innermost secrets and gain you some serious credibility. Docc says he uses this to get flight upgrades and VIP service in hotels, and I can definitely see why!
This is, and I don't use the term lightly, a reputation-maker.
Good Turns
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Howard Port (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 26 March, 2012)
This is a good overview of magic's "twisting" craze. Descriptions are good but bare bones, though Jon does describe what I think is an improved version of the Elmsley Count in the context of Vernon's original routine. You should know that a few illustratons are missing from this version, but this did not cause me any trouble. I think it is a good buy at $10.
Eastern Moves: Video Vol. 2
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Skott Hughes (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 26 March, 2012)
This is such a great piece of art to own. The effortless phases of this or any routine are what makes this so astonishing. The coins melt transpose and many other unthinkable things as your mind tries to catch up. Even if you do your own routines, there will be plenty here to add, a little something is always better then a little of nothing. Very happy with this as you will be also.
Skott Hughes
The Corporate Mentalist
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Sean Kearney (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 18 March, 2012)
I recently purchased The Corporate Mentalist and like to push myself with something new every show. This book immediately clicked with me and I used many of the ideas in a recent gig just a few days after reading them for the first time. The routines not only got a strong reaction but I had a great time doing it.
I highly recommend this magnificent, practical approach to a “packs small, plays big” show.
The Sphinx
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Chet Cox
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 15 March, 2012)
There should be a higher rating than 5 stars, because the rating code at the bottom of this page (the one on which I'm typing; not the one which you're reading) says that 5 stars means merely "good." This set is much, much more than "good." It is, according to your needs:
- an invaluable history of magic,
- the strongest collection of powerful effects from the greatest magicians who lived,
- completely and utterly searchable; you want background on Thurston? You've got it! Want a LOT of versions of any specific favorite of yours? It's instantly findable!
- the backgrounds, the photos of the great masters, the programs, the reviews of books and effects which are again new, and the ability to watch as someone is noted as a newcomer - and eventually becomes a master wizard by our time!
- John Mullholland, the MagiCIAn (Look it up)
When you get these disks, guard them well - let nothing happen to them. Because they are well worth far more than the asking price of $499 - there is information herein which would be otherwise lost to the ages.
HIGHLY recommended.
The Corporate Mentalist
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Roel beckers (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 12 March, 2012)
Dear Scott,
I would like to congratulate you with your ebook "Coporate mentalist".
It is without any doubt one of the most valuable ebooks I've ever bought!
Your way of thinking is amazing!