Read What Others Are Saying: page 7
151 ★★★★★ reviews
103 ★★★★★ reviews
67 ★★★★★ reviews
105 ★★★★★ reviews
Christ Twist and Mechanical Reverse
reviewed by Chris Beason (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 17 August, 2022)
While both moves are unquestionably great, this download is 1 minute and 26 seconds long. I did not look at the run time before purchasing, or I wouldn't have. At first, I thought for sure I'd stumbled on the demo video before the explanation, but alas, that's the entire thing.
Find old Ackerman tapes secondhand so you'll at least be able to see him at work for longer than it takes to microwave a burrito.
How To Move A Mountain
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 August, 2022)
Incredible. Now I can move any of the 160 islands in Lake Lanier. It is the largest in Georgia. Created in 1956 by the army. It has the distinction of the most dangerous as 700 people died in it. Great history to go with the trick. I study history so this secret should have been obvious.
Sprung: slinky toy through body
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 August, 2022)
Slinkys are not ropes. It does look more amazing. But it will take practice.
Dev-Ray Levitation
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 August, 2022)
Had no idea it was a built prop. Can't make it. Hoped to was a super-x type.
Secret of Crying Blood Tears
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 August, 2022)
Wow. Knowing Hollywood effects, I never knew of this chemical trick. No! It does not involve rubber tubes under latex skin revealed on YouTube. It's a clear chemical that turns red when salty tears contact it. This can really stop a show. This is highly recommended of all Devin Knight books.
Fandemonium
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 15 August, 2022)
Interesting idea. Yes, I have cheap fans that do what this does. I do not recommend making it yourself. It can hurt stopping the blade. Painting the front with aluminum paint helps. Just find it on eBay. Could be a lot as a collectable. Can be cheap if they need $$ bad enough. This could build a show's value though.
It's Better Than Digging Roads
reviewed by Joel Howlett (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 14 August, 2022)
It was delightful to hear Ken Brooke and Patrick Page chatting. This recording also contains live audio of Ken demonstrating the three card monte, egg bag and nudist deck.
Children's Magic
reviewed by Joel Howlett (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 14 August, 2022)
I really enjoyed listening to the wisdom of Trevor Lewis. This is great for those starting in Children's Magic and there are many important reminders for Professionals too.
Modern Illusions
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Great value for 2 illusions I thought were ingenious. The Gateway and Spot light girl vanish. Neither requires special stage set up. Spot light is a lady who instantly vanishes from a bag. Gateway is basically the hide behind the door taught by Mark Wilson. But you can see through the picket fence. No objects to hide behind. With the new plastic flower bed borders this could be built for about $50 if the gate was cardboard & wood yardsticks.
The RnB Project: Oddpen Prediction
reviewed by Anthony Bianco (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
This is a fantastic Open Prediction that's easy to do and packs a wallup. For $3 this is a steal. I first saw it performed on Unbiased Reviews YouTube channel and saw how strong it was and had to get it. 5 stars from me. I perform it on my channel and will post a link here if that's OK. If that's not allowed feel free to delete it.
https://youtu.be/5oFGXtqUxUw
Grant's Illusion Secrets
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Amazing. The shower illusion is a modern cabinet easy to build. The big production is good. Park bench vanish was the best. Never would have thought of that. No special backgrounds or mirrors. Any outside bench could be used. Lady does NOT sneak away. There is no lady. Besides the gimmick you may also try a fake hand as it can be put in your jacket easily. Just seeing painted fingernails will help a lot. This would easily be a $20 book if sold by illusion designers. With less content. Well worth the price.
Window Stoppers
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Had no idea Grant did ad work. The optical illusions fooled me. Real birds underwater. Light bulbs that light not connected. Bulbs move by themselves. Not party stunts. Maybe Halloween. But I could make $$ selling the ideas to stores for publicity purposes. Most corporate stores won't authorize it. But many family stores in the city Square would.
Levitation Secrets
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
Again - 4 methods for Asrah. But some ideas are useful. As far as illusion books, you cannot get cheaper. At least 3 methods will not cost even$100. Maybe $50 at the most. All magicians need at least 4 methods. Some are quick to put together or surrounded and 1 to really get the big money.
Sawing Illusion Secrets
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 13 August, 2022)
This was better than the levitation book. But it did give good ideas for creating cardboard or corrugated plastic versions. They weigh nothing, fold flat and last years. The miss boots and vertical sawing are the best 2. Both were used by Copperfield in his Blade illusion. Only $2. Some unnamed people would charge $15 for less.
Retro-Gravity
reviewed by Don Jarrard (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 12 August, 2022)
Interesting. I had cheap work shoes that made themselves. Passing objects underneath and the mat idea to me are worth the $. The shoe concept works and is easier than zero gravity. The cheap knock-off of Elevator is the best way for instant publicity. But knowing the idea now I can use it. 5 stars for the ideas.
Fred Kaps' Currency
reviewed by James Macdonald (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 11 August, 2022)
I'm a professional and have been doing magic for decades.
Kaps' Currency is in my program any time I'm in a venue that calls for a suitcoat. It requires, in addition to the suitcoat, a suit-style wallet, and a number of dollar bills. There's a tiny bit of prep required of those dollars, but they're still spendable afterward if you need bus fare home. I'm not certain that this would work with plastic money (e.g. Canadian). Performance requires two volunteers. The trick can be done at any distance, from close up to stage. Angles are good. Not really aimed at children, and child volunteers (due to the height difference between you and them, and their perhaps less-than-fluid ability with handling money) can be challenging.
The effect is as stated: no matter what the magician does, the eleven dollars in his hand become ten dollars. The instructions are clear; the photos, while dark, are useful.
How To Make Big Money Selling Magic
reviewed by Joel Howlett (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 10 August, 2022)
Pitching magic has almost become a "lost art" in my country (Australia).
This outstanding audio was informative and entertaining. It taught the language of the 'Grafter', what to do if there are complaints, what to sell and Walt even does a recording of his entire Svengali Deck Pitch. He goes into great detail on how to adapt his pitch for crowds or one or two people.....
Highly recommended.
My Favorite Card Tricks
reviewed by Bill Halmi (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 08 August, 2022)
Good collection of card tricks. Some I was already familiar with but there are notes and techniques that allow me to perform those tricks better. Several of the tricks need a perfect Faro. That is something I will need to master.
The Royal Road to Card Magic
reviewed by Bill Halmi (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 08 August, 2022)
A classic for a reason. Full of all of the moves a magician would want in their repertoire. Great addition to any magic library.
Rough Stuff
reviewed by Bill Halmi (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 08 August, 2022)
OK. The booklet is OK. I am sure it can be helpful for people who want to 'make' totally gimmicked decks. There are several different deck setups that yield several strong effects.
I was hoping for more tricks that involved only one or 2 roughed cards. I also was looking for guidance on using roughing fluid. It turns out there is really not too much to learn there beyond what common sense would tell you.
Secrets of a Commercial Card Magician
reviewed by Joel Howlett (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 08 August, 2022)
I really enjoyed the insight and wisdom shared by Paul Gordon in this Audio. Highly recommended.
Magical Gospel Lessons
reviewed by Christopher Reynolds (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 04 August, 2022)
Anyone reading this review will find it odd what I'm about to say: I'm an atheist who loves to read the Holy Bible. For many people, it's a contradiction they can't seem to wrap their heads around, but to me, there's nothing counterintuitive about it.
The Holy Bible is considered the greatest story ever told for a good reason. It's as relevant now as it was in the times of Martin Luther. As you open its pages, you step into a beautiful piece of literature written over thousands of years by dozens of authors. Every page is filled with fantastic stories and complex characters and is steeped in poetry that can fill a person's heart with joy and enduring truths.
As a magician, I found the gospel magic concept fascinating. I think it's a fresh approach to bringing these timeless stories and ancient wisdom to life. But "Magical Gospel Lessons" by Rev. Lawrence Burden was a huge disappointment.
It's not that I was expecting simple magic tricks geared towards evangelizing children to be at the same artistic level as the apostle Paul's writings in Romans and 1 & 2 Corinthians. My problem with the pamphlet was this: All but one of the nineteen tricks presented called for expensive store-bought props.
One thing especially irritated me—the Rev. Burden's insistence on pushing the Abbots Magic Company on his readers. Eight of the tricks called for equipment sold explicitly by that outfit. Here's a list:
- Abbott's Flower Tray
- Abbott's Baffle Milk Vanish trick
- Abbott's Twentieth Century Silk Trick
- Abbott's Nite Club Cylinder
- Abbott's Disecto (a hand guillotine)
- Abbott's Phantom Clock
- Abbott's Spurting Rice Bowl
- Abbott's Comedy Fire Cracker trick
After a while, I began thinking that the Reverend owned Abbot's Magic Company stock or was getting a kickback of the profits.
Maybe someone should have reminded him before he wrote this book of Proverbs 22:16: "Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty."
Sorry, Reverend Burden, but in the Gospels, Jesus met people's spiritual and physical needs through his use of parables, not thumb tips, and magical chafing dishes.
While the messages in this book pushing home the glories of God are commendable, the prohibitive price outlay for the recommended equipment is unnecessary and ridiculous. Spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg.
If you're a minister or Sunday school teacher looking to add gospel magic to your sermons, save the $4.00 price of this E-book and put it in the collection basket. Check out some free online resources instead.
Comedy a la Card
reviewed by Christopher Reynolds (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 August, 2022)
I've recently been working through "Revolutionary Card Technique" by Ed Marlo, and I can't find anything funny about it. There's not even one fart joke in the whole thing.
After reading a positive review by Jamy Ian Swiss about the book "Much Ado About Something" by Karrell Fox, I purchased a copy of "Comedy Ala Card" by the same author.
I decided that $6.95 was a small price to pay for some card tricks that could maybe give me a good laugh.
According to Swiss, Fox is a master of comedy magic. But comedy is subjective, and Jamy Ian Swiss and I seem to have a glaring difference in opinion about what we find funny. "Comedy Ala Card" left me stone-faced as silent movie comedian Buster Keaton.
Puns and prop comedy in the right hands, like Tommy Cooper's, can slay an audience. But Karrell Fox's reliance on stale bits using oversized playing cards and wind-up chattering teeth purchased in the toy aisle of the $1.00 store is on life support, struggling to stay alive.
To be fair to Mr. Fox, he wrote this slim 32-page treatise in 1960 when Milton Berle was considered the zenith of comedy. But times have changed, and this book's gags haven't aged well.
But that doesn't mean that "Comedy Ala Card" completely wasted an hour of my life. It was refreshing that someone devoted time and energy to developing a card trick's comedy potential, not just writing another magic book filled with boring sleights that most magicians will only discuss at conventions but never use.
Fox has a discerning eye for visual humor, using simple and practical methods. And his writing is as easy to understand as directions for microwaving a frozen pizza. Some of his best ideas are written in brief, easy-to-digest snippets, no longer than a few sentences.
It's a truism that if you get one useable trick from a book, you get your money's worth. And I got at least three ideas from "Comedy Ala Card" that I can adapt and put into practice.
One gag, in particular, caught my eye. It was a card reveal using a large beach towel with a giant playing card printed on it wrapped around your head like a turban. After forcing a card, you unwrap the towel from your head at the finale of the trick, revealing the card's identity. My version involved gluing a playing card to the crotch of my underwear and dropping my pants to show the spectator's selection.
Now, that's funny!
Cold Reading Lecture 2012
reviewed by Marc Rehula (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 03 August, 2022)
This is the clearest, most practical discussion of cold reading I've ever read. Voodini teaches the why as much as the what, which means you'll get a stronger understanding of the dynamics involved. (Too much magic teaching undervalues the 'why's of what we do!)
Dai Vernon's Inner Secrets of Card Magic
reviewed by Christopher Reynolds (confirmed purchase)Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 29 July, 2022)
It's hard to believe there was a time when Dai Vernon didn't exist, and his name still casts such a large shadow over card magic thirty years after his death.
I feel almost embarrassed about writing a review for Inner Secrets Of Card Magic. What could a ham-and-egger like myself possibly have to say about professor Dai Vernon that better men than me haven't already said? Is it even necessary to write another gushing puff piece extolling the genius of a man who many consider the Pablo Picasso of card magic?
The answer is yes, and I'll tell you why.
I never knew the man or currently know anyone who did know him. Nor have I ever studied under his former protegees like Ricky Jay or Richard Turner.
I've only read about him over the years, and his name pops up like a bad case of herpes in so many magic books that I started to loathe him. I've consciously gone out of my way to avoid anything related to him.
And this complete lack of hero-worshipping makes me the perfect candidate to look at Vernon's work with a fresh eye and give an unbiased review.
I've learned that if you try to take your skills with a pack of cards to the next level, steering clear of Dai Vernon is impossible. So, I decided it was finally time to wave the white flag of surrender and put my willful ignorance and prejudice aside. And brother, let me tell you, am I ever glad I did.
At first, I was a bit hesitant. Vernon's oeuvre has been so mythologized over the years that I was expecting a perplexing dissertation on quantum physics. No person wants to feel that they're too stupid to comprehend a card trick. But as I worked through the chapters, cards in hand, I realized that the only thing I had to fear was fear itself.
This ease of understanding is partly due to co-writer Lewis Ganson. I've read other works by Ganson, and all share a common trait: clear, unambiguous descriptions that leave the reader with a complete grasp of the text.
That's not to say that I didn't find many of the sleights difficult. I found myself regularly dropping cards all over the floor. Some of the moves might even take months to master. But you can safely dismiss any fears that the material in Inner Secrets Of Card Magic is too complex. In Chapter Two: A Little Thought Required, a few tricks require zero sleight-of-hand, relying instead on subtle moves and misdirection.
Even if you were to read this book and not practice one move in it, Vernon's sly sense of humor and breadth of historical knowledge turn what could have been a tedious exercise into something fun and enjoyable.
I've now read the book three days in a row. It's so full of exciting, inventive ideas and subtle touches that I experiment with the information at hand like a mad scientist until my hands begin to ache.
I feel like a guitar player discovering Jimi Hendrix for the first time.
Do I have anything negative to say about this book? No, I don't. But let me make a recommendation that may ruffle some feathers.
After reading Inner Secrets Of Card Magic cover to cover, I believe that only those with a high reading comprehension level will have an easy time grasping this work. While simple to understand, the text has complex sentence structures and is peppered with words like "commence" and "endeavor," which may be over a casual reader's head.
If a college freshman's reading level is too difficult for you, I suggest you purchase a DVD or download one of the many videos featuring Vernon's work. Otherwise, you'll be in for a frustrating time.
If forced to list any faults, it's this: the photos illustrating some sleights can be grainy. But a lack of hi-def photography is a minor, practically nonexistent point to quibble over.
This ebook is more than a bargain at the going price of $9.90. It's the year 2022, and inflation is at a record high. The other day ago, I spent almost eleven dollars on a loaf of bread and two dozen eggs. In the future, if I have to choose between spending my money on food or Dai Vernon, then I choose Vernon.
If you love card magic and take it seriously, buy this book. Now!