Reviews: Read What Others Are Saying: page 71
217 ★★★★★ reviews
150 ★★★★★ reviews
95 ★★★★★ reviews
141 ★★★★★ reviews
The Unswami
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Doc Harris
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 01 February, 2016)
The author sent me this 4 ebook bundle (The Unswami, Luck Maker, Dream Seal & Swamirakle) for review. And I tried to do a fairly detailed review.
The basic concepts and tools are nothing new. However, the treatment and applications are quite revolutionary. The Unswami Principle (as the author calls it) is an old almost forgotten concept which has now been brought into the lime light with this release. Although I myself have been using the swami gimmick for over a decade now, I was very much fascinated to know about the Unswami in this manuscript and felt that I missed something so powerful all these years. Unswami opens up a completely novel path.
Luck Maker is a fantastic prediction routine using the Unswami Principle. This seems to be the author's take on Kenton's Kolossal Killer principle. But here KK is put on steriods, no wait, something more powerful, say rocket fuel. Luck Maker totally zapped me. There are 3 versions of Luck Maker here - 2 with the Unswami and 1 with the regular Swami. Quite clever and very practical.
Dream Seal is an interesting and refreshing routine which resembles an acaan plot though not strictly acaan. Good scope for audience participation. Builds up a stunning climax. It uses a stacked deck in combo with the Unswami principle. Very ingenious thinking and routining here. And the best part is the performer need not know the stack. Although many variations and bonus routines are provided my favorite is the special bonus routine along with the main one - true powerhorses.
Swamirakle is a little collection of ideas, not full routines. But some clever ideas which the performer can build on in different ways. These ideas apply to the regular Swami gimmick as much as the Unswami.
Overall, there is so much new, unconventional and yet extremely practical, usable thinking that went in here. It stimulated my mind into many new ideas and directions. A 'must have' for any mentalist - amateur or pro.
The Working Professional's Chop Cup
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 31 January, 2016)
Ex-radio disk jockey turned pro restaurant magician in Connecticut. Jim Sisti has been performing magic for over 25 years. A prolific writer and inventor, his books on magic and magic effects are marketed all over the world. He is also the publisher of The Magic Menu.
Are the words on this site telling briefly of Jim which says it all
and the routine is very much worth the small cost
Knowing the Chop Cup (Know-How Series)
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 31 January, 2016)
My original printed copy I lent out never seen it since I miss that book but this makes it easier for these old eyes a much-recommended read on the chop cup
Mail Mentalism
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Loki Jedi (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 28 January, 2016)
A unique routine. The explanation may sound a little long but in practice quite simple and effective.
Card Magic of the Mind
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Cortez Magicus (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 28 January, 2016)
Great ideas. Even today great lessons for learning presentation for mentalism.
Ungimmicked Linking Ropes
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Dale Lorzo
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 January, 2016)
This trick can easily be done exactly as stated. There should be credit given to Dick Williams who published this idea back in 1994 in "Lights, Camera, Magic!" Williams later explained it with ropes from his TV show "Magicland" and credits Conrad "Connie" Bush for coming up with a similar idea many years before.
Coin'cidence
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Loki Jedi (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 January, 2016)
I found this a highly creative routine. Real pleasure to perform. Fantastic reactions.
Both the main routine and bonus routine are true workers. Especially the bonus is a big leap forward from the Positive/Negative premise. The climax peaks excellently. Very much recommended.
Tricks with Magnets
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Angela X (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 27 January, 2016)
There is some clever thinking with magnets here. Even if some of the routines are outdated, the principles can be applied to modern routines. Great buy.
Coin'cidence
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Cortez Magicus (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 January, 2016)
WOW ! Absolutely killer.
Simple great idea, but very powerful.
Anytime, fully impromtu. 5 times in 5 hours, successful performance.
Works in any language.
Heads I Win - Positively
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 January, 2016)
first time read of this author's works must say impressed and worth the purchase
The NTE Principle
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 January, 2016)
a very practical routine not to be missed an excellent way to promote through the media
Coin'cidence
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 26 January, 2016)
At the rate, this creative thinker MENTALIST turns out well thought out ideas for the magic fraternity we will all be bankrupt
and ways of leaving your business card as part of a memento of the moment is always worth the effect I use a variation of out to lunch with mine
13mm of Si Stebbins
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by David Burmeister (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 January, 2016)
As far as 13 mm of si stebbins, I think you have another winner. So far I like your card stacks in the following order: SLOKA DECK, KARMA DECK, 13 MM (with the random stack ideas toward the end of your ebook), and YOGIK DECK. Each of these are winners in my opinion and I can't wait to see your other stacks. They are great with some mental routines that I use the decks for.
Karma Deck
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Prof Max
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 24 January, 2016)
Right now my excitement is sort of overflowing.
The author shared with me a mega routine with Karma Deck which uses over 200 different playing cards.
I got a chance to perform this recently at my college annual day celebrations (I teach undergrads).
And what a devastating impact it created !!! Thank you, U n Me, for giving the Karma Deck to the community.
For me, Karma Deck is 'THE' benchmark of stack magic in the past half century, at least.
13mm of Si Stebbins
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Doc Harris (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Friday 22 January, 2016)
Of course, this is more of a 'discovery' rather than a new invention. But what an amazing discovery it is. In one shot, this elevates SS stack many notches. SS is now an instant memorized stack. On top of that it combines with the cool random suit method and finally comes out as a killer professional stack. And the best part is even a kid can now learn this in no time at all.
13mm of Si Stebbins
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Hans-Christian Solka (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 January, 2016)
I read your book with great interest.
IMHO the 13mm approach is completely new for Si Stebbins. The approach is an elegant one. Easy to do and easy to remember. Thank you very much for sharing the idea with the magic community.
Practical Magic
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Simon Hood (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 January, 2016)
At first, I thought the price is a misprint. Then I just grabbed it. What a bargain for the huge content.
13mm of Si Stebbins
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Simon Hood (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 January, 2016)
I am surprised nobody has thought this up so far. Its a masterstroke.
Makes the ancient Stebbins stack many times more powerful.
The suit system offered is fantastic. For me, just this one take away is worth much more than the price of this book.
13mm of Si Stebbins
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 January, 2016)
this author works hard to work on and produce his quality ideas which he gives everyone a chance to be able to afford with introductory offers not to be missed at full price either
Magician's Guide to Making and Using Lockpicks
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 January, 2016)
A little book to get those who are interested to use, with escapology I can also recommend books by my late friend David De-Val and a locksmith clear lock for practicing on or just read a the book for the history part
The Universal Card
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Tuesday 19 January, 2016)
I have not been able to find a printed copy of the author whose work and quality is well established so this will work well in my library and in time, I will put the practice into doing the effects justice
The Book of Book Tests
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Christian Fisanick (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 14 January, 2016)
I'm always torn about book tests. While I often admire a clever principle behind a test, book tests to me come off as kind of impersonal mentalism. Here's this book. We get this page. I give you the word. That said, there are hundreds of different tests, mostly falling into three categories: those that use a gimmicked book or books, a mathematical force, or just outright bold and brazen deception. (David Hoy's book test and Marc Paul's Triple A book test immediately come to mind and make me chuckle. It's amazing what you can get away with using a good performance. For some performers and performances, either one of those is good enough. They take skill but cost nothing in terms of gimmicks, cribs, and mental challenge.) Anyway, this is a great collection of 20 different book tests using different techniques. You won't use all or most of them. Personally, I'm not a fan of longwinded calculations that get you to a page and word because they always come off as what they really are, that is, using a forcing formula, but you'll definitely find something to like here. (I think that the test using the loaded die is quite clever and something that I'd never thought about before.) And for $10--50 cents per test--the book is a bargain.
Emily v2
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Cagri Akyurt (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 14 January, 2016)
Emily v2 is a very sad story and Mark Piazza did a great job turning it into a show. Though it feels like storytelling, instead of a seancé. From the start to the end, we try to contact Emily, do some tests to see if we're on the right track and than suddenly, we reach to the end of the story, without the feeling of an actual contact.
Besides that, instead of explaining the effects thoroughly, Mr. Piazza decided to direct the reader to other sources (usually paid sources), which makes this piece a little bit hard to understand for beginners.
Still, a very good story and I recommend it.
Sensory Brain Knewmerology
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Prof Max (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 13 January, 2016)
From a math puzzle by Martin Gardner to a killer mentalism effect by Unknown Mentalist, I think this terrific routine had a very interesting journey so far.
This is a gem of a mind reading act.
The methods are well disguised. The triple impact/payoff idea is fantastic.
The list by itself and its built in self working nature are truly mind boggling. Highly recommended.
Sensory Brain Knewmerology
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Mind Legend (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 13 January, 2016)
Brain Knewmerology was fantastic as a remote killer. Advanced Brain Knewmerology was great for small groups or close up. And now this is so well made for stage. The triple audience participation is a huge plus. The ‘smart list’ is a master stroke. Now this series is my ‘go to’ routine for doing impromptu, propless effects.
Another advantage, which I realized now, is the relative anonymity of this author on you tube and magic forums. This keeps his great releases mostly underground and is an advantage for workers.