The good, the bad, and the garbage area has been a great source to gather opinions from a variety of individuals regarding products available to those involved in the magical arts, and it still is.

Many may wonder why then, I chose to add The Catch of the day, given the enormous amount of information already available.

The answer is a simple one. The Magic Cafe has not only grown in size and popularity, but has gained respect and admiration in the magical community. That said, the last few weeks has seen my mailbox begin to receive various items from creators, publishers, and distributors. I did not solicit these items, like magic, they just started arriving. Some with little information, others with notes asking for my opinion.

While I do not believe my opinion is any more valid then those that give their views in The good, the bad, and the garbage forum, I can say that it is no less important.
I've been involved in magic for over 30 years, and in that time I have learned a great deal. While I am no expert per say, I do know what appeals to me, and when I think I've been taken. Like watching a good movie, the viewer may or may not agree with the opinions of the so called critics, thus I'm sure there will be those who will not agree with my viewpoints from time to time, and that is okay.

In that light, what you can expect from me is an honest look at the product at hand. Is it made well? Are the instructions easy to understand? Is it really something special, or just another item for the junk drawer?

These questions are not always easy to answer, indeed, one man's junk is often a treasure for another.
To further complicate matters, the very nature of some items often makes a true review almost impossible.
Case in point would be a large book of effects and routines.
For the reviewer to give it a total thrashing, one would need several months, and in many cases years! You would need to read and learn all the routines, become proficient at them, then actually try them out in the real world.

Obviously, given the circumstances, that is an impossible task, at least for me.
What I will do is give my opinion on my initial impression of the item. Then, based on my knowlege and experience, do my best to try some of the material out, and let you know the results. This will at least give you a hint as to the type of material being offered. In that light, this could save you from being disappointed, or in fact open a door you never thought existed. I will do my best to let you know.

Finally, the reviews I post here are not up for discussion in this forum. If you wish to debate the value of any items currently being offered, feel free to do so in The good, the bad, and the garbage. Thanks everyone, and I look forward to the many challenges ahead of me.
:smoke: