Eclipse - Dee Christopher
$40.00
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=70529

The Hype:
Every mentalist needs ESP cards in their toolkit and now you can own one of the greatest ESP decks ever devised.

Eclipse is a secretly marked deck of 25 ESP cards (+ gaffs) meaning that YOU know which card your spectator is holding at any time by secretly glimpsing the marks on the back. But these marks are like NO other.

What use are marked cards if you can't see the marks?! This is a very real problem with the typical alternatives; Nothing looks more suspicious than a performer leaning in and closely squinting at the back of a selected card to figure out what it is. Eclipse is the answer; the marks are SO bold, you can literally identify a card a spectator is holding from the other side of the room!

Bold, yes. Obvious? HELL NO. The marks may be bold to you but remain INVISIBLE to the uninitiated. Spectators can freely handle the cards and even under close inspection will struggle to find the secret.

People will be CONVINCED you're psychic!

Eclipse is the brainchild of Dee Christopher, star of BBC Three's award winning Killer Magic television series. Having gone through hundreds of poor-quality ESP cards at gigs, Dee designed Eclipse to last a lifetime; The cards are printed on plastic stock to avoid degradation, so if they get grubby, simply wipe them clean. No more ordering a new pack for every gig you're booked for!

If we supplied your brand new Eclipse deck only with written instructions, it would be GREAT value for money. But we've gone one better (six better, to be precise).

When you purchase an Eclipse ESP deck, you will be granted exclusive access to an in-depth online video masterclass with the creator, Dee Christopher. The video will not only entrust you with the secrets to decode the markings, you'll be taught SIX impressive, hard-hitting effects that can be performed with your new-found knowledge.

What's more, the effects taught can be performed individually or strung together to create a full 25 minute mentalism act, ideal for both close up performances and larger parlor settings. Some of the effects utilize the secret marks, but many don't, equipping you with a multitude of methods to help make backtracking impossible for your audiences.

The effects include:

ESP Opener
A spectator freely names any ESP symbol and you reveal that you knew exactly which symbol they would choose ahead of time.

Sensor
A three-phase routine allowing you to "see" with your fingertips. Each phase increases in . With multiple methods in play, this powerful routine is impenetrable and everything is completely examinable at its conclusion.

Gambit ESP
Five face-down ESP cards are mixed on the tabletop by the spectator. The spectator drops an unread prediction on top of ANY card. The prediction is opened and is found to match the chosen symbol!

Serial Reveal
You predict the unique serial number on a spectator's borrowed banknote! This effect adds impressive variety to the act and gives you a perfect excuse to naturally use props (envelopes and pens) left on the table from earlier effects.

Distance
The entire deck of ESP cards is shuffled by the spectator and washed around the tabletop. At great distance, the performer can reveal each and every card the spectator selects. This effect CANNOT be replicated with any other ESP deck on the market!

ESP cards have become synonymous with mentalism ever since they were first used in the 1930s to test for psychic phenomena. The undeniable allure of the five simple shapes have earned them a place in popular culture and now it's your turn to do the alluring.

Join the ever-growing list of magicians and mentalists choosing Eclipse ESP cards over traditional alternatives.

Are you ready to look like a REAL psychic?

This is Eclipse.

My Take:
I have a few marked ESP decks in my drawer. I have the Vernet. I have the marked deck from James Chartier. I have what has been my favorite, Beyond ESP 3. The marking system on Beyond ESP is brilliant. People can look at this deck all day long and not see a thing. However, I found the markings difficult to read. I think some of the older crowd has given up using the Zener deck because of this.

Then Dee Christopher comes out with the Eclipse deck. Before watching the video, I tried unsuccessfully to locate the markings. No luck. However, once you watch the video, you will never be able to unsee the marks. Dee has come up with a brilliant method that makes the markings visible even to the older crowd. I plead guilty that I had stopped using Zener decks for just this reason. Eclipse has changed all that and the dirty work has never been cleaner.

Another nice thing about this deck is that the cards are made of plastic so they won't get soggy and if you get them dirty, you can wipe them off with a damp rag. A magician buddy of mine goes to Thailand to rock climb every year. One complaint that he has always had is the humidity in Thailand. Cards jut refuse to last. They soak up the moisture in the air and become useless. A few years ago we found some regular decks that were made of plastic and, of course, he loved them. However, the same problem existed with the Zener deck. Eclipse has eliminated all of that and now I expect he will shell out the money for a deck.

There are tons of books out there with ESP card routines. Nick Trost has a few. Howard Adams with his series "OICUFESP" and Dan Tong's "ESP". There is no end to the routines you can find in old magazines or even create yourself. However, Dee teaches six hard hitting routines in the instructional video.

ESP Opener - This utilizes some of the specially printed cards included with the deck. No matter which sign your spectator names, you instantly prove that it matches your prediction. This uses a basic technique that we have all used over the years. It's a classic, it's simple to do and it still kills.

Sensor - the spectator takes one of each sign, mixes them up face down and gathers them into a pile. You take that pile and with the face card facing away from you proceed to name each card. Apparently you have the skill of seeing with your fingers. Once again, a great trick that could not be easier to do.

Gambit ESP and Serial Reveal - A bill is borrowed from a spectator and placed into an envelope. One card of each symbol is gathered into a pile and shuffled. After being spread out face down your spectator drops the envelope onto one of the cards. Not only does it match the selected card, the serial number of the bill is revealed to have been predicted also. Minimal and easy arts and crafts on this one.

Distance- Actually this is just about my favorite. It simulates the type of ESP testing done by Duke University. The spectator holds cards up one by one with the back facing the performer who is able to name each of the cards correctly without seeing the faces. This will work excellently across a table but can also be performed from a greater distance. This will definitely fool the folks at your magic club. I am now carrying the deck whenever I go out and just use this one for an impromptu effect. Easy to do and even magicians will not figure out how it is done.

As a bonus, Dee's pal, Le' Val, also teaches his routine, the Butterfly, a very nice easy routine that lets you involve five people. He also shows his method of doing a reading.This is great as it shows the different approaches taken by two pros. I am sure you will put your own touches on this.

I love this deck. I have always liked the Zener but it did have the limitations I mentioned before. Eclipse does not. Dee has created a wonderful prop here which is not only extremely deceptive but is also very durable and should last you years even with heavy use. If you do mentalism this deserves a spot in your case. If you don't, this might be just it takes to get you started.

So, Dee, thanks for creating Eclipse and, of course, it gets a highly recommended.

I am living in Thailand. The statement about humidity here is very true. Cards and most props mostly last not very long due to the climate.
Thanks for the review. Sounds like another great ESP I should collect

Thank you for the review