Finished my first read through of the book last night and wow. Definitely one of the best.

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement and chatter about this.

I will begin my second read through next week

My copy arrived today.

I sense it will be a couple more days before you get lots more chatter.

I will be one of them!

Sucks...mine is delayed until next Monday July 13th, and being that I live in Mexico.

It will come to my parents house in the States, and by the time my parents come and visit, I still need to wait another 2 more weeks at the most.

I bought the prop kit as well, and received an email that some were packaged incorrectly and that new ones would be sent out.

Thanks, cant wait for this

Alex

Yes, my favorite too! I love those rare effects that when you try it for the first time, you're fooled!! When I turned the card over, I thought to myself "how did I do that!?"

If you want to hide something from magicians, especially younger ones, put it in a book.


Note that I am using the term magicians VERY liberally, and mostly as an identifier which they would use to describe themselves despite the fact that they couldn't pass even a simple test on theory or ability to actually perform magic.

Ain't that the truth.

Okay - had a chance to look over the book.

First of all - it is a great book.

The book gets off to a wonderful start with a trick involving maths and photographs. I haven't played with this yet - but it seems like on of those tricks that will fool you when you do it for yourself.

There is a nice rope penetration thru the neck. This is a tweak to an old principle which is not as well known as it should be.

The book has a couple of rubber band tricks. The second of which is a lengthy routine which seems to have some cutting edge thinking buried in there. I can't wait to explore the mechanics of this routine.

There is an ingenious spoon bend which is "hands off" and makes for a bizarre effect.

The gimmicked bill switch is very good. And a few different ideas are covered. Including a sneaky idea from Paul Harris!

The book also has a couple of interesting variations of Paul Harris' 'Grasshopper' effect.

I really loved the hands off card vanish which makes use of an uncut sheet of playing cards. This is the best use I have seen for the geometric vanish. Again this is the sort of thing which will confuse you as you try and understand how it works.

Tomas is a huge fan of 'Tattoo You' by John Bannon. And he details an ungaffed version of this effect. He also has a version of 'Red Hot Mamma' in which the card that changes colour is signed by the spectator. This might make for a nice magician fooler.

You have a trick involving slamming your hands on some pins (some of which are safe and some of which are not) which makes use of The Gilbreath Principle. There are some other wrinkles for the Gilbreath Principle taught in the book as well. There is also a trick which has some new work on the Miraskill principle as well.

There is a nice trick involving a deck and a rubber band which updates a lovely UF Grant idea which deserves to be more well known.

Look out for the four card invisible palm routine which makes use of some unusual gaffs to achieve the most visual version of this trick you are ever likely to see.

'Schrodinger's Tie' is a genius method for an Card At Any Number type effect. I have never seen a method like this before. Wonderful topological thinking here.

'Jack's Trick' is a trick from Jack Parker which is very good. It is actually a reinvention of an excellent trick by Richard Vollmer. I like this trick so much that I once wrote about it on a friend's blog:

https://doubledeal.wordpress.com/2010/10......rection/

You can check out the link above to see why I am so enamored with the unusual construction behind this effect. I should add that I prefer Jack Parker's method for this trick since he has a cleaner way (a clever display from Tomas) to get into the effect as opposed to using the usual Braue Addition type procedure.

There are other goodies in this book. For instance - Tomas has some very clever ideas involving Estimation which is one of those principles that magicians never seem to use. But I will stop here since the above covers most of my highlights for this book.

Great job, Andi!

And thanks for sharing you magic, Tomas! I hope your Vampire Effect sees print soon!!!

Joe Mckay

Very tempted by this one... Seems like a wonderful book.

Anyone have any thoughts on the deluxe edition vs the standard book?
Is it worth the extra £90 knowing now you can buy the props and gimmicks for under £20.
There's not even a ribbon bookmarker.

I will say the standard edition is beautiful.

It just depends on if you want the delux or not. It absolutely is not necessary.

I think the deluxe edition is sold out (?).

It is!

Is the accessory kit necessary with the book?

Would anyone else with the prop kit be able to check what I've received if I drop them a pm?

I've had a quick look through the book and can't see what routines they relate to.

Thanks

Rich

I want to talk about 'Jack's Trick' from the book.

This is an improved handling (and accidental reinvention) of a trick by Richard Vollmer.

In Richard Vollmer's version - the final double card is placed on the final pile such that you are holding two cards together with a face up Queen on top of a face down Queen.

This means once the double card is placed on the pile - you can casually turn the face up Queen face down on the pile - which is a lovely touch to sell the idea you are only placing one Queen on that pile (when in fact you are placing two).

In Jack Parker's trick - the two cards are both face down. So you don't get to include this subtlety. As such - I am wondering if there is handling of Tomas' clever 'Low Life Display' which ends with the final double card orientated with a face up Queen on top of a face down Queen? As opposed to a face down Queen on top of another face down Queen?

This is something I am gonna' play with. But I want to throw it out as a suggestion in case somebody can step in and tell me a good way of doing this.

Thanks!

Tomas got in touch.

For you card nerds - here is his suggestion. Thanks, Tomas!

--------------------------

When the third card has been flipped face up, so you have two face up cards on top of a facedown, turn left palm towards yourself and buckle.

Reach into the buckle to remove the hidden face down card to place it on a packet.

Continue turning left palm down and you have the back-to-back double you like.

--------------------------

Thought I would share another performance video I made of another brilliant routine from the book. "Tsar"

http://youtu.be/MD_ex3O75pA

Way too long!

Some routines in magic are longer than others. Strange, huh?

Just like songs in a musical. Some are only 30 seconds others are 5-10 minutes.

It's all theatre

That was fantastic magic maddy!! Brilliant!!!