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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Man, what can I say about Mike powers? This man is IMHO one of the top thinking minds in the magic field.
His stuff is alway sharp, well thought out, routined to a "t", and highly commercial and visual. This book, "Top secret Stuff", is in the same class as Paul Harris's "Art of Astonishment" quality wise. It's a fine accomplishment, especially useful to the restaurant performer, although just about any close up venue performer will take many items of value from it. It is clearly written, with great line drawings that make learning a breeze. There are fourty three effects in all, of which, I'll mention a few here: "Evolution": Four kings evolve into four cards with backs on both sides, these in turn "evolve" into four two of clubs. Lastly, these "evolve" into the four aces! No gimmicked cards used! Sweet!! "Flushing Out the Queen": A card is selected and shuffled into the deck. The deck is split, and the selection spins face up out of the face down deck. The two halves of the deck are cut and flipped over revealing four more face up cards. The selection and the other four make up a royal flush in spades! Short and sweet with a punch! "No Palm Corner in the Glass": A card is selected, signed and replaced in the deck. The deck is placed onto a glass and the spectator names the selected card. The performer then pushes downward on the deck and a corner of a card is seen to fall into the glass. The deck is then spread and it is found that one card has a corner missing. Yes- it is the signed selection, and the corner fits perfectly! Fun to do!! "Jumbo Finale" The performer exhibits a half dollar on his right hand, noting that a half dollar has a tail on one side. The coin is turned over on the pad to show a head on the other side, and it VISIBLY turns into a giant half dollar! The performer then passes his hands over the giant coin, and it turns back into it's original state. Very magical and eye popping! "Fusion Fission" Two quarters are borrowed and displayed freely. The magician places both coins in one hand and squeezes them. The hand is opened revealing that they have fused into a half dollar. The half is shown and then is "broken" into two quarters which are returned to the spectators. Gotta do it! "Jelly Roll" While eating breakfast at a restaurant, you are called upon to perform a miracle. You borrow a dime whose date is noted and ask someone to pass you one of those clear jelly containers. Your hands are seen to be otherwise empty. The dime is flipped into the air, and VISIBLY penetrates the jelly container! You slowly peel back the cover. The dime is seen UNDER the jelly. Finally you reach in with your finger and scoop out the dime! Boys and girls, can you say "miracle time?" "I knew you could!" "Twilight Zone": The performer explains that mirrors can actually produce magic. To exhibit this, the performer uses a mirror to produce a real coin from the reflection of a coin in the mirror. The mirror then shrinks this coin until it vanishes. The performer now notes that when the mirror is tilted while near the middle of the coin, the coin appears to be bent. As the mirror is slowly slid off the coin, the coin is seen to be really bent! Illusion has become reality. Finally the mirror is used to straighten out the coin which is then handed out for examination. Great shades of Paul Harris!! These are just a few of the effects in this super charged book, which is chock full of useable, practical magic, that you will easily turn into "workers" in your reportoire. High class stuff!! Some of the other effects are: "Squeezing the Jacks", Misplace Your Bets", "Photo Surrealism", "The Fly", "Industrial Strength Aces", "Mexican Assembly", "Ultra Fast Coins Across", and many others. The value in this book is incalculable, and is rooted in the USEFULLNESS of the effects contained in it. Yes, you will USE these effects! Mike is a genius, and you can share in his genius by partaking of the wonderful magic in these pages. I can not recomend this book highly enough, and it rates an easy four stars in my book. **** Yes, it is one of Mike's older books, copyrighted 1990, but nonetheless, still one of his finest works. Kudos to Mike Powers! Get this book!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts |
Doug,
I had wandered onto Mike Power's website looking for a effect. I think it was called "coin in bottle", or something like that. I never could find the item but as I looked around, I read the desciptions on his various lecture note publications. I was impressed by the blurb on his lecture notes and, in particular, the "Top Secret Stuff". I was unclear from your review whether or not you own these lecture notes and are you doing any of this material? If so, what is the difficulty level for these effects? All knuckle-busters? 50% knuckle-busters? 25% knuckle-busters? Als, what percentage of the effects require gaffs or gimmicks? I am seriously considering getting this set of lecture notes. It is nice to see great material that is not predominantly cards. Thanks for the info. Mike P.S. Would you please so kind as to describe the rubberband effects in these notes.
Magic is a vanishing Art.
This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation. |
Cameron Roat Special user Michigan 728 Posts |
Mike,
I know you were asking Doug, but here's a quick response. By the way, this is not a set of lecture notes, but an 8.5x11 inch, 172 page, hardbound book. It's giant! I picked it up a few days ago (I must take a moment to brag; I found it for $20 at the local magic shop). The only rubber band effect I can find is called "The Fly." Here's the description straight from the book. Quote:
Michael Powers' Top Secret Stuff, p. 60: |
Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts |
Thanks, Cameron.
I appreciate the info. Michael's material is always so interesting. Mike
Magic is a vanishing Art.
This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation. |
Mike Powers Inner circle Midwest 2983 Posts |
WOW! Many thanks for the kind words.
Top Secret Stuff came out in 1990 and was out of print in less than a year. I printed about 1200 copies. I am considering a reprint or possibly an ebook version. The material is not in the knuckle buster category at all. Double lift, ATFUS, TILT, Elmsley Count and other basic moves are used for the most part. There are a few items that are more technically demanding but none are in the knuckle buster category. A friend of mine who works at Magic Inc. in Chicago contacted me recently. He had found 12 copies of TSS buried under boxes of books in the storage room. I bought them back for the price they had paid and have about 4 copies left at this point. I am selling them at their original price of $35 (plus $3 shipping by Media mail). I have been working on a 3rd book for quite awhile. It had been virtually done for years but I'm still tinkering. Hopefully I'll get it out before the market for books is totally gone. It was to have been called MOJO. But at this point the word "mojo" is so overused that I am likely to change the name to "Power Plays." Mike
Mike Powers
http://www.mallofmagic.com |
Cameron Roat Special user Michigan 728 Posts |
Mike (Powers),
Do you have any copies of POWERFUL MAGIC? By the way, for those interested, the full contents of TOP SECRET STUFF can be found on my website. http://www.obsolite.com/magic/toc/topsecretstuff.php |
Wayne Hackler Regular user 139 Posts |
So now the important question. Where can I pick up a copy of this and Mike's other in print books?
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Daren Inner circle 2051 Posts |
I think magic books by post in the uk stock his top secret stuff and powerful magic, they are based in bristol in the uk.
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mayniac Special user 616 Posts |
Are you thinking of reprinting Top Secret Stuff anytime soon? I'm very interested.
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Salby Inner circle New Jersey 1254 Posts |
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This has been reprinted and put in a nice spiral-bound book. Go to Mike's site (www.mallofmagic.com) to order it. I bought it last year and not regret it at all!!! .
You know how to make God laugh?........... Tell him your plans!!!
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double_lift Veteran user Platform 9 3/4 355 Posts |
I've owned "Top Secret Stuff" for about 15 years and it's a great book. Lots of devilish ideas hidden among its pages. Highly recommended.
"There's a world of difference between the spectators not knowing how something is done and them knowing that it can't be done."
(Simon Aronson) |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Books, Pamphlets & Lecture Notes » » Short review: "Top Secret Stuff "by Mike Powers (0 Likes) |
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