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MonsterMagic Special user 517 Posts |
I've been fortunate enough to have been asked to review Shift 2 by Ben Earl.
Just like Shift 1 it is super slim yet still £40. You only get 3 routines, 3 techniques and 3 pieces of theory. Effects: Stepping Stones: A card to pocket which I found muddled the plot a bit. It leads into being more a card transposition than card to location effect. This is followed up by a version of Eddie Fetcher’s ‘Be Honest, What is it?’ Basically two old but popular and strong effects. If you already do either I doubt you’ll change. Slow Roll Nothing great here – an old principle explained as if talking to a 3 year old. Not only that, the trick doesn’t have a denouement. He just says now you can reveal their card. But don’t worry, just pick up Hugards Encyclopaedia of Card tricks it has a whole chapter of effects using the same method. M-Theory: A Gary Kurtz routine complete with Gary's plot and patter. I don’t know how he has the nerve to print it. He has just changed the card vanish but to the same spoken lines. Criminal. Credit for stealing from the best. Techniques: Erdanese Top Palm What’s new? Interestingly it is taught with the deck in display position rather than the relaxed position he showed in Shift 1. Riffle Force What’s new? False Cut Another one from the plethora of cuts already out there. Theory: Breaking the frame Yeah, yeah. He is right about getting focus off the deck, but really padded out to fill space. Art of practice More ping pong ball stuff. Just buy a table from sports direct and be done with it. Deception More from Simon Henderson with little insight of how it all helps your magic, apart from getting more sleep. I'm struggling to think who this would appeal to, or who could benefit from this at all. May be I'm just angry that someone has the nerve to consider this a worthwhile product. I really hoped this would be much better than Shift 1. Once burnt, twice shy. |
pegasus Eternal Order United Kingdom 10537 Posts |
Thanks Harry. Were you asked by Ben himself to review? If so it may be your last. Lol.
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Doric Special user 791 Posts |
Ben has a new baby to feed, hence the reason for all the sudden, pricey releases I suspect. Similar to Matt Wright and his rushed releases with QA issues.
That said I enjoyed Shift 1. Will wait for more reviews of Shift 2 before spending my hard earned. |
kissdadookie Inner circle 4275 Posts |
I'm still waiting to receive my copy of Shift Volume 2. I don't hate the first volume I just don't think it was as substantial as what it really should be for a $50 book that got touted as a grand labor of love. Sounds like volume 2 is more of the same, I am hoping that the effects are better than from the first volume and from the sound of it, I think it will probably be better than what was in the first volume and the knocks against it appears to be due to the lack of originality.
To be fair, I have not thought of Ben's releases to be all that original since Past Midnight and Skin. This is not to say that his releases were not good since then, but they lacked originality IMO. I do follow what he releases and like him for his approaches to construction of effects as well as a very strict adherence to the concept of economy of movement with everything he does though. It's his ideas behind that which I follow his releases for. |
MonsterMagic Special user 517 Posts |
I don't think he teaches his thinking very well. It gets mentioned at intervals during the explanations, but when you read Ascanio for example you get an idea of the concept as a whole and how to apply it to other effects. I don't get this from The Shift volumes.
The tricks are okay, but you probably already know better. M: Theory is a direct copy of Gary Kurtz's Hypothetical Possibilities in construction and patter and that actually upset me. |
strollingmagician Loyal user 285 Posts |
Really? He took the Kurtz routine? So sad if true.
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Maxyedid Special user Panama 843 Posts |
So no more volumes then...
NEW BOOK! "Semi-Automatic Miracles" - INSTANT Best-Seller at Lybrary.com
https://www.lybrary.com/semiautomatic-card-miracles-p-925333.html chaos handlings, out of hands effects, and more |
CopperChopCup Loyal user 213 Posts |
On one hand, I feel compelled to complete the set...
On the other hand, I feel like both of these should have been one release at half the price. |
kissdadookie Inner circle 4275 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 8, 2020, CopperChopCup wrote: I feel that way about True Blood. I bought and watched the Blu-Rays up to season 5. Could not make myself finish season 5 for which I gave up on the series altogether at that point. LoL. |
Blindside785 Inner circle Olympia, WA 4541 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 8, 2020, kissdadookie wrote: This is funny, I randomly remember when I stopped watching..is that when you find out Sookie was a fairy? |
pegasus Eternal Order United Kingdom 10537 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 7, 2020, Doric wrote: Very well observed. Makes sense. |
kissdadookie Inner circle 4275 Posts |
Quote:
On Jan 9, 2020, Blindside785 wrote: I think I’ve purged it all out of my memory. Sookie being a fairy I think was like season 3 or 4 which I was still along with but season 5 I just couldn’t do it to myself anymore. LoL. |
Kimura Special user 519 Posts |
Thanks for the honest review.
I was very disappointed with the first book but wanted to give Ben Earl another chance - I'm waiting for my copy of the second volume. Will judge for myself but it's not looking too good based on your review. It's a real shame, because Ben has put out truly excellent, progressive work in the past. I understand his grift, but I would have preferred one volume of collected ideas rather than £40 individual books which might as well be magazines. If 2 is as disappointing as 1, it will be the last I buy. A pity. |
MonsterMagic Special user 517 Posts |
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Wordsworth Veteran user 324 Posts |
All fair and honest comments, Harry. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these books.
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