I enjoy backlash as well. Does anyone else try Guts. I don't think it is as good as Backlash.

What a marvelous idea; having users choose their favourites from a specific book. I just wrote one famous and generous author saying in essence, that without a Video tape, I could not judge which of the effects in his book might most appeaal to audiences. I asked which were his favourites, meaning which obtained best audience response.

We can, none of us, any longer go through every trick in a book, learn it, try it, and then discover that audience reaction may be "ho-hum". Nice guy though he is (and he really is) his answer, "they are all my favorites", was not totally helpful.
Marty K

I've done creation, but don't try to do it in the cheesy manner that is outlined. I happen to really like the tongue in cheek style of the books and I perform pretty much in the same vein, but the first time I did Creation I got screams. Real life screams, as opposed to the kind magicians normally tell other magicians they get.

Ever since then I make it a really special thing. I read that Nate Leipzig used to do the same thing. Be careful not to rip the wings. Try to touch the moths as little as possible. I look forward to every spring and summer because it's a seasonal trick.

Also, I read about Pain in a routine by (I'm almost positive) Anneman. My all time favorite from AOA is Limo service. I always have an extra jack so I'm clean at the end.

I finished Book One last night and tonight I rip open the plastic wrap on Book Two and begin to learn more Art of Astonishment. How does Book Two compare to One?

By the way, Las Vegas Leaper floored another victim for me last night, leading to the nervous giggles at the end!! I love that trick!!!

I have a question about Las Vegas Leaper. I am very comfortable with the false counts involved, but there is one part which I got caught on last night while performing this trick. It was a fellow magician who I was performing for, so it's not a huge deal to me. But the part he said he saw is the backs of the 3 cards on the bottom when I handed him the packet of his 10 cards. Now, I handed them to him all squared up as tight as I could, and explained the count to him and told him to count out loud. But immediately after I handed him the packet, he started to spread them out a bit, thus leading to him spotting the packet on the bottom. This was the first time this happened, usually they just hold the packet tightly and start the count when I tell them. Is this something that I can control? How can I get my spectator not to fan the cards at all without making it look suspiscious?

You say: "Hold the pack just like this..." and demonstrate the grip you want. Then when you hand them the cards, adjust their grip for them.. (when I do spongeballs, I always close their fist for them and then turn their wrist so it points down. This keeps them from opening their hand early.)

One trick I enjoy, and always gets geat reactions is 'Juke'. This effect is so under-rated it doesn't read great but try it out. It is pretty easy as well.

Headache is another overlooked trick. It takes seconds to do and it's not much, but everyone I've done it one has been quite impressed.

Pain is a very scary trick the first time you do it. The first time I did it I was with a couple of magician friends and we were all hesitant to do it. However, it doesn't hurt at all and it does look really neat!
Solid deception rocks as does Limo service!

This has turned out to be a great Forum, collecting exactly the type of info I was looking for! Who is the genius that thought of this topic??!!

But seriously, there are a lot of effects that I kind of read once, and then sorta moved on if I was short on time or didn't understand something totally. I can't wait to go back now and try some more effects that I may have passed over earlier on. I can't believe that at first I was a bit disappointed with my books, I have done a 180º after only Book One. I can't recommend the set enough!

If you don't use sufficiently pliable pins for "pain" you can get a nice hole in your hand as the pin snaps in half. Yes, I'm speaking from experience.

Juke. An awesome variant of Wack Your Pack.

The way I get around this problem is by very fairly counting the first two or three cards myself so even if the spectator does slightly spread the packet they will just think the cards they see are the ones I have just counted.

Thanks

Yes, that's the way to do it. I count the first two as a way of demonstrating to the spectator what to do. So you're covered if the cards slip a little.

Backlash and Galaxy and most of the tricks in here are quite astonishing. However, I found a gem in the rubber band haunted deck.If you merely take some time to try and learn a spectators favorite card, this effect can become a miracle beyond proportion.

I have done 'Leaf' here and there this can really blow your specs away. I mean one time they stood looking at the tree for nearly 10 minutes. Because this is like real magic to them, it is not really a commercial effect but just when you are out with friends or something, I enjoy doing it.

Galaxy is a great variation of 'Out OF This World'

In regards to Las Vegas Leaper, I recently tried the idea of turning over the first 2 cards to demonstrate for the spectator. Right away, he wanted to count them again on his own. I think this is because he was suspicious of my first 2 cards I counted for him. I feel the effect is much less suspicious and more impressive if they do the entire count on their own. No matter how fairly I count the first two, it seems like it will always be questioned at the end. As an alternative, I have recently been telling them to grip the pack exactly as I show them, and I say hold it tight so that I can't sneak in and do anything while they count. That seems to be working better.

Can anyone show me a thread to reviews of the 3 volumes....thanks in advance

Regarding the count in Las Vegas Leaper, it sounds like it won't work with suspicious spectators. The people I've tried it with have followed my instructions ("Hold out your hand like this...") and haven't noticed the extra cards. You're definitely putting the trick at risk when you place those cards into their hands... but the reward is huge when it works right. My victims always say, "But.. I counted... only 10... how'd you do that?"

That's easily my favorite trick from AOA... it packs a punch, it's fun, and it's fairly easy to do. Next up for me is Big Time Leaper (book 3).

Another vote for Juke! I think it is one of the most under-used gems of the series. I've never seen anyone do it, and it is fabulous!

I have always found that Las Vegas Leaper works best with women. don't't get me wrong, I am not sexist and I have nothing against women at all but I would imagine that men would have more experience and would be more comfortable handling a pack of cards and therefore the chances of the cards spreading are greater.

On the other hand most women will hold the deck with a vulcan death grip because the last thing ANYONE wants is for the cards to slide around and possibly fall to the floor.

All we really want to say is "Okay, just hold the cards like this...", too much emphasis will arouse suspicion because at the end of the day, how hard is it to hold a packet of cards.