I ordered this the same time I got the Jermay manuscript. This was the manuscript thart interested me the most, and I have to say it was a brilliant price for some excellent effects.

Odd man out- This effect sounded nuts when I first read about it. the thing I like about it, is it is sooo simple. It does exactly what it says in the description which is great. So many effects you find have a misleading advert, but this is great, one that will even fool your magic friends. Highly recommended to learn this. This trick was originally marketed in 1994, and is well worth being an effect by itself!!!

Wishful tinkering- This effect really caught my eye. Its inspired by a Gary Kurtz effect, which as most people know, Gary Kurtz is my favourite Magician of all time. He has taken a Kurtz effect and simplified it loads, and has a real worker again. As everyone who knows Gary's work, he doesn't take the simple route, and I think Mark has done an excellent job on this effect!

Cardtoon, too- This effect is one that doesn't appeal to me that much as I don't perform the original effects, though I used to many years ago. To people who use the effect, then this is a killer. It does make me want to use the effect again, but it will just add another deck to my pocket when I perform. I might make a deck up purely for fun, and to show magicians or people in the Magic Shop, but when I'm performing I wont be using this one. Please don't take that as it is a bad effect or method, because it is pure genius and for people who use the effect, they WILL change to this, I can guarantee it!

Memorisation- Another great effect, that I will use. Uses a brand new deck, the effect is strong and direct, and is one of those effects that can really make you seem like you have incredible memorisation feats.

Sandwich where did they go?- This was the effect out of all the effects listed on the advertisement that I thought would suit me (little did I think pretty much of all them would!). I find if you can learn one thing from a book or effect, then its all worth the money, and to me, this was all worth it. It is a great piece of magic routining, and is going straight into my reportoire. Im pleased with Marks handling to this, and the visualness is great. This is one of my favourites!!!

Origami of Note- When I was going through the ebook, I didn't have time to sit and play with this, so I just looked at the pictures as I went through. The out come looks great, and when I have a bit more time and patience, I will sit down and learn this, as the effect sounds great, and the finished product in the pictures looks amazing, and it seems this will be another great piece of magic to add to my reportoire.

All in all, a great ebook that was completely worth the money and more. There are some great routines in this book, and some very useful ideas and sleights. This is a well put together ebook with 23 pages for 6 great effects. One of the best ebooks of the year!!!

Thanks for the review.

Loved Elsdon's DVD "Before I forget"...so this is very tempting. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Christopher,

MEMORISATION
"Uses a brand new deck..."

Where in the booklet does it show you how to do the effect from a brand new deck?

The booklet I have suggests learning how to set up stebbbins from a brand new deck by reading stuff by Darwin Ortiz? Or set the deck before performance!

Villa

that's exactly it. Start with a new deck, a couple shuffles and it is set, but to anyone watching, from a brand new deck, a couple shuffles and the spectator would never know it is now in the easiest stack to follow that makes the deck look completely random

Where can this be purchased? BTW...Christopher, your package should be to you shortly.

Incorrect, the booklet does not actually teach you how to set up a brand new unopened deck into Si Stebbins using a couple of shuffles?

It says prior to performance set the deck into the stack then give it a couple of shuffles that are named after Egyptian kings that will allow you to easily get back the stack ;-)

This, to me, is not quite the same as the ad copy says "He opens a brand new deck and shuffles it".

I wouldn't mind so much but I already do a pseudo mind reading routine using the same stack plus a deck switch and was looking forward to learning how to quickly set it up from a new deck.

Villa

Ok then I aplogise. I know and use the technique of Darwins to get a brand new deck into Si Stebbins, so when I review it, and the way Mark uses it personally, you can do it from a new deck. The other move can be done openly as well

Christopher,

Where is the Darwin technique available? Thank you for your help!

Tom

Darwin Ortiz back at the Card Table. One of the best books available for card magic IMO

Darwin Ortiz At The Card Table

http://www.llpub.com/zenshop/index.php?m......c04a2dfd

I agree that Mark's method is quite good and would make the deck look like a new deck to the spectator.

As an alternative to Darwin, you might want to check out the "Chinese Shuffle" in "The Secrets of Brother John Hamman", a fairly quick and very easy (no Egyptian kings!) method of setting the stack from a shuffled deck.

Cheers

Villa

Christopher, Rudess and Villa,

Thank you for the information! Will check out your suggestions!!

Tom