I received 3 products from "unknown mentalist" for review. Here are my thoughts of each:

1st up is Kolossal Kicker:

The idea of this is that you show a list of words. There's 80 or so words and they can verify that each word is different. They think of any word (no restrictions) you make a prediction, and your prediction is correct. The concept is to expand on Kenton Knepper's Kollosal Killer principle and make it directly transferable to a list of different words. The author provides a list of words in different categories. He has random words, emotions, places, and mythical places. Some of these will hit stronger than others in all honesty. The mythical places and the emotions list are a bit stronger hits than the random words and places hits. Since you know this is expanding on the Kolossal killer principle, you should know that your prediction is always correct but it is correct in that you've predicted you would be slightly wrong. If this is something you want to do, then this release is of value. I will never use it. My biggest problem is that the main prediction or the main "hit" is too vague for me. In my own personal opinion, in order for the kollosal killer principle to be effective, the main prediction must be very very clear. This isn't the case here. This actually reminds me of Tenyo 2017's "Mental Flashcards" effect in many ways. I feel like the Tenyo effect is more effective.


Next up -- Karma Deck:

This is a memorized which is said to be able to be learned in less than five minutes. This is actually true. This deck has a visual image you can use to easy allow you to know any card's position in the deck or the position of any card in the deck. This is a GREAT solution to a memorized deck. It genuinely only takes less than 5 minutes to memorize the system (because it is a VISUAL system you visualize in your head based an object we are all very familiar with.) There is a slight bit of math involved in the calculations but it is super slight and very basic math which anyone should be capable of. In the basic stack, the suits are in CHaSeD order throughout the deck. Which means it is an alternating red and black pattern. Perhaps that doesn't matter to many people, but I know some people don't like that in a stacked or memorized deck. The manuscript is very well written and explains it in a great way. The author even provides a full list of cards and values for you to become famialr in that way. It is a comprehensive manuscript which really does a great job of getting the information across to the reader. The author even provides FIVE alternatives to the Karma Deck. All of them are just as easy to learn and yet each one will give you a different order. Some may prefer one of these more than another but that's antirely up to the reader. The last bit of the PDF actually covers how to randomize the suit order. This version will take a little more practice to get fluent with, but it does end with the suits in a random order throughout the deck and yet the performer will be able to determine the suit. Again, this will take more practice than the original, but I think it will be worth it to some people. This is really a great offering to the Mentalism community.


And finally -- Deckcelence:

This a routine using a memorized deck. It is available to owners of Karma deck for half price. Essentially, the performer has a volunteer pass out an entire deck of cards to the audience (every person has one card. So this must be performed for 52 people or more.) The performer then goes through a 7 phase routine where the people in the audience call out a number and he calls out the card and vice versa and other variations where he makes a zip code and a cellphone number by calling out cards. I'm trying to be purposefully vague here because since you're all magicians, if I describe the routine, you'll understand how it's done. The routine itself would actually be a lot of fun for a lay audience and be very impressive. However there is a GLARINGLY obvious plot hole in this routine. You are supposed to be memorizing the deck of cards and what numbers the cards are however the deck is marked before the cards are shuffled. Which makes no sense. The cards are already marked 1-52. The deck is shuffled, then the performer "memorizes" which markings are on which card? I don't understand that. It's a massive flaw which makes the lovely routine crumble. That said, with a little thought (and a deck switch) I think this could be very effective. The routine itself is pack small and play HUGE. But it has a tendency to feel redundant. I definitely wouldn't do all 7 phases as the author suggests. It's simply too much. I would do 3 of the 7 phases and call it a day.


I'm here to answer any questions you guys may have about any of these releases!

Madison