Magic Tricks

Routines in the book (as with the picture on Colin's facebook:

1- By Association
2- Direct Flight
3- Truly Epic
4- The Anthology Deck
5- Here Comes Someone
6- Tossed without Deck
7- Mesmerized deck
8- Double card prediction Essay
9- The Dunninger Ploy
10- Safe Opener
11- Note to Self
12- Perfect Prediction
13- Noted
14- Additional thoughts
15- Diced thoughts
16- Billet Ballet
17- Unlocked
18- Devil-May-Care
19- Remarkable Effect

Note that the Penguin live lecture contains the following numbers: 5,10,12,14

I was disappointed that number 17 for some reason has not been included in the book.

1: By Association: Good routine to consider for close up situations to get everyone involved. Method wise, I would use another method instead of the method proposed. However, the idea behind the routine is good enough.

2: Direct Flight: Colin's take on another performer's routine. This is not guaranteed, but you can use your knowledge in mentalism to make this work perfectly.

3: Truly Epic: By it's name, we all know what this is. While the method is bold and good, I might think that when Colin says use this or that, what he really means is that you could even use the regular Mental Epic board and apply his boldness. I think this routine can be edited to make it become even more convincing to an audience. I wouldn't use it as is, neither method nor sample routine provided, but a combinational knowledge of other performer's work will make this an absolute hit.

4: This was discussed in Colin Mcleod's Confessions of Real Mind Readers. I like it. Please note that this is not a routine, but it's a Deck which you do something with (you don't gimmick it in any way).

5: I would call this routine: Colin Mcleod's version of the Radar deck. I love this one. Also note that the "move" happening is different on Penguin Live Lecture than in the book. However, again, you shouldn't follow the same "move". Don't go for as-is (as Colin stresses again and again in his book). So whatever suits you. This one is good and it's a ready to go routine, well, as long as you've practiced it.

6: This was discussed in Colin Mcleod's Confessions of Real Mind Readers. Again, I love the idea. And I think it takes a regularly performed card routine and flips it on it's head. For stage use, Jay Sankey can provide good additions to this.

7: Colin's take on the memorized deck routine. Well... I really like how this would play on stage. Though I've come up with another method as I was reading this and thought it was the same method. My method uses a switching prop. This routine doesn't switch anything. I love how the routine is framed during and after the routine. I'll perform this definitely

8: Double card prediction Essay: Personally, I wouldn't perform this only because I use another similar routine that delivers well for me. The method is creative and good. I would see people performing this on stage.

9: The Dunninger Ploy: Very well written and mind opening. This chapter was one of the stuff I really enjoyed in this book.

10: Safe Opener: Oh boy. Colin's take on Luke Jermay's Dangerous Opener. Forget the routine provided with the genius thinking. I've taken this and applied it in other ways and it actually swayed magicians. I had the chance to perform this since it was on his Penguin Live Lecture.

11: Note to self: A method to a sure fire "which hand" routine. This one's very very good. I'm definitely trying this. It's also impromptu.

12: Perfect Prediction: A method to predict choices. I still haven't come up with something to use this with. I haven't put much thought into it. This is why I can't judge it clearly. I see the potential of this though. It requires a relatively expensive prop.

13: Noted: A Kurotsuke routine that has been taken to another level than just "detecting lies". I would definitely use this. It contains some DR though.

14: Additional thoughts: Colin Mcleod's take on Q&A. I will use this. I was entirely fooled when Colin performed this on his Penguin Live Lecture. Requires a relatively good priced prop

15: Diced thoughts: Using a die to reveal memories. Well... I would use this. It contains a lower level of DR, as well as a relatively expensive prop.

16: Billet Ballet: An essay on using billets. Very well written.

17: Unlocked: Not included in the book. Very disappointed with this.

18: Devil-May-Care: Regardless of the end method you decide upon, the idea of making someone PREDICT what you're about to predict is such a beautiful idea. I will definitely use this. Method wise, I will opt for a Stefan Olschewski idea, or a Bruce Bernstein idea. Again, the point is, there are many methods to reach the initial goal.

19: Remarkable Effect: An impromptu take on Free Will. Beautiful. I've used it numerous times to great success.

Conclusion:

I felt that the routines written in the book were sometimes either sharing a genius method, or, sometimes only sharing a creative routining. I've sometimes edited Colin's take on the methods. In other routines, I've decided to ignore the whole routine and use the technique and thinking behind it.

My top routines would be: Note to self, Here comes someone, Safe Opener, By Association (again, using another method), Devil-May-Care,

Food for thought: Truly Epic made me rethink Epic routines. I feel that Truly Epic needs a bit more of a nudge to make it truly spectacular and fair. I'll come up with something.

Food for thought: Noted. Noted would be something I would perform, especially after Derren used a bag for his Kurotsuke in "Something Wicked this was comes". At the same time, the routine makes you think.

Final Conclusion:

Is the book worth 100 $ ?? To be honest, no. Any performer is entitled to price his own books at any price whatsoever and no one can argue with that, but to be fair, Bob Cassidy's Artful Mentalism Vol. 2 and Bruce Bernstein's Unreal are both prices around the range of 50 - 65 $.

I can't deny that Colin's book not only contained routines, but a lot of advice (are found in the opening pages in Divine) that are very helpful. However, I felt that 100 $ is too much for this, especially when one routine (Unlocked) that I was happily awaiting to read gets removed from the book after being blurbed for on Colin's website (where Divine was initially sold at).