The Effects
SEVEN - A one-card variant of the Kilossal Killer genre of effect…with one big difference: there are NO outs. NONE. The one-and-only prediction you place on the table before the routine begins will match the card the spectator envisions. Bold, raw, and almost always works. And in the rare occasions it doesn’t, you still get credit!
BCK - By using real psychometry (and a clever subtlety) you, and perhaps a participant, will be able to determine the outcome of an experiment of several runs of “object placed under one of several items.” And if you want, you may show you predicted in writing the exact results. NO gimmicks at all, and everything is borrowed.
YOUR LUCKY NITE - Hopefully, all are worth more than the price of admission, but this one seems to shine with a little more luster: an anytime-anyplace routine with a Bank Night flavor.
BOHT - A subtle cultural difference has been refined & exploited to make the “Which Hand” type of effect a perfect success…but only once per performance…..THE perfect out for when mechanical, physical, or psychological outs and tells may fail….and it stands as a methodology all on its own!
$4 Billet Index – It is what it is…The least you will ever spend on an invisible 8/16 billet index that renders all specialty Predator-type wallets unnecessary. Complete with photos on how to build one!
******STRING: Figure out the “asterisks,” if you will, but you will still enjoy the storyline and thinking behind it: A participant is brought back in time to an ancient carnival scam in which an entertaining story is told. By eliminating 4 out of 5 colored strings, she wins a very nice prize for the performer through her own FREE choices. No Equivique at all. NONE. In the interest of full-disclosure, SOME of you may have to buy a $20 prop, but most already have it. It is perfect.
Cost
$30 for ebook from either Bryn himself or via Outlaw Effects
$35 for printed format
Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
1. These effects are pretty much self-working, with the exception of one which has one simple 'move'.
Review
From the outset Bryn writes in a very personal, direct manner. I think it's a wonderful touch for a creator of effects to explain where he's coming from in a mentalism point of view and Bryn does this eloquently, describing his history and reason d'etre in the art.
The effects themselves are, quite frankly, brilliant. Each of them is immediately 'do-able' straigh off the page if you were the kind of performer who did that. But you wouldn't do that, would you? Like most people, I want to stamp my signature on any effect I perform and Bryn's effects are perfection itself for this, each one is so elegent in its simplicity that you can't help but just 'run with it'.
So, the individual effects....
Seven - I cannot fault this and as soon as I read it I was performing it. Truly impromptu mentalism of this calibre is hard to find. No props and no setup beyond writing down a quick note on the back of your business card. Of course, you could carry around the one playing card in your wallet, I personally prefer to write a prediction down as it plays more personal. As Bryn states in his blurb, this isn't a 100% hit effect, though I've performed it countless times and have missed just once. You could still take some credit, I personally prefer to credit the spec as being very difficult to influence and that it's something they should be proud of. Bryn also introduces a beautiful little nuance in the form of a 'new' word which I guarantee you'll use in your own effects too.
BCK - Probably my least favourite of the effects that I've performed, it just comes across as a bit too 'contrived' for my style. Sadly, it's hard to explain just why without coming close to exposure. That said, I can well imagine other people doing perfectly ok with this. The ending prediction is genuinely a mind blower though, as is the added little kicker.
Your Lucky Nite - Another stunner, absolute stunner. The method is alarmingly simple and the performance in itself leaves you clean and impossible for a spec to backtrack. My only gripe with Bryn's delivery is there's no justification for the envelopes to be numbered but you shouldn't have any trouble into reworking it so that it works. I know I didn't and I'm the least creative guy I know!!
BOHT - This effect, above all others, demonstrates Bryn's brilliant thinking. It's an alarminly clever and EVER so bold method.
******STRING - This is one effect that I'm yet to perform because I don't own the prop required, but I'm sure many of you do. That said, I'll be buying one sooner rather than later, just so that I can perform this effect. Like all of Bryn's effects, it's simple yet absolutely devestating.
$4 Billet Index – Obviously not an effect but instructions on how to make a rather cunning little billet index for your wallet. Suffice to say, being British it's not that much use for me, my equivelent would cost £20 to make! However, from the (very good quality) photos in the book you can see how brilliant it is. If I ever perform abroad then this will be getting another look.
Overall
Beautiful. If you're looking for some top class impromptu effects than this HAS to be your first port of call.
Disclaimer
Okay, so this is my first review and I've no idea if I've gone about it in the right way. Constructive criticism is encouraged! I wasn't entirely sure how 'in depth' I should get into each effect (avoiding exposure obviously) - I'm sure I haven't gone OTT but if I've left you wondering about anything then speak up!
