Anagnorasis is easier to learn and perform than the name of the trick is to pronounce and spell. It is a trick that you can use for children as long as they know the numbers from 1 to 10 and for adults.

Short version: I think this is the first time I've ever thought: "This effect is *better* than it looked on the promo video!" I think you have to have a certain type of personality to make this effect work, and I think your spectator needs to maybe have a certain type of personality to appreciate it...but, if you're reading this review, I'd presume it's because you liked the effect, and think you'd like to perform it -- in which case you should *definitely* buy it, because the promo video doesn't do it justice.

This is not the greatest miracle in the history of card magic, but I don't think George/Patrick (the creator's name and his pseudonym) would argue that point. I don't think he set out to fool Penn and Teller. I think he set out to build a cool card routine that has a unique theme and an interesting plot, and ends in a really neat bit of wonderment. And he succeeded.

The longer version -- and, frankly, if you're interested in a magic trick called "anagnorisis," then you're probably the type who prefers long explanations -- is this:

The word "anagnorisis," in the context of classic Greek tragedies, refers to a specific moment: a moment of recognition; more specifically, it's the moment at which the hero recognizes the reality of his situation, as well as the nature of his relationship with his counterpart. In essence, it's the point at which one's world comes into focus.

It's a great title for this effect, because the spectator gets taken on a (small) adventure, and, only after passing through a couple of checkpoints (2 reveals, both of which I'd categorize as minor) does he fully understand and appreciate the situation in which he's found himself: inside a really, really cool bit of magic.

I was intrigued by this effect (that's probably self-evident, given the fact that I bought it), but, honestly, I worried that the trick would take too long, that it had a plot requiring too many steps, and that the ratio of effort to payoff was too high. I was happy to be completely wrong in that worry; the juice, here, is absolutely worth the squeeze.

George/Patrick has a tough problem on his hands: to appreciate this effect fully, you have to see the whole thing...but that takes too long for a promotional video. Consequently, he's got a promo video which gives the basic gist of the trick, but doesn't nearly convey the depth of the truly artful journey he's created here.

In essence, you perform a little feat of mentalism. Then, you allow the spectator to be the mentalist. All the while, you're building to a conclusion in which the spectator realizes that the little world you created is much more than what he thought. And that's anagnorisis.

The instruction is absolutely fantastic. He teaches every part of the trick, step by step, but he does much more than that: he gives the justification for every gesture, he offers alternatives for even the simplest of "moves" (there is absolutely no "sleight of hand" required, and beginners should be 100% comfortable with this routine), he shows a foolproof way to recover from the only possible problem (and, if you're concentrating on what you're doing, there's really nothing which could go wrong), and he even explains the rationale for certain facial expressions and tones of voice. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to perform a frame-by-frame recreation of his handling, and I mean that not as a testament to my skill as a performer, but, rather, to his as a teacher.

He even takes care to leave time for a special section on the history of the effect, and he's careful to give credit where it's due -- but, frankly, he probably gives more than is due, because, while the germ of the idea wasn't his, the methodology, the scripting, the patter and the pacing sure were.

This is not the effect I'd use to showcase my ability to perform miracles of a biblical nature, but it's definitely the one I'd use to showcase my skills as a performer. If that makes sense to you, you should buy this effect.

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If you're still reading this, please let me know whether this review helped you, because I do wonder whether anyone even reads these things. Thanks!

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(Oh, and, Penguin editors: the word "anagnorisis" is spelled -- well, it's spelled the way I wrote it, and not the way you've got it here. Granted, only a nerd like George/Patrick or me would care, but, then again, who else buys tricks named for conventions of Greek tragedy?)

My first thought was, "Wow - this is slow". Second, "This is going to be too complicated". I bought it anyway.

I was wrong on both counts. Slow? That's mostly about me. I'm pretty new to effects, my confidence is low --- this is a great pace in real life.

Complicated? Well! No gaffs or gimmicks. No memory tricks. The setup happens right there, naked, in front of everyone and they'll never know you're doing it. The sleights are simple and well within the grasp of a novice like me.

Multiple reveals that leave everyone feeling great.

Best of all? The presentation is straight-forward, to the point, clear. I understood it first time through. Patrick is the best teacher I've encountered so far.

Absolutely worth the price!

First off let me first say that I am very much a beginner to card magic. I know some very BASIC theory and a handful of let's just call them "beginner tricks". THIS card trick is very deceptive to your audience, easy to learn for a newbie like myself and the payoff at the end is just a mind melter! While practicing the trick I even found myself fooling myself at times.

By far, the one thing I ABSOLUTELY LOVE about this trick is that you don't need a marked deck (although it can be helpful if you are accustomed to using marked decks) and there are no gimmicks you need to carry around with you. You could even use a borrowed deck as well! I LOVE IT!

Kudos to George for his very detailed tutorial as well as a few bonus handlings of the trick to make the payoff that much more effective.

Stop reading and BUY THIS NOW!

Figured out most of the trick on first watch of the trailer, and after learning the rest of the method was a bit more hopeful.
The video is well done and Patrick is excellent at explaining everything, but I havent had any reactions close to those he and others have claimed to get. It could be my presentation and patter isnt up to par, but the kicker ending just doesnt impress people that much, and most spectators are able to guess at the method after seeing it once.
I will definitely keep working on ways to make the ending seem like more of a revelation though, because the concept here is fantastic

Initially I was going to give 3 stars as the effect requires more practice and memorization than usual. After seeing the reaction from the spectators, I decided on 5 stars as they are blown away with their previously unknown 6th sense. There are also several new card slights presented that I have not seen before and will be useful in other effects.
Just buy it!

It's a fun routine that departs from the usual card stuff and plays well. But I particularly like it as a set up for Gorden's Final Destination. with a "shuffle" and "cut" you're pretty much set to go into his very nice version of the clock trick.

I love routines with a simple premise, involve the audience in a playful way (as opposed to using them as a prop), use a deceptive method and can be done impromptu.
That may sound like a lot of requirements, but I enjoy the process of writing a script and choreographing these type of routines, so theyturn into an excellent experience for the audience. Paul Curry's A Swindle of Sorts is in that spectrum, as is this routine.
This is not the type of routine that is completely selfworking. You will need to master some, albeit it simple, techniques, use your brain to remember certain things and practice to you will feel comfortable executing it. Just practice and you'll be fine.
HAving said that. The routine and premise make a lot of sense and provide you with automatic coverage, and opportunities to recover if you happen to make a mistake. Patrick explains every detail in a very clear way.
I can immediately add it to my list of strong impromptu card tricks.

There aren't many truly powerful impromptu effects without difficult slights that have this cool of an impact. Definitely worth the download! There is a little memorization and one subtly that will take some practice but beginners will readily be able to perform this as well.

This is an excellent piece of work, and it is a lot of fun from both the audience AND performer's sides.

It's taught extremely thoroughly by Patrick, and is a solid routine that can roll ahead with a borrowed deck, completely on the fly.

I'm ecstatic to have discovered this, as it is a leaner way for me to travel with a short storytelling set I've been performing about psychics. Big thanks to Patrick for sharing this one.