I didn't know what to expect with Sanctum 2 looking at the solitary pocket card that I received. Then I dove head first into the 48 pages of instructions set in an itty-bitty font. Wow. Wow. And wow. This is brilliantly designed and chock full of amazing possibilities. I can't even begin to scratch the surface describing this. You could do 10 or 15 minutes just from this one card from your wallet. Combine that with Kolossal Killer, Positive/Negative, Hollywood or Bust, Tequila Hustler, a coin bend, Organic Choice, and Kioku or PowerBall 60, and we're talking a complete show out of your wallet.

I'll admit that I'm obsessed with really esoteric, impromptu mentalism. Oh sure, Bank Night, psychometry, book tests, and Russian Roulette with cans of shaken up soda are fun to do in a stage or parlor show, but there's just something wonderful about using one special card, a bunch of scratch-off lottery tickets, scraps of paper, and a single coin. Out of my wallet, I can do pretty much a 30-45 minute show. Yep. Out of my wallet. No Mental Epic Board or Baker Slate in sight. And if I bring along my small emergency mentalism bag--as suggested by the great Richard Osterlind--which contains my Xpert, Fall Sharpie, BIP Book 2.0, Mind Power Deck, and Swami Gimmick--I can do about a half-dozen different 30-45 minute shows. Sanctum 2, once I figure out how I'm going to use it, is going right into one of those shows. It's terrific, as I've come to expect from Outlaw Effects. But if you are a casual mentalist, since it is so dependent on memory skills, quick thinking, and showmanship, it is probably too much.

I love this company. I think their stuff is a little high, but it's pretty exclusive. I own this effect, but it's hard to use all the time. It need to be presented to the right person at the right time. The explanation book is pretty detailed, so it's what you put into it is what you will get out of it.