Magic Tricks

I bought this when it was first released elsewhere. It's a great effect in terms of spectator engagement and reaction, and you can find plenty of performance videos on YouTube. That said, I was very surprised at what was actually in the box for the price.

I've learned to judge an effect by its, well, effect on the audience and not by the inherent cost of the physical products provided. It's also important to remember that you're paying for the creator's ideas and the production of the video and other materials. But in this case Tom had already published the effect in a book of dozens of other effects (www.penguinmagic.com/p/6974) for less than the cost of this product, so it's hard to argue that most of the price is going towards the idea.

The gimmick is difficult to find but only costs a few dollars once you find it, so the price isn't really for the gimmick, either. And even with the gimmick, the method is somewhat bold and relies on your spectator management as much as the physical gimmick.

That leaves us with six ungimmicked plastic cards and a purpose-built holder to display them. The holder is perfect for the job, but in the end it's some plastic. Perhaps the high price is for a limited production run of the specialty holder. For $65, they could have included a dice cup ($3.85 at www.penguinmagic.com/p/S4776), especially since some cups are more helpful than others. There's certainly enough room in the box, which is quite nice but mostly empty space.

If you don't already have the book and you'll have occasion to perform this effect regularly, this is a great product. Otherwise, it's a little pricey for what it is.