Magic Tricks

The Lightwave ESP Kit has all the same clever features as the original Darkwave ESP Kit, but without the thematically dark tone of the artwork. Besides a few extra gaff cards, it comes with 30 poker-sized cards with an embossed air cushion finish, apparently from the faux "British Institute Paranormal Research". Each card has on the face one of the five classic Zener symbols, as well as a word and image.

The clever marking system on the card backs lets you instantly identify the symbol on the front of the cards. Adam has come up with an ingenious way to figure out what the word/image on the selected card is, using a clever system that engages the help of a crib hiding in plain sight on the back of the tuck box. You do need to ask a couple of simple questions about the letters in the selected word, to narrow things down to the selection. A 90 minute video tutorial explains everything and includes four strong routines.

This falls into the "easier" side of the difficulty spectrum, and doesn't require any sleight of hand or memorization, just as the ad copy promises. Figuring out the card's colour and Zener symbol is a cinch by looking at the card back, while eetermining the word and accompanying image requires some on the fly `cold reading', but typically that's how you'll present this anyway.

You can use a deck like this as a tool to do all kinds of mentalism or magic, but the four routines that are taught give you some really good options for performance. The Lightwave ESP Kit is going to be a very powerful took in the right hands, and I'm pleased it has been provided as an alternative to the Darkwave ESP Kit for those of us who found the original too macabre.