talkmagic.co.uk

Mind Blasters - England Goes Mental

Where: http://www.metaphysical-magician.co.uk/ ... ucts_.html
It is also available through the websites of everyone else who contributed to the booklet.

Editor: Peter Duffie.
Price: £12.50, $24.94 US (inc P&P)

The Review
This is a booklet of over 50 Mentalism effects by some of the biggest names in English Mentalism. Nearly 200 pages and full of photographs, diagrams and illustrations.

Before I review it properly I just have to tell you that this booklet is one of the best value for items I have ever seen. I hesitate to say the best, because Eliot Bresler’s Switchcraft takes some beating, but it is certainly right up there.

In a moment I am going to rattle off a list of the contributors. When you see the quality of the names I mention you will start to get an idea of the worth of the effects included. It is my belief that if any one of the contributors had but out a booklet of just one or two ideas, it could have sold for the same price of this entire booklet, that a) has the diversity of all the different authors, and b) contains over 50 different effects.

I am seriously overwhelmed by the nature of this booklet and as such am going to take a couple of deep breaths, before I start gushing too much.

Ok. Let’s look at some of the names then you can make up your own minds.

Marc Paul, John Archer, Wayne Dobson, Stephen Tucker, Paul Hallas and Christopher Williams.

Not a bad start eh? Well how about…

Roni Schachnaey, Roger Curzon, Lewis Jones, Walt Lees and Todd Landman, James Brown, Chris Wardle, Barry Cooper, Les Johnson and Al Smith, David Penn, Doug Segal, Mark Elsdon, Paul Gordon, James Brown, Chris Hare, David Britland, Anthony Brahms, Scott Creasey, Andi Gladwin, Dominic Twos and the list goes on. There is even a video of David Penn teaching a very workable and impromptu drawing duplication.

I apolgise to those I didn’t mention, it has nothing to do with the quality of effects though, just space. If you want to see the complete list of contents – they are listed on the websites where it is sold.

So we have established there is a satisfactory quantity of content, but how about quality I hear you ask? (and for the record, I can really hear you ask – after all I am telepathic don’t you know!)

I haven’t read through every single effect yet. This is a big book, and I am taking time to digest each and every effect, but I haven’t come up with anything that seems like filler yet. I guess because each contributor was keen to add something strong so as not to be out shadowed, and so far I have to point out that every effect (so far) is very (very) good.

I’m not going to review every individual effect either (I have a life you know), in fact I’m not even going to review any individual effect – I wouldn’t know how to choose amongst them – they are all “that” strong, however if there is an individual effect you want to know about I don’t mind discussing it as part of this thread. Just ask

The Bottom Line
I simply can not say enough good things about this PDF.

For me it is right up there with Mind, Myth and Magic, Syzygy and all the other classics. In fact if it was a proper book and not a pdf I am sure it would be selling for over £50.

My only criticism is that I thought the cover design didn’t do it justice. This is a quality book and needed a quality cover. I apologise to the artist and would like to point out that that is just my opinion. I am sure everyone else loved it, but the book itself is pure gold dust. (actually at the size it is when I printed it out, it is more like a gold brick!)

10/10

Thanks for the review.

Although, this link might be more helpful. Dr. Todd's product area is password protected, the original link goes directly to the password box which doesn't list the clues for the username and password.

Mage Tyler wrote:Thanks for the review.

Although, this link might be more helpful. Dr. Todd's product area is password protected, the original link goes directly to the password box which doesn't list the clues for the username and password.

Thanks Mage!

The clues are who wrote '13 steps' and what is a nine letter word for the fifth symbol in a zener deck? Please note it is the FIFTH symbol

You can PM me for purchase details...

Ok, i am probably having a spectacularly blonde moment here but how do you include P+P on a pdf, isn't it a download? or are you posting me a computer file, which seems a little redundant.

(it's a blonde moment ok, back off funny boys, a large percentage of magicians are in computers, i was an actor before ok:) i know how to check my email, download, edit my website (barely) and search for porn.
)

I send you a file of 200 pages....no P and P (just a funny webmaster)..

Cheers

Todd

righto, im off shoppin then

I received my copy this morning (thanks, DrTodd) and been having a scan through it; I've also been reading up on a few effects in more detail. I can't believe the staggering value-for-money this e-book represents. I don't know how Peter Duffie and all the contributors can release this material for a measly £12.50/$25, but I salute each and every one of you for doing so.

I think I am going to print this up so I can have a paper copy to browse through. I shall plant a tree first.

Best value for money purchase in a long time. I've read through the whole thing, enjoyed at least reading each routine and managed to get 12 routines or cannibalisable concepts from it. Excellent book.

Really pleased this is going down so well folks.

This is an incredible ebook. Peter and all the contributors really outdid themselves on this one. Well worth the ridiculously low asking price.

This is great,

It is going to take a while to get through this lot.

Bought mine several weeks ago via Marc Paul's site.

It is truly excellent, and as said before staggering value for money.

As with any publication, there are things which are not to my taste or just not my style, but for me there are a couple of gems in there which are worth the price of the book alone.

I'm still working my way through this. The more I read it, the more I like what I see. Sure, not every single effect is my cup of tea, but that is to be expected. There are plenty of effects in Mind Blasters that are superb; the quality of the contributions is very high indeed.

I really like the 1812 force. I'm working on an Excel spreadsheet to assist with creating it more easily. I'll make it available to owners when I'm happy with it.

Mr_Grue wrote:I really like the 1812 force. I'm working on an Excel spreadsheet to assist with creating it more easily. I'll make it available to owners when I'm happy with it.

I downloaded a nice cover from the sheet music for 1812 and then laminated it. This is then inside an A4 envelope on a clipboard. I then write the number and the addition on the outside of the envelope as part of the presentation. I also use some nice sketch books that are ring bound with 50 thick pages.

I did this last saturday night for a dinner/theatre show and it had a very nice reaction.