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The works of Tom Stone

Available from http://shop.tomstone.se

PDF dowloads, priced at $15 each

Tom is a professional performer from Sweden but works internationally and over the past few years has put together a collection of e-books covering his original thinking on a very wide aspect of Magic. As well as tried and tested routines by him and other contributors, Tom offers thoughts and unfinished bits of business which others may like to pick up and develop further. Genii magazine and The Magic Café are just two of the places where Tom’s work is highlighted, YouTube has performance videos – technology sure is useful at times! Of course, any review or assessment of the written word will be subjective but I thought I could at least indicate the contents of each work and what the focus of it is – as far as possible! Each book is expertly illustrated by Tom and there’s a free download available showing how all this can be done – anyone into graphic work will recognise the usefulness of clear presentation which photos simply can’t do. Book size varies from 15 to 32 pages depending on the topic.

A Bite My Dear?
Three sets of card routines, plenty of credit to other sources such as Dai Vernon, David Brittland, Stephen Tucker, Jerry Sadowitz so the lineage is first class.
Cups and Balls but not the usual sort, this is a prediction effect where the spec does all the work.
Impromptu bottle production, nice little item ideal for walk around
TuschPush – take your trusty marker pen, draw a nice bold line across your hand then magically move it round the other side and further up your arm. My favourite!

The Eye of the Last Dragon.
Unashamedly a load of balls – Billiard balls that is. Difficult to say much without giving the game away in some respects but this work teaches such things as the Mitosis Maneuver, Negative Structure where the balls disappear and reappear unexpectedly, thoughts and ideas about the traditional Multiplying Balls, Ball Melange using several of the techniques discussed in this book, suggestions for possible gaffs and gimmicks and, of course, a Ball Climax!

Flatland Fever
Cards, cards and more cards. One handed Top Change, Hip Hip Hurray using a signed card and card case, 113 Grams, The Etude, involving a memorised deck but with a twist, King Castling. The Almoner, and a nice little idea for a gimmick called Homer’s Case.
Not for the beginner as slights and moves are required but nothing too taxing.

Tracking Mr. Fogg
More card stuff, this time concentrating on getting the signed card to a pocket but with a lot more tips and routines besides. Again, not for the absolute beginner.

Gravel
ESP Test, patterns for the cards are included, nice mentalist routine. Chairport, crafty routine whereby the performer predicts which chair a spec will choose, Almost Restored, Sharp Fingers, Drop Restoration, Whip Restoration, all ideas and routines for the rope workers, .Herbal Tear – magic with cigarettes even in a non-smoking environments, Synonymax, card routine using symbols instead of playing cards – again the patterns are included so you can print ‘em off., Coin Con Count – says it all! Negative SP, a card routine.

Deserting the Legion
Five ‘insubordinate’ pieces: Siamese Book test, Double Christ (extension to the Christ Force!), Occhamman Now!, signed card routine, Déjà vu Pen – easily constructed gimmick, Conic Relief - ball production. Different thinking and all good, workable ideas.

Plots Spells and Typos
Another collection covering a wide area. Tesla's Knot, cut & restored electric cable, discussions of possible combinations of existing Wakeling/Jarret stage effects, Nosejob – nice colour change, Channelling Holmes – magish ‘senses’ which item has been removed form an array of objects on a table. Cheeky idea, well worth trying! Of Dice and Men – stand up version of Andy Nyman’s Dice Man, very nice! As a finisher, Key of Doom, thoughts about padlocking someone's bottle of booze at a party but with the key magically appearing inside the bottle!

Random Walk
Card routines, moves, sleights and ideas, which will require prior knowledge in most cases. Again, the serious card worker will have no trouble in doing any of the routines included.

Skerries
Described as a Collection of Nonsense which involves D’Lites used differently, a modified Electric deck, a coin idea, a ‘playlet’ entitled ‘Going Bananas’ involving, surprisingly, a banana. A cigarette effect, a gag with a coffee mug and spoon, a ring and rope routine, a Poltergeist effect, Salt-X-change – salt & silk, Giudichar, a routine whereby the mentalist can sense the truth from the lies written on small pieces of paper even without looking. Can be light-hearted or dark and bizarre – this one I like!

Marvelpiece
Mental Pursuit – an as yet unfinished mental routine based on TV Quiz Shows, also Quean of the Quiz. Mood Swings, a card effect using photos, Wet Russian – Russian Roulette, with a water pistols…… I shan’t mention Helena of the East involving a bloke with a beard in drag!

Abstract Passions
First effect is called Brutus’ Gift and as well all know what Brutus did to Caesar, you can imagine the outcome – played for comedy if you like. The spec has a free choice of items but is the guilty party. Quite a bit of work involved in obtaining and preparing props but would play well in cabaret as well as for parlour settings. Eggs From Bombay was developed for a particular performer but shows some excellent thinking in terms of egg production and revelation. Again, prop making is involved but that’s all part of the fun. Cognitive Colour Change, another new idea for experimentation. Kamikaze Cuffing – but not shirt cuffs! Finally a nice little idea using a stop watch, a purse, a revelation of a predicted card and a Svengali Deck.

Snapshots
A collection of miscellaneous ideas and routines, Matchbox calculator starts it all off and just sues your ‘innocent’ matchbox as a comedy effect, Time Operator I using your specially assembled deck, Packing for McCombe, great idea using a small suitcase, shown to be empty as the entire back has been cut out but still plenty of items can be produced from it., On the Dancing Cane – thoughts on guess what?! Gas with hotel key cards, Challenge in Silks using guess what?! LoadStorming, thoughts on stealing loads, good one enabling almost endless ball production for the end of a cups and balls or other routine.

Sleapless in a Pipedream
Coin ideas including a transparent container for Miser’s Dream, card routines, as The Pendragons have claimed the crown for the fastest Sub Trunk effect, how about going the other way for SloMoSub - a slow motion Sub Truck idea? It works and works very well! Thoughts on an unfinished Haunted Cabinet effect – worth pursuing, and all finished off with Princess Salome’s Drink – which disappears in the spec’s hand!

Self Publishing – Immortality on a budget
The freebie one I mentioned at the start all about how to publish your own works, how to get the best from photos, illustrations and zillions of other useful tips for the self publicist.

Value for Money – at $15 each, I’d rate them between 7 and 9 out of 10

Thanks for the review Mandrake. I just bought "A Bite My Dear?" from his website based on your review. I've only been able to glance at it but there are some nice little bits in there. I Look forward to trying out the bottle production - a very nice impromptu illusion.

I have heard some very good things about Tom Stone and his writings. This is just a little bit too temping!

I like the fact that there are all kinds of effects amongst his works... why have we not heard more of this chap?

Right... off to Youtube for me...and the carboot sale to get more pennies together!

Thanks Mandrake...and DAMN YOU!!!!

I know the feeling! I'm not usually cast in the role of Tempter but in this case I confess, they were far too good to keep quiet about !

Oh man...I just re-read your descriptions.... this ain't fair, it really isnt!

Tom Lauten wrote:Oh man...I just re-read your descriptions.... this ain't fair, it really isnt!

I was thinking the same, but when I clicked to purchase 'A Bite My Dear?' expecting to pay the listed price of $15, I was only charged $12.



So it's fairer than you think!

WILL YOU LOT STOP IT!!!!

YOU'RE NOT HELPING YOU KNOW!!!!

SWINES! i've just bought Gravel....

Good choice!

There's a lot more which could be said about each book so if anyone has questions I'll be happy to try and answer them - without giving any secrets away of course!

my mental powers tell me mr. stone will comment soon!

I think he needs to explain himself....teasing us like this with so much intriguing stuff!

IAIN wrote:my mental powers tell me mr. stone will comment soon!

I think that your mental powers are in severe need for the annual check-up and service, as your powers currently seem to have glitches and hick-ups

And no, this isn't a comment. It is a reflection

-Tom

since when do mentalists have to be 100% accurate eh!

I knew you'd say (something very much like) that...

I bought 'Random Walk' a while back. Great value and really excellent illustrations (best hands ever!). The eye popping 'snap snap' move can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/trollkarl