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The Effect

No single effect. This is a collection of booklets Phil Goldstein (better known as Max Maven) wrote around 25-30 years ago, containing various mentalism and mental magic routines. These booklets were printed in small quantities (only 500 of the last volume), so are extremely rare.

There are, if memory serves, 53 different effects, so forgive me for not listing them all.

Cost

£29.99 from Alakazam, http://alakazam.co.uk/acatalog/Hot_List_2.html#a990 but it’s also available from MagicTricks.co.uk http://www.magictricks.co.uk/prodshow.asp?code=205 and probably a few other places.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

1-3, depending on the precise effect. Of course, this just reflects the technical skill involved. Some of them will require performance skills to make them look great, but if you can't perform, you should rethink doing magic and that goes double (or treble) for mentalism.

Review

It's Max. Effects with a lot of style and an emphasis on relative simplicity (albeit sometimes at a 'price') and 'feel'. There's a real mixed bag in here, both in terms of the effects and the methods. I would be amazed if you do mental work and couldn't find a lot of great ideas in here. There are bound to be things you won't like, either because of the overall effect, or because of the method. Who cares?

Most of the material could be used in different situations, although of course some things are only at their best on stage, or in close-up.

The material has not been updated, but in most cases, this is irrelevant or is only a minor problem. However, there are a few effects which require certain props that might be rather difficult to find after all this time. Even if that proves to be the case, there are plenty of other things to work with.

One or two are not going to work in the UK, for example one that deals with a licence plate, but again, this affects very little overall and you can probably come up with a different handling.

Overall

Very good. There's enough in here that I am sure you can find something you will enjoy.

I really wouldn’t recommend this for beginners, though, both because of some of the technical aspects and because some of the effects need skills at handling the audience or telling a story well. Phil often refers to 'standard' mentalist things. If you don't know how to do that thing, 'Prism' won't tell you, at least not in sufficient detail.

There will be some effects where you won't like the methods, I'm sure.

Also, it's Max Maven, so his stuff might not suit your style. Think before you buy. It's a great book, but there might be other things your CUPS should opt for in precedence.

I'll give it 9.5/10. The slightly out-of-date things dropped it the half mark. I always find it a bit frustrating to read of things or see them in a DVD, only to find out they not only require a certain bit of kit, but that it is very difficult to get hold of.

Also, 'Prism' is an enjoyable read and Max has added a few new footnotes in this collected version.

It is not worth it if you are a dabbler in mentalism, but if it's something you are really 'into', you might find it a useful purchase.

Edited for a rogue tag, and 'curly' apostrophes!

I'd agree with the above and add it's a bit cheaper at Magicbox at £24.99 that's less than 50p per effect.

Hi All

This gem arrived on my doorstep last friday!

I never had a chance to see or let alone own the Colour Books Of Mentalism so I have been waiting with baited breath for these to be reprinted.

Some of the effects in the book are 25 years old, so maybe the presentation/patter will need to be updated in some cases.

I have only gone through the Blue Section in the book, Desire is a real killer using only business cards to achieve the effect.
There is another routine in there using a Glorpy which is perfect for handing out your business card as a souviner etc.

I am sure that I will find more routines to use in the other four volumes!

If you are looking for another 13 Steps this is not it, however if you have 13 Steps this will compliment it perfectly as most of the methods mentioned can be found in 13 Steps.

Prism is worth the purchase price to me if I only get 5 or 6 routines from it & also you have a piece of Mentalism history on your shelf.

9/10

Cheers

Since it have 53 tricks atleast u can post the best top 10 tricks & review it in term of the routine & effect. It is more helpful.

silapmata wrote:Since it have 53 tricks atleast u can post the best top 10 tricks & review it in term of the routine & effect. It is more helpful.

No, the least I could do is a lazy one paragraph long review of something. I've deliberately done a detailed overview, preciselybecause everyone has different likes and styles.

Why would my 'top ten' effects necessarily be the ones you like? If I describe things you don't like, you might decide the book's not for you, even though among the other 43 effects are some things you'd love.

Thanks for the price check, HT. I was putting a medium-sized order in with Alakazam and it was just easier to buy 'Prism' at the same time. I normally shop around a bit, but the saving on postage meant that I wasn't much out of pocket in the end, but anyone else who fancies this should probably got to Magic Box.

However, to give people a slightly better idea, the book also talks about how there are really only four 'plots' in mentalism. Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Prediction and Psychokinesis (I can't recall what he actually called the final category, but that's the type of effect he covered).

There are a couple of psychokinesis effects, that I can recall. One involves key/coin bending and the other involves the levitation of some cards (although this one is only part of an effect).

The rest of the material falls into the other three categories. Words, numbers, colours, designs and cards are all used. There really is a lot of scope in the types of effect, but because everyone's tastes are different and because there's so much scope, it really does strike me as pointless to detail any of them.

I read this review (which helped me!) - unfortunately I read it after I had already sent for Prism.

Your review mentioned it really isn't a book for the "dabbler" and you're very correct, which I found out to my chagrin, since I am dabbler.

Back to reading Corinda before I can use this book. (If I'm lucky)

A pleasant and fascinating read though.

I agree with all of the above.....I have had the Red, Blue and Green book of Mentalism separate booklets for some time and I think they are brilliant, the four sided triangle effect from the Red book was used in a Paul Daniels magic show!

Check out Disposable Colour in the same book for a psychological force!

Although I am not sure if I should buy Prism to have a look at the missing two books from my collection??

On the above note I came across a copy of Prism on ebay the seller had headed his listing as.... Prism -Max Maven -New Mentalism Magic Book Derren Brown!

I emailed the guy to say I wasn't happy he had tried to make the book more popular by mentioning Derren Brown in his listing..... but what do you think?

Take a look ( I hope this link works) If not search for Max Maven on ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... eName=WDVW