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Set To Stun by Jack Parker
£13.50 from www.jacksdeck.com

Overview
"Set to Stun" is the new manuscript of card magic from the mind of Jack Parker. It’s nearly 70 pages long, contains nine card effects and a bonus coin effect. The instructions for each effect are extremely clear to follow, helped perhaps by the superb accompanying photographs. All in all it is extremely professionally set out.

It is available to download now from the Underground Collective, a name that for me at least, has become synonymous with quality, workable and entertaining card magic.

Difficulty.3/5
1=Even I can do it, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

There are sleights, but nothing too difficult. My personal view is that this is not for the complete beginner, but then on the other hand we aren’t talking about the most advanced card moves either. The effects all vary with difficulty but overall I would say "Set to Stun" is for the intermediate. This does of course reflect my level of skill and I am sure many of the more experienced finger flinging cardicians who have this document would say that all these effects are easy.

The Effects.
I am not going to go into detail about all the effects. You can get a pretty good description of what they are from the website. In fact there is even a movie clip from "100% Confidence" on the website, which is well worth taking the time to watch as it gives a real flavour to the type of effects that lie therein.

The effects are split into three sections. My favourite section is probably the middle one, certainly it contains my pick of the bunch. "More Effect, Less Magic".

The UC description says. A face-up King changes visually into a selection, without the magician going near it, and the King jumps to the spectator's hands.

Actually that description doesn’t do it justice as there is a third reveal built in to give it that "killer ending" that we are always striving for. I found it a charming and brilliant three phase effect that has a very comic "sucker" moment that utilises some classic misdirection. It very much fits into my style of magic and I will definitely be using it.

Another effect from the middle section is called "The Heist". I enjoyed this one particularly as it has a great story line and I love card magic that tells a story. It also rolls on very nicely after the "More Effect. Less Magic" trick – even with the spectators shuffling the cards in between. The premise is that there are four skilled thieves (the notorious sevens gang), four burly armed bodyguards (the kings) and of course the big prize. The ace of diamonds. Somehow, with seemingly no funny business from the magician, the sevens gang manage to steal the diamond from the midst of the bodyguards who were hiding it in the middle of the castle (the deck). I’ll be honest with you. I really surprised myself the first time I tried this one out and I just love it when that happens!

“First of the First” is a great high impact effect that can easily be performed from a borrowed, shuffled deck.

A selection vanishes from a packet of cards held between the spectator's hands, and re-appears face up in the other half of the deck.

There are other effects out there similar to this, but this version is so clean and workable. I liked it a lot.

Another one I liked a lot was called "UDSI" (The Ungaffed Dancy Sandwich Intro). It’s a very quick and snappy effect that is simply breathtaking in the same why that Dr. Daley’s Last Trick is. It really gets a wonderful double take moment from the spectators and appears like magic is actually happening rather than just being another card trick.

If you enjoy card tricks with a lot of comedy then you will love the effect called "Fletch". This is another one that I can see myself performing a lot. It is apparently based on a Saddowitz trick called "Fetch", which I have to admit I have never seen, but Parker’s version is simply marvellous. It also is another effect that could if wished be done with a borrowed shuffled deck as it doesn’t require any set up whatsoever.

The last effect I will go into detail about is the bonus effect. Ok, it’s more of an impromptu coin effect rather than a working table trick, but it really is beautiful. You borrow a coin, drop it into a can of drink, rattle it around proving it is there, then simply reach in from underneath and pull it out through the sealed bottom. How brilliant is that! And believe me. It does work exactly as described.

The Review
I found Mr. Parkers thinking very original, and he has come up with some extremely workable and more importantly, entertaining card magic that is full of some well thought out subtleties.

I have no hesitation in recommending this manuscript to anyone who is not afraid of a few Double Lifts, Elmsley Counts or Ascanio Spreads as it offers a great diversity ideas.

Some of the effects can be performed impromptu with a borrowed deck, whereas others require a slight set up and in a few cases there is the need for a readily available gaffed card. If that puts you off then I should mention that Jack Parker also supplies a workable no gaff alternative method for those effects. Personally I don’t object to using the occasional gaffed card if it makes my life easier.

One the downside I feel perhaps it is a little expensive. As professional looking as the PDF is, it is still not a book. These days you can pick up some great books of card magic by people such as Roy Walton, Harry Lorayne, Nick Trost, Dai Vernon, Paul Gordon (to name just a few) for anywhere between £20-£30. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but on the whole they contain substantially more effects for the pound.

Having said all that though, I still find myself liking this manuscript. I feel Jack Parker has a lot to offer the magic community and his effects are all very well explained with just the right number of detailed photographs. The effects are also thoroughly interspersed with amusing and workable patter that have the bonus of making the explanations that much easier to follow.

With the exception of the more obvious sleights (Double Lifts and Elmsley Counts for example), all the sleights that are required are well taught and credit is always given where credit is due. The issue of including the descriptions of the sleights in a book has long been the topic of many a debate. Some books (such as those of the talented Paul Gordon) have in the past left out such descriptions for the sake of brevity. Many have complimented Mr. Gordon on his choice, but personally I am in the school of thought that says they should be included and so I very much applaud Jack’s choice to do so.

Rating. Effect/item: 9/10, Quality of goods: 8/10, Value for money: 7/10

Bottom Line
I think we will be hearing a lot more from Jack Parker, and I am certainly already looking forward to his next publication. It’s really quite simple. If you like card magic. You will like this.

Thanks for posting on here Bananafish.

The review was also posted on Magic Cafe at the link below, where there was a further discussion that is relevant regarding the "pricing". If you are interested in the notes its worth checking out.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=101700&forum=110&0

Many thanks

Jack

Hi all

Further reviews have appeared around the web that have all been as positive and encouraging as Bananafish's.

The latest just popped up at Online Visions.

http://www.online-visions.com/reviews/0507stun.html

Cheers

Jack