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As a relative newbie to this excellent forum I find myself wondering what great effects I may have missed the reviews of? I appreciate that I could just wade my way through the relevant a-z's but wondered if you'guys' would save me some time and tell me what your best effects of the last 12/24 months have been?

I came across the 'Bullet catch 22', for example, and I don't know where I've been but I've never heard of it before - which sparked this request.

Here's wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from a snow covered London suburb.

Which suburb are you in?

As for hidden gems etc, I could easily name a dozen books that have incredible effects in that will have been overlooked...

The Classic Magic of Jennings is absolutely stuffed with gold.

Hi Lenoir - I'm from Petts Wood in Kent - pretty icy here...the rain is trying to wash away the show but failing.

Thankyou for the offer but I'm not a book person I'm afraid - have tried but it doesn't work for me. Books represent great value for money but I have more of a visual leaning...sorry for being a heathen

Ahh, here in Wanstead it is still snowing relatively heavily!

What sort of magic are you into? It would be help narrow down the search!

I like card effects (most recently Perception, Crossroads and Up The Ante) but the need to have several packs of cards can wind up and also hinders the 'off the cuff' feeling.

I've become attracted to effects that offer something a little 'different' recently - Titan's finger, Captivated and Ideck (not really a card effect).

I love peoples creativity (some jealously on my part here) and effects that surprise me - this personal experience, in my opinion, is then easy to replicate with an audience.

So in summary ANYTHING that has the surprise factor. Albeit I think its quite a good conversational piece as we are all different and one man's meat...keen to hear others views of what good looks like.

I like card effects (most recently Perception, Crossroads and Up The Ante) but the need to have several packs of cards can wind up and also hinders the 'off the cuff' feeling.

I've become attracted to effects that offer something a little 'different' recently - Titan's finger, Captivated and Ideck (not really a card effect).

I love peoples creativity (some jealously on my part here) and effects that surprise me - this personal experience, in my opinion, is then easy to replicate with an audience.

So in summary ANYTHING that has the surprise factor. Albeit I think its quite a good conversational piece as we are all different and one man's meat...keen to hear others views of what good looks like.

Hi there,

Depending on your skill level?

If your after some really nice effects which use a regular deck of cards, then James Browns new DVD (professional opportunist) is well worth a look.

As are any of the DVDs from Gary and Chris at workers corner.

You will not need to carry around any more special decks.

There are many many effects out there but I recommend these.

http://www.workers-corner.co.uk/?page_id=3

Lee.

The surprise factor is one of John Bannon's specialties - Dear Mr. Fantasy, Impossibilia , Smoke and Mirrors are three amazing books with really good effects..

Lee Smith wrote:Hi there,


If your after some really nice effects which use a regular deck of cards, then James Browns new DVD (professional opportunist) is well worth a look.

I second this. In many of the effects on these two DVDs the technical side is niot tyhat complicated, it is the performance that counts and James goes in to that in great detail. I have put Reverse Engineering straight in to my act and it is getting great responses. In terms of the technique this is a delightfully simple trick, two minor sleights, the response is drawn from the performance, particularly the killer ending

In addition, you may also be interested in Paul Gordon's Card Startlers DVD. It's been getting some good reviews. Also, you can check out World Magic Shop's top ten best-sellers for 2009...

http://www.worldmagicshop.com/index.php ... ba17f79808

Is "Ultracinese" REALLY in their all year top ten? Costing £199 and not even released yet? I smell a bit of a rat here!

They must be going on pre-orders. It always makes me suspicious when expensive items appear in best-sellers lists. I'm just a cynic.

Statistics like that are always worrying - without clear data on the actual number sold it's not exactly useful. If I sell two of one item and one of another I can truthfully say that one sold twice as many as the other but neither are exatly setting the world on fire !

Thank you all for your comments. I will certainly consider the dvds mentioned ( I do have Impossibilia) . Also I have Tagged' coming for christmas and Titan's finger is up and running. CSI is attacting me also...