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Mine too... first thoughts are that it is tremendous!

Will have a thorough read over the coming weeks/ months.

Does anyone know where the bit is that deals with spectators shuffling the deck in a multiple-selection routine?

Do you mean "Spectators false shuffle" on page 39?

No. Not sure if this is buried in one of the routines, but I have yet to find it:

From the ad copy:
"A groundbreaking concept that can be applied to any multiple-selection routine to lift it into the miracle class: The spectator shuffles the selections into the deck."

perhaps in "supercharged 9 card location"?

Yup, that's it. I'd overlooked it because I thought i knew the effect from the DVD's.

Ok, I've had just under a week to peruse the material. Phew! Although there is some intermediate stuff in there, the rest is pretty hardcore.

The book itself is up to the quality of Scams & Fantasies, in terms of production and content (indeed much of the formatting and font is similar).

It's nice to see some non-memorised stack routines in there, in amongst the stack routines. Other highlights for me included Doppelganger a nice variation on a multiple (signed) cards-to-pockets routine, and Fast and Loose (which nicely flows into Ace In Pocket from S&F).

It was also nice to see a fair amount of technically easy pieces that are predominantly carried by flair and showmanship. Once again Darwin proves that it's not just all about the 'moves'.

To be honest, I still feel that Cardshark has the best variety of routines, when compared to Lessons.., nonetheless, Lessons in Card Mastery a solid collection that will reward the serious student with many years of practice, rehearsal, and performance.

I just tried '52 Pickup' last night. Surprised to discover that I nailed it first time (8 perfect out-faro's!) Only possible with Tally's for me at the moment though.

8 perfect faro shuffles in front of an audience? Did they enjoy it?

They were speechless. Mainly because they weren't there.... (t'was a solo affair).

The effect is designed such that the audience only perceive a couple of shuffles.

Ah okay. I was going to say...even by Darwin's standards that sounds a bit of a complex method in front of an audience.

Lenoir wrote:Ah okay. I was going to say...even by Darwin's standards that sounds a bit of a complex method in front of an audience.

Just what I thought when I read the method. Beginner material this 'aint...

In Spain we´ve got a classic routine called Rito de Iniciación, by the Maestro Luis Garcia. It uses 8 faros so you start in new deck order and finish the same way. It´s more a frame because there are separate effects using the conditions reached by the deck in each faro, even a mnemonic set in the fifth faro. It´s a beauty to watch.

I like the way Ortiz takes techniques. They´re hard to do, to make the effect cleaner and the method indirect, not just a matter of showing skills.

Ricardo Solo wrote:I like the way Ortiz takes techniques. They´re hard to do, to make the effect cleaner and the method indirect, not just a matter of showing skills.

I'd agree with that occasionally. I think often he takes simple routines that are beautiful in that simplicity and makes it far too contrived. But
then the opposite applies also, he has some beautiful touches on various effects.

Lenoir wrote:

Ricardo Solo wrote:I like the way Ortiz takes techniques. They´re hard to do, to make the effect cleaner and the method indirect, not just a matter of showing skills.

I'd agree with that occasionally. I think often he takes simple routines that are beautiful in that simplicity and makes it far too contrived. But
then the opposite applies also, he has some beautiful touches on various effects.

I think you´re right. There are some routines in his books that looks for a "little more effect", and because of that gets a bit more tricky that it should. But normally his structures are very clean and to the point, which (in my opinion) is fundamental when working with a technical routine.