Lee Asher Booklet Deal (Review of Thinking Out Loud)
Price: $50.00 for all six or $12.00 Individually
Thinking Out Loud **** (Four Stars)
The Ripper:
The magician displays a double backed card. In a flash he “rips” it into two jacks and again into two more jacks. In the end one card has turned into 4.
Teaching and Methodology
This is one of the easiest 4 card productions out their. Add to that the quick visual nature and you have a great little production for beginning card magicians. Once you have learned Phoenix aces and or Thunderbird you probably won’t have much use for this but this would be a nice addition to any newer magician. The only problem with it being in this booklet is that, quite often Asher will give you a free download of this when you buy from his site. So chances are many of you will already have this.
Overall Grade Fun for a beginner..B
Asheresque:
A tabled card control to the top of the deck.
Teaching and Methodology
This is kind of a tabled convincing control that brings the card to the top instead of the bottom. Part of the control is done by having the spectator cut the pack where they want the card to go to. The combination of moves and spectator interaction really help sell this control. If you do magic at or near a table I expect you will find some good use out of this one.
Overall Grade This one has lots of potential but Asher’s “Losing Control” accomplishes much of the same in an in-the-hands version…. B
Joking Around:
The magician has a card selected and when it is time for the reveal he gets the wrong one. Frustrated he begins folding and tearing at the card and when all is said and done he has torn the card into the shape of a King of Diamonds…the spectators card.
Teaching and Methodology
This is basically a way to tear up a card and make it look like a couple of K pips and a Diamond pip. It’s okay I guess.
Overall GradeMehh? C
Single Piece Version:
As above except the torn card stays in one piece instead of three. Same overall opinion.
Deuce Bag:
Magician pulls out a sealed zip-lock style plastic bag and inside is a Joker. He claims that it is his lucky Joker and asks the spectator hold on to it. He than has another spectator pick a card. After some magical gestures the card and the Joker change places.
Teaching and Methodology
This is one of the true hidden gems of Asher’s Booklets. This effect has been renamed “Witness” and sells as a $20.00 download. It is basically a card to impossible location trick. It was originally named Deuce bag because Asher prefers to use a 2 because it contrasts well with the Joker. Depending on you own card skills this one can be done with varying levels of “cleanliness.” With a few modifications this one can be done with the bag and the deck never making contact what so ever. Deuce bag cannot be done with a signed card but I don’t think an effect like this necessarily needs that. Wayne Houchin has a card to inside ziplock trick that can be done signed but that one cannot be done “in the spectator’s hands” so essentially you will have to chose what’s more important to you when deciding between these two effects. Do you want it signed or in the spectators hands. I prefer Deuce Bag and when you consider it can be found in a $12.00 booklet along with four other sleights and effects I’d say this one is a good buy.t
Overall Grade
Fantastic transposition effect that could be, and is, sold individually for $20.00 can be found in this cheap little booklet! A++!
Tres Pass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARsl4kIC … re=related An interesting way to do a pass while pretending to check your watch.
Teaching and Methodology
while this is probably one of the most invisible and “burnable” passes out their the fact that it must be under cover of checking you watch makes it close to useless in my opinion. How many times can you honestly get away with that before someone gets suspicious? I suppose it won’t hurt to learn. It isn’t a hard move so it won’t take too long to get down, but in the end I’d recommend learning one or two of the more standard passes and just working on those until they are bulletproof. Your opportunities to use this one will be rare indeed.
Overall Grade
An interesting idea and easy to perform but it is so situational that I can’t justify more than a D.
Memphis Corn Pudding: A
I finally got a chance to try this out. I cooked this as part of my recent Christmas dinner. This is a pretty easy dish to make and it got several compliments around the table. Although it says “pudding” this is not a “sweet” dish. (I say that because many assume all puddings are sweet) This is a perfect dish to bring as your contribution to holiday feasts and pot luck dinners. You can literally mix all the ingredients together in under 10 minutes(probably 5) because it requires no chopping or complicated cooking instructions. Once you whip it together just throw it in the oven for 45 mn and you are good to go. Easy to make, hard to screw up, and of all the other side dishes at my Christmas dinner, this was the one my guests commented on the most. I’d say that speaks for itself.
Overall impression of Thinking Out Loud: A
I’ll say that the whole outweighs the sum of it’s parts. T.O.C. includes an easy and visual ace production, a very deceptive card control, and a routine that has gone on to be sold as a stand alone effect. Those three gems there more than make up for the mediocre Tres Pass and the “kind’a okay” card gag, Joking Around. Though I haven’t had the chance to try out the Memphis corn pudding it is a fun idea to include something out of the ordinary in a magic booklet every once in a while. His first booklet had strippers and this one had a recipe!
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