The other day I decided to purchase III from Daniel, so here's my review.
The D Double
This is a flashy DL from the middle of the deck. It's not bad, but a little knacky. If you want a good DL from the center, I'd stick with DnD's Spin Doctor Double.
3/5
The M Double
This is actually pretty nice, but it looks more like a flourish than a cut. It says that it's one handed, but really only the beginning is.
4/5
Mad Tenkai Steal/ Inverse MTS
This is a technique for stealing a card from the top or bottom into Tenkai palm. It's hard to do, and it helps if your fingers are a bit big. Could be useful though.
4/5
Mad Tenkai Cut
A way of controlling a card to the top using the MTS. It's alright, but nothing revolutionary.
3/5
Snap Delay
This is a variation of the Snap Change, but not in the way you're thinking. It's actually very deceptive, as well as ingenious. It's a bit difficult, but I can't say why without fear of exposure.
4/5
Pressure Shot
This is a way of shooting the bottom card of the deck into an awaiting hand. I'm not sure how I could use this, but it's kind of cool. Daniel uses it in one of the effects from III.
4/5
Time Transpo
An interesting transpo. It's very difficult, and you have to have another move from the book mastered before you can do this confidently. It also utilizes a basic gimmick. It's not even really a gimmick.
4/5
Roll Load
This is a way of loading a selected card into sandwich position. I really like this. It's very deceptive, and I'll use it as much as I can.
5/5
4Off
A very interesting production of 4 cards. It utilizes the Roll Load, and it looks really nice.
4/5
Crawl Control
This is one of my favorite sleights from the book. It's a way of controlling a card to the bottom of the deck, and is very clean. It's easy to do, but very deceptive.
5/5
Table Twist
This is a tabled color change. It uses the MTS. If performed correctly, it's very visual.
4/5
CUF
This is an effect where a selected card is found under the spectator's foot. It's more for 1 on 1 settings, but if your audience control is good enough you could do this for a group. It seems a but iffy to me, but I haven't tried it out yet to really know.
3/5
PK Peek
This is a way of peeking at a card. I've actually been using this method for a mentalism effect for some time now, so Daniel has not created anything new here. I've seen it published in a few places. It's very old, but works very well. You need a special something in order to perform it.
4/5
D2C
In this effect, the boxed deck is thrown at the ceiling and sticks, except for the chosen card which comes fluttering back down. It requires quite a bit of setup, and is better for shows where your audience won't be handling everything.
3/5
50/50
Spectator deals a pair. That's it. The handling is pretty nice, and it's good for close-up work.
4/5
40/60
This is a new take on the sandwich effect. It's hard to write out, so you need to see it in order to understand it. I actually like it a lot, and it isn't all that hard.
4/5
Boxing M
A signed card to sealed box. It's an intriguing plot, and I've been trying to do something like this for a while. It requires extensive setup, but hits hard.
4/5
Capture
I really don't get this trick. It may be that I'm reading it wrong, but I just don't understand how it works. The description is: The spectator takes a photograph of a random card on their camera-phone, without touching the phone the magician changes the photograph into the spectators selected card.
Sounds good, but I am totally lost in the explanation.
2/5
Back2Base
This is a card steal utilizing something I have not used in a very long time. It's interesting, but I don't think I'll be using it.
3/5
Ghost Sandwich
A sandwich effect using Back2Base. It's very visual, and I could see this being used on the streets. Because it uses Back2Base I won't use it, but the concept is very good.
4/5
Ripfree
This is a TnR corner. I haven't really had the time to try it out, but it seems practical and visual. The only downside is that it isn't impromptu.
4/5
Spade Control
Not bad, not bad. The selected card end up on the bottom of the deck. It's good for an offbeat, as if your hands are being burned it won't fly.
4/5
Basejump
This is an alternative to the Hot Shot, where a card comes flying out of the deck. It's pretty hard, and you need to be able to perform a difficult one handed cut to do it.
3/5
Half Switch
This is another control where the card ends up on top. I really like it, but I would only use this during certain settings where the mood is relaxed. It won't be noticed if used at the right time.
4/5
Backspace
A cool card vanish. After I read this, I was like, "Strike Vanish anyone?" The methods are extremely similar, but the presentation is different.
4/5
The Kelly Psych
This is a card control to the bottom. It's very angly, and I have better controls, but this isn't bad. It's pretty deceptive.
3/5
Revolver Control
This is a gutsy control to the top. It is very open, but I could use this. It's a magician fooler as well.
4/5
Cameo2
This is Daniel's 2nd version of his original sandwich effect Cameo, from the booklet One. It's very visual, and I loved the original. It has to be my favorite piece from III.
5/5
Overall, this was a good purchase. It had a lot of sleights I can add to my own effects, as well as interesting takes on old concepts. I recommend this to any intermediate card worker.
David
The D Double
This is a flashy DL from the middle of the deck. It's not bad, but a little knacky. If you want a good DL from the center, I'd stick with DnD's Spin Doctor Double.
3/5
The M Double
This is actually pretty nice, but it looks more like a flourish than a cut. It says that it's one handed, but really only the beginning is.
4/5
Mad Tenkai Steal/ Inverse MTS
This is a technique for stealing a card from the top or bottom into Tenkai palm. It's hard to do, and it helps if your fingers are a bit big. Could be useful though.
4/5
Mad Tenkai Cut
A way of controlling a card to the top using the MTS. It's alright, but nothing revolutionary.
3/5
Snap Delay
This is a variation of the Snap Change, but not in the way you're thinking. It's actually very deceptive, as well as ingenious. It's a bit difficult, but I can't say why without fear of exposure.
4/5
Pressure Shot
This is a way of shooting the bottom card of the deck into an awaiting hand. I'm not sure how I could use this, but it's kind of cool. Daniel uses it in one of the effects from III.
4/5
Time Transpo
An interesting transpo. It's very difficult, and you have to have another move from the book mastered before you can do this confidently. It also utilizes a basic gimmick. It's not even really a gimmick.
4/5
Roll Load
This is a way of loading a selected card into sandwich position. I really like this. It's very deceptive, and I'll use it as much as I can.
5/5
4Off
A very interesting production of 4 cards. It utilizes the Roll Load, and it looks really nice.
4/5
Crawl Control
This is one of my favorite sleights from the book. It's a way of controlling a card to the bottom of the deck, and is very clean. It's easy to do, but very deceptive.
5/5
Table Twist
This is a tabled color change. It uses the MTS. If performed correctly, it's very visual.
4/5
CUF
This is an effect where a selected card is found under the spectator's foot. It's more for 1 on 1 settings, but if your audience control is good enough you could do this for a group. It seems a but iffy to me, but I haven't tried it out yet to really know.
3/5
PK Peek
This is a way of peeking at a card. I've actually been using this method for a mentalism effect for some time now, so Daniel has not created anything new here. I've seen it published in a few places. It's very old, but works very well. You need a special something in order to perform it.
4/5
D2C
In this effect, the boxed deck is thrown at the ceiling and sticks, except for the chosen card which comes fluttering back down. It requires quite a bit of setup, and is better for shows where your audience won't be handling everything.
3/5
50/50
Spectator deals a pair. That's it. The handling is pretty nice, and it's good for close-up work.
4/5
40/60
This is a new take on the sandwich effect. It's hard to write out, so you need to see it in order to understand it. I actually like it a lot, and it isn't all that hard.
4/5
Boxing M
A signed card to sealed box. It's an intriguing plot, and I've been trying to do something like this for a while. It requires extensive setup, but hits hard.
4/5
Capture
I really don't get this trick. It may be that I'm reading it wrong, but I just don't understand how it works. The description is: The spectator takes a photograph of a random card on their camera-phone, without touching the phone the magician changes the photograph into the spectators selected card.
Sounds good, but I am totally lost in the explanation.
2/5
Back2Base
This is a card steal utilizing something I have not used in a very long time. It's interesting, but I don't think I'll be using it.
3/5
Ghost Sandwich
A sandwich effect using Back2Base. It's very visual, and I could see this being used on the streets. Because it uses Back2Base I won't use it, but the concept is very good.
4/5
Ripfree
This is a TnR corner. I haven't really had the time to try it out, but it seems practical and visual. The only downside is that it isn't impromptu.
4/5
Spade Control
Not bad, not bad. The selected card end up on the bottom of the deck. It's good for an offbeat, as if your hands are being burned it won't fly.
4/5
Basejump
This is an alternative to the Hot Shot, where a card comes flying out of the deck. It's pretty hard, and you need to be able to perform a difficult one handed cut to do it.
3/5
Half Switch
This is another control where the card ends up on top. I really like it, but I would only use this during certain settings where the mood is relaxed. It won't be noticed if used at the right time.
4/5
Backspace
A cool card vanish. After I read this, I was like, "Strike Vanish anyone?" The methods are extremely similar, but the presentation is different.
4/5
The Kelly Psych
This is a card control to the bottom. It's very angly, and I have better controls, but this isn't bad. It's pretty deceptive.
3/5
Revolver Control
This is a gutsy control to the top. It is very open, but I could use this. It's a magician fooler as well.
4/5
Cameo2
This is Daniel's 2nd version of his original sandwich effect Cameo, from the booklet One. It's very visual, and I loved the original. It has to be my favorite piece from III.
5/5
Overall, this was a good purchase. It had a lot of sleights I can add to my own effects, as well as interesting takes on old concepts. I recommend this to any intermediate card worker.
David
