Gary is a very talented performer and creator of magic. He seems to have a knack for coming up with ideas which are really commercial – direct effects which audiences appreciate. Some of the effects in the book are self-working and some will require a bit more technical proficiency.

Let’s get into the tricks

First up, it’s worth mentioning that a few of the effects in print here have previously appeared on DVD. If you’ve seen the brilliant Automata series (you can read our reviews of Volume One, Volume Two and Volume Three) – then you will already know about the following: Aqua Ring (a self-working ring off string); Fireballs (an easy, portable, impactful cups and balls); Metal Sheep (clever self-working coin transposition); Lead Free (a neat little coin bend); No Luck (a prediction effect using dice); Peeky Blinders (a superb little mentalism routine); ESP-ionage (a clever and again more or less self-working ESP prediction effect).

But even if, like me, you’ve seen them already, I was pleased to have them in print to refer to more easily. They are all cracking effects! And there are still more than 30 other effects in the book too.

Something for everyone

There’s so much other material in Life’s a Beach that I can’t go into detail on all of it. Instead I’ll try to give you a flavour and some highlights. The book starts with a sneaky ACAAN type effect which uses a gaffed deck to great effect.

I really like the Paul Gordon Card To Wallet idea which gets rid of the need to palm. This is taught and then Gary’s variation is also explained. Both are real workers. There’s also a super little oil and water routine which I have already started playing with.

One of my favourites is Grater – which is a great example of how Gary combines different principles and adds entertainment. The spectator chooses a card – and then merely thinks of a different card in their mind. You can then show that you predicted their thought of card (in combination with a great pun) and then read their mind to reveal the original card. Love it.

Although the majority of effects are card, there are also tricks with coins (a no palm coins through table – would you believe!), silks (a colour changing silk effect which would be great for strolling), a bottle production (you can guess what that is, right?!) and several mentalism type effects.

There are variations on a number of classic plots and one that caught my eye was a really straightforward Card Under the Box routine which with one sneaky ruse gets you so far ahead it’s brilliant.

A cracking collection

I hope, by now, you have got the impression that I think this is a super collection. The writing style is easy and Gary is generous with his experience which shines through. Throughout the tricks are short tips which contain excellent advice if you are wanting to get into close up magic in a more professional way. There is also a longer article with Gary’s thoughts on being a pro. Well worth a read.

I know that I will keep coming back to this book as there are routines in here I definitely want to perfect to add to my strolling set – and I’m sure you will too. Life’s a Beach comes unreservedly recommended – in spite of the fact that the beach I sat on while I reviewed it was cold and miserable!

You can pick up Life’s a Beach direct from MagicSeen for £25 (at the time of writing) – or if you contact Gary directly he can fix you up and he might even sign it – though not necessarily in his own name! His address is Gary at Gary Jones Magic dot com. Type it as you read it people. Many thanks to Gary for providing the review copy.

Gary Jones – Life’s a Beach – Volume 1 – review

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Quidnunc Plus – Disc 1

Jeepers Creepers on Heat – is a packet trick related to his commercially released Jeepers Creepers. It’s a very magical change of 5 cards from 5 of a kind to a royal flush with rainbow backs. Strong and clever and not too difficult to do!
Dudeney’s Baby Boy – a self-working prediction which appears to give the spectator lots of choices but always ends up with the right result. Similar to a principle explored by John Bannon from Dear Mr Fantasy onwards… And Paul explores it himself in his Gold Dust book.
Ace in the Hole – a great transposition effect where two aces from your hand join two aces under the spectator’s hand in an instant. This is ‘knacky’ rather than difficult – and I like it a lot!
Balducci Aces – another nice simple effect where a spectator cuts to a card which matches your prediction and then the other two turn up on the bottom of the two cut piles. The name will tip most of the method – and its a great easy to do impromptu effect.
Spectrum – another packet trick which has been released separately. I know it is odd to call the premise of a magic trick illogical – all magic is on some level! But this one is slightly odd to me. You start with 5 cards which are printed with the same face on front and back. They then turn into cards with normal backs. And then the backs all change to different colours. Ends clean – if you like it you’ll like it …
Travelling Light – a sneaky and punchy cards to pocket effect where four signed cards repeatedly leap into your pocket. This is really nicely routined, and although it does require some palming, it is well within the reach of most performers with a little practise.
Easy Collectors Two – based on an Ed Marlo idea – three selections are lost in the deck and instantly appear interspersed between the four aces which have been on the table throughout. Some really nice touches in this routine which has obviously evolved over many years of use.
Darned Pain in the Neck – A spelling card appears to keep going wrong with the same card turning up each time but all is righted at the end when the Aces appear on the top of four discarded piles. This is an amusing and unusual plot with a good kicker ending.
Worker Supreme – (sidenote – does anyone outside of the magic world use the word supreme?) A card transposition and a chosen card to wallet all rolled in to one. Ironically though you don’t need to palm the card into the wallet, you do need to palm a card! But you have plenty of misdirection at that point… A great little routine.
Perfect Prediction Premonition – a very old force given a new lease of life. A spectator thinks of a card at a number corresponding to a small packet they have freely cut off. You have predicted it. Paul’s version requires straddle pharaoh’s – but you could do it without them if you go for a different setup.
75% Confident – based on a Jack Parker routine. You remove two cards from a shuffled deck. You then remove some other cards from the top of the deck and they turn into the mates of the first card. Then in an instant they turn into a royal flush. Can’t quite work out what I think of this one – it feels like a slightly odd plot to me.

Quidnunc Plus – Disc 2

Rising Damp – this is a nice ‘from the deck’ packet trick. A Jack (or some other card) repeatedly rises to the top of a four card packet. Then all the cards change to the same value. Then they change to four of a kind. Lots of magic in a short time. This is really nice.
The Churchill Crown – this is a sort of sucker prediction effect where a card is predicted on a sticker under a coin. I’ve watched this a few times and I’m still finding the actual effect a little confusing –but that’s probably down to lack of sleep…
Bluff ACAAN – exactly what it says on the tin – a really cheeky ACAAN. The card is chosen rather than thought of – and then returned to the deck. Easy to do and surprisingly effective.
Dream Away – a nice take on the dream card effect – where a card that is in your pocket from the beginning (with a different coloured back) turns out to be the actual card chosen and signed by the spectator. No gaff cards needed but a little bit of setup. Great strong effect as long as you can do one move…
Ultimate Transposition – this is a great four card transposition where the cards appear to move one by one. A bit of work to get this one under the fingers but well worth the investment.
Ace Tumblers – the four aces locate the chosen and lost card – and turn themselves over in the process. A nice quicky.
Tally-Ho Simplified – A spelling routine utilising a Tally Ho! Deck to a quirky patter idea. I’m not a great fan of spelling tricks and don’t tend to use Tally Ho! Decks – so a bit of a non-starter for me this one.
Unusual Method Oil&Water – another trick title which is specific if not catchy! It’s a self-working packet trick version of the oil and water effect. I thought this was a one of the weaker effects on the set – quite procedural.
Witch Mountain Revisited – based on an Alex Elmsley routine (which is always a good start…) It’s like a slow motion four ace trick but with queens – i.e. the four queens travel one at a time from four piles into one chosen by the spectator.
Q&A – there’s a roughly half an hour long Q&A with Paul in which he teaches a few ideas and answers some really practical questions about starting out in magic, approaching tables, and interacting with spectators. This was a great little addition to the DVD and as well as being full of useful tips, gave a nice insight into Paul’s character.

What do we think?

There are so many effects on this set that you are bound to find several that suit you. I love the variety of plots and of skill levels – there really is something for everyone. His explanations are clear and contain just the right level of detail.

Paul’s capacity to create and perhaps more amazingly to remember this much magic is astonishing! He clearly has an excellent memory! This plays out, amongst other ways, in good crediting which I always appreciate.

His trademark ‘energy’ is evident – even when performing to magicians in a studio. A nice foil for Dave’s trademark gormless expressions!

Quidnunc Plus would make a great Christmas present for yourself or for the magician in your life. And I think I’ll be looking out for a copy of the Quidnunc book too. You can pick up the DVD from MagicShop.co.uk for only £10.39 (at the time of writing – but it looks to be in a sale so that price might go up soon!).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

Paul Gordon – Quidnunc Plus – review

4.3 / 5 Reviewer

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Let’s get started with the effect – in case you’ve been living in a cave for the last twenty years! It plays like this. The spectator freely shuffles a deck of cards and then names a random date. They then cut the deck and astonishingly the card they cut to is the same card that is printed next to the date they chose in your ‘birthday book’. It is a really clean handling of the classic birthday or diary trick.

What do you get?

You get a really nicely printed ‘Birthday Book’ – more about that later. Also a DVD which runs to about an hour and contains a performance, explanation and lots of hints and tips which haven’t been published in the earlier versions. All comes (in the complete package) beautifully boxed in an attractive black and foil cardboard box.

I’ll come clean, I’ve been a ‘Chronologue’ user for many years – and think that is an excellent effect (I learnt it here on this great DVD). However, one advantage of the Gordon version, is that the range of cards is very large allowing repeat performances more easily. And furthermore, with only the Birthday Book in your pocket you can perform it essentially impromptu – with any borrowed deck of cards.

Let’s get back to the diary itself. I’ve been performing a version of this kind of effect for years and have been constantly looking for a ‘birthday book’ that would fit in my pocket – and never been able to find one. Which means in practise that I have to write out a new diary every year if I want to be current (if I’m honest – I’m still using a diary from some years ago on the basis that spectators are very unlikely to notice the year – but magicians guilt etc.).

Here you have a diary of the perfect size (fits in any pocket) – with lovely bold printing (so easy to read – and you don’t have to write anything in yourself). And it also has some extra information – around star signs etc. – which may be of use in other routines.

What you should consider

There is some maths involved. That may put some of you off. It shouldn’t. It is pretty simple maths I think – and you have a decent amount of time to do it. And if you really can’t cope, you could use the little crib card – which has been provided, nicely printed on Bicycle stock. Both Paul and Peter Nardi provide some ideas on handling which give you plenty of cover for the use of the crib.

They also explain how to set up/produce the diary in your own language or with your own diary if you don’t want to use the one supplied (or if you buy the ‘basic’ version).

Lots of variations are taught and ideas shared to get your own imagination going. One highlight is a doozer of a force from someone called Mike Davis! And of course, like all Alakazam releases, it is possible to download further ideas from their website as they are shared.

So the Gordon Diary Trick seems to us a great release. If you pushed me really hard to find a niggle, I’d say that the sound quality is a bit odd in parts of the DVD. But this really is a minor criticism. This effect is a real worker – as attested by the number of pros that use it regularly. If you’re prepared to put in a small amount of work to get the maths in your head you’ll have a miracle on your hands. And even if you use the crib you will still be able to knock the socks off people. I think this is likely to replace Chronologue in my set. Highly recommended.

It is sold in two different versions. This review covers the complete package – and I would highly recommend getting this if you don’t want to have to make your own diary. The one they have produced really is worth the investment.

But if you would prefer to make up your own version, you can buy the ‘lite’ version – which just includes the DVD and the crib – and you would have to make up your own diary. If you really wanted to save money, you could probably pick up one of Paul’s older books second hand fairly cheaply (especially since so much of it has been republished recently in his Gold Dust series). However, for those who prefer to learn visually, or simply to take advantage of all the extra tips already available via the Alakazam release, it is worth the relatively modest investment for the ‘lite’ version.

The Gordon Diary is available from the Merchant of Magic for £45.50 (the complete package) or £24.99 (for the ‘lite’ version) – at the time of writing.

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

Paul Gordon – Gordon Diary – Review

4.4 / 5 Reviewer

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UPDATE – just spotted his Explorations is also available for free!

And don’t forget our competition which also ends on Sunday – enter for a chance to win an amazing Floral Deck or some card storage boxes.

The post Carbon Footprints – free Kindle deal from Paul Gordon appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

150 of Paul Gordon’s Best Ever Tricks – 350 Jam-Packed Pages – 150 New Photos
Additions, Changes, New Descriptions, Updates, New Tricks
Gold Foil-Embossed Cloth Cover – Stitched Hardback – Stunning Production”

Early photos on Paul’s Facebook page certainly suggest that it is a handsome looking thing, and I’m sure the content will be equally good.  Paul writes well and has a knack for producing some strong and commercial magic.

You can see our review of Paul’s Jeepers Creepers and Card Startlers by following these links.

Head on over to Paul Gordon’s shop tomorrow!

The post Gold Dust – new Paul Gordon card magic book out tomorrow! appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

On the grounds that a picture speaks a thousand words, you may like to watch Paul performing it on YouTube.

It’s a straightforward and direct effect – a packet of identical cards turn into a Royal Flush with rainbow backs. As John Bannon would say, it’s ‘Fractal’ i.e. it ends clean and examinable. It’s not a hard trick to perform – in fact if you’ve been in magic any length of time you will probably be able to work out the handling from the video – but it is worth purchasing to get the necessary selection of cards.

Paul supplies all the necessary cards in a variety of USPCC stock. Mine included a nice Erdnase green back, a Karnival Midnight, a pink Bike, and an attractive limited edition Bike. Yours might be different. They come in a neat plastic wallet, and there is a folded A4 page of instructions.

As with all Paul’s productions, this is clearly printed and explained. The only necessary ‘move’ is explained – and you probably already know it. I’m glad he didn’t bother with a DVD (as so many others seem to). It isn’t necessary (you can always watch the YouTube clip if you’re really struggling) and would only add to the cost.

I think this is an excellent addition to his range of packet tricks. It is £18 including worldwide p&p direct from Paul Gordon.

Special Offer
He’s also doing a launch offer in conjunction with another new effect – COPWAK (a pocket-free variation on one of my favourites – Corner of Picadilly) – see video below. This normally retails at £13, but until 20th March he will do you them both for £23. Simply send £23 (British Pounds) to PayPal using pgmagic@btinternet.com. Mention this offer in the “special instructions” box on PayPal as you come to it. Please mention Bicycle-Cards.co.uk too!

The post Jeepers Creepers – another packet trick from Paul Gordon appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

The post More new card magic from Paul Gordon appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Paul Gordon also has some new stuff out.  A DVD on Useful Card Sleights, another with some new tricks, and also his Triple Rainbow Whammy – a great (and easy to do) trick that looks very appealing.

The post Bicycle Cards at Freepost Magic appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

It isn’t possible to review in detail the whole DVD set since it contains 47 tricks (covered in almost 5 hours), but I will start with a few general observations. Some of the live performance segments will be familiar to you if you have seen Paul’s earlier set ‘Live in Action’ but it is great to see how a lay audience reacts to Paul’s magic. The explanations, however, have been newly recorded.

Without doubt, a large part of the magic of Paul Gordon is Paul Gordon. So there is real value in watching him in action before real people. His personality and rapport with the audience is excellent, and even without the explanations of the tricks, most of us could learn about making card magic entertaining from watching him. (I am not, obviously, saying we should all copy his lines and mannerisms – we need to work within our own personalities and characters – but there are principles here we can learn from.)

Secondly, Paul’s explanations are very clear. They have been filmed in a nice uncluttered set with little to distract. Occasionally the camera work doesn’t quite keep up with Paul’s explanation – so sometimes we hear him explaining a different view he is giving us before we actually see it. But this is a minor niggle and doesn’t get in the way of the explanation. It goes without saying that Paul is an extremely accomplished card-man, so he makes all the moves seem very easy. He does repeat moves multiple times to facilitate learning, but if you are a beginner you may still need to watch segments more than once. But that is the beauty of DVD.

A word on style. Although I am quite a fan of the ‘high concept’ DVDs being put out by people like BigBlindMedia, there is something pleasing about the simplicity of the production on this set. There is no unnecessary filling or fancy editing – after a brief introduction it is straight into the magic. And there really is a lot of it! The title menu is presented on the face of a blank deck of cards held over a card-table, and contains the inevitable plug for the website.

What about the tricks? If you’re familiar with Paul’s books then there will be plenty of material you’ve seen before – but as much as I love books, there are times when seeing a move and an effect is a distinct advantage. Old favourites like Diminishing? Not Likely! (I do like this one) and Easy Ace Estimation re-appear, but there is plenty of newer material too.

The ‘difficulty’ of the material ranges from the virtually self-working (like the Bannon-esque Carbon Footprints) to material which requires a reasonable familiarity with standard card moves. Almost without exception Paul performs with an regular (borrowed) deck – and so there are a few more technical demands than with some other creators.

A few highlights

I particularly liked Totally Baffling Card Control, which though apparently an old trick was new to me. (I think it is in Protean Card Magic – which I do own – a reminder how easy it is to miss ‘goodies’ in a book – see comments below!)

Emulsion Cards is a really nice oil and water routine. For a similar effect with a kicker ending see Fry Them with Oil and Water. Powerhouse is a really clever card revelation – it has two good twists, can be performed with a borrowed and shuffled deck, and is technically very straightforward. Shocked Aces is a largely self-working but entertaining little routine involving the location of the 4 aces and two spectators’ chosen cards.

There are also some handy sleights and moves. The Four-Way False Cut and Control is particularly useful (and straightforward) – which does what it says on the tin – a four-way cut which maintains deck order and can also be used to control a chosen card to the top of the deck.

There are also a few performance only effects, most of which are marketed separately – Corner Of Picadilly, The Gordon Diary Trick, Laymen Assembly, Dazzler. Some of these are live performances where the quality of the filming is less good – but then you’re seeing a real performance – you can’t have everything!

One of the interesting things for me, was to see how Paul takes a method and plays with it and creates a family of effects from the same starting point. As you watch more of Paul’s work (and there is plenty here!) you will see something of this ‘evolution’ in play.

The final disc ends with an interesting interview slot. It includes a bit of Paul’s personal history including some of the performers who have inspired him. He also talks briefly about how he goes about creating an effect. There is a defence of mathematical tricks – with Paul’s motto that it’s the performance that matters. Non-mathematical tricks can be dull when performed badly and vice-versa.

As a fellow magic book collector and enthusiast I enjoyed his comments on buying and reading magic books. However, his insistence that you should make time to read and try everything in every book (easily done in a couple of hours a day for a week he says!) is a luxury the amateur may not have.

That being said, we often have a bit more time at home at Christmas, so I think this 3-disc set would be an ideal way to while away that post-Christmas lull! Buy it for anyone who enjoys good quality card magic.

You can buy the set directly from Paul and he has some special offers on the set too. The base price is only £38 which on a £/trick basis is a bargain!

The post Paul Gordon – Card Startlers – a mini review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

For the card-aholics amongst you, Paul Gordon continues to offer various reductions on bundles of his excellent books and tricks. I am still intending to put a review of his new Card Startlers up, but have not had a minute to look at this yet. Watch this space…

Also, although we are primarily focused on the UK market, for those who are into Ellusionist, you will no doubt have heard about their annual holiday giveaway. If you are prepared to wait for your order to ship from the States, they are offering some good prizes – see their Holiday Giveaway page for more details. Of course they also sell a variety of custom Bicycle Decks for your performing pleasure.

That will do for now. Keep enjoying your Card Magic!

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