Many of our crew enjoy the self-working kind of magic, and for them Fortuity by David Jonathan may be worth a look. The plot is loosely based on the classic Duel Match type effect – but the method and detail have been changed – leaving an easy to do prediction effect. £34.99

But we never forget that we started out as a sight entirely focused on playing cards for magic. So here’s a heads-up on some rather good looking cards. The Whispering Imps are a striking set of cards which would work particularly well in any gambling-themed routine. They feature a minimalist back design, and dual-orientation indices. As well as the Red and Black versions (£10.50) which have been available for a while, the Green Limited Edition deck is now available individually (it was previously only available in a wooden collectors box set) for £37.50.

I have a significant birthday this month, so am going to indulge by mentioning a whole shelf-full of wonderful magic books.

Nick Trost’s Subtle Card Creations series have been ram-packed with wonderful magic, often requiring little sleight of hand. So volume 6 is a must read. £38.99. Anything with Robert Neale’s name on it is also worth reading – he has an incredibly creative take on story-telling magic and his books always stimulate ideas. Why not pick up Magic Matters ready for some ideal holiday reading? Like Neale, but often more provocative, is Jamy Ian Swiss. I loved Shattering Illusions so have no hesitation recommending Preserving Mystery without even having laid my hands upon it. [UPDATE – we have now read and done a full review of Preserving Mystery – it is Superb!]  [And if anyone wants to buy me something for my 40th then this beautiful collectors edition of his complete works would be a nice idea :-)]

And last, but not least, here’s a welcome re-release. Marc Oberon’s Bang On has always been, to my mind, one of the best solutions to the thought of card in envelope plot. I have seen many variations over the years and have performed several, but there is something about the direct simplicity of Marc’s version which makes it very strong. It’s been re-released on Bicycle stock, and I gather there may be a few other refinements – though I haven’t picked up a copy yet. £96.50

That’s all for now. Have a great month, and check back in for a stack of new reviews – including the latest Bannon DVD – coming soon…

The post Trick of the Month – May 2017 Edition appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

All new releases by Andy Nyman are worth looking at, and for someone who is also rather fond of the old ACAAN plot Insane is irresistible! We haven’t even looked at it ourselves yet, but if it is anywhere near as clean as the ad copy you are going to be in for a treat. And Nyman’s thinking is always soooo subtle. Well worth a pop. £19.99 (even Dynamo recommends it!)

How about brightening things up? The new Spectrum 52 deck takes the idea of the original spectrum deck but comes in with a new minimalist back design (instead of the Bicycle rider back). This will be a very pretty deck in use and comes on premium Bee stock. Looks great. £13.99

Regular readers will know I’m a big Robert Neale fan – he’s a great thinker on the theory and performance of magic. An Essay on Magic is the third (and I believe final) in his recent series of books – it contains almost 40 routines and you’re guaranteed some really wise magical thinking. He could do with someone to help him come up with more attractive covers – but you know what they say – don’t judge a book by it… £24.99

I’d highly commend the new Cube3 release – which we’re going to post a full review of in the next few days – but if you like magic with a Rubik’s cube, then check it out!

And if you can’t wait until the middle of the month for our round of the latest Bicycle Cards, here’s one more deck to keep you going…

The Kete Moon deck has really caught our eye.  It has an exceedingly bold back design which looks fantastic in fans and spread – would be ideal for all you XCMers and Cardistes out there!  Everything has been re-drawn – I think you’re going to love this!  Only £10.99.

That’s it for now. More new magic reviews on the way and all the latest card and close up magic news – so do follow us on twitter (@magicbikecards) or keep up to date on Facebook so you don’t miss a post.

The post Trick of the month – October 2015 – some exciting new releases appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Who killed the king sounds like an intriguing effect from the inventive Kostya Kimlat. What appeals to me about this is the engaging plot and the simple props – and it sounds like it will play even in a stage context. Looks worth a look. £24.99

This recent release seems to be somewhat dividing the magic community – and we’ve not yet had a chance to look at it ourselves. The Hidden Hand is a way of performing very visual vanishes and the like. Certainly the trailer looks very impressive (don’t they always), but what do you think? £27.99

We’ve seen a glut of new cards arriving – and will feature a few more in a post in the next few days.  But here’s a deck which has caught our eye.

The Bicycle Disruption Deck features a really striking and busy back design with some wacky court cards and distorted pips.  Really unusual, very collectable, and great fun for magic or card games. £8.49

Some of you may overlook this final suggestion, but it comes highly recommended. I am a big fan of working hard on your presentation and in my own work, story-telling often plays a significant part. And so I am delighted to see this Collectors Edition of Leslie Melville’s two volumes of Magictales produced.
Many of the routines use standard or easily made props – but the stories which bring them to life are what you are really buying. Highly recommended. £69.50. (and if you like this sort of material – check out Robert Neale’s latest release – The Sense of Wonder too!)

That’s all for now. Don’t forget to check back for the latest news, reviews and Bicycle cards! And if you’re reading this early in the month, don’t forget to enter our competition to win a stylish Divine Deck.

The post Trick of the Month – November 2014 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

In case you’ve missed this, Clarity Box is one of the most outstandingly visual endings to a card routine you could imagine. The spectator’s signed card is dumped out of a clear acrylic box where it has been sitting in full view all evening. It really does look that fair. You’ll obviously need to be able to do something like a Mercury Card Fold to take advantage of this but it is worth learning that just to use it! £59.99

After what seems like an age of gothic and dark playing card designs, I’ve been delighted to see some more elegant and refined designs recently. These Global Titans (available in Gold or White) certainly fit that bill with style in spades. Only £4.49. You may also be interested in the decidedly floral Blue Tune Deck from Aloy Magic. Again an understated design with much to commend it. £8.99

Now this isn’t going to appeal to everyone, but I am an ENORMOUS fan of the work of Robert Neale. I own almost every book he has published on magic, and think he is a profound thinker who has contributed much to our art. So I expect The Magic of Celebrating Illusion to be a book worth savouring and in which you will find some deep thinking as well as some really engaging effects. £20.99

More suggestions coming your way next month…

The post Trick of the Month – November 2013 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Move Over and Go is a new effect to me – it is a kind of matrix routine with playing cards with an extra surprise at the end of the routine. Pretty easy to do – and a bargain at only £10.50

If you have been in magic for more than a little while you will no doubt have come across the legendary Eugene Burger. However, it is only this last week that I have been reading a book by Robert Neale – and loving it! He is a great thinker on magic and has come up with some wonderful presentations. This book is all about the theory and presentation of magic – and as such is suitable for magicians who are more serious about their art. (if you would like to investigate some of Neale’s presentations, try – This is not a book) Only £29.99

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