Price$25.00
Media TypeBook
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedApr 24, 2009
Revolutionary Routines with Aces
Tom Conover & Scotty York
FYEO Creations
(Based on 1 review)
Cpmplete with cards and written instrucitons by Jamy Swiss.
This is a Denny and Lee exclusive and can only be obtained from Denny and Lee.
I guarantee that this will be an Ace routine you will use over and over again. Simply the cleanest and most eye popping routine ever.
Reviews
(Top ▲)
For $25 dollars, you get a poorly produced pamphlet with 3 gimmicked cards and some pretty solid ideas and routines. The book is 5x8 comb-bound making the pages very hard to turn. They get bound up in the comb bind and jam and tear. Additionally there were several typos which isn't the end of the world except these particular typos really changed the meaning of what you are reading. I had to plow over a couple of sections several times before I realized that I was reading a typo. Then I got clarity
Below is each chapter from the book, my star rating (1 to 5) and some commentary.
History (4 stars)
The history and background of the development of this booklet was kind of fun and details a creation process that I can relate to on many sleepless-night levels. Also, an excellent history of the plot and the gimmicked cards is nicely detailed as well.
Original One-Phase Handling (3 stars)
I've got mixed feelings. I've never been a huge fan of ace assemblies. Though I've seen some that I've liked and I've dabbled with my own methods, I just think it's more of a trick for magicians rather than lay people. This version is the same. There are a few different places where the handling is not as clean as it could be if you were really doing what you claim to be. However, there is a nice moment where the audience would swear that they saw very clearly the full front and full back of each ace as it was placed on the table. Then a moment later those aces are gone. I give it a plus for that, but the rest of the handling is a bit contrived. It's essential a bunch of displays and counts and lay-downs and proving moments that take up the first 5/6ths of the trick. Then you just turn over the cards and show the aces are gone. The End. Not as clean as an effect like this should be.
Optional Two-Phase Handling (2.5 stars)
This two phase option has a couple of nice moments that make each phase work together well. However, it still has the underlying problem that all effects of this type have . . . over handling of the cards. To me it makes no sense to turn over a packet of four cards count them one at a time to show that an ace has vanished. If the ace was gone, you would just turn over the packet and spread the cards, not do an "Alex" count. What's worse is that you have to do this procedure three times (one for each pile of cards). It's convoluted non-sense handling and this over counting business makes it worse than the first routine.
Ghost Aces (4.5 stars)
This routine makes sense! It's a poker demonstration with an interesting and fun story. All of the moves are justified and nothing seems fishy. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there were several mistakes in the write up that made it very confusing to read. Once I figured out what the author(s) meant, I was able to do the effect. It's excellent. The vanishing of the aces is very clean and pure and is what I feel the above two routines were missing. The only other thing that's still a problem is the initial removing of the aces from the deck . . . it's a little contrived, but this is by far the best handling in this book.
Ghost Aces Variation (4.5 stars)
More typos, but a brilliant addition to the Ghost Aces effect. A slight adjustment to the handling and the cards used to allow for a little bit less handling and an extra little kicker.
Scotty's Simplified Strip Out Add-on (5 stars)
I've always appreciated Vernon's Strip Out Move, but alas, I've never mastered it. I've toyed with it privately on and off for over 15 years . . . never quite could get it. Then I read this simple one page description of a slightly easier handling, and BAM with in a few minutes I'm actually able to do the move. Holy cow! Five stars just for that. Thank you Scotty York!
Simon Lovell's Handling of a Bottom Double Turnover (4 stars)
This is a nice variation on some of the handling points of the procedures in Ghost Aces. There are two major changes. I think one is an improvement and one is a step backwards, but as York points out, each of you will see pros and cons of each piece. Overall, this is worthy read and thought exercise as well as creative calisthenics. I love stuff like this.
Suggested Patter for the Ghost Aces by Doc Eason (4.5 stars)
As I wrote this review, I read each chapter, played with each handling and then wrote up my synopsis above. If you go back an read what I wrote about ace assemblies (namely that I think they're for magicians and basically not that interesting to lay people) you'll notice that I'm not a fan of the plot. Well . . . apparently neither is Doc Eason. I just read his suggested patter for the Ghost Ace idea, and in his intro, he said essentially the same thing I said above. I'm glad I'm in good company. Like Eason, I'm a fan of the poker deal/demo handling of the ace assembly . . . much better. Eason did not change York's handling, but just the story. It's a story that suits him better. The best part about this isn't that Doc Eason wrote a great presentation - he did - but rather that he, like any good magician should, changed the presentation to fit him and his character. Learn that when you read this.
Final Thoughts: The average rating of each section is 4 stars. While I don't know if I agree that the material is "revolutionary" as the title suggests, I can't deny that there is some truly solid material in here. Considering that you get three gaffed cards and some solid ideas, $25 isn't a horrible price. However, saddle-stitched binding would have been better quality and less expensive. I think a better price would be $15 or less. John Bannon's Twisted Sister original booklet came with 8 cards, a vinyl wallet and a saddle stitched booklet with color cover for only $15.00 bucks. His latest release comes with all of that plus a DVD for only $15.00 bucks, so I'd say this is a little over priced.
However, if you like ace assemblies, you'll love this. If you hate ace assemblies, you'll like this, particularly Ghost Aces. All in all, it's a 3.5 star product with a Stone Status of gem (with a little g).
Below is each chapter from the book, my star rating (1 to 5) and some commentary.
History (4 stars)
The history and background of the development of this booklet was kind of fun and details a creation process that I can relate to on many sleepless-night levels. Also, an excellent history of the plot and the gimmicked cards is nicely detailed as well.
Original One-Phase Handling (3 stars)
I've got mixed feelings. I've never been a huge fan of ace assemblies. Though I've seen some that I've liked and I've dabbled with my own methods, I just think it's more of a trick for magicians rather than lay people. This version is the same. There are a few different places where the handling is not as clean as it could be if you were really doing what you claim to be. However, there is a nice moment where the audience would swear that they saw very clearly the full front and full back of each ace as it was placed on the table. Then a moment later those aces are gone. I give it a plus for that, but the rest of the handling is a bit contrived. It's essential a bunch of displays and counts and lay-downs and proving moments that take up the first 5/6ths of the trick. Then you just turn over the cards and show the aces are gone. The End. Not as clean as an effect like this should be.
Optional Two-Phase Handling (2.5 stars)
This two phase option has a couple of nice moments that make each phase work together well. However, it still has the underlying problem that all effects of this type have . . . over handling of the cards. To me it makes no sense to turn over a packet of four cards count them one at a time to show that an ace has vanished. If the ace was gone, you would just turn over the packet and spread the cards, not do an "Alex" count. What's worse is that you have to do this procedure three times (one for each pile of cards). It's convoluted non-sense handling and this over counting business makes it worse than the first routine.
Ghost Aces (4.5 stars)
This routine makes sense! It's a poker demonstration with an interesting and fun story. All of the moves are justified and nothing seems fishy. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there were several mistakes in the write up that made it very confusing to read. Once I figured out what the author(s) meant, I was able to do the effect. It's excellent. The vanishing of the aces is very clean and pure and is what I feel the above two routines were missing. The only other thing that's still a problem is the initial removing of the aces from the deck . . . it's a little contrived, but this is by far the best handling in this book.
Ghost Aces Variation (4.5 stars)
More typos, but a brilliant addition to the Ghost Aces effect. A slight adjustment to the handling and the cards used to allow for a little bit less handling and an extra little kicker.
Scotty's Simplified Strip Out Add-on (5 stars)
I've always appreciated Vernon's Strip Out Move, but alas, I've never mastered it. I've toyed with it privately on and off for over 15 years . . . never quite could get it. Then I read this simple one page description of a slightly easier handling, and BAM with in a few minutes I'm actually able to do the move. Holy cow! Five stars just for that. Thank you Scotty York!
Simon Lovell's Handling of a Bottom Double Turnover (4 stars)
This is a nice variation on some of the handling points of the procedures in Ghost Aces. There are two major changes. I think one is an improvement and one is a step backwards, but as York points out, each of you will see pros and cons of each piece. Overall, this is worthy read and thought exercise as well as creative calisthenics. I love stuff like this.
Suggested Patter for the Ghost Aces by Doc Eason (4.5 stars)
As I wrote this review, I read each chapter, played with each handling and then wrote up my synopsis above. If you go back an read what I wrote about ace assemblies (namely that I think they're for magicians and basically not that interesting to lay people) you'll notice that I'm not a fan of the plot. Well . . . apparently neither is Doc Eason. I just read his suggested patter for the Ghost Ace idea, and in his intro, he said essentially the same thing I said above. I'm glad I'm in good company. Like Eason, I'm a fan of the poker deal/demo handling of the ace assembly . . . much better. Eason did not change York's handling, but just the story. It's a story that suits him better. The best part about this isn't that Doc Eason wrote a great presentation - he did - but rather that he, like any good magician should, changed the presentation to fit him and his character. Learn that when you read this.
Final Thoughts: The average rating of each section is 4 stars. While I don't know if I agree that the material is "revolutionary" as the title suggests, I can't deny that there is some truly solid material in here. Considering that you get three gaffed cards and some solid ideas, $25 isn't a horrible price. However, saddle-stitched binding would have been better quality and less expensive. I think a better price would be $15 or less. John Bannon's Twisted Sister original booklet came with 8 cards, a vinyl wallet and a saddle stitched booklet with color cover for only $15.00 bucks. His latest release comes with all of that plus a DVD for only $15.00 bucks, so I'd say this is a little over priced.
However, if you like ace assemblies, you'll love this. If you hate ace assemblies, you'll like this, particularly Ghost Aces. All in all, it's a 3.5 star product with a Stone Status of gem (with a little g).