Description
A broad range of outstanding, sleight-free magic from award-winning The Linking Ring Auto-Magic columnist, Michael Breggar. The clichs about “self-working magic” pronounce that this allows the magician to concentrate on the performance, but Michael contends that since the performance is the effect, the tricks need to be clever, layered, deceptive, and most of all, entertaining. While some methods require easy moves, performance is always more important.
Several of the tricks in The Five Roads to Vegas are re-edited versions of the most commented-upon and most requested tricks from The Linking Ring column. The title effect was published in Genii Magazine and has been used successfully as an opener in many professional acts. The rest are all new and published here for the first time.
While Michael takes you through each effect with careful descriptions and well-crafted patter, you will soon fit each effect to your own style.
The reviews have been outstanding!
“Michael Breggar’s The Five Roads to Vegas is a joy. Within its 43 pages, there eight effects with a variety of objects, three bonus effects that are variations on the ACAAN theme and two essays. Several of these were previously published, but that is of no consequence; they all bear reprinting. Well written, well researched and an entertaining read. I have always said that if you can get one effect that you will use from a book, it was worth buying. This one goes far beyond that goal. There are five here that I will be performing for ‘real people’ and I imagine more than one of them will occupy a permanent spot in my repertoire. I’m not telling which ones. You owe it to yourself to pick out some great stuff for you to use. I highly recommend this book.”
– Marc DeSouza
“Grounded in dependable principles and enticing premises, these thirteen presentations are doubly pleasurable because practitioners and spectators can and will equally and effortlessly savor them.”
– Jon Racherbaumer
“Michael Breggar brings his experience as a columnist, performer, and creator on the printed page, filled with fun, doable, and inspiring ideas.”
– John Guastaferro
“Michael Breggar constantly amazes, astonishes and fascinates me. I’m amazed by the elegant simplicity of his effects, I am astonished that he can create such well thought-out miracles every month for his column, and I am fascinated by how the range of his magic incorporates diverse principles that others have forgotten, overlooked or undervalued. His title effect, Five Roads to Vegas, ranks alongside any of those performed by John Guastaferro, and his ‘Absolutely ACAANY’ clearly demonstrates he can go toe-to-toe with any of the big names in magic.”
– Michel W. Potts (aka Khun Michel)
“Excellent materials in the book! Thoroughly enjoyed the read.”
– Rupesh Thakur – Nepal Illusionist
HERE’S WHAT’S INSIDE:
The Five Roads to Vegas: A great opener with lots of audience participation. You play the role of a Vegas croupier dealing cards to a “poker team” of five spectators. As you deal down cards from a shuffled deck, the five “players” yell STOP at any time. The cards they stopped at randomly comprise a royal flush. But wait… you have predicted which of the five players would stop at which of the five royal flush cards! And as an extra surprise, the other 47 cards in the deck are blank!
Three Numbers and a Lady: A “triple prediction” effect that solves the issue of the typical “weak” third prediction. There’s a nice twist at the end that no one sees coming.
Coin-Seyan Economics: “Miraskill” meets Steinmeyer meets John Maynard Keynes. What starts as a funny lecture in Global Economics (yeah, really!), turns into a stunningly, multi-phase prediction effect. Great for stand-up and stage.
Drawing on Emotions: The drawing duplication effect that Michael uses in his parlor and stage acts. Can easily be adapted for close-up and walk-around. It is direct, clear and limitless. Above all, it is organic and doesn’t feel like “a trick.”
A Principle in Search of an Effect: A bare-bones prediction effect is used here to illustrate a little-used principle that has Gilbreath DNA. Readers are invited to turn their imagination spigots on high to make this a miracle.
Monopoly-S-P: “The cure for the common bored game.” A fun mentalism routine right off your game shelf.
Self-Fulfilling Prophesy: Takes Bill Simon’s wonderful “Prophesy” move to a new level. Not only is it sleight-free, but it is performed in the spectator’s hands!
Three Spies and the Extraction: A performance piece that puts the “Self-Fulling Prophesy” in motion with a cool story about spies and international intrigue. Le Carre would appreciate the ending!
Absolutely ACAANY: A self-working “Any Card at Any Number” effect that received more highly favorable emails and comment that any other effect in the “Auto-Magic” column. As a bonus, Michael details THREE additional sleight-free ACAAN versions never before published.
Plus, two short essays reflecting on the Zen of sleight-free magic and Michael’s opinions on why it is so important in the magic oeuvre, provide must-read bookends.
Download the eBook and begin learning these wonders!
