Asymptotes by Ben Blau
I’m not sure what I like most about this book.
Whether it is the clever, fun premises and plot of the effects or the subtleties and smart thinking of the methods or the utility moves which were a delight tucked at the end of the book. Ben Blau impressed me with all of them.
It is very hard to talk about plot and methods individually as they seem so well suited they are inseparable. Every action or direction makes perfect sense in relation to the scenario set by the performer, and once the premise is established the audience really has a hook in their mouth and is being slowly reeled in.
They are a joy to perform.
You won’t find quick visual moments, instead you are creating an atmosphere of the impossible.
These are all mentalism effects with cards so you will find a lot of divination style routines and yet none feel repetitive, infact quite the opposite, they are very diverse.
The utilities section is not full of new knuckle busting sleights, far from it. You find well-worn simple moves explained fully, and not just the mechanics but also the attitude too.
Mentalism and cards can be a controversial coupling but this book should put that to bed. At least it did for me. It clearly isn’t the props that make a mentalism routine, it is in the premise.
The only downside to the book is the price. £74.99 puts it at the high end, and I’m not going to bang on about the quality of the books construction or layout. I will just say it contains, 17 terrific routines ideal for hobbyists and professionals a like. Almost a necessity for the walk around mentalist.
I’ll do the maths for you, £4.40 for each trick, and I think you will use them.
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