It’s Saturday morning, the kettle’s on, and it’s time for the Monster Magic Saturday Show.
Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re well and ready for the weekend. Spring may still feel a long way off, but a little magic always helps.
First up is The Elimination Deck by Luca Volpe and Alan Wong. A spectator freely eliminates halves of a deck until only one card remains, which matches the prediction sealed in an envelope. I was doubtful at first because the plot is familiar, but the method won me over.
The eliminations feel fair, the handling is mostly self-working, and there are strong convincers throughout.
The only weak point is the very last choice, which could be awkward with grabby spectators, but handled well, it’s a very strong routine. The package is also generous: a Bicycle deck, envelopes, stickers, gimmicks, full tutorial, and script. Overall, it’s clever, practical, and well thought out. £38.99.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/the-elimination-deck-by-luca-volpe-and-alan-wong
Next are Sven Force Books by Oliver Williams. These are cleverly produced forcing books, available in themes like cocktails and cities, using a Svengali-style principle. They look professional, handle cleanly, and offer lots of presentation options, from mind reading to prediction effects. The cocktail book in particular is bright and visually appealing, while the city book feels convincing as a travel guide. You also get a short handling video from Oliver. Simple, versatile, and very well made. £15.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/search?q=sven+force&options%5Bprefix%5D=last
Then we have The Artefact by Matthew Wright. A spectator mixes symbol cards, freely selects five, places them onto a map, focuses on one symbol, and you reveal it. Then the coin matches all five selected symbols, and the remaining cards prove blank. It’s essentially several strong effects layered together, and the fact there is no deck switch makes it especially convincing.
The method is smart, mostly self-working apart from one well-covered move, and the props are beautifully made. It’s best suited to table work rather than walkaround, but it’s a real performance piece with plenty of atmosphere if you lean into the ancient-civilisation story. Excellent teaching, strong impact, and probably my favourite item of the week. £51.99.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/the-artefact-by-matthew-wright
Finally, there’s The Silk Paradox by N2G. The effect is that a silk vanishes and appears inside a bottle that has been placed inside a crisp tube. I really wanted to like this because I love silk magic, but it disappointed me.
The trailer is misleading, the bottle isn’t actually shown sealed in the way you expect, the supplied cap didn’t properly fit any bottle I tried, and the gimmicked setup limits how cleanly you can display the props.
There are also angle issues and extra handling that make the whole thing feel more trouble than it’s worth. The tutorial is clear enough, but the method and practical problems let it down badly. For me, this one is a miss. £25.99.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/silk-paradox-by-n2g-magic-class
That’s it for this week. Thanks for watching, do subscribe, and go out there and enjoy the best hobby in the world. Bye-bye.