The Other Brothers delivered something really awesome here and I know this is going to be copied and copied and copied by others besides the brothers. I have never seen this method before and it allows you to tell the spectator the individual letters in their “freely” selected word (after they pick a word that is not too short or too easy).
The ad copy for this book test says:
“A book test with no fishing? Wait…what? A book test with no fishing? Oh yes. Here’s what the audience sees: a book (which is examinable) is handed to a spectator who opens it at any page they like and is asked to think of any word they like. Then, with no fishing at all you are able to tell them the word. And then you can repeat it with a borrowed book. Uh huh. Borrowed. The plot may be old, but this method is unlike anything out there – as you’d expect from The Other Brothers. No tricky procedures, no pumping, no fishing, nothing hard to remember. The book itself is beautifully designed and looks like any regular paperback. For us, a good book test is one that looks like you’re showing “real” mind reading. Forget all that “count to the 9th line and read the 4th word in”. Open the book, any page, any word. Boom. Words Beyond makes it look like you can really read their minds. It ships with the specially printed book and online video instructions. As always with Vanishing Inc, when you buy it you’ll get instant access to the video so you can start thinking about your presentation ideas straight away. “
With this book, you will immediately start revealing letters in the spectator’s word without asking a single question and without the spectator speaking a word. Seriously! Well, you may not be able to state the word without asking a small question and after revealing about 6 letters dead on, but this is so strong because you get right into the mindreading.
You don’t need to know what page the spectator is on, and they don’t need to pick a certain word from a certain line. This is a very clever method that borrows bits and pieces from other magicians which will allow you to use this book to use a spectator’s book to divine a word.
Some may find that the words that are picked may seem too similar, but they are all different. I would not hand out this book for close inspection, but the book will pass casual inspection. More of a prolonged inspection of the book may reveal a few things that will burn you. However, a spectator can read small portions of this book and hand it back. You will not want to repeat this trick for the same group of people, although you could by directing them the second time around.
The book is called “City Lights” by Patrick Differs. A spectator that does some quick phone Googling may not immediately find anything, but they may encounter a book called “City Lights and Side Streets” by Patrick Brown and they may see the book for sale with a reference to the Other Brothers. Just keep the performance moving and you will be just fine.
At $35, I think this is well worth the investment and should be bought. I think this is a great bargain.
The 31 minute streaming (and not downloadable) video is well done. The Other Brothers basically sit behind a table and explain the trick. They do not perform the trick to a live audience which I thought would have been needed to give this a higher score. The ideas and presentation alternative taught are excellent as are the ideas taught in the pdf that is accessible on line.
I have to highly recommend Words Beyond to anyone that loves book tests as it allows you to nail it every time without fishing. You will look like a master wizard and isn’t that what we all want?
This must-have book test is available at any Murphy’s Magic dealer.
