Life’s A Beach. The Magic of Gary Jones. Volume 1

136 pages.
Published by Magicseen

Reviewed by Jay Fortune

Two confessions; one, I’m a bibliophile (better not get that on a brass plaque for fear of gangs throwing rocks at the house) and two, I more often than not start magic books from the back (excluding biographies). Why? Authors usually put their best work at the front, hoping that you’ll only glance at the opening effect and then buy the book.

So, approaching Gary Jones from the rear wasn’t something I ever expected myself to be doing. But I did and I have. And I wasn’t disappointed.

This book is full of brilliant routines. You know when someone has spent most of their waking hours thinking, developing, tweaking and performing magic when you see how they have created streamlined, powerful magic effects with a method so devilishly simple, only a trained magical mind could reach such a clever method.

Only a total professional who works a lot would know what little subtleties to add to their magic to make the effect that much more memorable and, for those who watch us present our miracles with the frame of mind of figuring them out, leaving them unable to trace anything.

Whilst there are some clever card presentations and methods here, you’ll also find a host of other close-up items. One in particular that had me day-dreaming about the impact it would have on people who had maybe never seen a magician before is Aqua-Ring (and, OK, it took me a while to reach this one as it’s near the front of the book!). In effect, a ring is tied to a piece of dental floss (for real, audience can check it really is knotted on). Lowered into a glass of water the ring miraculously comes free of the floss. Everything can be examined.

When I read a magic book I always stop after reading the effect to give my own creative muscles a work-out; how would I achieve the same effect? Having considered many alternatives, and then read Gary’s method… well, Tenyo would have been proud is all I can say! A total baffler. And so easy to do!

With ‘Volume 1’ teasingly on the cover, I’m already anticipating Volume 2. And maybe 3, 4 and 5! Gary is a busy working magician with considerable experience which shows in this first collection of his magic. Great value for money and a quality product too.

If you buy it just to find out how the hell he gets the ring free of the floss, you won’t be disappointed.

 

Available from www.magicseen.co.uk

 

© Jay Fortune, March 2019

 

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