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The Plot Thickens
by Oliver Meech
87 large format pages. 86 photos. Perfect bound with a glossy cover.
Reviewed
by Rob James
In the introduction to "The Plot Thickens" the
author quotes Michael Close as saying that it would be useful for us all if we
had a temporary ban on releasing new methods for overexposed plots. It is a sad
truth that the magic market is flooded on an almost daily basis with new tricks
and DVDs, many of which are just recycling the same ideas. Worse still is the
recent phenomenon of the overhyped one trick DVD presented by a trendy looking
20something and devoid of anything remotely creative or particularly useful,
sold for £10-20. All these new products arrive with a huge fanfare and fireworks
display only to be crushed and land filled a couple of months later when they
are no longer flavour of the month.
While all this has been going on, Oliver Meech has been quietly working away on
this, his first book (yes, I said book) of tricks and ideas. I don't know a lot
about Oliver. A web search doesn't reveal much at all and the biography
contained in the book tells me even less. The main piece of info I was able to
glean is that he is young. However, not that this matters as through reading the
book I was pleased to learn through his writing and ideas that he is clearly a
student of magic with a very creative mind. He is also a stickler for detail as
the book is excellently written in a playful style and very well produced and
laid out.
"The Plot Thickens" has more than twenty different items. There are card and
coin tricks as well as a mentalism section and a collection of tricks with a
variety of random objects including jellybeans and photographs. It's a bit
clichéd to say there is something for everyone but that describes the book
almost perfectly.
A couple of my favorite things include "correctional facility" which allows you
to fix an apparent mistake and in the process permanently change an object which
someone is able to keep. Oh, and that object just happens to be your business
card! Also I like the "Fish bowl coin illusion" which seems so simple it should
have been done before. Actually, I have flicked through the book a few
times and each time I find something, which becomes my new favourite item and I
make a note that I must try it out soon. For £12.49 (less than the price of a
one trick DVD) this really is an excellent purchase. Highly recommended!
Available from www.olivermeech.co.uk
© Rob James, November 2008