Product description : Omen is a very nice gimmicked deck routine in which you’ll show the difference between a magician and a mentalist. First of all, you ask someone to name any card, no force at all. Then another spectator will select a card from a deck which has been shown before. You find out the selected card and lay it down on the table. Previously, you removed a joker from the pack. You then show that it was all predicted since you have the same card as the one selected in your wallet ! But remember someone named a card before, you turn the 3 cards on the table and on their back is written “SEVEN”, “OF”, “CLUBS” if the named card was the 7 of Clubs. What I wrote is a fair representation of what’s going on during the routine, let’s find out if this is worth your money.
Price and where to buy it : This is sold at $40 and you can find it in nearly every Murphy's magic partner !
What you get : You receive a very nice cardboard box, typical packaging from Alakazam Magic when a full gimmick deck is included. The artwork is nice and you also get a DVD! It’s very strange to find a DVD nowadays in a magic product but it’s a great attention. The DVD is very well shot and everything is taught in detail, nothing is left over. You also get a code to register online for additional ideas. You get the gimmicked deck which you have to prep once, depending on your language. The preparation isn’t going to take ages, I’d say 5 minutes and you won’t have to do it again. It’s a famous gimmicked deck, but made in reverse so you can dribble the cards face up. Overall, for the price asked, I think this is a fair product, cards are Bicycle quality and I can see this deck lasting quite a long time if you take care of it.
The pros and the cons : Here is the core of my review, let's begin with the cons, as I will usually be doing, I prefer to keep the good things for the end.
THE CONS :
I repeat myself everytime I get a fully gimmicked deck but you won’t be able to do anything else than the Omen routine with this deck of cards. So you have to carry it with you just for this routine.
You’ll need extra space for the reveal card, and more space than you may think of so bare in mind you’ll need a wallet, to fill up your pockets or so.
The deck is not examinable.
THE PROS :
First of all, this is a quality product, I can see it receiving very good reactions from the audience.
The routine is cleverly constructed, you first ask a card at random and people, over the course of the routine, are beginning to forget this card. When you reveal the matching card in your wallet, they think the trick is over and sometimes, they have completely forgotten the fact they named a card at first. I like that extra kicker.
It’s very easy to do, dribbling the card, let the spectator cut anywhere, find the card, pull out the matching card and tada ! I think you could write the word “OF” on the back of the card case rather than on the back of the Joker but it’s a personal preference.
This will spark your creativity and imagination, I’m sure you will come up with ideas and variations of the routine.
The reset is fairly quick, place the matching card back in your wallet, and the joker and the selected card in the deck and you’re ready to do it again.
People can really name any card they want at the beginning, it’s a completely free choice.
Overall rating : I like this product as a whole: the routine is good, the gimmicked deck clever, and the climax very powerful. I just don’t see myself carrying another extra deck just for it, 3/4 hearts
As for the difficulty level, if you can dribble the cards, I think you’ll be good with this one, 1/5 stars.
Similar products : I highly recommend red hot prediction by Cameron Francis or his Annihilation Deck which is a super routine