Card Delusions by Ryan Matney
"What I like about Ryan Matney's card magic is the tight construction and his attention to detail. He understands what makes a trick work, and he takes the most direct route, eliminating unnecessary sleights, thus keeping his routines lean and mean."
– Peter Duffie
"Ryan's material is cleverly thought and routined. It is my kind of material, no need to break your fingers to do good and commercial card magic."
– Aldo Colombini
"I have been a fan of Ryan's for a while now. Card Delusions is a delightful book full of interesting card magic. If you like refined, semi-automatic methods (like I do) and thoughtful, occasionally quirky presentations (like I do), you will thoroughly enjoy this collection (like I did)."
– John Bannon
"I've always admired Ryan's knack for creating simple, elegant and subtle miracles. These effects are no exception. They are gold!"
– Cameron Francis
"In Card Delusions the material is technically undemanding and presentationally whimsical. That's a good combination, and the result is card magic that's fun to do."
– Max Maven
Ryan Matney has been performing and creating magic for many years. He previously published three long out-of-print books of card tricks that were praised by the few that have copies for their trick construction and unusual presentations. A few of these effects have trickled out into the mainstream over the years in places like Big Blind Media's Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks DVD series, MAGICmagazine, and the Semi-Automatic Card Tricks book series by Steve Beam. You may not have heard of him until now…
Card Delusions is a new book of sixteen acclaimed card routines featuring some of Ryan's best ideas. The effects included in this small but loaded 80 page book range from self-working to those that require standard sleights.
Having honed and refined these routines over many years, Ryan has included his professional scripts and presentations and 54 photos to make learning easy.
Some of the effects included in Card Delusions:
The WhiteChapel Solution – The acclaimed packet trick with a spooky Jack the Ripper presentation. One single standard sleight (Elmsley) and a lot of theater and mood. Ryan gives away his full script and the exact ending he has previously held back.
A-Proxy-Mate – The spectator matches cards and cuts to all four aces. The best part, she handles the cards through-out and this routine is nearly sleight free. You must be able to hold a break. Once.
Discard Dating Service – Hofzinser's Royal Marriages but this time the spectator helps shuffle the cards before the first magical match happens. Concludes with a triple match finale. Entirely self-working and impromptu.
The Pallbearer's Aces – An intriguing premise and method, and an ending that kills. What more could you ask for? Oh yes, it's entirely self-working and you need never touch the cards. Ryan has used this routine to fool many magicians. Get the full details and script.
Amara Rises Again – Hailed as a self-working neoclassic. Get the straight dope from the creator, including script, thoughts on presentation and performance and full details on how to construct a special prop used in Ryan's original ending that is virtually unknown!
Harmony – A two person coincidence effect. Ever want to do an effect with a presentation like Anniversary Waltz but didn't want to expose a gaffed card. This has a similar impact and presentation but a completely different effect. Self-working and uses regular cards. Penultimate Man-Ryan started with John Bannon's "Last Man Standing" and then turned left.
Plus nine more routines.
