"Strange Travelers" by David Blaine and Paul Harris
Suggested Retail USD$20.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

La versión en español de este artículo está disponible en BlogDeMagia.com.
Haga click aquí para leerlo.

"Strange Travelers", a packet trick from David Blaine and Paul Harris, simply knocks 'em for a loop. It's so clean, so hands-off in appearance that it's a complete stunner. If you've got the guts to make it workable for a group of people, you've got a masterpiece here.

The effect is simple: it's a "thought-of Cards Across" plot a la Leipzig. There. That's about as simple as it gets. For those wanting more detail...

You begin with twenty cards, all different. A spectator is given ten cards to hold. The spectator thinks of one of the other ten cards (no force, nothing is said, just a card thought of). When those ten cards are counted again, there are only nine: the card the spectator was thinking of is gone. When the spectator counts the ten cards they've been holding, there are now eleven cards. The thought-of card is now in that packet.

"Strange Travelers" is touted as a "streamlined" version of the Leipzig's take on the classic, and it is that. The counting is open and simple (you could go for more flinging to prove things more, but it's not needed), the gimmick makes this a piece of cake to perform (forget about palming, of course), and the hardest move is trying to get the cards out of the little vinyl wallet (okay, that was a lie, but it's darn close to the truth). During the course of streamlining things, this became more direct, quicker to perform, with no lags in the presentation and, judging by reactions, as powerful as you can get.

Also about as practical as you want. In the great set of instructions accompanying "Strange Travelers", there's a section on starting and ending clean by just pulling a deck out of a box and putting it back (this is Paul Harris at work here, and the constructed gaff is a multi-purpose tool I'm going to get a lot of mileage from). So if you carry a deck of cards for other things, you're good to go already with "Strange Travelers". Throw in all the variations and different handlings and you've got a solid piece that you'll carry around and do.

Maybe. How's that for a downer to the proceedings?

There's one thing that scares me a bit about "Strange Travelers" and it's doing this for more than a couple of people. Now, I'm gutsy. I'm really gutsy. I figure getting busted is part of the job so why not go for the gold? But "Strange Travelers"? That's pushing my envelope a bit. You'd have to ask yourself this question: would do you something with a number of very visible discrepancies for more than a couple of people? If the answer is yes, then you've got no problem. Me, the answer's "no way" and so I don't. I keep the performances down to two or three people to play the odds a bit, but there's no way I'd walk this one out in front of five or ten people. Not on a bet.

And really, that's the only drawback with "Strange Travelers". Everything else about this one is perfect. The handling and variations are smooth and clean, the gimmick does all the hard work, and every part of this looks on the up and up. It's so clean, I took a nod from the original Leipzig routine and didn't even count some of the cards; it still floored them. Man, that's really something and impressed me to know end.

Okay, so how does "Strange Travelers" stack up to other versions of the "cards across" plot? It's all about what you're after and what you'll settle for. I like "Strange Travelers" as a quick bit of astonishment (did you honestly think I was going to review something Harris has his hand in and not use the "A-word"?) It does play quickly and powerfully. But "Strange Travelers" is down to one card traveling and for only a few spectators; if I'm after more -- more spectators watching more cards go bye-bye -- I'll fall back on other versions. Still, "Strange Travelers" packs small enough that it's one I'll be carrying around for some time to come.

So, a thumbs-up for "Strange Travelers", a pat on the back for Paul Harris for his touches here and there, and an "attaboy" to David Blaine. "Strange Travelers" is a great piece of work.

"Strange Travelers" by David Blaine
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

Practicality: 7
This has a lot going for it: you can start clean and end clean, use the cards with a regular deck (and still be able to use the deck for other things), can be done sitting or standing, no angles to speak of, a quick reset... this is one sweet piece of business. The only impediment is performing this for more than one spectator; personally, I'm skittish about it myself. You may not be.

Workmanship: 10
The cards are on Bicycle stock, so you know you're getting quality.

Documentation: 10
The booklet is very clear and very concise, with variations and tips thrown in for good measure. An excellent job here.

Effect: 10
"Cards Across" always plays well; "Strange Travelers" plays better than that. This packs a wallop due in no small part to its cleanliness and its openness. Yes, folks, this one freaks people out and sends brains a-spinnin'.

Presentation: 9
You're on your own with the verbal component, but cleanliness more than makes this a powerhouse.


Shane