Sleightly Hopped
This 190-page, hardbound collection is stuffed with magic, mentalism, theory, concepts, springboards, and flagrant pipedreams published or otherwise circulated by John Hostler between 2016 and 2023. A few highlights…
Transmission Complete: Leveraging a potent combination of principles and strategies, the savvy performer executes a near-perfect “think-a-card” miracle. The visualized pasteboard is never removed or even touched by your volunteer.
Aunt Emma’s Diary: An 80 IBU update of the classic datebook effect. An old diary and envelope with yet-unknown contents are gently dropped to the table. A volunteer FREELY names a random playing card and a personally meaningful date. The performer relates a story concerning his great Aunt Emma, and her mysterious death on another very meaningful date. What follows is a remarkable series of coincidences demonstrating an eerie connection between the volunteer and Emma. No forces… and no physical cards.
Ultramarine Packet Switch: A small packet of cards is fanned (facing the audience) and dropped to the table. The switch occurs en route. Better seen than described.
Kinetogenic Heart: Breaking from his steady stream of astonishment, the performer offers respite in a demonstration of Japanese origami. A volunteer is invited to initial a heart drawn on a handy dollar bill to “capture some of her spirit in the finished figure.” This bill is slammed to the table, whereupon it unexpectedly takes on the shape of a collared short-sleeve shirt. The shirt is unfolded to reveal the previously initialed heart.
Top Twenty: Yet another strange series of coincidences involving playing cards and 1960’s garage rock. Shades of Max Maven and Paul Harris… and a special treat for anagramaniacs.
Mathemagical adventurers will add a couple of heretofore unexplored principles to their toolkits: AMaLP, a generalization of the secret sauce undergirding Mel Stover’s “Telemathy,” as well as an unnamed tactic for resequencing two five-card hands after a free cut and deal.
From the author’s introduction…
“So… why the tangential focus on beer and hops? The primary role of the hop is both arguable and (historically speaking) quite broad. In various branches of mysticism, hops have been linked to creativity and pleasant dreams… In the brewing arts, hops are used to balance the sweetness of malt, for antibacterial effects, and to prevent spoilage. Certain varieties are leveraged primarily for bittering, while others enhance aroma. But regardless of its intended purpose, one thing is virtually inarguable: the hop is an acquired taste.
And so it goes with the attributes undergirding modern magic: A great effect is essentially “hopped” with an intriguing plot, a clever method, superb aesthetic attributes, hyper-efficient construction, insightful strategies/tactics, or some combination thereof. A balance must be struck, with tradeoffs made between (for example) construction and plot. Some performers gravitate to a vastly different brew than others. And mine is (you’ll soon see) something of an acquired taste. The central theme is construction, tempered by an “astonishment at all costs” philosophy.
Or… forget all that. Maybe I just liked the title ‘Sleightly Hopped.’”
GENERAL MAGIC & MENTALISM
Transmission Complete *** W.I.M.P. *** Paradromic Delusion *** Medallion Meets Tidal Wave *** Sightlines *** AMaLP *** Soul Standing Cool and Composed Before a Million Universes *** Chromatose *** Fully Half Invisible *** Kinetogenic Heart *** An Inconsistent Fooling *** Of Tactics, Touches, and Tells *** ConvergySearchers *** Top Twenty
A THEORETICAL INTERMISSION
Obfuscation, Transparency, & Intensity
IMPOSSIBLE COINCIDENCES
Passing Through Lorenzia *** Verne G.’s Con *** 90% Procedure *** FreeSynch (ala McCartney) *** ACAAN (ala McCartney) *** Miss Smyth *** It Just Doesn’t Matter *** Aunt Emma’s Diary *** The Precognition Paradox
KNICK KNACKS
Instant Sandwich *** Ultramarine Packet Switch
CONCEPTS, SPRINGBOARDS, & PIPEDREAMS
Deliver Me *** No Evidence *** Variation 9000 *** CB3 *** 2x4 Cull *** Reciprocal Discovery *** The Great Big Think-a-Card Con
Original text and photos have been largely preserved, with light editing and redesign for both continuity and congruence with the 7"x10" digest format. Astute readers may spot intermittent tonal variation and the occasional amusing anachronism.