"Falling Angel" by Christopher Gustin
Suggested Retail USD$14.99
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 7 Out of 10

"Falling Angel", a card trick by Christopher Gustin, is a jaw-dropping piece of strange magic that is just waiting to be personalized and made more than what it is.

The skeletal routine given for "Falling Angel" is this: a card is chosen by a spectator and the performer "wipes" one of the angels off the back of the card and onto the front, where it remains and is given to the spectator for examination or a souvenir.

Well, that's pretty much that. But "Falling Angel" could be much more.

It is what it is, though: a gaffed card gets introduced to the spectator magically. That really is a powerful thing if the gaffed card is unusual to the extreme and the handling is clean. "Falling Angel" has both of those components and, given the handling in the instructions, works fine. Do this one and you'll draw out that "stunned silence"/"moment of astonishment" we all love so much. And that's with the rather simplistic (though a bit "sleighty") handling.

Think of what it could be once you personalize it a bit, or a lot for that matter.

And really, that's what will determine if "Falling Angel" is a good buy for you. If you like the idea of magically producing a piece of strange magic, and have a use in mind for it or think you may come up with one, "Falling Angel" is certainly a clever enough prop and worth every cent to you. If not, then pass this one by. It's as simple as that.

"Falling Angel" by Christopher Gustin
In a Blink: 7 Out of 10

Practicality: 9
Put the gaffed card into the deck and you're ready to go. The only drawback? If you plan on doing anything after this one, you'll need to get rid of one of the cards from the deck. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a key card for a lot of routines, so that can dampen things a bit. Still, this is very practical for most work.

Workmanship: 9
The gaffed card is printed by USPCC so you know the quality is there. The angel does look a bit strange, though, and perhaps could have been done better. You get two with the package, but extras are available from the creator.

Documentation: 5
The documentation is barebones but gets the job done. It would have been nice to see some more variations and handlings instead of being pointed to a website.

Effect: 10
The magical creation of a strange object always plays big and "Falling Angel" is no exception. Don't do this one and expect to rapidly go into another trick; spectators will play with that card for the longest before finally giving up. The neat part, though, is that moment of stunned silence when the climax is revealed; that's always a Good Thing.

Presentation: 5
There really isn't one here; the finished product with the moved angel is what this one packs. You'll need to do more to get more out of this one.

Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.