"Miracle Premonition" by Steve Shufton
Suggested Retail USD$150.00
Available direct from Steve Shufton
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Miracle Premonition", the latest effect by Steve Shufton, is one of the most staggering "open prediction" effects on the market, with an ingenious method that is as flexible as it gets and a structure that defies explanation, both of which make this a must-have for the serious performer.

Or, put another way, Shufton's done it again, releasing a great piece of magic that is genius.

"Miracle Premonition" is easy enough to explain in brief, but it's the details that make this such a winner. The short story? A matchbox is on the table, the spectator names any card, the matchbox is opened and inside is a miniature card which matches the spectator's named card.

But trust me, the long story is worth the time:

The performer brings out a miniature playing card, showing the back of it (of course), and explains that this is a prediction of things to come. This card is placed in a matchbox for safekeeping. A deck of cards is brought out and spread face down for a selection. Thinking better of that old way of doing things, the performer then spreads the deck face up (so it's easier to project the mental image of the card to the spectator), instructing the spectator to notice that all the cards are different and asking them to name any one of them out loud. The spectator is given the option to change her mind. Once a card has been settled on, the deck is put away. The performer, with hands in view and no finger-flinging of any kind, picks up the matchbox and opens it slowly. The miniature card is shaken out of the matchbox. The spectator turns over the miniature card and it perfectly matches the spectator's selection.

And that's exactly what it looks like. But here're the details that make this one devastating:

The spectator's choice is completely and totally free. They can name any card, including the Joker. The deck is full and complete (only missing the ad cards, for heaven's sake) -- no banks or the like to limit the spectator's choice. And yes, they can really change their mind right before the prediction is revealed.

Speaking of which, the performer's hands never go to the pockets or under the table or anywhere else: they never leave the spectator's sight. The performer's hands can even be shown empty right before opening the matchbox. The performer never touches that mini card: it's shaken out of the box, hits the table (or the spectator's hand for that matter), and the spectator turns it over. You can even have the spectator verify that there's nothing else in the box if you want.

For the workers, this is about as practical a method as you can ask for. With no force and a quick reset, this one is easy to repeat if desired (you can even do it without reseting, which is just plain weird to think about). There are no angle issues to worry about, either. You will have to carry a dedicated deck around, but for this one, it's worth the pocket real estate. There's no memorization either, just in case you were wondering, and it's quite easy to do though a little "knacky" at the beginning of the learning curve. With very little work, though, you'll have this one humming along.

For those that like to play, "Miracle Premonition" is wonderfully flexible, moreso than I ever expected -- the manual, a well-written thick thing, has a number of different ideas and presentations for "Miracle Premonition". Don't like the matchbox? Don't use it (even though it's my personal favorite way of doing this). Use an envelope, a wallet, or any other container you want to use. Or don't use a container at all: just put the miniature card on the table. Want to go a little further? Let the spectator hold onto the container with the card in their purse or pocket.

How about this? Don't like the miniature card? Don't use it. Instead, write a prediction on a slip of paper in front of the spectators and go about the routine however you want. With a bit of work (explained in the manual), "Miracle Premonition" can be set up to be used that way instead.

Really, the only requirement for this routine, presentation-wise, is that a prediction gets left in full view of the spectator or in the spectator's possession. That's an awesome requirement to have.

Yeah, I know all of this sounds too good to be true and, if it were anyone but Shufton, I'd be leery of this one. Shufton, though, comes up with some creative acts of genius and "Miracle Premonition" is no exception. What he has done I've never seen done before and it's done so well.

And I'll be honest: there's no way I would have ever thought of this idea, let alone actually making one up. According to the ad, each one of these "takes hours of painstaking, meticulous work" and one look at the gimmick and you can believe it. Frankly, it blows my mind that Shufton would make these up for the price; you'd have to pay me, say, five times as much just to get started. Of course, I'm not Shufton and the quality of work he always brings to the table is excellent, as it is here.

Okay, so this is the hottest thing since sliced bread and it's a wonderful, stunning piece of work. What else do you need to know? Just a couple of things.

First up, this is one where you'll have to get over your skittishness. The prop feels very strange and very, very fragile. It isn't. In fact, with the usual amount of care you'd give a deck of cards, this one will last a lifetime. But your initial reaction will likely be like mine and you'll handle it very gently and be afraid of somehow breaking it... don't. It'll take usage quite well. Mine has survived more playing and working than I ever thought initially.

Second, the prop does require some maintenance and, depending on how often you use it, fairly quickly. While it's more work than, say, applying some more wax or double-stick tape or roughing fluid, it won't take more than a minute or two and, after you do it a couple of times, you're down to spending a few seconds. I normally can't stand having to maintain props and gadgets over anything more than polishing a coin or the like, but the maintenance here didn't bother me at all (probably because I consider it a small sacrifice for what I get in return).

Okay, so obviously I'm going to recommend this one. It's too good not to shout about from the rooftops (but maybe in a whisper instead; I kind of like being one of the few that'll have and do this one). Is it for you? "Miracle Premonition" is one of those things that really boils down to the plot. If the plot intrigues you, if you've got a place for it in your work, then "Miracle Premonition" is a wonderful effect to have. Clean, easy to use, and with so many presentational pluses it'll make heads spin, this is a magical masterpiece.

"Miracle Premonition" by Steve Shufton
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
There's no tough set-up -- take the deck and the matchbox and you're ready to go -- and the reset is quick. Angles are not an issue and repeating this with different cards is a breeze (you can even repeat it without doing a reset). True, you have a dedicated deck you need to lug around, but this is one time you won't mind it at all.

Workmanship: 10
Shufton always proves himself to be an excellent craftsman and nothing proves it more than his work here. This is heavy-duty work here and should last a lifetime with proper care and a bit of maintenance here and there.

Documentation: 10
The documentation is excellent. Shufton covers every base when it comes to the workings of his creation and even gives multiple presentations for it. Big thumbs up here.

Effect: 10
This is powerful stuff and, done well, staggering. This is so clean, so purely impossible, it leaves a mark on spectators. Do this one a few times and you'll be hooked.

Presentation: 10
Shufton's work here is defined by the conditions of the effect and the presentation of those conditions. Starting from the selection of the card to the revelation of the prediction, the structure here is so spotless it leaves no room for any possible explanation. It's a thing of beauty.

Shane