Rubix Square is a bit pricey at $45, but when a working pro releases something from his act, I always take notice. Take a look at the detailed product description over at Lybrary.com. Go ahead. I’ll wait. [Click here for description]
If there was ever a customer for which this product was aimed at, I’d definitely be it. I love mathematical effects, I solve a Rubik’s Cube on an almost daily basis, and I feature a magic square in my current act. So, when I found out that there was a routine on the market from a well-known performer that mixed all of these elements, I couldn’t believe it. I think I do a pretty good job of keeping up with the latest and greatest releases in magic. Why wasn’t I aware of this routine?
Well, now I’ve read the eBook… and I know why I hadn’t heard of this.
It isn’t good.
The PDF check in at only 12 pages. This includes the cover page and copyright info. Yes, you are paying $45 for a 10 page document. Ok, ok. So what about the old saying that “great things come in small packages?” Well, unfortunately, it doesn’t apply here. The relatively little value you are recieving is in the idea for the routine itself… and you just got that for free by reading the description.
The execution of the routine is what leaves a lot to be desired. First of all, if you read the description and came up with a simple method on your own, chances are that you’re right. This is exactly what you think it is. There’s nothing revolutionary going on here. Not every new effect released needs to be revolutionary, but it does need to break new ground in terms of method, routine construction, presentation, etc.
Unfortunately, all Luke has done here is to combine two ideas into one. The result is a sum that is not greater than the sum of its parts. The two effects are similar from a “look what I’ve trained by brain to do” point of view, but the combination comes off as confusing. A 4 x 4 grid is filled in with numbers in order to help the performer solve a 3 x 3 cube. At worst, the audience won’t have a clue what’s going on. At best, the premise seems forced. Neither case is optimal when attempting to entertain a group of people.
I could forgive some of this and simply classify this as another overpriced mentalism release if it weren’t for my final complaint… THE TRICK DOESN’T WORK. That’s right. The description for how to turn the Rubik’s Cube is wrong. And if you don’t know you’re way around a Rubik’s Cube, you won’t have a way to compensate for Luke’s mistake. You’ll just be out of luck.
Like I said before: I play with a Rubik’s Cube constantly as a way to relieve stress and to keep my mind sharp. I’ve reread the description multiple times with my cube in hand. It doesn’t work. Even if it did, the description would be incorrect as there are no instructions on whether to turn the layers in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. There is also no mention of which axis you’re supposed to rotate the cube around when flipping it over. I can understand a typo in a major work, but there is no excuse for a FUNDAMENTAL part of the routine to be described incorrectly in a 10 page document.
The basic components of a good routine are here, and I’m sure someone could turn this into a nice performance piece with a solid presentation. However, any way you slice it, the routine is WAY overpriced in it’s current form… especially for a description that simply doesn’t work. For $45 this is unacceptable. Don’t waste your money.
- Available for $45 from www.Lybrary.com
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