Universal Monsters Collection by Josh Zandman

Effect

The Universal Monsters Collection is a Halloween-themed book test series featuring three gimmicked books: Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. To the audience, it appears as if the performer can read minds by revealing words or sentences from any page a spectator selects. The books can be used individually or combined for more complex routines. Spectators can freely choose any book and any page, making the effect seem completely fair. The performer can reveal words, sentences, or even mental images without memorization or forcing.

Full Details

The Universal Monsters Collection includes multiple built-in effects:

• Multi-Book Flashback: The performer knows a sentence in one book based on a spectator’s page selection in another.
• Super Flashback: Instantly reveals the first word on any page without needing to see it.
• Reverse Book Test: The performer knows a word in Frankenstein when a spectator stops at any page in another book.
• Tossed Out Book Test: Multiple spectators freely choose pages, and the performer reveals their selected words.
• Pegasus Page: A missing page is produced from an impossible location, matching the spectator’s chosen page.
• Inception Method: The performer reveals a specific word a spectator is thinking of on a page.

The books are "lightly examinable," meaning they appear normal at a glance but cannot be read cover to cover. They can also be combined with ordinary books, such as The Alchemist, for extended routines.

Who Should Consider the Trick

This series is ideal for mentalists and magicians who want a versatile, self-working book test system. It suits performers who prefer minimal memorization and enjoy interactive, multi-spectator routines. The Halloween theme makes it especially appealing for themed performances.

Information on How Difficult It Is to Perform

The Universal Monsters Collection is designed for ease of use. Most methods require no memorization, and even basic knowledge of a few words can enhance performance. The gimmicks handle the heavy lifting, making it accessible to beginners while offering depth for experienced performers.

What Magicians Say

Michael O'Brien from MurphysMagicSupplies praises the series for its versatility, stating, "You can have an entire 30-minute mind-reading session with just these books." He highlights the fairness of the methods, noting, "The Spectator can be standing all the way on the other side of the room... you can read their mind from a distance."

He also emphasizes the practicality, saying, "You don't have to memorize anything... the books are going to tell you everything that you need to know." Regarding the Pegasus Page effect, he calls it "one of my favorite things that you can do with this."

O'Brien strongly recommends the full series, calling it "really, really cool" and praising its ability to create visual spectacles with multiple spectators.