THE BLURB:
This brand new 3-book Final Flashback set achieves the
supreme benchmark against which all future book tests will
be measured.
In Book #1, the time-tested Flashback principle has been
upgraded to make it as invisible as a ghost in the night.
Yet it's still the fastest and easiest one-word revelation
ever. Within moments, you're doing miracles.
Use Book #2 and knock them for a loop. They can silently
read full paragraphs on their selected pages yet you will
infallibly reveal the details of the images they form in
their minds! And you haven't asked a question, seen or heard
a page number!
Continue with a statement (just like Mother used to make),
"Find a challenging word, the longer the better, anywhere on
the page." With no pumping, letter hints, or phony miscalls,
you can reveal that word (and much more) using a brand new
principle and strategy that you'll love.
For your sizzling finale, Larry Becker's standing ovation,
drop-dead climax is now yours to use as well. Give them a
page number, column, and location in Book #3, a brand new,
easy-to-use, large print, Webster's Dictionary. When they
turn to that spot, there's the word that had existed only in
their minds!
Every book has a different page count, a unique size &
layout, and a gorgeous, full-color, real world cover.
Final Flashback delivers the top features of the world's
greatest book tests, wrapped up in one three-volume library,
plus routines, tips, and instructions as only Larry Becker
and Lee Earle can provide.
MY COMMENTS:
As expected, this is a brilliantly conceived routine, and as
you might expect from Larry and Lee, the books are
handsomely made. The big difference between Final Flashback
and the previous version, Ultimate Flashback, and even Larry
and Lee's Double Vision, is that it is not as versatile.
Let me emphasize that this is not a drawback, just a
difference to consider. I'll explain after I describe the
various phases.
Book #1 disguises the Flashback principle by using
homophones. I like this idea, but even being an English
teacher I had to stop and think for a minute what each
word's homophone was. My suggestion is to go through the
book and familiarize yourself with the homophones. I should
also mention that, unlike Double Vision or Ultimate
Flashback, you can't leave Book #1 in the hands of the
participant to casually look through.
Phase #2, using the second book, has only a few pages that
are to be used in the routine. In order for the participant
to get to one of those pages, the first participant must
whisper a page number from the first book to the second
participant. Though it may sound like a principle Lee Earle
used in Hidden Agenda, it's different. The methodology in
being able to describe what's written in the paragraph is
beautiful and you won't need to remember anything, or
memorize lots of mnemonic phrases and combinations as in
Harvey Berg's wonderful Final Exam. The other difference is
that with Final Exam the participant can turn to any page
and I've already explained that you can't do that here.
However, the audience will think that any page has been
turned to and that is the important detail. Also, this
second book can most definitely be handled by the
participant.
The bit about the challenging word and the climax are not
quite accurate, though accurate in its generalizion. The
thought-of challenging word is actually the word revealed in
the climax that involves the dictionary! The third phase
uses the challenging word to indicate another word revealed
by the performer. This is very clever. I really like this.
And the dictionary, unlike the one in Ultimate Flashback,
can be used as an ordinary dictionary and can be handled by
the participant.
Now that I've described this in a bit more detail I can
explain my comment regarding this book test not being as
versatile as the others. With Ultimate Flashback and Double
Vision you have several features which work independently of
each other. You can use one, some, or all of the features
and you can use the features pretty much in any order you
like. In Final Flashback, each phase builds on the previous
one. You can't do the fourth phase without having done the
third, nor the third phase without the second, etc. As I
mentioned earlier, this doesn't make this any less of an
awesome effect, it's just a difference to be noted.
Frankly, I would have liked to have seen at least one other
of the features in Ultimate Flashback in this version, but
that's also a very minor complaint. Final Flashback, which
includes the three books and three single-sided 8 1/2 by 11
pages of instructions with plenty of photographs, can be
combined with other books and book tests. There is no doubt
Larry and Lee have created another powerful book test that
is most definitely a worthy addition to the canon of book
tests.
