Max Maven’s book, Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism, is an excellent place to start your mentalism journey.
We know mentalism in its native definition is the manipulation of human psychosis. Only, it isn’t as wicked as it sounds.
Considering how complex the human mind works, attempting to bend how it perceives things can be complicated.
Max Maven has mastered mentalism and shares his insights through his books.
Let’s talk about who this man is and how he works his magic in this “Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism” review.
Who is Max Maven?
Max Maven is a well-known magician and mentalist.
He is now also an author — with his books centered around mentalism tips and tricks.
Max originally went by the name Philip Goldstein but then changed his pen name to the more suitable Max Maven.
We can only assume Philip takes this name to assert his level of experience as reaching maximum heights and his profession as a connoisseur of magic and mentalism.
Online you will find a variety of reasons why he changed his name, but it’s a common practice among the famous.
As of May 2023, Maven has penned four books. While they were released in the 90s to mid-00s, his books remain a staple in every magician’s arsenal.
Here, we will discuss one famous book — Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism.
Why Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism is a Timeless Book
With mentalist literature being released in considerable amounts since its inception, it’s been rare for one to achieve longevity.
Many books succumb to the test of time as the human mind adapts to current events and contemporary fixtures.
In short, mind tricks are defunct by the availability of further psychological understanding to anyone.
The more we understand the mind, the fewer opportunities others have to leverage our own minds against us.
That said, Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism is not like those books that die away.
It was released in 2005 — but to this day, it still serves mentalists and those who want to integrate mentalism into magic tricks.
The book contains gimmicks for the ages.
Maven’s intuitive approach delves deeper into the psyche itself instead of relying on contemporary factors that cause people to think one way or another.
While some mentalists touch on the surface and trick your senses, such as sight and hearing, Maven probes the human mind deeper.
When you understand the mind’s primary functions, you can better tap into someone’s perception.
What You Can Expect From Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism
Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism is a handbook for both basic and intricate mentalism. However, don’t expect to learn anything you can use for malevolence.
What It Is
Maven’s instant classics such as ‘The Spirit is Willing’, ‘Four-Sided Triangle’, and ‘Desire’ were initially released separately.
They are now compiled into one hardcover book called Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism.
Contained within the book’s pages are uncovered mysteries behind Maven’s methods. It is full of his highly sought-after signature techniques.
The 240-page book comes with illustrations that assist beginners with visualizing each of Maven’s fifty-three tricks. Its graphics are designed by Tokyo’s Magic Landowner, Ton Onosaka.
Between its pages, hopeful mentalists are introduced to Maven’s concepts of mentalism. He also divulges how to work around the mind’s functions to temporarily deceive senses to pull off intricate tricks for premium showmanship.
Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism is an informative yet concise handbook.
Beginners can read it with ease, provided they are open to researching some maneuvers not listed in the book but play a role in some of the techniques Maven touches on.
Its sections also provide intermediate tricks for those more advanced.
What It’s Not
While Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism is full of tips and tricks for manipulating the senses, it’s not an instruction manual for deceit.
Through figurative smoke and mirrors, mentalists deceive your senses to pull off a magical ruse. Any type of mind game that implements deception with malicious intent is far from magical.
Some mentalists believe scammers utilize innocent tricks to manipulate victims for financial gain. Anyone who understands the mind’s functions can find a way to manipulate it.
That’s a line mentalist and magicians do not and cannot cross just by reading books for magical mentalism.
Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism – Reader Reviews and Ratings
The book’s popularity has garnered multiple ratings from well-known book-reviewing platforms, such as Penguin Magic, Goodreads, and Vanishing Inc.
Here’s a quick view of some of the book’s ratings:
“Prism is so stuffed with great routines and invigorating ideas, it is one of those mentalist classics, to be savored and revisited.”
- Chris Philpott
★★★★★ (5/5 on Penguin Magic)
“This is a truly compelling book with many great concepts and ideas embedded within its pages…The book is a complex book because it requires previous knowledge to be had.”
- Wally
★★★★☆ (4/5 on Goodreads)
“it’s definitely engaging.”
- Linval
★★★★★ (5/5 on Vanishing Inc.)
Nearly all of the reviews we’ve come across online are positive. The only real drawback to the book was its scarcity and high demand.
Its reader-friendly reviews pertain more likely to how entertaining and easy to follow it is rather than hinting at any amateurism.
Other Books By Max Maven
You can also check out more of Maven’s books to dive deeper into his unique approach to the magical craft.
Max Maven’s Fortunetelling is a 275-page paperback that contains methods for predicting the future.
While some call fortunetelling a game of deception, mentalists can make accurate predictions based on a person’s physical attributes, mannerisms, and speech. However, these are not meant to predict one’s future based on the stars or cards.
Often, fortunetelling tricks are pulled off by expert mentalists based on experience, hypothesis, and impressions.
Another one of Maven’s works that’s worth checking out is B’Wave. The book is named after a trick involving cards originated by Maven in 1970.
The trick consists of asking a spectator to pick a particular queen from all four found within the deck. It ends with the mentalist (or magician) spreading out the cards revealing only the spectator’s chosen queen facing up.
This pioneered the era of predictive magic within the 20th century. B’Wave unveils the mystery behind one of the most renowned tricks of the century, among others.
For the Final Trick
Max Maven’s selection is narrow, and their availability is even more limited.
His body of work is highly sought-after by experts and beginners. If you find a copy of any one of his books, take it and run!
We hope this helps you understand more about Max Maven’s Prism: The Color Series of Mentalism.
And with that understanding, it will help you determine if the book is worth reading or not.