Written by Jacob From The Daily Magician
Full disclosure, this is my honest opinion on Mythos.
I wanted to review this project because I think it’s disgustingly underrated and features some of the best theory and sleights in coin magic.
I’ve watched the 2 hours and 29-minute project twice from beginning to end, and I’m writing this review just after the second viewing.
As you might already know, I help run the largest independent newsletter in magic - The Daily Magician.
But I am by no means a working magician.
I've performed for audiences of 1000+ spectators but my main focus is on our newsletter and membership.
So why am I even qualified to talk about Mythos?
Well, between Benji (my co-founder) and myself we’ve sold tens of thousands of magic projects.
Plus, due to the fact, that we constantly are being offered magic to promote - our own personal library of magic is huge, including 368 classic magic books (91 of which I’ve read and made a commentary for.)
Each and every day I am surrounded by pro magicians, and I’m constantly studying the magic niche to try and figure out what it needs and therefore what sells.
So while I do not esteem my personal coin magic ability to be anywhere near the level of someone like Danny Goldsmith - I do think I have some authority when it comes to reviewing good magic projects.
I’ll split my review into 2 sections:
Raw magic content (the sleights, moves, and routines plus how hard they were to learn)
Mythos (the magic theory, is it anything new? And why should magicians care?)
I’ve tried to be as honest and unbiased as I can about this project - but I’m honestly a huge fan.
All this being said, let’s get into it!
Let’s start with the sleights and moves…
1. Raw Magic Content
The Finger Fling
I honestly believe that this project includes one of the most versatile, powerful, and fun moves in all of coin magic.
Perhaps you’ve experienced this perhaps not, but when I first thought about learning coin magic, I had this image in my head that I would be flinging coins from one hand to the other, defying gravity and common sense with my coin vanishes and flings.
When I actually started learning a few coin sleights from various artists though, I was surprised and somewhat disappointed, it didn’t look at all how I had imagined.
This move on the other hand - does not disappoint.
It can be performed with any object e.g. a coin, a rock, a pencil, a card, and it genuinely looks like you have the power to rocket an object from one hand to the other.
(mostly because you actually do.)
With practice, it begins to look just as miraculous as Danny’s version, but I started to understand the move and be able to properly practice it within just 10 minutes of practice.
Fiction
As a D&D fan, I have to say this routine hit pretty hard.
Danny based it on the book ‘American Gods’ where one of the main characters, Shadow, constantly uses coin sleights (he’s always pictured rolling a coin…)
Watching this routine I was SO drawn in that I couldn’t help but picture myself at some fantasy bar.
Which of course made me want to use it for one of my campaigns #dungeonmaster…
As far as the difficulty of the routine - it’s like a lot of Danny’s stuff - very easy to learn because the teaching is so good, hard to perfect it to his level.
One note I loved, was how he hides his shoulder movement and makes it natural to grab a lapped coin.
That in combination with ‘The Finger Fling’ is a new and fantastic method to produce a coin from seemingly nowhere!
I won’t go much more into method here as I don’t want to give anything away.
Discoinbobulated
I think this routine highlights a very important part of making great magic - being able to mess up.
Danny and I have talked about this in much greater depth on our most recent podcast episode together.
(you can listen to that here:
In that podcast we talked about the fact that when magic is performed in a selfish way i.e.
You’re the very clever magician and they’re the stupid spectator you’re fooling.
It can be very scary to mess up!
In fact, the spectator can be willing it to happen, while you do everything you can to avoid this ego-shattering catastrophe.
However, when both you and the spectator are equal participants in experiencing wonder - it’s far less scary to mess up, as everyone’s just enjoying the journey.
This routine takes that principle and expands it in a really beautiful way - creating a routine that’s entirely based around the magician messing up, over and over.
Honestly - the moves for this routine in my opinion are HARD, it requires a lot of practice and a good understanding of how coins travel in the air.
The result though - is worth it, you’re not learning hard moves for nothing!
Celestial
Celestial is a magnet coins routine, but with a subtle change.
The coins not only stop working for the spectator but for the performer as well!
This way - the spectator isn’t made to look the fool when they themselves try to use the coins as magnets.
Honestly, this routine is probably the one I would use the least out of the entire project - but maybe not for the reasons you’d think.
Again - the initial move (and the one I think is the most impressive) does require a lot of practice.
Because you’re not looking at your hands.
Because you’re flinging the coin from one hand to another with only the smallest amount of space to catch it.
Afterward, the rest of the moves can be learned quite quickly with the right amount of focused practice.
The reason I wouldn’t perform this routine very often - is because in my opinion it’s the perfect filler routine.
It’s supposed to happen on the spur of the moment, just as you’re heading into another routine.
Inexplicably the coins become magnetic, and just a minute later - they’re not anymore.
I like this idea because it doesn’t put too much focus or seriousness into the routine.
It’s not made to be fooling but wonderful and fun.
(a great change to a thoroughly unconvincing routine for a skeptical spectator…)
Through Time
My favorite routine in the whole project ‘Through Time’ is a real winner!
This routine is a perfect example of storytelling combined with beautifully smooth sleights.
However, I would say all of the moves in this final routine are probably the easiest to learn of all of them.
(which is crazy considering the power of this routine.)
I honestly don’t really have words to describe this part of the project - so I’d just have you watch the performance video above.
Although I will say - the phases, and how they build so seamlessly and intentionally is something all magicians can learn from.
From the simple fun of a coin falling in your hand - to the insanely original vanish that will leave them speechless.
Pure magic.
2. Mythos
If you didn’t know already ‘Mythos’ has a few meanings, number one: a word, speech, conversation, or similar; a story, tale, or legend, especially a poetic tale.
Or, a set of beliefs or assumptions about something.
In this project Danny goes into the story of magic and cracks open our assumptions and beliefs.
Here are the three talks included in this project…
An indepth look at the psychology of wonder.
The science of creativity.
A magical mythos.
Here’s what I think of them:
First, you should know, that these are not throwaway segments in the project ONLY meant to subsidize the moves…
…I’ve never seen a magician put so much theory into a video project.
And it’s for a very good reason.
As someone who’s worked with Danny for most of my magic journey, his outlook and view of magic is completely invaluable.
He gets magic.
He gets magic in the same way a professional athlete understands their sport.
It’s become so much a part of him that he can feel its intricacies, and transmit that to his students.
I know I sound over the top - but I really didn’t get magic until Danny taught it to me.
These talks are not rambling, and they’re not unplanned.
They’re well scripted, packed full of juicy information, and ESSENTIAL to any magician who truly wants to inspire, not just perform.
You’ll hear a lot of artists talk about their creative method - but in these video sections, Danny explains where that creative method comes from, and how to develop your own.
Also discussed are such gems as…
The modern neuroscience that explains where creativity comes from and how to harness it.
How wonder is experienced and how to emote such feelings in your audience.
Years of magic theory compiled into 30 minutes, this is almost everything Danny has ever learned about magic.
These talks WILL transform every piece of magic in your arsenal.
Just a few weeks ago I applied these principles with Danny live, and instantly transformed a rather drab ACAAN routine into an emotive piece that I’ve been practicing and performing ever since.
I know all this sounds dramatic, but this theory really is the key to ‘real’ magic and cannot be overlooked.
Final thoughts and conclusion:
Hopefully, I’ve done what I set out to prove, that ‘Mythos’ really is Danny Goldsmith’s most underrated project.
This project features an incredibly original move (not seen anywhere else) and theory that will transform every piece of magic you own.
I would spend the money to learn ‘Through Time’ alone, but luckily I don’t have to.
I strongly advise anyone who hasn’t picked up this project to give it a go, Danny always offers refunds if people really are disappointed and it’s well worth the money to see what you think.
And, right now, Danny has dropped the price of this masterpiece from $39 to $29! Don't miss out on this crazy good deal.
Check it out here: https://www.dannygoldsmithmagic.com/product-page/mythos?ref=qVgwYr5g
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