SKU: 31396784018

Maleficium By Paul Prater - Book

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Maleficium By Paul Prater - BookTo be honest, at first I was at a bit of a loss as to what to write about this book Whenever I say that something we are publishing is beautiful, inventive, clever, creative and more it sounds self serving, even when it is true. With this book, I am tempted to say, "Just scroll down and look at the free preview I think it says it all" but I know some folks even need to be sold on that. So let me say a few things, and then share the introduction from

To be honest, at first I was at a bit of a loss as to what to write about this book- Whenever I say that something we are publishing is beautiful, inventive, clever, creative and more it sounds self serving, even when it is true.

With this book, I am tempted to say, "Just scroll down and look at the free preview... I think it says it all" but I know some folks even need to be sold on that.

So let me say a few things, and then share the introduction from the book from Paul. You can go check out the PDF preview after that to see the full table of contents and our usual generous free preview of the front of the book to whet your appetite.

We receive manuscripts in a variety of states of "doneness"- some a shambles, others almost ready to print.

This book is 99% Paul Prater with 1% of our own intervention (Interference) when a font was screwy or we thought something needed to be tweeked.

But Paul is an artist. Through and through. From his photographic work that can be found throughout the book and in the color plate we will be adding to the support pages for owners only- to the meticulously well thought out designs for props. Paul is very detail oriented and we like that.

The stories too are crafted in a precise way as well to lead your audience to the proper emotional state of mind-body. Within the articles found throughout the book Paul also shares his thoughts on bizarre and storytelling magic and attempts to introduce the bizarre aficionados AND the newcomer to storytelling magic with food for though and inspiration.

In Paul's own words from the introduction:

This is a collection of effects that I have created. Some of them were created for specific occasions and a few were created especially for this book. As you will see as you read, virtually nothing from the magic store is needed to present these effects. I enjoy making my own props and most of these effects will require that you make your own props. Furthermore, I always found it frustrating to buy a book on magic and find that to perform many of the effects; it would require you to buy magic props.

That isn't the case with this book. I enjoy writing out the process for an effect and I have to have a script. As I prepare a new piece I have to sit down and type out everything. It forces me to think out the routine in my head. Creating a script gives me much better stories than simply trying to wing it. Having a script is also a lot more entertaining, then saying "ok, now I do this and then I do that." Since, I do this with every effect I create; I figured that I should compile them and get them out there to all who may be interested.

Additionally, I have learned so much in this area of magic just by reading other magician's works and I hoped that I could also share my knowledge as they have done with me.

Finally, I would be lying if I didn't admit there is a little bit of ego involved in publishing your works. I also have included some other things I enjoy. I have my degree in English and while working towards that degree I read a fair amount of poetry. I have also included my own art work and photography. I have my minor in studio art and worked on my masters in this field. I enjoy art, but unfortunately, I don't get to do as much as I would like. I consider magic my art, for the most part.

However, I did want to share some of my work in this book. I hope that the art and poetry add to the magic text and do not detract from it. While I enjoy presenting the type of magic contained in this book, I also enjoy doing cups and balls, card tricks, the square circle and pulling out silks and spring flowers. I enjoy doing coin magic, making a silk appear and disappear, and all of that other fun stuff and I think there is a place for that type of magic as well. It is simply called entertainment.

However, I cannot resist the urge to imbue the magic with some deeper meaning. I hope that this is something that you will strive for as well.

I think it makes the magic richer, the magician more mysterious and leaves the audience more thoroughly entertained.

I hope you enjoy what I have presented.

Pages: 190 - Softbound
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SKU: 31396784018

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4.4 ★★★★★
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T. Bock
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 3
Difficult/impossible to unscrew plastic cups (in order to recharge the vibrating/blinking device)
Color: Orange
Generally, I don't leave feedback on items purchased. However, in this case, I feel compelled to do so in hopes the mechanical engineers (of this product) will take my input to heart and ultimately modify it. First the pros... - I have 2 high-energy dogs (Jack Russell Terriers) who love their toys (e.g., chewing bones, tug-of-war, etc.) but usually get bored with them rather quickly. - This interactive PetDroid ball, however, keeps them busy for a long time. - In fact, my smaller dog (Max) knows its storage location and sits (as early as 6 AM) in front of the cabinet so that I give him "his ball". It keeps him busy for up to 1-2 hours at a time. - Max is literally addicted to the PetDroid ball... his determinant play with it makes me laugh all the time. Now, the cons... - After several days of play, the exterior looks chewed up quite a bit. That's no problem though. - Unfortunately, the interior "threads/grooves" of the two plastic cups (for closing/fasting) are very tiny. - Thus, after an hour-long hard play, it is almost impossible to unscrew the 2 plastic cups in order to recharge the interior device. - It appears the 2 cups somehow come off track and get realigned from the inside. - At that point, I cannot unscrew the PetDroid ball in order to recharge the device.... and without the blinking/vibration, this toy is no longer fun for play. - Ultimately, I had to place the bottom half of the ball into a vise and then use a plumbing wrench to untwist it. Proposed Solution: - Increase the size of the plastic cups' interior threads/grooves so that they won't get realigned/come off track. - This would mitigate the current dilemma of NOT being able to unscrew the ball in order to recharge it. In my view, this should be a relatively simple fix and significantly improve the durability of this product. Thank you for your time.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2022
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Verified Purchase
Scott L.
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Good fun and entertaining!
Color: Orange
A really fun interactive toy for your dog! It's pretty erratic and really gets him chasing it. The included soft cover was kinda hard to install and then it's hard to turn it off and on with the cover on, I feel like the cover didn't really improve it at all, sure it's louder without the cover but I feel like dog also likes it that way, he likes loud squeaky toys and this thing making a bunch of noise is appealing to him. We have mostly hardwood floors so it really gets moving, I'm sure on carpet it would be a bit quieter and maybe even a bit slower to move around but on hard smooth surfaces this things can really get zipping around abd get some speed to make him chase it. Overall a fun and entertaining toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2026
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Verified Purchase
bill a.
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Awesome
Color: Orange
Awesome Toy . My Jack is crazy over it. She usually get bored with others, but this toy still has her attention after a couple of weeks Runs a long time on a short charge. 👍🏻
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Chad
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 2
Not the Fetch-Fest I Hoped For
Color: Orange
I had high hopes for the PetDroid Interactive Dog Ball, especially with the newly upgraded features and promises of durable, motion-activated fun. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations for my furry friend. Here’s why I’m giving it 2 stars. Promising Features, Lackluster Results The idea behind this toy is fantastic: a durable, motion-activated ball that would entertain my dog without much effort on my part. The ball is supposed to roll around on its own, keeping my dog engaged and active. However, in practice, it just didn’t capture my dog’s interest. Durability I will give credit where it’s due: the ball is well-made and seems durable. It can withstand some rough handling, which is great for more aggressive chewers. Unfortunately, durability doesn’t mean much if your dog won’t play with it in the first place. Motion Activation The motion activation feature is hit or miss. While the ball does move around as advertised, it didn’t seem to move in a way that intrigued my dog. He gave it a sniff, watched it for a minute, and then walked away, unimpressed. I tried multiple times to get him interested, but he simply wasn’t having it. Lack of Engagement The biggest issue is that the ball just didn’t engage my dog at all. It might be more suitable for a different personality type or breed, but for my pooch, it was a total flop. He’s usually quite playful and curious, so I was surprised by his lack of interest. Final Thoughts Overall, the PetDroid Interactive Dog Ball might work for some dogs, but it was a miss for mine. If your dog is easily entertained by automated toys, it might be worth a try. However, based on my experience, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it. Pros: Durable construction Motion-activated as advertised Cons: Did not engage my dog Motion activation wasn’t intriguing enough Might be more suitable for specific dog types or personalities If you decide to give it a shot, just be prepared for the possibility that your dog might not find it as entertaining as you hope. For us, it’s back to the drawing board for a more engaging toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
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Verified Purchase
Sally
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 4
Pup Loves It, Some Other Notes
Color: Orange
We've had this for about six months and my 75 lb, 14-month-old German Shepherd pup LOVES IT. Her favorite is "Crazy Bouncing Mode." In fact, she doesn't care much for the normal mode. She chews it a lot - even drops it in her water bowl at times - and it's still going strong. This is a great purchase. It's nice hands-off entertainment. Do know that it is heavy compared to a normal ball - if your pup likes dropping it on the ground like mine does, it will land with a hard "thud," even with the included sleeve. Hopefully you don't have downstairs neighbors. Also know that the cover that goes over the charging port is removable and your dog may choke on it if they chew it in just the right manner. Definitely only let the pup play with it while supervised. All in all, great toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2026

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