Written and Illustrated by Steve Beam   Hardbound, 248 pages, 50 illustrations

It took an expert in sleight-of-hand to create and assemble the best in semi-automatic card tricks. This series has become the brand name for tricks that emphasize presentations over demonstrations, impact over difficulty, and results over method.

These are not recycled retreads. The seven volumes that comprise the series are filled with take-no-prisoners card tricks and the author's trademark humorous presentations. In addition to effects from the author's personal repertoire, he has assembled the best card tricks from the best minds in magic??a list of contributors that form a Who's Who in card magic from around the world.

In addition to commercial tricks that are repertoire-ready, magicians have also find this series to be a virtual goldmine of magician killers. These are the devastating card tricks for those that enjoy dusting the fanning powder off the brains of their fellow cardicians. If you are passionate about your card magic, then you have come to the right place -- the Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series is for you!

Mr. Beam has provided engaging and humorous presentations for most of the routines he publishes. (In fact, Mr. Beam is one of the few magic writers who consistently makes me laugh out loud. My favorite recent example: 'The older you get, the quieter your pass becomes.') These routines are not just magician-foolers; this is material that will entertain and bamboozle laymen, and in the latest two volumes I found several tricks with which I will do just that. Michael Close, Genii, February 2007.