It Beats Working by Mark Mason

There are a lot of effects, movements and processes in this work. Many of the "moves" he teaches can also be strung together to form their own process.

Contents include:

Flying Low - This is the first effect in the manual and it's a great one. This is Mark's take on the Ambitious Card, and he adds many "endings". The card jumps to the top a couple of times before finally jumping into his mouth. Then it jumps into his trousers and is removed by a fly. It's a great comedic flow, and he really delves into the "psychology" behind the effects, such as preparing for the ending.

Pop Out Transpo - This is a move he came up with and used in a small flow. It's basically a rendition of the "Pop Out" move, except that the card comes from "nowhere" and you hold it between your two middle fingers (one on each hand). It takes a lot of practice to make it work, but when done correctly (as he does), it looks beautiful. He teaches a transposition effect where the spectator chooses 2 cards, 1 in their hand and one in the pile. The card in their hand then jumps out of the pile and the card in the pile is now in their hand. Just a quick little trick that looks like fun.

Spellbound Again - Mark's take on the Spellbound coin effect. In my opinion, it's very good, but requires some rigour to pull off all the manoeuvres. He cancelled some moves, tweaked some moves to make them look more "magical", and came up with some new disappearances that look really nice. He then applied the moves he came up with to the rest of the routine, Retention Vanish - a variation of the "grip" he designed for Spellbound. A short note on using the simple retention vanish with the move.

Silk and Coin - A small vanishing coin effect using a similar method to Spellbound Again. He doesn't explain much more than the disappearance, as it should be used more as a utility than an effect in its own right. It definitely has a lot of potential if you want to add to your coin and silk everyday items.

Attitude Force - This is his take on the classic Strong Choice. It's hard to practice, but once you master it, you'll use it every day. This is a simple move that increases the effectiveness of Classic Force by 300%. One of the most powerful forces you'll ever see. Period.

Stuck Up Monte - An interesting approach for monte's who use underappreciated utilities.Stealy Good - This is strictly an action, not a flow. It's a way of stealing a card from the middle of the pile and showing it to the audience. It takes a lot of practice, but when used in the right situation it can be devastating. Understand that this is definitely a good move.

Put and Take Move - Combine this with Attitude Force and you'll get reactions like never before. This is basically a way to fairly put away a card and have it reappear in the pile. Mark is surrounded by magicians. He will let them choose any card. He puts it in his pocket and lets them choose another card. It was the same one. He did this until people told him to stop. No one would figure this out. No repetition, no gimmicks. The idea can be added to any trick and has endless uses. He also does a great job of describing the moves as well as the timing.

Foot and Mouth - A fun flow that involves swapping the position of the cards from the spectator's feet and under their hands and they end up in your mouth. It will catch them off guard, but it's a multi-stage flow, so you'll need a lot of practice before executing it. He gives good reasons for the "actions" you do and no one will question anything.

Hindu Rope Surprise - This is some of the work he has done with IT. It involves making a rope float and dance. Whilst the method may be simple, Mark provides some great insights into the setup, misdirection and other important aspects of IT that are often overlooked.

Silk and Sleeve - Sponge Balls and Silk combined into one powerful effect. It's based on several flows and effects Mark has learnt along the way, and it's killer. I love it, and while I already know a bunch of sponge ball moves, this is still one of the best. It uses some overlooked methods to get through certain stages and form a great flow. This set of notes is worth every penny!