Tarot Deck Review # 15 - Fantastical Tarot

By Natalie Hertz, printed in Belgium. Copyright 1999 US Games Systems Inc.

The cards measure 4 11/16" tall by 2 3/4 " wide. The card stock is thin, flexible and feels slightly plastic coated. The edges are slightly rounded.

The backs are predominantly blue, with a stylized dragon ornamented with swirls. There is a 1/8" gold band around the outside edge. The deck is reversible.

The card fronts have a gold band around the image, roughly 1/4" around the top and sides, 11/16" around the bottom. The gold edges are decorated with black Art Deco pinstripes and squares. There is a box at the bottom of each card face with the name of the card in an ornate typeface. Each card has the copyright information on the lower right hand edge.

The artwork has a Gothic cartoon spin that is both attractive and faintly eerie.

The art appears to be a combination of pen and ink and collage for many of the images, including marbleized paper, printed paper and fabric. However, this does not detract from the deck - the effect is very subtle, and enhances the figures.

The cards follow the RWS symbolism for the most part. This is not a light and happy deck. The expressions of the faces of the figures are sullen at best. The most light cards, like the Fool, the Star and the Sun are eerie.

However, this is a compelling deck. Some of my favorite cards are strength, the World, all of the Aces, the two and three of Wands.

Natalie Hertz also created the Vampire tarot, and is a professional artist.

Although a beginner might be able to read with this deck, unless one was familiar with tarot one might find this slightly more difficult as a learning deck - partly because of the lack of symbolism in the background, which assists beginners in my opinion.

After a week of use, I found myself drawn more to the cards with the non-human images greatly, and somewhat repelled by the humanoid images.

This deck is very slippery and hard to shuffle. While I thought I would end up disliking this deck by the end of the week, I found myself drawn to it.

I probably would replace this deck if it strayed.

This deck is in print.

This deck is not a great beginner deck, but it could be done.

Not a must have deck, but a nice addition to any collection - although not for every taste.