Customer Reviews

Deviant Moon Tarot

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"While the physical deck has taken over three years to complete, from an inspirational standpoint, Deviant Moon Tarot has been at least thirty years in the making. It is not only a testament to my art, but a record of my life." - Patrick Valenza, from the LWB (Little White Book)

I've seen hundreds of Tarot decks over the years, and I can honestly say there is nothing on the market that rivals the sumptuous textures, masterful artistry and utter originality of the Deviant Moon Tarot.

For months now, several images of the Deviant Moon Tarot were posted to the web, capturing the imagination of Tarot enthusiasts worldwide. Many were clamoring for news, more card images and a definitive release date with an almost desperate excitement.

Tarot fans, rejoice! U.S. Games has now unleashed the highly anticipated Deviant Moon Tarot upon the world! And let me tell you, if the exquisite, highly-detailed online images whetted your appetite, the actual deck goes above and beyond expectation! (After my deck arrived in the mail, I was almost shaking trying to unwrap the cellophane.)

As Patrick revealed in my interview with him a few months ago, he created each image made by manipulating digital photographs taken of 18th century tombstones. He noted:

"I would explore cemeteries and abandoned buildings, taking many photos of textures or objects of interest to blend into my drawings. Rotted doors and windows became buildings and structures, while tombstones parts were fabricated into clothes, accessories, or even the citizens themselves. I like to think the photos contain some of the `spirit' found in the places I have visited, and that perhaps some of their energy will reflect in the cards I have made."

As you can tell, the Deviant Moon Tarot blows me away. One of the reasons is Patrick's ornate and captivating rendering of the Aces. In most Tarot decks, the Aces are relegated to a singular suit symbol with minimal artistry; however, in the Deviant Moon Tarot, the Aces are lavishly illustrated.

Replete with arresting beings with unusual bodies, moonlike faces combine with anatomy reptilian, humanoid, mechanic and alien. The King of Pentacles wears a crown of smoking black industrial chimneys while the King of Wands shepherds playful children with tree-like heads.

In the amusing Five of Cups, a nagging wife reams out her husband for presumably spilling three of the cups while her hen-pecked husband holds his ears against her shrillness. In the Five of Pentacles card, a milky three-fingered and toed creature with pendulous, pointed silver-tipped breasts creeps around a building housing a giant peering eye. (According to the LWB, she is a woman of ill repute).

The Deviant Moon expands on Rider-Waite imagery with a gloriously twisted perspective, reflecting common associations in dazzling patterns, striking colors, and surprising juxtapositions (e.g. a tree that bleeds red, a Page that has created himself out of spare parts and a sharp-dressed masked armless woman with a wheel for a left "foot"). The 9 of Cups, usually deemed the "Wish Card", aptly depicts a genie who's just emerged from a child's magic lamp.

Surprisingly illuminating, the 41-page LWB provides upright and reversed meanings as well as a brief commentary on each card (which is especially helpful for some of the puzzling depictions). Some of the meanings I hadn't heard before, such as the 5 of Wands indicating "conflict with neighbors", the 8 of Swords can pointing towards censorship and the 5 of Cups revealing marital strife.

The slick, glossy cards measure approximately 5 ¼ x 2 ¾ inches with a rather muted moon motif in earth tones comprising the reversible backings. This Premier Edition of the Deviant Moon Tarot also comes with a custom 17 x 20 inch spread sheet with Patrick's comprehensive 10-card Lunatic Spread.

I knew I'd love the deck when I got it, but I had reservations if such a bizarre yet stunning offering would "read" well. I'm pleased to report that not only is the Deviant Moon Tarot a solid reading deck, but also unexpectedly insightful. Even when I first began looking at the cards, phrases would pop into my head describing possible meanings for what I saw.

So despite the unusual characters populating the world of the Deviant Moon, they still speak messages relevant and purposeful to discerning individuals. This would make a great journaling deck, too, as well as one for comparative Tarot studies.

Art deck aficionados will want to have the Deviant Moon Tarot for their collection as well as those in the market for a decidedly offbeat deck. As reluctant as I am to say it, I don't think this deck will appeal to *everyone* nor would it necessarily be a good first deck for those wanting to devote themselves to studying the Tarot. However, the Deviant Moon Tarot contains amazing gifts for the beholder and the LWB is better than most for explaining card meanings.

Patrick Valenza's illustrations are so magnificently dramatic and unique that I hope U.S. Games comes out with a coffee book version of this deck, as well as an array of related giftware and art prints. I know that I'd definitely be in line for all things Deviant Moon!

(To see 16 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present

Most RW clones leave me cold--how many times can you repeat the same themes? It seems to me that with each derivation of the RW deck, the symbolism gets watered down.

NOT SO with this deck. Under the watchful eye of the moon, the tarot story develops. This deck also depicts the duality of existance, with the combination sun/moon faces. The graphics are somewhat unique (the Empress has 3 breasts, and on the Lovers card the snake bites the female on the leg.) The different symbology on the cards adds extra depth and meaning. Conventional wisdom usually states to use your own intuition and not use the LWB (little white book) that comes with the cards. . .but in this case the LWB is useful for explanation of some of the imagery.

I've done some test readings with the deck and the results were on point. If you want to check out more images of the cards check out Patrick's website. Well done.

To say The Deviant Moon Tarot deck is just another deck in Rider Waite Smith tradition would be an understatement. The deck takes you into another world of ying/yang insectoid creatures populating a bleak industrial landscape. Patrick Valenza subliminally inserted images from cemataries and an abandonded insane asylum into the images. My first impression upon my receipt of the deck that it was too dark for me to do readings with for people I ordinarily would read for; but for those whose tastes lean to the unusual I'm sure it would work fine. The symbolism of the images maintain traditional interpretations in most cases, but give it a new twist. I think this is an excellent deck for collectors as well as those whose tastes and insights gravitate towards dark imaginings. Valenza is a talented surrealist, and more than just in a deck of cards, the images belong in a museum as each are a unique work of art, making the old new again and reinterpreting it for our times.

I am an experienced reader and have owned numerous decks in my lifetime.

While beautiful, I found these cards a bit dark and ominous for my tastes. The deck is also difficult to shuffle, because of their large size. While these might be very good for someone aligned to the energies of this deck, it didn't work for me and the people I showed it to who weren't readers were off-put by the dark imagery as well.

Lovely artwork, but the energy and size are not good for me.

I hadn't read tarot in years, and while I still take very good care of my vast collection of cards, I must admit they've been gathering dust. I work for a major bookstore, and for the last 6 months, I've been walking by the Deviant Moon deck. It always seemed to draw my interest, but while I would sometimes even pick it up, I didn't buy it until yesterday, when finally the deck seemed to just insist that I get it.

I called up my friend and asked him if I could take the cards out for a test drive with him. Usually, what I like to do is go through the cards, and at least look through the deck and get familiar with it before I dive into a reading. Especially because I find those 'artlsy' decks to be more advanced if you aren't already familiar w/tarot imagery. BUT, my friend was very IMPATIENT, and insisted that I take the new cards, riffle, shuffle, cut, x amount of times for his reading...as much as it made me cringe, I did as he asked, and my reading was so amazingly clear, concise, and just really spot on. The cards often gave me LITERAL meanings with the picture. For example, the question was about his career in our company as we're also work colleagues. He had worked before for Tower records, was high up and involved in the music industry. He has many times told me, and I quote him exactly, "My world was turned UPSIDE DOWN when Tower went out of business, I had vested so much time in that company and I thought that was going to be my career". When we did his spread, I literally laughed out loud because the card for distant past- South Card in the C.C. spread was "World Reversed". I couldn't believe it. It was almost freaky that the cards were so literal, and it was a testament to their accuracy and humor that they literally showed in pictures a phrase he used regularly when describing his past experience with his lay off.


The pictures just really speak to you. You don't necessarily need to dig deep for the answers. I did find myself double checking in the booklet, but all of my first impressions of the cards were the intended meanings- and some of the phrases I used to describe the cards were verbatim in the booklet- which I hadn't seen beforehand. I literally opened the deck with my friend and used them on him....and it was the clearest, best, reading I had given anyone ever. I was able to easily go with the flow and give the reading, and didn't have to awkwardly pause and look stuff up like I usually have to do when I'm out of practice. Even though I believe books and guides are just guidelines, every deck speaks differently to each reader, sometimes the new beautiful decks can be harder to interpret if you're unfamiliar or unpracticed.


I am far from expert, and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Deviant Moon tarot to anyone, beginner to expert who admires the deck but may feel intimidated b/c of their own perceived skill level. There was a steady flow of consciousness, it was just amazing. I loved it so much, that I just ordered today (after buying it 18 hours ago) the Limited Edition Deviant Moon deck to keep w/my "collector edition" tarot decks. As you can see, I was also motivated to post on this tarot forum after 3 or 4 years.

Anxiously awaiting the next special edition trump set...

I got out my ruler and measured the length of these cards. They are a full half inch longer than the Rider-Waite cards, making them impossible to shuffle for many people. I am 5' 10" which is exactly the average height for a male in the US, and so my hands are probably of average size too. The cards are so large that I can just barely shuffle them. Since my hands are probably of average size, about half the men who purchase this deck are not going to be able to shuffle it. And since women's hands are, on the average, smaller than men's hands, I would guess that about eighty percent of the women who purchase this deck are going to be unable to shuffle it. That is a crying shame.

Other than the fact that about two thirds of all the people who purchase this deck are not going to be able to shuffle it, it is the most fantastic deck of Tarot cards I have ever seen. This deck has two things going for it, (1) the fantastic art work and (2) the set of card meanings that come with it.

The art is stunning. The deck consists of seventy-eight pictures you actually enjoy looking at. And all the card pictures are a bit mysterious, which makes them even more captivating. The card pictures are not only creative, but actually qualify as art.

I would say that about ninety-nine percent of the white booklets of instructions that come with Tarot card decks are totally useless. But, these Deviant Moon card definitions are an exception to that. The creators of this deck actually seem to know something about what constitutes a good set of Tarot card definitions, and when you use this deck to do divinations, the cards that come up actually make a lot of sense. With almost all other decks, the booklet of card meanings is so useless that you have to sit down and create your own card meanings if you want to use the deck as an oracle. But with this deck, if your hands are large enough to be able to shuffle the cards, you can use this deck as an oracle from the git-go.

The only criticism I would have of the booklet of card definitions is the inclusion of a version of the Celtic Cross layout. I participate as a reader in many psychic fairs and psychic expos throughout the South and the Midwest, and I have never seen a professional card reader use the Celtic Cross spread. The only card in the layout that people want to know about is the Final Outcome card, and real life is much too multidimensional and multifaceted to be adequately explained by only one card. Professionals use card layouts in which all the cards represent the final outcome.

Tarot decks come and go, with the exception of the Rider-Waite deck. I think the Deviant Moon Tarot is probably one of the very few that is going to be around for a long time. It is unfortunate that only about a third of the people who purchase this deck are going to be able to shuffle it. For that reason, I will have to rate this deck with four stars, not five.

I absolutely love this deck, I have been studying and doing tarot for 12 years. Though at first sight this deck may appear to stray too far from the usual Rider Waite meanings, it actually adds to them...such as the Chariot card, (so much deeper and makes the meaning jump right out!!!) BUT...if you choose to buy or order this deck make sure it's printed in ITALY, NOT CHINA!!!!! I have a deck printed in Italy, and the cards are absolutely stunning. They are glossy, rich, vibrant and printed on quality flexible stock that is easy to handle and shuffle. After seeing my cards a friend of mine decided to order a deck herself and received one that was printed in China and she was furious when she compared hers to mine!!! The one printed in China is made on stiff, lower quality card stock which makes the deck way thicker than the Italy deck. They are very difficult to shuffle without feeling like you might bend one in half. But that's not the worst of it, the most disappointing difference is the quality of the imagery. The China deck's images are way less vibrant and have a completely matte finish!!! The China deck is extremely low quality and renders the deck mediocre and unimpressive. Make sure your deck is printed in Italy so that you can fully enjoy the experience that is the Deviant Moon Tarot. A truly captivating and stunning tarot deck.

I am motivated to write this review to rebut some of the recent claims that the card stock of the China printing is somehow ruinous to this deck. In my opinion the art work is beautiful, but more important to my purpose here, the deck itself handles easily and I have no more trouble shuffling this deck than most others I've owned. I certainly wouldn't say that the cards feel cheap, are easily creasable or are about to disintegrate in my hands.

I expect to enjoy this deck for a lifetime. Maybe if I saw an example of the Italian printing I would agree that this deck is inferior. Maybe I wouldn't. Regardless, I'm perfectly pleased with my copy of the Deviant Moon Tarot.

I have over 50 Tarot decks and this is the best symbology I have yet to see. I especially love the Death card with the pregnant mother and her having to exert some gentle force with her foot on the previous child to remind him that going back into the womb is not a possibility. It really gets to the nature of the Death card being permanent, can't go back, can only go forward change - change with or without our initiation. I love how most of the characters have more than one layer to their face - it invites you to ask, "How deep do you want to go?". The Lunatic Spread is great for getting to the meat of a matter and is an added bonus. The LWB is adequate but the real prize is the thought provoking scenarios on each of the cards. Well done!!!!!!

The second I laid eyes on this deck, I knew I had to have it. The illustrations on the cover were so beautiful and just simply different than what I'd been used to seeing. I'm always happy to see someone deviate from the Rider-Waite symbolism, and this deck certainly has no compunction in doing so. Death is represented by a pregrant woman with a horses skull for a head, holding back an infant from trying to reenter the womb with her foot. It's striking.

Though I've no regrets in my purchase from a purely artistic standpoint, there are a few cards that I feel are unfaithful to their original interpretations, sacrificing meaning for surreal expression. Strength is portrayed as a man wrestling with an alligator, with seems incongruous with the card's traditional interpretation of passive, inner strength and compassion. Seven of swords is a harlequin lad balancing a sword above his mouth by a frayed rope, which is certainly in line with the message of irresponsibility, but lends nothing to it's stronger meaning of dishonor and theft. Nine of Pentacles is represented by an armless, hooded female figure who's chained a little flying skull figure to herself, against a backdrop of nine pentacles in the sky. I have difficulty seeing her as a independent, refined ideal the card traditionally represents (although she may be a reference to the RW hooded falcon). You do occassionally get the feeling the artist had a cool idea and wanted to put it on a card, regardless of whether or not it truly fit.

The misses, however, are few, and I'm greatly enjoying the deck. Having to stretch my ideas of what the card represents doesn't greatly hinder my reading of them, and they are absolutely stunning. If nothing else, pick them up just to look at them. They're unlike any other tarot deck out there.