Customer Reviews

The Golden Rider

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It seems that everyone has a different opinion of what constitutes the best tarot deck, but the Golden Rider fills the bill for me.

In choosing my deck, I spent many hours peering over images on the internet. In doing so, I developed my own criteria for a good deck...

1) Images based on the Rider-Waite tarot, since many tarot texts are based on these.
2) Simplified images and colors, so my aging eyes won't have so much trouble focusing in on the details.
3) Card backs that look the same upside-down or right-side-up, so it's not obvious if the card is reversed.

The Golden Rider fulfills all the criteria and gets my vote for the best of them. While some people want the traditional coloring of other Rider-Waite clones, I vastly prefer the Golden Rider because the images are easier to look at.

I don't put much stake in the publisher's claim that the Golden Rider uses colors that trigger an intuitive response. For me, the reaction feels as if it's based more on my esthetic sense.

I do have to say, though, that a tarot deck decision is highly personal, so my advice to anyone looking to buy is to find the deck that speaks to you most with the greatest clarity. That takes looking at a lot of decks, and perhaps discarding the preferences of other reviewers.

Good luck finding the deck that works for you!

This is my personal favorite Rider deck, and the one that I use the most. The images are the same as any Rider-Waite deck, but they are recreated in an oil painting style. The colors are beautifully rich and at times dark, but I find this to be a perfect compliment to the gold colored framing, and the gold cups and pentacles. The card backs also have a gold and bronze colored cross design, with a pink spot in the middle. The whole deck gives me a colorful sunset feel, with it's bright oranges and pinks, reds and blues. It almost looks tasty, like Napolitano ice cream!(I know that sounds a little crazy, but hey...)
The only down side is that the outline details are not as clear as in the Universal or Radiant decks, especially in the facial expressions (the child's face on the SUN card looks a bit smudged). You may want to do an image search on the net and judge for yourself.
So if you're looking for an alternative to the standard Rider-Waite, this deck might be for you.

This deck, is quite simply, a reproduction of the Rider-Waite Deck. Repainted in oils, there are small discrepancies between the original deck and the golden rider that any searcher should be able to see. What is most intriguing about this deck is the way the images change-- at least for me. However, like the Rider-Waite Deck, it relies heavily on Christianity symbols and interpretations.

Fundamentally, this is a reprint of your typical Rider-Waite-Smith deck, but it is embellished with gold paint. There have been other reviews criticizing the art work, but I didn't notice the differences enough to complain. I've done a few readings with this deck so far and everything felt right to me.

Five stars because I truly have nothing to complain about.

I purchased a deck of these cards based somewhat on the reviews here, and also because I am a professional reader and enjoy collecting various renderings of the Rider deck. Basically, I am appalled at the artwork. The paintings seem unprofessional in the extreme, as though painted by an untalented child. For example, the facial expression of The Fool is grotesque to say the least; the lady depicted in The Star seems to have a huge black eye; and the rendering of the IX of Pentacles lady seems quite cartoonish. These pictures are gross from beginning to end. In my opinion they are an affront to the tradition of the Rider deck. I am aghast that U.S. Games should publish them at all. The only reason I gave the deck two stars instead of one is because of the physical quality of the cards. They seem to be of an extremely high quality, thereby making it quite easy to handle and shuffle them. The pictures, however, are so repulsive that I will be handling and shuffling them no more.