Customer Reviews

Legacy of the Divine Tarot

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is the third tarot deck that Ciro has created, and it's his best yet! I have his other two decks, The Gilded Tarot and Tarot of Dreams, and this is the most detailed if that's possible.
It seems that his decks have mirrored his mastery of the subject of Tarot in general. The Gilded is a good base foundation, with the Tarot of Dreams being more in depth. It also gave him and us a new way to experience Tarot, with the interactive DVD. This deck however has really gone even deeper. There is soon to be a website for this deck and each card with be animated! He has even created an entire world for his deck and it's characters to exist in.
There is a story of that world in the 300+ page book that accompanies the deck. The book is a wonderful resource, even if you don't normally like to read the "book meanings" there is wonderful insight as Ciro explains why he chose certain images or themes. I'm so thankful for the explanation he provides as to why the Knights are represented by their helmets, versus an actual knights. Brilliant! The book includes comments/interpretations by 3 other tarot experts. I really like the format used and would like something similar with other decks.
The card stock is the usual Llewellyn size and thickness which is always just fine. The deck has borders, but it's a "fade to black" effect which I quite like. It also come with the usual black bag. This deck is deserving of much more ornate storage however.
If you even remotely like Ciro's other decks this one is a MUST HAVE. I would have given the deck/book kit more than 5 stars if I could have.

"The Blind Ones had told of its coming, that which would bring about our destruction. No one doubted their wisdom, and we neither feared nor questioned their reason. We understood that we were, ourselves, of the stars, and our existence in this form is but an instant in eternity. We would cease to be part of the universe. But we lamented nonetheless." - From the companion book to the Legacy of the Divine Tarot (Gateway to the Divine Tarot)

Months ago, award-winning digital artist Ciro Marchetti came out with a self-published version of his third tarot deck, the Legacy of the Divine Tarot. Now, the mass-market edition from Llewellyn Worldwide has entered the world to much acclaim.

Creator of the well-received Gilded Tarot (Llewellyn) and the Tarot of Dreams (self-published), award-winning digital artist Ciro Marchetti unveils his latest and, supposedly his last, Tarot deck: the Legacy of the Divine Tarot.

Arguably his most aesthetically pleasing and stylistically uniform deck to date, the Legacy of the Divine Tarot begins with a back-story crafted by Ciro in the form of a 42-page self-published book. Although Ciro tells me he's "not a writer", one thing I'm certain about after reading the intriguing fictional history of this deck is that he is, indeed, an engaging storyteller!

There are so many neat touches within the card imagery that it's difficult to just pick a few to talk about--but here are some of my favorites from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot:

* The Empress - A pregnant young woman is surrounded by vibrant tokens of fertility, proliferation, ripeness and protectiveness--eggs in a nest, luscious fruits, scattering dandelion seeds, luxuriant vegetation, a rabbit, a whale and its baby, and so on.

* Faith (Traditionally named The Hierophant) - Like the Tarot of Dreams, this card is not only renamed, but its imagery reflects four different religious traditions

* 10 of Cups - A sleeping dog and cat lie together before a cozy fireplace, ten glass goblets upon the mantle and side shelves

* 3 of Swords - This image shows a close-up of a girl in braids, a tear streaming down her cheek that's adorned with a heart tattoo (it reminds me of the Rohrig Tarot's stunning version of this card)

* The Knights, rather than riding a horse or other beast, are represented by elaborate helmets among representations of the four elements

* 8 of Swords - The woman is not only swathed in loose cloth bindings, but she's suspended in a gossamer web (oh the webs we weave?)

* 6 of Cups - A girl lays in the flower dappled field, daydreaming of a time when she was flying a kite with another child (shown in silhouette)

Astrological correspondences are artfully positioned within the cards (e.g. the symbols Sun in Capricorn for the 4 of Coins, Mars and Pisces for the 10 of Cups, etc.), but admittedly, there are some I simply cannot find! I'm not sure if this is because Ciro left some imagery without the astrological symbols or that he's hidden them so cleverly that I just can't decipher them even after close scrutiny.

The reversible card backing features an intricate mechanistic device, with both front and back borders framed in black, fading into the central image (a beautiful effect resembling looking through time's window). The cards from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot measures approximately 4 ¾ x 2 ¾ inches.

I've been using this deck for several months now, and I'm so impressed with its imaginative artwork, lavish hues, approachable imagery, and unexpected details. For example, I once did a reading for myself and The Magician and The Chariot were among the cards.

They came up before, so it's not as if I was unfamiliar with the imagery. But during that particular insightful and reassuring reading, a contemplative stillness descended upon me. I felt to "come closer" to the cards--to gaze at them with new eyes.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that The Magician had not five fingers, but six! I then noticed that one of the chains on the white horse of The Chariot had snapped and was flying loose. These unfolding details added intuitive information to the reading, not to mention that I was delighted to discover previously overlooked touches!

In addition to Ciro's creation story and his own take on each of the cards, the 295-page companion book also includes additional card insights from Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone, James Ricklef, and Leisa ReFalo. Reading the different takes on Ciro's imagery is refreshing, providing loads of spiritual, practical and esoteric reflections to chew on.

The companion book to the Legacy of the Divine Tarot also includes several spreads and three correspondence charts: numerological, planetary and zodiacal. There is also a 14-page article on How to Read Tarot by Leisa ReFalo at the end of the book.

In terms of card imagery, most of the pictures remain the same as the self-published edition. The mass-market edition of the Legacy of the Divine Tarot isn't super-glossy like the Gilded Tarot (Ciro's first deck), but it's not as matte as the self-published edition. It's a nice medium, actually.

The card backings are the same, but the fonts are different. I'm not too big on the mass-market edition fonts for the card titles; the letters appear too scrunched together and reminds me of the "wild west" rather than a futuristic society. Ciro's original, clean font is far superior.

The box set of the Legacy of the Divine Tarot also includes a black organdy bag for storing your deck, as well as a plain white paper box.

As with the self-published version, this deck is a gorgeous and accessible deck. In my opinion, it's Ciro's finest. The Legacy of the Divine box set is certainly one of the best Tarot decks of 2009, and the companion book commentaries sparkle with great observations, personal experience, esoteric depth and heart. You'll even find some "inside scoops" on the genesis of card imagery (I loved Ciro's story about his inspiration for the 6 of Cups!).

The Legacy of the Divine Tarot is stunning on so many levels--a truly remarkable deck for readings, contemplation, journaling, and sheer artistic admiration.

Highly recommended!

-- Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book

(To see 18 images from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, as well as read additional information and see side-by-side images comparing the self-published verson vs. this mass-market edition, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

I have never used tarot cards before. But, I have been struggling with some issues related to my career and money. Most people in my situation would just ask their immediate family for advice, however, everytime I have done this in the past, all I ever got was..."That's not a good idea." or "Isn't somebody already doing that?" or some other negative remark.

Finally, I decided I'm just going to keep my ideas to myself and go forward without asking for anyone's advice or opinion.

That's what lead me to buying some tarot cards. I looked at many different sets and liked these cards the best for the following reasons:

1) Great reviews on Amazon.com.
2) There are 78 cards.
3) The pictures on the cards are unbelieveable.
4) The cards are made of quality card-stock. No thin, flimsy paper.
5) The meaning for each card is described in the 300 page book.
6) The book tells you how to layout the cards and interpret their meanings.

My cards were delivered. You get the book, the 78 colorful cards and a black, see-through pouch to hold your cards. The pouch material is kind of a black netting with a draw-string for the closure. It's enough to hold your cards together and you can see your cards through the material.

I looked at each of the cards; they were both colorful and beautiful.
I shuffled the deck and laid out the cards according to the description in the book. Next, I looked up the meaning for each of the cards. I was shocked at how accurate the meanings were to my personal issues and how they answered my question! And on the first reading !

I highly recommend these cards.

Love the symbolism but the card stock is cheap making them hard to shuffle. A serious disappointment. I recently purchased the Tarot of Dreams by the same author and the cards are even thinner. What gives? Such lovely cards to be printed on such cheap card stock.

I have been reading, enjoying and teaching the Tarot for years now and have been "married" to my Druidcraft deck. Like many Tarot-ists, I have bought countless others...holding my breath in anticipation of that next one being THE ONE, only to be disappointed over and over. Sometimes it would be one card that just ruined the whole deck for me, sometimes it was a lack of quality in the artwork and sometimes I was just not sure, I just knew it wasn't workin' for me. The Legacy of the Divine Tarot is my new love. I am completely smitten with it.

First, the book spoke to me. I have been working on a deck of my own (blatant plug) and have been doing a lot of historical research and I was also drawn to the Atlantean era and all that encompasses. Ciro speaks of this as the catalyst of this deck and the story is an amazing one. I will not tell any more, but will say this...the story of the conception of this deck could have been a stand along book! I felt satisfied after just reading that part of the book...the deck was then icing on the cake!

On to the cards...they are the basic Llewellyn size, with the book and a black organza bag. I view the bag as an inner carrying case, like a protective bag and I quickly slipped this deck into a special, stunning bag I have saving...now I know what I was saving that Tarot bag for! Each card is more beautiful than the one before and I do not think you will be disappointed with any one card. I missed horses on the Knight cards at first, but after reading WHY the helmets were used, I am converted!

Ciro is a digital genius, and as a graphic designer I stand humbled and in awe of his work. I would LOVE to take a class from him one day...he is just so durn good, I am totally in awe.

So, my review is one of glowing praise...if you are on the fence...jump and buy this deck. It is fabulous and you will surely enjoy having it in your collection.

The art of this deck is so beautiful and that's why i bought it but the material is very cheap is not smooth or silky like other decks and you can't shuffle the cards easily. one start.

First, this is an absolutely gorgeous tarot deck. Ciro Marchetti is perhaps the premier illustrator of tarot decks at this time and this deck fully reflects his amazing talent. Gorgeous work.

That being said, if you're looking for Golden Dawn technical specs, you aren't going to find it in this deck. It's beautiful, but as with any true artist, Marchetti took some license and applied his own vision to the classic Rider-Waite interpretation. Most of the critical symbology does seem to be intact, but there are variations.

Now for the caveat and the reason that I won't be purchasing more copies of this as gifts; the cards themselves are unlaminated and uncoated. They're simple, very flimsy cardboard and unlikely to withstand the rigors of regular use without being damaged by the act of shuffling. That's a shame, because it renders these cards too delicate to become a reader's main deck.

Ciro Marchetti possesses a magnificent vision and the artistic talent to render it exquisitely. His Gilded Tarot and Tarot of Dreams are the stuff of legend - beautifully coloured and textured work packed with endlessly fascinating detail and a deliciously retro-futuristic worldview. His latest effort, The Legacy of the Divine Tarot, which has dazzled and stunned in limited release, is now made widely available in an edition by Llewellyn.

Marchetti's art pulses with action, seductively presaging the animations of the cards that he is preparing for his new website. The cards are produced in a style to show the art to advantage, the art fading in a gradient to the black borders. The words on the cards are minimal, which further focuses the eye on the art. The imagery itself is arresting - machines of superb aesthetic beauty manufacturing wonder in environments of striking intensity, elegant human forms in graceful attitudes, vivid scenes that startle and stir the senses, rich jewels, glowing metals, mysterious luminosity revealing situations fraught with meaning. Vision, vibration and archetype take the Tarot in new directions - inward, outward and beyond.

The book provides a fascinating back story for the origin of the concept, and the detailed descriptions of the cards and their meanings are written by Marchetti himself as well as RuthAnn and Wald Amberstone (the Tarot School), Leisa ReFalo (the Tarot Connection ), and James Ricklef (Tarot of the Masters) which adds a greater layer of depth and interest. There are spreads and exercises that will enhance both an appreciation of this deck's utility and a shed new light on established Tarot work.

Marchetti's magnificently rendered vision marks the dawn of a new day in Tarot

I recently had to replace my favorite deck of cards that I have used for more than 35 years. My old deck was worn and comfortable and served me well. It was stolen from my home and after much shopping I chose this deck as its replacement. I was immediately pleased with the quality of the art and the stock on which it is printed. After a month I did the first reading on these cards and the results were extremely accurate. I would reccommend the cards to any experienced reader but not to someone new to the craft as the changes to the traditional suits can be confusing when learning from this book. All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase.

Ciro Marchetti's Legacy of the Divine Tarot was a deck I was interested in reviewing, mostly because the online scans drew me in, despite my aversion to CGI art. When I received the deck, I was immediately blown away. I devoured the entire 295 page book in one (long) afternoon. The first reading I did with the deck amazed me with its crystal clarity.

The cards themselves have a beautiful matte finish and are lovely to shuffle. The borders are a perfect fade-to-black which makes you forget there are borders there at all. These are the borders every deck should have. The backs are reversible. The imagery coloring is very vibrant and alive.

One of the first things that stand out in this deck are the Knights, which are depicted by a single helmet and background. There is no body to go with the helmet. This unique concept allows the reader to immediately recognize the knight, yet it leaves the persona behind the helmet fresh with every reading. This is more effective than you might imagine. When looking at the Knight of Wands, I can practically feel the heat coming off the fire in the card and the overpowering feeling of energy the card exudes is almost tangible.

There are far too many fabulous cards to rave about, so I'll share just a few brief comments on some of the cards that stand out for me. The Devil is sexy and alluring and all those naughty things that draw you into something you know you should avoid. The stunning Death card is the one that reached out, grabbed me and drew me to this deck in the first place. The Six of Swords was unanimously recognized by me and my kids as the "Phantom of the Opera" card, as it reminded us all of the scene where the Phantom and Christine sail in the boat in his underground lair, singing the title song. The refreshingly inclusive Faith card replaces the usual Hierophant and depicts four different religious leaders.

The Nine of Swords has a nice eerie Jane Eyre feel to it. I find the Queen of Swords interesting and unique because, despite her menacing sword fan, she has...freckles! For some reason, in my mind, that gives her an innocence that I wouldn't ordinarily relate with this queen. The Fool is creatively shown halfway through the Major Arcana, as the Hanged Man. He also appears in the Wheel and Devil cards and shows up again at the end of his journey in the World card.

There are a very small handful of cards that I wouldn't call favorites. The Two of Swords has an uncomfortable hardness to it which gives it an almost robotic feel. A card I can't take seriously is the King of Coins, because he reminds me so much of Billy Ray Cyrus, which is amusing to me. The Queen of Cups has oddly raised eyebrows as though she is surprised, which I find a bit limiting. I think my least favorite card would have to be the King of Cups. He looks so weird to me. He has a bit of a Neanderthal look to him which I find very bizarre. I also have an aversion to the guy in the Lovers card. I think maybe it's because his look is outdated.

That being said, I find the rest of the deck stunning. The Legacy seems the most polished, refined and masterful of Marchetti's tarot decks thus far. Not being a fan of computer generated art, I was surprised to find that the Legacy of the Divine immediately took its place in my Top Favorite Decks list, both because of the captivating imagery and the beautiful way it reads.

How it Reads: The Legacy of the Divine Tarot is a reader's dream. The images are instantly relatable and they draw you into this alluring world, as though you are experiencing a parallel universe which is both familiar and new, with enough of a fantasy feel to keep you mesmerized. From the very first reading I did with it, I have received nothing but clear readings. I have yet to lay down cards with this deck and scratch my head, wondering what the cards might be saying. As soon as the cards are set down, they either begin telling a story, or the entire story is flashed into my mind in one quick instant. The images are fluid and have a lifelike quality to them, as though they are much more than pieces of cardboard.

This deck is a fantastic choice for intuitive readings, as they engage all of your senses. I can hear the music coming from the Three of Cups and the splashing sounds the horses are making in The Chariot. I can feel the cool crisp air of the autumn night in the Seven of Swords as the window is opened. I feel the cozy warmth from the fire in the Ten of Cups and the coolness of the water in the Eight of Cups. I can smell the plumeria flowers surrounding the Queen of Coins and taste the mouth watering fruit in the Nine of Cups. It's not often that a deck arouses all of your senses. This adds such a rich additional layer to a reading.

I often find myself choosing a deck based on either the type of reading I'm doing, or the person I'm reading for. Sometimes a deck is too girly for a certain situation. Sometimes a deck is too childish, or too kitschy or too dark, etc. The Legacy is a deck that isn't "too" anything. As Goldilocks would say, this one is "just right". It would be appropriate for any sitter - without being boring or flat like other all-purpose decks (such as the RWS) can sometimes be.

There are also astrological and planetary symbols incorporated in the cards, so this would add another layer to your reading if you are versed in astrology. (I personally am not, but I don't find the symbols intrusive.)

The Book: The book which accompanies the deck in this set is titled, "Gateway to the Divine Tarot" and begins with the story behind the images in the cards. It's a story of an ancient world destroyed. Having their devastation foretold, they were able to plan for survivors and leave behind a legacy of secret portals of knowledge. The bulk of the book, however, is dedicated to commentary on each of the cards in the deck. There are thoughts shared on each card by the deck's artist, Ciro Marchetti, along with tarot professionals Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone, James Ricklef and Leisa ReFalo.

Lisa ReFalo contributed a chapter titled "How to Read Tarot" which gives very basic instructions on tarot reading (formulating a question, interpretation, finding a bag for your deck, etc.). She also includes a few brief breathing techniques and five spreads.

While the book is a nice addition to the deck, it certainly isn't necessary to read it before working with the deck. The Legacy of the Divine stands alone and can be read straight out of the box (assuming you are already familiar with basic tarot.)

The boxed set also includes a black drawstring organza bag to house the cards.

I really can't praise this deck enough. I would recommend it to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It is suitable for any type of reading. I can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't run out and get a copy for yourself. And I have other, very beloved favorite decks, that I couldn't say that about.

Suits: Cups, Wands, Swords, Coins
Court Titles: Page, Knight, Queen, King
Justice/Strength: Strength 8, Justice 11
Cards: 78
Card Size: 2 3/4" x 4 5/8"
Card stock: Matte
Backs: Reversible

(See my blog for images of the cards and readings I've done with this deck.)

~Kiki (TarotDame.com)