47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Amazing Deck, May 23, 2005
This review is from: Revelations Tarot (Cards)
"The Revelations Tarot was conceived in the midst of a journey of self-discovery... The start of a new millennium triggered a need to uncover and understand the self, and I turned to the language of the Tarot to uncover my own mysteries. However, the various decks that were available on the market...failed to connect with my inner being. I grew weary of my journey to try to find that one special deck with which I could conduct my own readings, and decided to venture on a sister journey to create one of my own." -Zach Wong
Sensuous curvilinear strokes, striking art nouveau-style images, and vibrant luminescent stained-glass surroundings enliven every card in the Revelations Tarot. Layers of symbolism, illuminated color, and intricate shading combine with intriguing reversible images that allow for interpretation no matter which way the card is laid.
Although based on the Rider-Waite and its traditional renderings, Zach Wong's sophisticated, reversible artwork and innovative design distinguishes Revelations Tarot from other R-W clones.
Before I get into the nuts and bolts of this deck, I want to convey that it's obvious to me that Wong hasn't created a deck "just for the heck of it" or because he's an able artist who wanted a challenge. Born from intense personal excavation, his use and interpretation of symbol reveals depth of spirit and breadth of mind. In my opinion, this kind of self-reflection is what separates a shallow deck from a great reading deck, especially when the Tarot is used for personal awareness.
THE MAJOR ARCANA
What sets the Trumps apart from the Minors is the fractured mask that each character wears. Wong explains that the masks are "merely a representation of a `human' relation, similar to that of the mythical gods who stand in human form amongst us to ease our comprehension of the messages they deliver." Considering the nature of the Greater Mysteries, this makes complete sense. The gods and goddesses govern the nature of archetypal patterns, so the lessons they teach us are "nothing personal", after all.
THE MINOR ARCANA
Although the Minors lack consistent color schemes, other conspicuous hallmarks announce the four suits and their elemental correspondences: the Cups feature merpeople, indicating emotion and freedom of movement; the Wands feature magicians, warriors, and sages as they create or fight with the element of fire; the Pentacles feature metallic humanoids consistent with the earthly, material realm; and Swords feature serious-minded warriors who employ fierce logic.
The Aces are especially exquisite, and the Court cards follow Page, Knight, Queen, and King depictions.
THE COMPANION BOOK
The companion book is written by the artist, and numbers 199 pages. Wong gives upright and reversed meanings for each card, an explanation of the significant images and symbols, and a general overview of the numerological patterns of the Minor Arcana. I found myself highlighting portions as I read through the book. Rather than the warmed-over interpretations offered by many companion books, the author provides fresh observations. Several of Wong's insights allowed me to see various cards from a new perspective. For example, for the reversed Sun he says: "In families, children can be hard to contain due to hyperactivity and restlessness." I never saw the reversed Sun this way, but it perfectly describes my sunny-dispositioned son when he's exuberant!
For the reversed Queen of Cups, Wong writes: "Within her, she could also harbor angst and self-loathing for her inability to do more with herself and her talents." Part of the symbolism of this card: "Her eyes are not opened, for her powers extend beyond the mind's eye. She can see all from channeling through her cup."
I also enjoyed Wong's take on the elements as represented by the four suits of the Minor Arcana. Four basic spreads are at the back of the book: Past, Present, Future; Four Elements, 7 Days Spread; and the ever-trusty Horoscope Spread.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The box set comes with a black organdy bag for card storage, as well as a stiff paper box. The cards themselves are slick, and are the same size (and have the same feel) as those from The Quest Tarot. The card backing is reversible, with blue, indigo and black brushstrokes swirling in an abstract lemniscate. In the center sets a faded boxy cross-like symbol.
The reversals provide visual interest, but are not mirror images. For example, the upright Emperor stands upright, arms close to the body. However, the reversed image shows his outstretched arms perpendicular to his body as he hangs by Illuminated "strings" like a puppet.
HOW IT READS
Having recently undertaken a new project that would have taken months to finish, I thought I'd test this deck out regarding this venture. I created a 7 card spread tailored to my situation, "finger-painted" and shuffled the deck numerous times, and began to read. As I saw the cards, my heart sank into my stomach. All of the cards worked in concert to relay a very specific message and it wasn't an easy one to swallow. However, in the depths of my being, I knew heeding this profound message will conserve my energy, preserve my health, and re-direct my efforts where they need to be at this time. I am so confident of the message of these cards that I made an immediate U-turn.
CONCLUSION
Sophisticated yet accessible, this is one of those innovative decks that elicit comments like "Ohhhh....cool!" (At least, that was *my* reaction upon seeing the cards!) For beginners who choose to read reversals, Wong's clear visual and interpretative synthesis of the Tarot will make the process much less daunting. The Revelations Tarot is a must-have for deck collectors, and seasoned readers will be delighted with its multi-layered presentation.
Kudos to Mr. Wong on his magnificent creation!
For fun: when you get your deck, look for the tiny initials ZW hidden among the images.
(To see 6 card images from this deck, visit the Reviews section at JanetBoyer.com)
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Revelations Tarot -- Incredible Deck!, June 2, 2005
This review is from: Revelations Tarot (Cards)
My Revelations Tarot finally arrived today. It really is beautiful, the details are a bit hard to see but I like that they didn't scrimp on the art work just to make it all look better on smaller cards. The cards are a bit thin, but they shuffle well. And the backs are beautiful, full of purply bluish swirls. I prefer smaller decks, and these cards are smaller than a lot of decks out there, but not what I would call pocket sized like the Hanson Roberts Tarot. The thinness of the cards, however, is a real plus making the shuffling so much easier.
The artwork surprised me by being a little more cartoony than I expected. I hate cartoony, but I like this deck and the cartoony effect isn't overdone on these cards. Something about the style reminded me a bit of the Secret Tarot. But it wasn't cheesy or comic book style at all. It's good art, even if it is slightly cartoony, it's very tastefully done.
Everyone is wearing masks, I understand the point but I'm not crazy about the effect. I love that the deck is double-ended. However, the Aces aren't double-ended. This surprised me.
So far, and I haven't had the deck more than a few hours, my favorite cards are the GORGEOUS Ace of Cups and I love the symbolism of the Six of Swords. It's a remarkable card. You'd have to see it to understand, I don't know how to explain it. It's the traditional Six of Swords with a bit of a twist that I really like.
The packaging is wonderful too. It all comes in a big box, to allow for the book that comes with the deck. Inside the box is a smaller box just to store your deck in if you like. Also included is a black organdy bag that is the perfect size for the deck. I think this deck is a real bargain for the price.
All in all, I'm thrilled! It's a great deck. I can't wait to read with it and I don't see this deck being added to the unused stack of decks that I never read with but just had to have. This is a work deck!
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Dream Of "The 156 Card Tarot Deck" Has Been Fulfilled...!, May 13, 2006
This review is from: Revelations Tarot (Cards)
Whether an experienced reader or a fledgeling novice, if you have secretly yearned for a 156 card tarot deck - containing a seperate card for each of the major arcana cards & pips, both upright & reversed - then this is may be the tarot set of your dreams... Compared to the standard 78 card decks with books or booklets which offer about about 1/4 of the same attention to card reversals as they give to their upright meanings - it's almost a guilty pleasure. Because the meanings of the reversals are so clearly defined & delineated - that the intuitive guesswork for how to interpret them (ie. whether a reversed card in question indicates "a non-situation of X" in a given instance, versus "an intensely exaggerated, extreme situation of X") is eliminated. The range of possibilities for the reversed meanings is narrowed down, & certain interpretations you may be used to using will be factored out in the illustrations - but this concrete definition of the reversals will greatly serve to enhance your objectivity. Especially if you like to read for yourself, or on highly sensitive issues.
Since the author did design this tarot primarily for himself - it is true that some of the card definitions are going to differ in ways from what you've been taught & have already been using. Every person's approach to tarot differs somewhat from every other's, but it's worthwhile to shift gears just a bit for the luxury of using this tarot. Everyone also has suits & individual cards that they resonate & connect with more intimately than others, & this author is no exception. As with other decks you've seen, you may find some cards here that you may feel the author lacks deep experience with & didn't completely "get". On the other hand, some cards that may fall into your own blind spots may suddenly spring to life & come into clearer focus for you, all in living technicolor... This author brings with him a pleasant & sutble Eastern flavor to his approach to tarot in Western culture, & if you've already read enough tarot books to make your eyes glass over...his card interpretations may unblock your thinking in a lot of ways. You may find passage out of some of the ruts you've fallen into with certain cards over the years, & you won't ever be bored. The manual held my interest strongly enough to work through it with each of the cards, one by one, & read it all the way through. When I saw the refined artistic nature of the cards, I was expecting an equally right-brained manual - but the author's grasp of verbal expression is just as outstanding as his understanding of artistic expression.
I always enjoy studying any & every tarot deck as art, but none so much as I have this one. The creative thought that went into each & every card is more than insightful, it is mentally stimulating & emotionally inspiring. The upright & reversed images that intertwine at their junctures are like the two fishes of Pisces that swim in opposite directions, & yet meet in the middle. The author is employed as an architect, & you can feel his immense appreciation for & command over form & design. I've taken an introductory stained glass class, & most of the structure of his designs conform fairly well to how it's done. Unlike most "stained glass" theme decks I've seen - with a few modifications of where the glass is cut, you could probably actually make real glass panels for almost any of these cards.
The imagery the author uses is packed with fine detail, & every little item & color you see within these very busy cards, rich with ergonomic flow & movement - was purposely put there with a very specific meaning in mind. These cards are veritably crawling with symbolism, & everything means something, & nothing was placed there arbitrarily or on a whim. A great deal of thought, planning, & well-considered decision making was put into each card. In fact some of the intricate detail is almost too small, if you're inclined to lay out big spreads or ask questions from the deck at great length - but I wouldn't opt to sacrifice their content in order to change this. There's too many goodies, & I'd hate to miss out.
This Llewelyn tarot set comes with everything you need - cards, a well-written manual, some starter spreads, drawstring bag, & a protective cardboard box to hold them all, which was designed with re-use in mind. It's always nice to be able to have the book available right there with you when you go to get your cards. Most cardboard tarot packaging I have to resist the urge to pitch ASAP, but this one I kept, & I think most people won't feel they have to go out & find a new tarot box for this set unless they really want to. My one complaint is the drawstring bag provided is a transparent black nylon mesh that is functional, but a little too flimsy. I count myself fortunate that they included a tarot bag with the set at all, but I'd have paid an extra $1 or two if Lewellyn had provided an opaque bag made of a better quality material. This tarot is so excellently designed - it really deserves one. :)
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