Customer Reviews

Tarot of the Witches Deck

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

 

 

I've read some reviews on this deck that say it is childish and simple. I think this deck is absolutely wonderful. You have to use your own imagination and find your own meanings to the symbolism...which in my opinion is what tarot cards are all about. For those of you who want a deck that lays out plainly what the cards mean, then this is not for you. If you have a good imagination and enjoy the type of artistry used in this deck you wont be disapointed.

These tarot cards should really be known as the Fergus Hall deck.

Many people are familiar with this deck due to its use in the James Bond movie, "Live and Let Die". But it is far more than that.

Abandoning all efforts to reproduce the Rider Waite Tarot, Hall has created a deck with some of the most surreal, yet highly mystical art ever seen on Tarot cards.

Those who are familiar with Tarot cards know that many different interpretations of cards are possible by seeing the imagery on the cards. Hall's imagery isn't for everyone, but I believe the art really draws you into readings in a whole new way.

I have also found this deck invaluable for dream interpretation.

The minor arcana return to the old "pip" system.

One of my higher recommendations if you are already doing readings for others.

This delightful deck has unfortunately been misnamed and mismarketed throughout its existence. It has nothing to do with James Bond or witches but has everything to do with Fergus Hall, the idiosyncratic artist who painted the deck. It should be called simply the Fergus Hall Tarot. Hall got his start doing carnival paintings and that freaky bizarro style shows in this deck. Unlike most 20th century decks, Hall's deck is free of occult or pagan mumbo jumbo and yet is rich in subtle symbolism, such as the mysterious black birds and orange cats that appear on various cards, and the mandala type designs in the center of the pip cards. The books held by the hanged man and hermit contain original poems (can't read them? See Stuart Kaplan's companion book). The art is very expertly done and yet is so whimsical and unassuming it's easy to take for granted. The World card is one of the best I've ever seen, downright haunting. This is a very profound deck but at the same time doesn't take itself too seriously. The pip cards are a welcome return to tradition, using the original suits of cups, swords, batons, and coins rather than the recently introduced "wands" and "pentacles" which many mistakenly consider authentic. Also, as in traditional decks, the pips are unillustrated save for Hall's central mandalas. In my opinion, unillustrated pips leave more room for the readers own imagination and insight.
A perfect blend of tradition and creativity. You might find this deck puzzling at first, but stick with it. There's an entire little world in every card!

Fans of the 007 film Live and Let Die, will recognize these cards, as they were created for that film. The cards themselves have very little imagery to draw conclusions from, but some people I know find them very powerful. But overall, this deck has little to do with "witches" in fact it was first marketing under the name "James Bond 007 Tarot Deck" and was part of the "James Bond 007 Tarot Game". I suspect after the movie became dated, the company repackaged this as a tool of the coven.

I bought this deck by mistake. When I opened it,I found the ugliest deck ever. Except for the bold colors this deck has no redeeming qualities for me. I recommend this deck for anyone into strange and unusual art, however, I personally couldn't give a reading with it. I gave it to a friend who appreciated the deck's "Looking Glass" qualities, and she's had great success. Definately a deck you should try to preview before buying.

I gave mine to a Friend, Then I had to replace it as soon as possible. It has personality.

I liked the artwork on the tarot cards. A good deck to work with, the cards are enlighting.The book gave a good insight on the cards and help with basic instructions

First of all, dont' let the name fool you; this deck has nothing to do with real witchcraft. There's nothing pagan-oriented about it. I bought this deck 10 years ago. Unfortunately a few cards in the deck were damaged recently. I was surprised to find that it had been used in a James Bond movie. I love the artwork on these cards; as others have mentioned, it has a stark surrealism. Fergus Hall did an outstanding job with his choices of scenes for the cards and color choices. My only complaints are that the minor arcana cards are not individualized; the 7 of Swords just shows seven swords against a simple background, for instance. If the minor arcana had individual illustrations like the major arcana I would have liked better and given it 5 stars. With that in mind, I don't think I will get a new Tarot of the Witches deck, though I strongly considered it.

I bought these cards for a young friend of the family along with the book of the same name. The pictures are nice.

Its a nice deck but not for beginners. You need to keep looking through the book to read the cards unless you have alot of time to spend memorizing them all.