Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I was hoping for, but not bad., March 30, 2007
I ordered these because I like my larger (regular-sized) deck of Universal Tarot *so* much, and wanted something I could carry around. I got my deck today. My first thought was, "Eh. They're okay, I guess." I've now compared them to a pocket-sized original deck, and I guess I like them a little better. Enough to keep them. In comparison to the original RWS (Rider-Waite-Smith), the artwork is just more refined, with more detail in the shadows and such.
I do not, however, feel as though I got what I was hoping for. In comparing them with the large Universal Deck, the colors are more vibrant, which I don't like as much, but it's not just that, they are also more grainy.
For instance, if I compare the Ace of Swords, on the regular-sized deck, the sky is just a smooth grey. On the pocket deck, it's not only darker, but it has a noticeable grain to it. Now, whether this is better or worse may be a matter of personal opinion. I showed the difference to my husband and he liked the smaller one better. The one thing he mentioned was that on the pocket deck, you can see the radiance around the hand. On the large deck, you can barely see it.
On the larger deck, it's like there's a diffusion on it. That's the only way I can describe it. It gives it a softer, more subtle look. That's really what I was looking for, and what I like so much about the large Universal Deck. But, like I say, I think I probably like it more now that I've compared it to the original RWS deck, because the artwork does look much more refined and detailed.
I have several small decks: the original RWS in both mini and pocket size; Albino; LS Universal; and now this one. I was tired of the colors of the RWS and the Albino, and I'm not always in the mood to use the LS Universal, so I'll probably find this one useful. It's just not what I was hoping for. If you think you're going to get something that looks just like the large Universal Tarot, you won't. I do have to say, though, the backs on these are *awesome!* They're a very cool blue design with clouds and a yellow star.
A lot of people comment on the box. It *is* a nice box. I'm not sure how useful it will be carrying around, because it's pretty substantial, so just weight-wise, I'll probably put them in a bag, but it *is* very nice.
The one last thing I'll comment on is, I don't think the quality of the cards is quite as nice as the on the large deck. The large deck seems to have a much smoother finish. But the card weight seems to be fine. I think it'll be a useful deck. Now, I'll be interested if they ever decide to put out a mini or pocket-sized Radiant deck.
Caat
Addendum: July 19, 2007: I wouldn't change anything I've said about these cards, but I do need to say that the more I use them, the more I like them.
Caat
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the Wait(e), June 16, 2004
By A Customer
I pre-ordered this MONTHS ago, and it arrived today! It comes in a nifty little dark blue box, with artwork from the deck of course. This box is much better than standard, where the top comes completely off: less wear on that one card that ends up at the back of the deck, plus it just looks nicer. The backs are a little different: dark blue sky with blue clouds and a single yellow star in the middle. The colors are much more vivid than the newer version of the standard-sized Univeral Waite (um, maybe USGames should look into that, as it's obviously a printing issue). Of course the size is very nice for us small-handed Tarot-holics! Well done version.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very nice little deck, June 6, 2007
This is a nice-sized portable deck. I've been enjoying my full-sized Universal Waite and wanted to get something smaller to carry with me sometimes. This deck is a good size for smaller hands and still has good detail in the images, unlike some of the miniature decks. What I like about the Universal Waite is that the lines of the drawings are finer than the original Rider Waite and the coloring is more shaded, making the pictures look less cartoonish. One difference between this deck and the standard size Universal Waite is the colors are a little different. The greys are darker and the reds are a little duller, as though the pictures were photographed in a different light for this deck. The result is that this deck doesn't look quite as bright as the standard size deck. However, another effect is that some of the more subtle pastel blending on the cards is more visible, which is appealing. Another difference is that this deck doesn't have the glossy coating of the larger deck. The packaging is excellent, a sturdy little box with a top that slides on. Too bad the standard size deck doesn't come in the same style package.
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