This appears to be a very good tarot deck for beginners; the artwork is simple and straightforward and the symbolism is, in most cases, clearly defined and easy to understand.  There are several books on Tarot by Gareth Knight commercially available, and many of them are based upon his deck, so an entire system could be used based entirely on this tarot.

I can't really say why I never felt the urge to look at this deck before.  I have seen it in catalogs for years and never felt the slightest inclination towards it.  In fact, it was reading Mr. Knight's book, The Magical World of the Tarot, that sparked my interest in these cards.  I am, however, glad to have found them.

The main source of inspiration for the deck seems to have come from classic decks such as the Marseilles; it would appear Mr. Knight has reinvented the classics.  However there is also a decent amount of similarity between this and the Rider-Waite deck, and also the Golden Dawn influence is not ignored.  In short, this deck seems to span many systems.

The Major Arcana all bear the traditional titles and ordering.  There are some small differences, like the lion in the Strength card being green with a red mane.  Those who are familiar with classic, traditional and Golden Dawn style decks will readily recognize which cards most closely follow which systems.

The Minor Arcana are simpler, using the classic suits of Wands, Cups, Swords and Disks.  All of the figures in the court cards are naked with the exception of the women in the Wands suit, who are wearing leopard pelts.  The court titles are King, Queen, Prince and Princess, which is a Golden Dawn attribute more than a classic one.  However, the numbered cards are pips, very similar to classic decks.

The deck itself is shorter and wider than standard decks, giving it a good chunky feel in the hands.  Shuffling is slightly stiff as the card stock is heavier and thicker than usual.  The deck feels fatter than most decks.  The little booklet which comes with the deck is thicker than most and gives a lot of information, especially on the Major Arcana cards.  Less attention is paid to divinatory meanings and more towards symbolic description and meaning.  The only layout described is the Tree of Life Spread, unusual in a world where it seems every deck recommends the Celtic Cross.

I highly recommend this deck for anyone who wishes to cross the line from traditional and/or classic styled decks into something more meditative and introspective, yet not completely Golden Dawn in approach.  It is very much worth it to read Mr. Knight's books as well.

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also by Gareth Knight:
The Magical World of the Tarot

Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace