This tarot is available only as a deck-and-book set, which makes sense bearing in mind that you really need the book in order to use the system designed for these cards.  This set works in a similar way to the Legend Arthurian Tarot, in that the analogy of an entire mythology is applied to the meanings of the 78-card tarot.

Here, the mythology used is the ancient Greeks.  The illustrations resemble the old Renaissance conception of Greeks, so the designs have a comfortable, old-schoolbook, "I remember this!" feeling to them.  The analogy is simple but extremely effective for learning the meanings of the cards.

The Major and Minor Arcana all retain their traditional titles, though a few of the Major Arcana are in slightly different order.  None of the cards have any numbers on them, save the numbered suit cards; so you can really rearrange them if you feel more comfortable with it.  Each card represents an archetype in the Greek mythos.  The Major Arcana, suitably enough, are the Gods themselves.

The Minor Arcana are divided into the traditional siuts of Cups, Swords, Wands and Pentacles.  Each suit represents a single storyline in Greek mythology, which illustrates the progression through the numbered cards from the lowest to the highest at the end.  Cups are the myth of Eros and Psyche, Swords are the Oresteia, Wands are Jason and the Golden Fleece, and the Pentacles represent the story of Daedalus.

The cards themselves are larger than standard, but thin and flexible, and shuffling/handling them is easy and comfortable.  It is not necessary to be acquainted with Greek mythology to make use of this system, for everything is explained in fantastic detail in the accompanying book.  Sometimes three pages are dedicated to each card.  Individual symbolism is pointed out in each, as well as the mythological storyline involved.

A note on the book.  Something I've noticed, with each copy of the set that I have seen, those of friends as well as the one I reviewed, the binding on the book is prone to coming apart after being handled several times.  The cover itself came off directly after the first time I opened it.  It is easily glued back on, but such poor craftsmanship on the part of the publishers is a bit of a letdown.  I still believe the set is worth purchasing, it is a system that is wonderful for use by anyone.

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also by authors Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene:
Mythic Astrology

Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace