Please donate now to pay our monthly server fees: [More Info]

Community Menu

Community Home Message Board Board Home Board Rules Board Extras:    Arcade    Calendar    Links CauldronMUX [Client] Sister Forums:    Asatru Lore

Menu

Home Site Info & Rules Site Archives Volunteers Needed Advertise Here Pagan Supplies Buy Pagan Books Buy Pagan Supplies Books & Media Books Home Games Home Music: Free | Pagan Online Books Pagan Book Browser Reviews:    Academic Books    Divination Decks    Fiction Books    Pagan Books    Speculative Books    DVD & Videotape Submit Review Pagan Features Article Library Auctions Chat Log Index File Library Humor Lessons Pagan Holidays Pagan Primer Pagan Rituals Pagan Supplies Pagan Youth Polls Reconstructionism Spell Grimoire [Blog] Web Resources Pagan Living Cauldron Cookbook Take Political Action Newsletter Back Issues Subscribe Other Features eCauldronMail Greeting Cards Syndicated Articles World News/Opinion Shopping Cheap Web Hosting Doxy's Bazaar Witchcraft Course Zazzle Old Indexes Article Index Webcrafting Index

Network Sites

Cauldron and Candle Cauldron's Grimoire RetroRoleplaying RetroRoleplaying: The Blog Software Gadgets The Terran Empire

Site Search

Entire Web The Cauldron

Charter Member

While this web site is designed to work in all major browsers, we recommend Firefox.

This site hosted on a Linode VPS Formerly hosted by Why Use Dreamhost?

Site copyright © 1998-2009 by Randall

Tarot Deck Review: The Fairy Ring: An Oracle of the Fairy Folk
Author: Anna Franklin Artist: Paul Mason Book and Cards Set Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: August 2002 ISBN: 0738702749 View Sample Cards Price & More Info: Click Here	The Fairy Ring is a Tarot-like divination deck which features beautiful illustrations of the fairy folk from the British Islands. The illustrations are the star of this deck. Paul Mason has combined photographs with original illustrations via computer imaging in a truly seamless way. The people the various fay are based on truly look like they are in the pictures. The effect is very well done and quite striking. If you collect decks based on artwork, you can probably skip the rest of the review and just go buy the deck. Art wise, The Fairy Ring is first class. If you are looking for a standard Tarot deck, however, be aware that The Fairy Ring is not a Tarot deck. Each of the four suits (called "courts" in this deck) is named for one of the seasons and is indicated by the border surrounding the central picture on each card. Like a normal deck of playing cards, there are thirteen cards in each suit: ten numbered cards and three court cards (Knave, Queen/Lady and King). Each card depicts a particular type of fay creature or, in some cases, are particular fay. For example, the two in the Spring Court is a leprechaun while the eight in the Winter Court is a bogeyman. Unlike a Tarot, The Fairy Ring does not have a major arcana. Instead it has eight "fairy festival" cards: Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lughnasa, Herfest, Samhain, and Yule. Four extra cards describe four of the divination layouts for the deck. The authors appear as characters in the deck. Anna Frankin is the Green Lady and the Lake Maiden while Paul Mason is King Finvarra. The cards themselves are the usual Llewellyn size, slightly larger than the average Tarot card. The set comes with a 260 page book, Guide to the Fairy Ring. This book provides a brief introduction to the world of the Fay, nine card layouts for use in divination, a sample reading, and a very brief guide to using the cards for meditation. The majority of the book, of course, is devoted to descriptions of the cards. Each card has a large black and white picture, a description of the card and of the fay being depicted thereon, divinatory meanings (both upright and reversed). Many of the cards include a section on "working with" the type of fay creature depicted. In my opinion, working with faeries requires more skill and knowledge than this book provides. To the book's credit, however, the "Working with" entry for those fay that are known in legend to be hostile or unfriendly is simply two words: "Not Recommended." The methods given under the "Working with" heading vary quite a bit: from general info about what the creature likes to full pathworking suggestions. I like The Fairy Ring for its art. As I mentioned at the start of this review, it is a feast for the eyes. As a divination tool, it was not my personal cup of tea. While the pictures on the cards were wonderful, they lack the detailed symbolism that I really like in a deck I'm going to use for divination. It was not nearly as hard for me to read with as a Tarot deck with nothing but pips in the minor arcana, however. If you collect decks for their art, this deck is probably one you'll want in your collection. If you want a deck to read with and don't mind that it is not a Tarot deck, it's worth a look. Unlike many non-Tarot divination decks, the book provides more than enough information to learn to use the deck in divination. A final note: the sample card scans do not do this deck justice. You really need to see the cards full size to appreciate the art. Reviewed by Randall