The Linestrider Tarot

Siolo Thompson’s Linstrider Tarot Deck will go down as one of the classics along with the Rider Waite-Smith (RWS), The Wild Unknown, & a few of the other more popular decks that are out there. Firstly, Thompson’s artwork features absolutely beautiful line-work with vividly exquisite watercolors. I found each image stunning, a & visual delight to inspect. Additionally, Thompson’s deck does not suffer the usual problem that most conventional contemporary minimalistic Tarot Decks do, as each individual cards imagery is representative of its true meaning. Now this isn’t to say that Thompson doesn’t take some liberties with a few Major & Minor Cards & there is a bit more nuance with the imagery of the Pip cards in comparison to Pamela Coleman Smith’s representations within the RWS (the Gold Standard of all Tarot Decks.) Nevertheless, the visual meanings of the cards are all strongly graphically represented, but sometimes they are subtly imbedded within the imagery of the art rather than just plain obvious like within the RWS. Nevertheless, it’s not a big deal and also not much of a hurdle for a Tarot newcomer to very simply manage overcoming. I’m so happy that Thompson decided to give illustrated meaning to the Pip Cards of The Minor Arcana. One of my pet peeves with any Tarot Deck is a lack of symbolism with the Pip Cards. A Tarot Deck Creator needs to establish their take & try to improve on all the of the cards of the Tarot. When I see only 5 Cups for The Five of Cups rather than a graphical representation of Loss, Grief, & Sorrow; I see it as laziness by the Illustrator. Not to mention, a disservice to the Querent, Reader, & Pamela Coleman Smith. Humans are very visual creatures & the Querent deserves better than just a a lazy depiction of a number of Cups, Wands, Swords, or Pentacles for the deep meaning of those cards. You can craft your story as to what that card is, but the Querent will never truly believe you as the Reader, unless they can see the imagery for themselves. So I feel good about any person new to Tarot purchasing this as their first deck. Especially with the magnetic closure box, immensely, impressive robust full color book that accompanies it. This Lindstrider Tarot Deck Set really is a one stop shop & true value for the price. Now for the one caveat which is a true & significant one. Yes the card stock used is subpar in comparison to everything else about this deck. My guess is that the manufacturer decided to put the production cost towards the book, box & vivid color printing but skimped on the card stock to keep prices down. I wish that there was a Premium Version that featured 350gsm Linen Finished or even better Sleek Gold Foil Matte Finished Plastic Cards, because I would gladly pay a higher price for that version. Nevertheless, contrary to what some critics here are saying, the cards are adequately durable enough for normal use & will patena with grace during your years of use. However if you’re using them Professionally at some shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans, then I could possibly see the Card Stock of this deck being a problem. My presumption is that most of the critics making a big deal about the card stock are doing so because everything else about the Linderstrider Deck is luxurious. Nevertheless, if this is a Tarot Deck you are interested in buying, I believe it offers a wonderful value for both Tarot beginners & vetrans alike. So feel free to add it to your online cart without reservations.

Obsessed with this deck already. It's my first one and, as a beginner, I did a ton of research beforehand. This is not the original Linestrider deck, but a reproduction deck by the Llewellyn publishing company. So, as a forewarning, they are glossy and just slightly smaller and thinner than traditional tarot decks, which some might not like, but I love how they are more similar to traditional playing cards in this way. Supposedly, they are based on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (which is said to be the best beginner deck) but I haven't cross-referenced them yet so I can't speak to that myself. This deck comes with 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, and the suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The description might say that the artwork is minimalist but each image is still packed with subtle/hidden symbols and signs. Based on the majority of bad reviews, I was nervous to purchase this deck, but I honestly don't regret it at all. I was also afraid that, even though I connected immediately to the cards online, they wouldn't "speak" to me in person, but they still do and are great. I love every single card. I am worried about how the thinness will do over time but, like another reviewer said, these cards will not just immediately disintegrate in your hands, they aren't that thin. They are warm and can still stick together/jump despite their glossiness. Also, my cards did not come damaged in any way and the box was actually sealed with skrinkwrap and even the deck itself was sealed in its own wrapping too. My only gripe is that there was a strong odor, like a manufacturing/warehouse smell, in the box, on the book, and deck, but that has already started to fade—even without smoke cleansing them. Also, as seen in one of my pics, once the deck is out of the plastic wrapping, it doesn't fit into its designated space in the box completely. (I guess because the book is supposed to be stored on top of it to keep it in place, but most say not to store the cards in the box they came in anyways). However, the box closes magnetically and the book did come in color. It contains not only info about each card, but also additional things like handling/storage, reading trump and reverse cards, and beginner layouts/spreads. There is over a page and a half dedicated to each card and there are correspondences such as astrological signs, numerology, plants, and reversed meanings for each card too. So, overall I think this is a great value buy—especially when you compare prices to other "deck & book" sets. **Beginner Tip** Journal/record your initial thoughts about each card before you look up their meaning in the book or elsewhere. It's important to bring your own perspective to the cards/readings and create your own meanings/connection to the cards. It's also fun to compare your interpretations to the artist's. Remember, Tarot is a journey, so don't be overwhelmed with all the information out there and just do what you feel is best--follow your intuition and TAKE IT SLOW. (I don't know why some of the pictures’ orientation are wrong, they were all upright in every other file) UPDATE: This deck is a “Rider-Waite” based deck. The people, imagery, signs, & symbols are taken directly from the original Rider-Waite decks. Some are drawn differently by the artist, like the Hermit & Magician, but they still contain the same symbols & meanings.

This is a very interesting deck (and one that I didn't expect to fall so in love with). Originally, I bought it for the artwork and didn't expect to read with it very much, but now it's a staple for my daily one-card readings when I wake up in the morning. The all-white backgrounds give the cards an "openness" that allows you to really dive into the artwork, almost like they're inviting you in. The images are simple without being too simple, and they have enough vibrance and detail to still give you a solid interpretation. They're not the sturdiest cards around, but that's honestly not something that stands out to me enough to knock off a star. Plus, the easiest way to combat that is to take care of your cards, store them properly, and not be too rough when you shuffle them. I'm just not someone who nitpicks cardstock quality (not yet, at least), but I completely understand why that might be a deal breaker for some people. If you absolutely require thick, heavy cardstock, then this might not be a primary deck for you. Bottom line: this is a gorgeous deck with a unique twist, and I look forward to many insightful readings with it.

Really wonderful deck with a GREAT guidebook. I'm a tarot newbie; I ordered this and the Wild Unknown deck but I almost passed on this one because of the reviews about the card stock quality. After initially unwrapping, the cards were a bit stiff, but with some shuffling they've definitely become much easier to work with! The cards feel nice in my hands and are actually a lot better quality than other decks I've purchased since. As others have mentioned, it doesn't come with a box. Additionally, though I had heard this was a bad "beginner" deck, I've found it incredibly easy to read. It's one of my favorite decks to work with because it speaks to me so strongly. The artwork is beautiful and clear. The guidebook is extremely helpful and gives keywords as well as several different interpretations, examples of different combinations of cards to watch for, even offering possible interpretations of reversals. I even use it to help guide my readings of other decks. I ordered a beginner tarot book separately but I've found I use the Linestrider book much more often.

I love these cards! The art is absolutely beautiful. I really resonate with this deck. I have NO complaints about the quality of the material. Yes, it's a little different. It has more of a matte finish than the slippery almost laminated feel of other decks, but I find them to be plenty sturdy. Like other reviewers, I too was hesitant to buy these based on the negative feedback about the quality, but I am not disappointed at all. They're awesome. And the book! I've never read such a thorough book that comes with a tarot deck. These descriptions are seriously thought out, flow with the card art, and are straight forward and easy to understand. Most of the other decks come with little paper booklets with descriptions that leave me perplexed at their overly-flowery, too poetic wording, making me have to cross check with other more standard books. Not so with this one. It stands alone as a great description book for this deck, but if you already have a different go-to book, I'm sure these cards will flow nicely with it as well.

Unlike many others who have reviewed these cards, I found the card stock to be just fine. The finish, however, leaves something to be desired. It is a super matte finish that feels almost gritty--like an extremely high grain sandpaper. The art is superb. I find almost every image captivating and it contains just enough Rider-Waite imagery that an intermediate reader shouldn't struggle much. Should one struggle though, there is a delightful companion book AND an app (available in the Google playstore for $3.99). The app, albeit this should really be a separate review, is fantastic and I am not generally an advocate for electronic decks. The app allows you to read a short description of each card, or the full description from the book, has the full book in the app, a journal, and many spreads to choose from. Tarot cards, as I see them, are really more about the reader than the deck as far as accuracy goes. I will say that the messaging and imagery spoke keenly about each query straight out of the box. The same keenness applies to the electronic format. The shipping was as expected and the price was above average.

I ordered this deck for the INCREDIBLE art, but it has quickly become my working deck. It's gorgeous, book + cards + box, and offers some really nice subtle nuances on traditional understanding of the cards. The guide book sticks close to traditional meanings; its not an original tarot deck. Except that it offers botanical and zodiacal correspondences, which I love. The paintings on the cards are excellent for meditation. If you are a Linestrider, I do recommend this deck. Finally, while i believe the composition of the actual cards is part of the character of the deck and I had no expectations there, I have to say, these are my favorite kind of cards-- not over-large, very bendy and lightly plasticized, a dream to shuffle and not likely to get beat up w moderate wear. I love this deck!

This deck is simply GORGEOUS. A good size, nice feel, and the guide book is elaborate on the images used and some less talked about aspects, like astrology. Interpretation is easy enough, even if you're a beginner. I wanna get Siolo Thompson's other decks.

Nachdem ich erst vor einger Zeit mit Tarot und dem Rider Waite Tarot Classic Deck angefangen hatte, wollte ich nun endlich noch ein alternatives. Ich hab sehr viel Zeit auf Youtube und Amazon verbracht und mir verschiedene angesehen, aber dieses hat mich sofort angesprochen. Ich bin ein Fan von schlichten und klaren Designs. Bei einigen Tarot Decks war mir einfach zu viel los, während das Linestrider klare und einfache Darstellungen hat. Manche merkten an, dass die Motive nicht immer klar deutlich sind, dabei finde ich dieses Deck sehr gut für mehr intuitives lesen. Für eine Weile hab ich das Deck einfach für Tageskarten genutzt, um mit den Karten vertraut zu werden und war positiv überrascht, dass mein Gefühl meistens mit der gedachten Bedeutung im Buch passte. Dieses ist auch sehr schön und einfach gestalltet. Das gesammte Design der Karten mit Buch und Box ist wunderbar. Die dicke der Karten ist okay, ich muss aber zugeben, ich hätte sie mir auch etwas dicker gewünscht. Alles im einem aber ein wunderschönes Deck.

This deck is utterly beautiful. The gentle watercolour style and pastel colours gives a real dreamy quality to your readings. There is lots of animal imagery for those wanting to avoid the archetypal characters you typically find in rider Waite inspired decks. I would say this deck is more for confident readers as there’s not a lot in the artwork that acts as visual cues to direct your reading. As a result I’ve not used them as much as I thought I would have, and would never use them to read in front of others - because I get stumped! The book is lovely, and explains the artists choices in terms of imagery for some of the cards which is helpful. The box is huge, which is a down side for me as I usually like something more compact and portable. The card stock is also a little on the thin side. But other than that, a real work of art

Viene con un libro en inglés que explica lo básico de una lectura de tarot y una sección para interpretación de cada carta, todo esto en una caja muy linda. El arte y las interpretaciones se sienten como algo muy personal o cercano a la artista, pero aún así algo en lo que uno se puede proyectar o identificar. El tamaño de las cartas y el material facilitan el manejo. Si acaso la impresión en la carta se nota de peor calidad que en el libro, pero supongo que imprimir en el material del que están hechas las cartas es difícil.

Ce jeu de carte divinatoire est magnifique, le design avec cette effet "tache d'encre" rend super beau. Le fond blanc fait ressortir tout les dessins c'est super. Sans parler que les cartes sont en surbrillance et de qualité ! Rien a redire de se côté la ! Les 2 points négatifs que j'aurai à ajouté sont le fait que les cartes non pas de "boite porte carte". Les cartes sont bien protégé mais dans un emplacement en cartons ou sont positionné le paquet dans une case en carton. Ce qui oblige un achat ultérieure pour pouvoir ranger vos cartes si vous souhaitez les rangers dans un vrai étuit adapté. Le livre bien fournie incorporé et les cartes sont en anglais. Donc si vous n'êtes pas bilingue, ça risque d'être compliqué à interpréter. Cependant moi qui connais les tarots avant se jeux les signification reste les mêmes et les cartes sont facile à interprété si vous connaiser la base de l'anglais (pour les noms des cartes minimum). Le soleil = the sun, the world = le monde... Donc oui si vous n'êtes pas débutant dans les tarots même si vous n'êtes pas calé en anglais si vous connaiser déjà les interprétation ou avez un autre livre. Oui sans problème si vous comprener bien l'anglais pour vous référencer au livre associé. Mais si vous mais si vous acheter se tarot et que vous comprener pas d'un poil l'anglais ou êtes débutant ça risque d'être compliqué pour vous à moin d'avoir un autre livre sur la fonctionnement et l'interprétation car c'est la même choses, seulement les dessins qui change. La prise en main est facile, ça glisse pas, ça colle pas au mains. Je recommande vraiment pour la beauté du jeux et la qualité des cartes ! L'étui bof ainsi que l'anglais sont les points négatifs pour d'autres oui et d'autres non. 😉❤💜💙💚💛🃏

Questo mazzo di carte mi piace moltissimo. Il libro che le accompagna è scritto veramente bene.