The English Magic Tarot

FLizarraga

Patrick Booker said:
The deck is available from the Book Depository:

http://www.bookdepository.com/The-E...y-Andy-Letcher-Philip-Carr-Gomm/9781578636006

I have mine, and have read the book. The images have a dynamic, and at times shamanic feel to them. The Majors have no borders, the Minors quite large borders. I like it.

Patrick
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What can you tell us about the book, Patrick? It sounds interesting, at least.

Me, I was enabled as soon as I read "English Magic" :D... Though I was mildly disappointed when I realized that the cards themselves were not done in sepia tones, like their images in the blog.
 

Patrick Booker

The deck is based upon the period 1509 (accession of Henry VIII) to 1658 (death of Charles II). Quite a few historical characters crop up in the images (Henry VIII, Charles I, Christopher Wren, Isaac Newton). The cards broadly follow Waite/Coleman Smith, although there are differences. The book contains some background about the deck's development - the designers are all magicians/shamans. There are a few spreads and a section on the principles of a memory theatre. The book is written by Andy Letcher, and is very easy to follow.

Patrick
 

Patrick Booker

This deck would lend itself well to storytelling.

Patrick
 

FLizarraga

Patrick Booker said:
The deck is based upon the period 1509 (accession of Henry VIII) to 1658 (death of Charles II). Quite a few historical characters crop up in the images (Henry VIII, Charles I, Christopher Wren, Isaac Newton). The cards broadly follow Waite/Coleman Smith, although there are differences. The book contains some background about the deck's development - the designers are all magicians/shamans. There are a few spreads and a section on the principles of a memory theatre. The book is written by Andy Letcher, and is very easy to follow.

Patrick
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Thanks, Patrick! Very thorough review. :thumbsup: That's the golden age of English magic, isn't it? John Dee and all the rest?

I ordered it from Book Depository --for which I also have you to thank, Patrick. It looks right up my alley, plus the price is incredible.
 

rylla

deb13b said:
But there's no pictures anywhere apart from the fool. And I can't buy a deck on the basis of one card. ( done it before, always a bad idea lol ). So I'll have to wait and see with this one.
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Ditto. Plus those borders spoils the deck for me. If I understood correctly the majors have no border = I can't trim the deck (which was my first thought when I've seen it - wide borders but I'd trim the cards).

ETA however I'm tempted!
 

rylla

...in the end I could not resist (found some more pics - although this deck still seems as a well kept secret :) - can't imagine how authors choose not to post a few representative pics of the cards - if they believe in their product - that would increase their chance of selling the deck).

Thank you Patrick for the BD link! That was most helpful (it's my first time I ordered from BD).

[running to TODDIES threat to confess]
 

Little_Bear

I bought this deck yesterday after stumbling across it in my local bookshop. It must have gone under my radar because I had never heard of it until I had it in my hands.

I've only looked at the cards briefly and a cursory glance at the books.
I LOVE the art style, it has a real graphic novel comic feel to it and as a comic reader it
feels familiar in a way because of this.

Each card is stuffed to the gills with symbolism, I can't wait until I have some time to get stuck in with it.

:)
 

FLizarraga

Patrick Booker said:
Hope you like it, FLizarrraga and rylla.

There are some links:

http://english-magic-tarot.blogspot.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/englishmagictarot/

http://www.rexvanryn.com/

There is a short video by Andy Letcher in the first link. The image on the front of the book is of the Moon, probably my favourite.
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Thanks for all the links, Patrick! I got a 'shipped' notice from the BD, so I'm just crossing my fingers now.

deb13b said:
I've been following rex on fb for quite a while as the idea of the deck intrigues me. But there's no pictures anywhere apart from the fool. And I can't buy a deck on the basis of one card. ( done it before, always a bad idea lol ). So I'll have to wait and see with this one.
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Besides Patrick's wealth of links, you can see the whole deck on the blog borders (first link). Small and sepia-toned, sure, but clear enough. There are some interesting takes on the cards.

rylla said:
Ditto. Plus those borders spoils the deck for me. If I understood correctly the majors have no border = I can't trim the deck (which was my first thought when I've seen it - wide borders but I'd trim the cards).
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The borders seem color-coded by suit, so I assume there's some method to this madness. I do agree that I would had preferred either a borderless deck or a fully 'bordered' deck that I could trim, color coding be damned.

Little_Bear said:
I bought this deck yesterday after stumbling across it in my local bookshop. It must have gone under my radar because I had never heard of it until I had it in my hands.

I've only looked at the cards briefly and a cursory glance at the books.
I LOVE the art style, it has a real graphic novel comic feel to it and as a comic reader it
feels familiar in a way because of this.

Each card is stuffed to the gills with symbolism, I can't wait until I have some time to get stuck in with it.

:)
Click to expand...

Yet another enabling review! Thanks, Little Bear!
 
Strange cards for strange times? English Magic Tarot on sale !