Trying to decide between decks

This discussion made me take out my Fountain tarot again and use it as deck of the week. It's a very impressive work of art. It's great achievement is making the tarot contemporary. I really like it much more than I remembered.

With Wild Unknown and Fountain tarot you have two important and daring re-interpretations of the tarot. I'd say go ahead

I very nearly bought the Wild unknown just a couple of days ago, until i reminded myself I don't want to buy any more decks... If and when I do, that will be the one Very cool artwork...

Of the four you mention, I have owned Wild Unknown and Fountain. I personally did not enjoy using either of them. Wild Unknown did not evoke - for me - the lush feeling of life in the forest that I'd hoped for. It felt more like winter. The Fountain is very pale and icy and too cerebral for me. So I sold both of them. They are well liked by many, though!

Carla said:

Wild Unknown did not evoke - for me - the lush feeling of life in the forest that I'd hoped for. It felt more like winter. The Fountain is very pale and icy and too cerebral for me

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That makes total sense. The Wild Unknown can have a hard and rather cold feel about it (though some cards are still very "warm" and light !) but I totally see what you mean when you take the deck as a whole. Actually, I tented to find it too "cold" at first, but I warmed to it with use, and now I can access some of its warm qualities better.
And, its true that the Fountain is pale - though I feel it more as being "cool" than "icy", but I get what you mean. Both decks are rather "intellectual" to me, though I find the Fountain easier to access at first glance.
These qualities are not turn off for me, on the contrary, I rather like the decks for these (and of course for the brilliant art on both). I like to have a selection of decks with different energies, different degrees of warmth, different elemental feel, in my collection ; so those the WU fills the "cerebral" section for me rather well, and the Fountain I find to be an "airy" deck.
But I totally understand that you might not like them for these very reasons !

I have (or have had) all four of the decks your considering and my favorite is Linestrider. Yes, the Llewelyn cardstock is indefensible, but the deck's artwork readability are still tremendous and top 5 for me in my collection. The book is the best one I've ever read which came as part of a "set."

Shadowscapes was too hard to look, tiny details, tiny cards, bad match. I gave this one away.

Fountain is lovely but not a good reader for me. I also find the book very flat.

And WU, I don't know, I just can't get into it. I am pretty sure I'm allergic to its mass popularity which turns me off.

I have all but the Fountain. I personally like Linestrider the best, it's one of my favorites to read with out of a large and carefully trimmed collection. However I also have the original limited addition, so can't speak about the card stock.

In terms of "edgy" though, the Wild Unknown is probably more so. I'm not a huge fan of that one honestly, at least partly because of the sort of political overtones it sometimes has. Also because there are a handful of cards with anatomical slip ups in the artwork that are very distracting to me. But if those don't sound like problems to you, then it is a lovely and atmospheric deck. If you connect with animal symbolism you will probably like it.

Not sure why I had this feeling, but have you considered the Mary El? That definitely has an edgy feeling. Incredible artwork, and more gender neutral. I might describe it's atmosphere as occult high fantasy.

Bscotty38 said:

Thank you all for your replies. I know...Doreen Virtue and Thoth is a pretty strange combination. Polar opposites. I actually find her Fairy Tarot quite accurate though. I am leading towards The Wild Unknown. The Fountain still intrigues me. Shadowscapes seems too feminine. Trying to get away from that style.

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I so dislike Shadowscape. I am not sure I understand what you mean by saying it's a feminine deck. I am a woman, am I supposed to like it? To the contrary, it is soooo boring for me. I would qualify it childish.

Michellehihi said:

I so dislike Shadowscape. I am not sure I understand what you mean by saying it's a feminine deck. I am a woman, am I supposed to like it? To the contrary, it is soooo boring for me. I would qualify it childish.

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Sorry I didn't mean to offend. I guess childish is a better word. I so appreciate everyones detailed responses. This is a top notch forum. A lot of different opinions. The Linestrider will go on my wishlist. I'm not sure if I would connect with the Mary El based on the images. Thank you everyone.