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.

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.

This is my first tarot deck, and I'm in love. I saw a lot of advice saying to start with the Rider Waite Smith deck, but I really just didn't connect with it - it's so yellow, so plain. The Linestrider deck is stunningly beautiful, and still loaded with symbolism like the RWS. I also find the guidebook to be very detailed and helpful, and encouraging for the beginner! I also find the images are striking and easy to connect with, both for me and the people I've read for. There are a lot of complaints about quality in the reviews, but I haven't had any issues so far. They don't feel as durable as your average poker cards, so I'm being gentle with them and keeping them in a little pouch when I take them out of the house, but so far mine aren't showing any signs of wear. I shuffle them like I shuffle playing cards - with the shuffling motion and the "bridge" or "flush" motion - and they're not creasing or bending. They were a little stiff the first few days and have since loosened up without creasing or bending. I would caution against water damage, as they're not very plastic-y. All in all, stunningly beautiful, easy to learn with, and a delight to handle!

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 felt drawn to this deck the moment I laid eyes on it and I am so glad that I did end up purchasing it! I had free one-day shipping, so I didn't have to wait. It was the perfect birthday present to myself! I am fairly new to tarot, so take this review with a grain of salt. I'm mostly excited about the aesthetics of the deck, but there is some intuitive connection as well. So some more about the cards themselves: The art is absolutely beautiful. I've used a second-hand Rider-Waite since I started learning about this and so I am familiar with those cards and I feel like I can pick up on some of the original symbolism with this deck. The art evokes similar feelings for me as I look at them. I typically look at the card, see what I pick up from it and then I look to the guidebook for more information. The guidebook was a pleasant surprise for me as I didn't expect it to be so detailed and so I was really blown away by it! The author/artist explains why they chose to present the card as they did and I really liked that. The cards are very slippery, so make sure you're working on a flat surface so that they don't go flying off everywhere. This isn't a big problem for me, but I felt like I should mention it. Overall, I am incredibly satisfied with this deck and I am excited to continue working with it!

Pros: -lovely, modern, simple card deck design (easy on the eyes; not overwhelming)! -inspires me to draw or paint -card explanations are easy to understand -love the glossy effect and hardcover box it came with -decent, affordable prize for its quality Cons: -thinner than other tarot cards (so don’t bend them that much) -wish it came with at least a regular card box for the cards itself -nitpicking, but the card cover design could be better? Just like the nice quality of the drawings. It still puzzles me what the card cover represents (blue mirrored water color effect?) -quite big cards for small hands 😅

The guidebook is lovingly written and in depth on both the major and minor arcana. The cards are absolutely gorgeous. While they are all very minimal they still have enough symbolism to excite intuition and create meaning.

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!