Lord of the Rings Tarot.
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Elven |
10 Apr 2005 |
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Hi All
Can anyone shed some light for me on the Lord of the Rings Tarot and game set? Its on my wish list yet I havent seen the deck or heard any feed back about it. How close do the cards relate to Tolkiens ideals or the story. Which characters portray which cards.
Jeanette (Tarot Garden) said there were two sets available, one being a Chineese version - does anyone have or have seen that deck also? What do you think of them for reading with.
Many thanks
Elven x
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| snowy25 |
10 Apr 2005 |
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Hi Elven,
I think there are more.
I have the Dutch version based on "In de ban van de ring"
(The Lord of the Rings in English) so I think there are more.
I didn't study it yet but the cards are based on the books and not on the movies.
It comes as a set and in card only form.
In the book there are explanations of the game.
I can post more info like ISBN number if you like.
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| Elven |
10 Apr 2005 |
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Snowy that would be greatfully appreciated. I didnt realize there were other versions in different languages - D'oh!!!
The Chineese version is based (I think) on the movie, and not the book.
Thanks heaps
Elven x
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| WolfSpirit |
10 Apr 2005 |
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The Chinese LOTR deck is based on the movies. It has pictures of the movies on the cards. It is not a good deck to read with and the companion book is in Chinese. It is very probably not approved by the movie company and therefore printed in Taiwan where the copyright rules are easier to "overcome". I got it because I like the movies so much, some of the cards are really beautiful. If you don't particularly like the movies don't get it, as a tarot deck it is not that good.
You can read a review of that deck here:
http://www.tarotpassages.com/LOTRTaiwanese-SJ.htm
The LOTR deck by Donaldson looks very different, it has drawings on the cards. You can see a few cards of it here at Aeclectic I think, the cards are very busy.
Many people don't like it; I guess it is difficult to please LOTR fans. I don't think it is bad but I am not a great fan either. There are some cards in it that I like.
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| snowy25 |
10 Apr 2005 |
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Ok this is the info on the back of the set:
Publisher:
Koppenhol Uitgeverij B.V.
Postbus 186 1200 AD Hilversum (The Netherlands)
www.tarot.nl
ISBN 90 73 140 579
This set is based on the English version (Terry Donaldson) and the book and litle stories on the cards are in Dutch.
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| Cerulean |
10 Apr 2005 |
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is that it is licensed, but only for that market. It is a set of photo stills from the movie. The English name 'tarot' deck from can sometimes mean a product that shows a deck collection of movie characters. I have not always found my few Chinese-language tarots to mean a tarot of 78 pictures that correspond to a 'standard' meaning of any sort of European or American structure.
http://mangaart.com/tarotcards/lotr.shtml
Suggestion--buy it from Tarotgarden.com. I am not certain if the above vendor will reimburse buyers if their sets are defective for any reason.
But I do not read Chinese, so I may be wrong for the few decks that originated from there...in contrast to the more numerous Japanese-originated decks that I have, where my eyes sometimes seem to see somewhat pictorial-European tarot correspondences.
Let me look for the copyright, if it exists on that version--the distribution rights may not be the original movie production company of the U.S.--but the distribution rights being sold to different countries for products can happen.
The American game distributed by U.S. Games had the oddest style of pictures to my eyes--and I sometimes have odd art tastes. I didn't care for the game or the deck, but others here have that LOTR deck and enjoy it!
Best wishes,
Cerulean
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| Elven |
10 Apr 2005 |
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Hi & WoW. I just read the review, Thanks for posting it WolfSpirit. It doesn't fit with my idea of and concept of LOTR either (going by the review), but as I am a LOTR/Tolkien addict, its one of those things I would get to add to my collection, and treasure.
I find it a pity from what Ive heard that neither deck live up to expectation and both are seriously lacking.
Tolkien must be rolling in his grave (RIP)!! it looks as if in some way both decks miss the point, which I am dissapointed about. What a missed opportunity!!
I must admit though, it would be hard to work the characters into the cards, especially with the lack of female presence in the LOTR. I think it would have to be covered using the Silmarillion and Book(s) of Lost Tales as well as The Hobbit to name a few.
Thanks for your feedback - much appreciated!
Blessings
Elven x
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| Gryphflame |
10 Apr 2005 |
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I own the book-based deck, although oddly enough I've never read the books (please don't shoot me!) I've got the version with scans show here, although I don't think the pictures there do them justice. The images are a lot softer, and the artist does really beautiful forest scenes for many of the cards. As far as I can tell, it follows the book pretty well, and relates all the scenes back to the tarot cards which they represent. I can see them being really fun to read with for a LotR fan, but they're really not for me.
The game aspect of it is also kinda fun, although it requires four or five people to properly play. It's a strategy/luck game that's a little like crazy eights in how its played, but a fair bit more complicated, and with points and stuff at the end. It's supposed to mimic the story of the ringbearer's journey to destroy the ring, and I suppose it does as good a job at that as a card game can.
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| snowy25 |
10 Apr 2005 |
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I've read some parts of the book and played the game once.
I never did a reading with it.
I think the cardmeanings in the book are worth reading and very up-to date in some cases.
I didn't like the game very much.
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| Elven |
10 Apr 2005 |
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AAAArrggghhh - I just lost a post...never mind!
Thanks Cerulean for the links. I think the pictures (on the cards) quality lacks alot - especially the still shot of Aragorn (Emperor)! He looks as if he's halfway through saying something - they look as if they have been put together pretty quickly - maybe for release. The picture of Treebeard doesn't even look like its from the movie. Oh well ... I went off and had a read of the old threads and posts, that was interesting! Thanks muchly!
Gryphflame - welcome again and thanks for the info. I am dissapointed that the cards are framed by a big grey brick wall! Whats that about! They seem to be very colour happy though, but I guess they are also to be used for a game and are not just specifically tarot. Thanks for putting the link up too.
Well one day I will get them.
...then they'll be all mine presccccioussss. We'ss got to have 'emmmmm....
Blessings all
Elven x
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The Lord of the Rings Tarot. thread was originally posted on 10 Apr 2005 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.
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