Legend or Arthurian?

velvetina

Which of these two Arthurian-themed decks would you recommend?

Am I right in thinking that there is an interesting course to accompany the Arthurian Tarot (the Caitlin & John Matthews one?) or is that an optional extra? I welcome opinions about that too.

The art looks gorgeous in the Legend Tarot ( by Anne-Marie Ferguson). I already have the Llewellyn Tarot by this artist and it's quite lovely. I see that Miranda Grey (who painted my Merlin Tarot) is the artist for the Arthurian Tarot, so I'm pretty sure that will be lovely too.

However, it's not really a question about the art. I'm more interested in your opinions about the content, usability, experience with and so forth.

Thank you in advance!
 

banbha

Another vote for the Arthurian. :thumbsup:
 

Astraea

Arthurian for me, too. It's a beautifully researched, well integrated and complete system. The imagery and themes are well coordinated and compelling.
 

EmpyreanKnight

I only have The Complete Arthurian Tarot: 25th Year Edition and find it very satisfactory overall. But through your post I can't help but look at the Legend: Arthurian Tarot Set. The cards are really quite beautiful. Through some online resources I was able to get a preview of the Keeper of Words companion book, and the level of detail in it and the delicious stories it delivered reminded me of the first time I devoured Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur when I was a kid.

So yeah I guess your thread just enabled me to purchase the Legend set. :laugh: Hope it gets here soon enough. When it does I shall compare both sets and tell you my verdict.
 

Morwenna

I have both, and I do prefer the Arthurian. But I can't say anything bad about the Legend either, though I haven't worked with it as much. I suppose it depends on whether you prefer the older Celtic themes (Arthurian) or those closer to Malory (Legend). Frankly, I'd hate to have to give up either one.
 

Madrigal

I have both, and I do prefer the Arthurian. But I can't say anything bad about the Legend either, though I haven't worked with it as much. I suppose it depends on whether you prefer the older Celtic themes (Arthurian) or those closer to Malory (Legend). Frankly, I'd hate to have to give up either one.

Yes, I concur. I had the Legend for a few years before buying the Arthurian. The Legend is lovely but I've used the Arthurian more. Quite different vibes to each of them.
 

Shade

They are not as similar as they might seem.

Get the Arthurian if you want to take part in the spiritual teachings the Matthews have accompanying the deck and want to shamanically journey into the cards.

Get the Legend if you want to do more traditional tarot reading with the cards and learn more about the stories.

Or do what I did and get both ;-)
 

EmpyreanKnight

You're right, Morwenna. Matthews' deck does focus on the Celtic aspect of the Arthurian cycle, and even tho at the start I was rather nonplussed by all those scenic pips without a single person to grace them, I eventually got what it was truly aiming for. It is a wise deck, and I cannot help but recommend it highly. One day I'm going to embark on the Hallowquest course included in the companion book.

But if it's true that the Legend Tarot hews closely to the romance of the knights of the round table then I'm glad I made the right choice in also purchasing it. Malory has always been the standard for this epic tho later I highly appreciated White's interesting take on it. But the one that I loved the best of all was the little-known novel by Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. It was a fresh, inspired take on the Arthurian mythos, and it has one of the most heart-breaking endings in any book I've ever read. What a perfect metaphor for the inexorability of Fate. Too bad it was unfinished.
 

EmpyreanKnight

Just a question OP, why the sudden interest in these decks? Was it because of the film?