Book Review: WORLD OF WARCRAFT: THE OFFICIAL TAROT DECK AND GUIDEBOOK

Cassie Holguin

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World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook box with a few colorful cards fanned out nearby.

Thanks to Insight Editions for a copy of World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook in exchange for an honest review. 

World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook includes 78 cards featuring original illustrations created exclusively for this deluxe deck. Also included is the 128-page booklet written by Ian Flynn, which serves as your guide to the Major and Minor Arcana. Begin your journey with a short introduction to reading Tarot, including a few spreads. Additionally, each card has its own insightful meaning regarding upright and reverse positions. This all fits tidily into an impressive, decorative box, making it great for collections or gifting. 

World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook

Azeroth is a planet plagued by war, and from the endless battles, countless heroes and gods have arisen. These icons represent many things in the history of Azeroth that translate to the principles of divination. While these cards are meant to be insightful, they do not set the future in stone. Ultimately, the interpretation of the reading is completely up to the subject. 

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Reading Tarot

First, calm your heart and clear your mind to focus on your reading. Distractions can make finding the answers you seek and divine true insight difficult. Once you have opened your mind, focus intently on your question. Next, choose from one of three spreads depending on your needs and shuffle the deck. Remember that if a card falls away while handling the deck, fate is sending you a special message. 

World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook contains 78 cards, and a guidebook all included in a sturdy decorative box.
Photo courtesy of Cassie Holguin.

Once you have set up your chosen spread, it is time to interpret the cards. The meaning of each card depends upon rank, suit, value and orientation. Orientation refers to whether the card is drawn in an Upright or Reversed position, and this determines from where the energy is pulled. For example, an Upright card means the energy deals with the subject, while a Reversed card represents an external influence. The spread you choose will determine how to arrange your cards and their meaning according to position.

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Spreads

The guidebook provides three spreads, the simplest being Time’s Trinity. This setup is great for beginners and consists of three cards representing the past, present and future. Next is Destiny’s Horseshoe, which is a horseshoe made up of seven cards symbolizing The Past, The Present, The Hidden, The Seeker, The Others, The Choice and The Outcome.

An example of The Guided Star spread which consists of five cards surrounding a sixth card.
Photo courtesy of Cassie Holguin.

Lastly, The Guiding Star is the most powerful symbol whose light brings wonder to even the most troubled soul. Four of the cards represent the elemental points of the star: Air, Earth, Fire and Water, while the fifth point represents The Spirit. This type of reading is for those who seek a broad understanding of what lies before them. 

Surprisingly Enlightening

As soon as I opened this box, I immediately had to do a reading. First, I gave my husband a Time’s Trinity reading, which sparked some surprisingly deep realizations and reflections. Then, to take things up a notch, I gave myself The Guided Star reading, which was much more in-depth. Both readings led to some very serious yet cathartic conversations about our expectations and goals going into the new year. These conversations helped alleviate any doubt that we have been having about upcoming decisions. These cards will help ground you and find your footing before sprinting into the new year. 

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To Read or Not to Read

Overall, this is an absolutely stunning deck of cards. From the golden details on every card to the brilliant designs of Joseph Lacroix and Surfside 3D Studio, each card is more drool-worthy than the last. Honestly, I could not pick a favorite card if my life depended on it. I was surprised to see such a muted color pallet since WoW art tends to be saturated with vibrant colors, but the style works beautifully for the deck. The easy-to-follow guidebook makes it possible to perform readings right out of the box for novices and experts alike.

A close up of several cards from the deck including The Emperor and Queen of Wands, all featuring colorful, stylized artwork.
Photo courtesy of Cassie Holguin.

I cannot recommend this beautiful set enough, especially for fans of World of Warcraft. As a longtime fan of WoW, particularly the artwork, I could not be happier to have this in my collection. Pick this up for yourself or a friend who could use some guidance from Azeroth. 

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World of Warcraft: The Official Tarot Deck and Guidebook is now available; get yours at your favorite local bookstore or Insight Editions

A card for The Hierophant in the World of Warcraft Tarot Deck and Guidebook.

A tarot card for The Emperor, featuring a bearded man sitting on a throne in purple armor while holding a staff in one hand and a levitating leaf in the other.

A tarot card for The World, featuring a blue and white planet in the center with adjacent worlds surrounding it.

A tarot card for The Tower, featuring a red sword-like tower on a white and blue background.

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