Book cover of Nothing but a Pack of Cards

Book description

In this handbook on the practice of sorcery using tarot cards, S. Rune Emerson utilizes the Rider Waite-Smith tradition of tarot art to teach the myriad practices of the Art Magical. Included in this book are: A modern look at sorcery through the eyes of the Rider Waite-Smith tarot cards…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Nothing but a Pack of Cards as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

As a designer of systems, I find this book intriguing because the author has created his own rather idiosyncratic system of sorcery. (The emphasis being on “sorcery,” written from a practicing sorcerer’s point of view.) In addition to outlining his theories on rules of magic and providing new perspectives on magical tools, Emerson provides a section of tarot spells with rhyming incantations, unusual layouts, and diverse aims, including concealing a secret, conjuring an omen, seeing from afar, sequestering beyond time, drawing wayward souls, brewing a tempest, and more.

The spell layouts also have fanciful titles like “The Knight’s Vigil,” “The…

From Janina's list on bringing tarot magic to life.

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