Card Games Books

If you are looking for a book that will greatly improve your game, and you are a solid chess player, then "More Unbeatable Chess For Juniors" is the answer!
There are a total of twenty four games with nice clear analysis, questions within the games to get you to think and analyze for yourself - and every move is explained.
This book will also help you improve your knowledge of many important openings with some very deep analysis (some games are like an opening book in themselves!). Middlegame strategy and tactics with the general rules being applied and explained is neat.
For a solid player this book is tops to continue to improve. On my Junior High School Team I am the top player rated over 1600 in the USCF (I started off with "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors" when I was rated about 1000, and a year later got this book with my rating going up to 1300, then improved in a year to 1600). These two books were by far the most helpful in helping me improve the way I analyze and plan ahead.

Rated as an Expert by the USCF I at first thought, "a book for intermediate and advanced kids could never appeal to an experience adult player". I picked up the book for a couple of kids I have worked with but then started looking it over more carefully. And, soon I was deep into the analysis and games in this book! It isn't just a book for experienced chess kids - the analysis is deep where it needs to be, the analysis is clear and the author has great insight into how to teach. Games used in the author's actual lessons prior to writing the book has made the games and analysis tried and tested. This is one thing that makes this book different from the others that have analysis on a move by move basis (and I have seen about 3 others using this idea). This is the book that follows the author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors", which I have also got ahold of. And, actually though the book covers more basic ideas, it was still helpful to me as well.
Just darn good solid lessons and excellent games for instruction! A very solid FIVE STAR BOOK!

There are thousands of chess books to choose from, and this holds especially true for an established chess player. Narrowing down which books are the best to get isn't easy. I will therefore try and point out why I feel that "More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" should be placed high on your consideration list.

"More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" will greatly increase your depth of understanding of many very important concepts in chess. The author uses his extensive knowledge, based on many years of teaching, to create lessons that implant ideas and the techniques needed to use them. Pure genius is an understatement. Knowing just what the mind of a 1000 to 1600 rated player needs to be fed makes is one major factor that makes this book superior to all others that use a move by move comment.

"More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" is an expansion on this author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" (one of the most popular chess books written). If you are an average tournament player or above then having read the author's previous book(s) is not necessary to use this one.

Whereas, there is a heavy focus on opening concepts and lines, and important middlegame strategies there are several excellent endgames. Understandably, if you want to learn endgame technique, get an endgame specialty book. However, this book is packed with important opening lines not found in other books (some of the variations after 1. e4 c5 2. b3 - Sicilian, 1.e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Bc4, plus variations in the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's-Indian, Caro-Kann, Pirc, Modern, Scandinavian, Petrof's, Goring Gambit, Scotch, Ruy Lopez lines with the Marshall, Exchange, Keres, Birds and Steinitz variations, Benoni and Bird's Openings).

This book will also help you learn to plan ahead. Once again the words I will use to describe what you will find here - "pure genius".

AMAZINGLY CONCISE and ACCURATE analysis turned using instructive games as the format best describes "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS". As a strong player I got this book, not for a kid, but for myself! I wanted to learn how to handle the Queen's Indian Defense as Black, to handle Marshall Gambit, Petroff's Defense and Sicilian as White and found that the analysis (with much being original and unpublished) on the openings was fantastic. The SNYDER SICILIAN (named after the author of this book), 1 e4 c5 2 b3 is a viable alternative to the more common lines for White to play against the Sicilian. And, the most complete analysis anywhere is found in "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS". Therefore - if you want to learn your openings, especially if you play 1 e4, this book is an absolute must for that alone.

Now openings aside UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS covers important concepts and themes that the author has in mind to teach. The selected games were tried and tested in actual lessons before being included in this book (I agree with the other reviewers that this is what makes this book unique among others for the great insight the author has in understanding the thinking process of those who will learn from these lessons). You can check out the other reviews for some of the details of the actual material that is covered (I don't have all day to go there!). Therefore - there author tries to focus largely on teaching the openings and middlegame, but there are several excellent endgames included as well.

"MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS" is the most advanced book in the author's CHESS FOR JUNIORS series (about 5 books) and is a continuation of one of the best selling chess books of all time "UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS", also excellent, but more basic (would recommend it for players rated between about 700 and 1600, with "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS" recommended for those who have completed and understood the previous book, or as a stand-alone only for those rated 1200 and 2400 - yes up to 2300!). The tiered analysis is unique and allows both books to appeal to a wide range of playing skill (unlike "UNDERSTANDING CHESS", which I would recommend for players over 1600 - though I personally feel "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS is superior).

*If you have read "UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS" or are 1200 up to 2300 ability, then this book is a MUST READ for you!

What to learn how to recognize the most important concepts/patterns and how to plan ahead? "More Unbeatable Chess Lessons" provides 24 complete games that have been tried and tested in actual lessons by one of the most successful chess teachers of all time. This book is most suited for a player who is well beyond the beginning stage (it is more detailed and more advanced than "Logical Chess" by Chernev, and intended as a next book from the same author's best seller "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors", which is recommended to start out with if you are rated under 1200).

Games are arranged by opening, and there is a nice variety. You can really learn a lot about openings in this book, as the analysis is detailed and deep (some excellent new analysis in a variety of lines). Not that interested in the opening? Well, you can easily skip over some of the long analysis and move right into the middlegame if that is your choice.
Some of the openings with excellent detailed analysis are:
<<< Ruy Lopez, Petrov's Defense, Giuoco Piano, Center Counter, Alekhine's Defense, the Sicilian 2 b3, Pirc/Modern Defense, Queen's Indian and the Benoni >>>

The games were mainly selected to cover important positional and tactical ideas that the author has used in lessons for years. There are a fair number of the author's along with a nice balance of games by other players (i.e. GMs Karpov, Spassky, Korchnoi, Tarjan, Tal, Kalinitchew, Gurgenidze, Chigorin and Ivanchuk). A major difference, besides being designed for more advanced players, over the author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors" is that a lot of the games are newer (some being played after 2000). Together these books cover a massive number of openings and important concepts.

Perhaps understandably, as I have seen in a couple other reviews, the main focus is on openings and middlegames. However, it would be impossible to have too many games going into the endgame using a comment on every move without making the book very massive (and expensive). Though, there are several excellent games with good instruction in the endgame.

I appreciate the care, detail and accuracy that has gone into making this one of the best instructional/game collection books ever written.

An excellent, clearly presented over-view of conventions. Very easy to use and with clear large type face, easy to read.

I know of no book that conveys the most popular bridge-playing conventions as painlessly as Barbara Seagram and Marc Smith's remarkable TWENTY-FIVE BRIDGE CONVENTIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW. They are all there, patiently explained, with examples drawn from appropriate circumstances and topical quizzes following immediately.

Generally, the book starts with the basic conventions like Takeout Doubles and Blackwood and progresses to the more esoteric ones like Reverse Drury and Roman Key Card. We might argue about the exact order these conventions appear; Ms. Seagram is BIG on the Jacoby Transfer and its big brother, the Texas Transfer. Should people really learn those before they learn about Cue-bid Raises and Balancing? But that is a small wrinkle in such an excellent presentation; if you and your partner prefer to skip a lesson or two and come back later, this book will serve well anyway. Deserves a place on every good bridge-player's shelf.

Easy reading, with good explanations of why you should use that convention. Great examples at the end of each chapter. As a beginner I highly recommend this book.

This is a book that describes twenty five modern Bridge conventions that every current Bridge player should know and use.

Each convention is described and explained clearly. One of the best features of the book is that at the end of each description of the convention is a sheet of example bridge hands that illustrate the convention. The reader can make his own answer to the questions, then check to see if he really understood the explanation. It is a good way to learn.

I think this is a very good book for every bridge player to learn and use the modern conventions.

If you are looking for a bridge book that covers the most common conventions out there in the "bridge world"...this is the book for you. This book covers all the essentials to learn and understand the most popular bridge conventions. It does it in an easy to understand and precise manner. You will feel confident after reading and studying. The one feature missing.....doesn't give you the opportunity to practice much on each convention. You will have to play to learn that. But this book is worth the price to increase your playing power.

hi all,

i have read the first one of the three and i haver just start reading the green book, i think they are very useful to starting players because he aproximate us to the mind of a poker player.

he knows how to take the attemption of the reader and you can read it very fast because it is very easy to read and very interesting.

Excellent three book set that starts Black)with a beginners guide. The Green book is or will be a classic. Blue present problems and solutions. A great read.

For begginers and expirience players!

The black book: Begginers

The green book: Expirienced

The blue book: Professionals

This box set will cover the absolute beginner up to a fairly strong player. Gordon writes in an engaging and lively style and admits his bad moves when he plays them. Like the titles say, these are little books, so they are quick reads. Great for reading a few pages before bed. That does make them a little less dense with helpful information--combined with writing style and size, Harrington's books seem fuller. The green book is probably the one that you will be refering back to the most as it deals with core play, with the blue book a close second for information on particular situations. Like most books out there, it focuses most of its ink by far on tournament play. I wish it had more information on shorthanded and low-stakes cash games. The black book does touch upon low-stakes games, but really glosses over strategy there.

BTW, if you are living abroad, this box set is a great deal. Not only do you have a bigger discount than buying the three books individually, but also the box set counts as one item when shipping, not three. So saved ten dollars on shipping.

I have won a number of important hands after reading this book. It let's you know what the pros are thinking. I know a lot of ambitious amatuers have this book. Pick it up, read it and apply it!

The art for this deck is exquisite: lively, colorful, and detailed.

A must-have for black cat lovers. The black cat featured on the World card can be spotted wandering through the scene on every card in this deck! It's oh, so cute!

For those who intend to use the cards for divination but haven't yet memorized the major and minor arcana, I recommend the book that accompanies the deck for ease of reading tarot spreads. However, a very abbreviated booklet also accompanies the deck itself, but it is very general and contains very little deck-specific information.

What a fun set of tarot cards. This would definitely be a set I would bring out and use at Halloween. Images are fun. Not a set I would use on a daily basis.

I am getting back into tarot after a few years of not doing many readings. I started out with the RWS deck, but never really caught on to the meanings just by looking at the imagery and reading the LWB. I then moved onto the Tarot of the Cat people, which was about the same experience, with much better artwork, and a much better book, but the artwork was a bit bare/abstract for me to catch on just by looking at the images. Now I purchased this deck and book, and I have to say I wish this had been my first deck. The imagery is based on RWS to some extent, but it is also very easy for even a child to understand the halloween based imagery. I can look at the delightful, non-scary halloween imagery and imediately pick up on the meaning of the card just through the images. Also, the book is fantastic, and it explains the images used very well, and how they relate to the meaning of the card. The only complaint I have about these cards are that there are a few cards that have astrological symbols I would not normally associate with that card. Astrological reading is not a big part of my tarot reading though, and mostly the symbols are unobtrusively hidden, so it does not really detract from the deck as a whole. I think this is going to be my new fav deck!

When can you find pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and imps all together? Why, on October 31st, a single day's night known simply as Halloween, when the falling darkness of the evening brings to life all that might go bump in the night. The Halloween Tarot is a very delightful mix of such traditional Old Year's Night fare including Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, the Wolfman, and the Mummy, as well as one omnipresent black cat. Created by Kipling West, this is a very charming deck with Rider/Waite/Smith symbology depicted on every card, with, of course, a decidedly Halloween theme.

We mentioned pumpkins, well, in the Halloween Tarot deck they impersonate the pentacles, while ghosts are cups, bats are swords, and imps are wands. Quite a clever approach to the suits, and as the entire deck reflects, a well thought out approach. Ms. West has managed to temper the imagery with a palette of bright tones, and a distinct absence of shadow. Combined with her near satirically approach to characterization this deck is really more fun than scary, and we feel it would be suitable for elementary school age children. It even appears as though she has included Wednesday and Morticia Addams as the Page and Queen of Pumpkins, respectively.

The deck comes with a companion book written by Karin Lee, with illustrations by the deck's creator, Kipling West. The book offers the divinatory and reverse meanings, and explains the artist's choices of all the spooky subjects and elements she has depicted on the cards.

Many of the cards are simply a redressing of the Rider/Waite/Smith deck, for example; the Knight of Pumpkins is a knight on a unicorn holding a pumpkin instead of on a horse holding a pentacle. There are other subtle differences such as it is night instead of day, the knight's armor has horns, and the ever present cat is on the back of the horse.

The traditional Four of Cups from the R/W/S is a young man sitting under a tree with three cups on the ground in front of him and a fourth in the disembodied hand of a cloud. By contrast the Four of Ghosts card from the Halloween Tarot is a young woman sitting against a tree at night under the full moon, while four reveling ghosts enjoy cookies and cider and attempt to coax her out of her apathetic funk.

The Six of Pumpkins from the Halloween Tarot is a green haired Halloween witch generously passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, while the Six of Pentacles from the R/W/S is a wealthy man using a scale to dole out pittances to paupers.

Some of the depictions are less traditional and, at least from our perspective, more reflective of the reverse of the card, for example; The Lovers card is a woman who appears to be reading love letters and missing her lover, and is then being tempted by Count Dracula who is entering through the window. Perhaps resistance is futile, but it is the reverse of the Lovers card that represents temptation and infidelity, and the woman is showing no desire to resist. The Hermit of the R/W/S is the wise man shining the light of knowledge to light the way. The Hermit from the Halloween Tarot is a mad scientist who desires to put a brain in a pumpkin. This is indicative of self-deception or confusion, the reverse of The Hermit, because one must ask the question, "Why would you want to put a brain in a pumpkin?"

It is evident that Kipling West was passionate in her approach, and should be quite proud of her hard work and effort. It is unusual to find a theme Tarot deck that doesn't look nonsensical, or just stupid, often drawn by someone with limited, if any, Tarot knowledge. This is a Tarot deck, through and through, and we both like it and recommend it. The book, which contains a lot of interesting and fun information about Halloween, as well as Tarot reading, just makes this is an even better acquirement.

[...].

I bought this deck after spotting it in a store 10 years ago, and though I thought it might be another theme deck, it goes above and beyond that!

The colours used in this deck are so vibrant and alive. They are so refreshing. The artwork, superb and evocative. The choices for the majors are truly inspried. I just love the Star, the Tower and the Chariot! A sense of humor also runs through this deck.

It very closely follows Rider-Waite symbolism so it can be read right out of the box by anyone remotely farmiliar with that system. But she has put in some interesting twists though in that framework. The idea of changing the suits too Imps, Bats, Ghosts and Pumpkins is brilliant! And how about those vegetable people? Love it!

The book that comes in the set is a must have if you love this deck. She gives you many tidbits and facts surrounding the history of Halloween. Each card is described and her prose is charming as well. Some of her takes on the cards a different and exciting!

This is a great all around deck, the artist and writer struck just the perfect note for lovers of old time Halloween. From the images,to the colours....even the font. I read this deck all year round, and it is a firm favourite. If you love Halloween, I can assure you you will not be disappointed in this purchase! Now I wish Kipling West would make more decks!!! Please?

I love these Unicorn cards & their messages. There are several with more than a single Unicorn & a few of Pegasus--who is my totem animal. There were some startling & beautiful pictures. I plan to give a set to a male friend who likes Unicorns & am glad that they represent the Unicorn as a strong animal. I gave him Doreen's Archangel cards last year. I have all of Doreen's decks & use them for morning devotions. They really start my day off in a blessed way.

I use Oracle Cards for professional readings and I love this deck. The cards are beautiful to look at and suitable as gifts for children. The accompanying guide book is easy to read and filled with positive and uplifting messages. If you like the idea of magical enchantment and are in sync with your own Inner Child, you will instantly form a connection with this deck.

I bought this because: 1) I like Doreen Virtue's material 2) I used to think about unicorns a lot as a young child. I think I might have either played with them or imagined that I did. 3) These card decks are fun. They give the child within you a chance to play, and 4) "Toys" like this can provide insite. 5) They certainly provide positive experiences.

As a child I absolutely LOVED unicorns and Pegasis, the winged horse. Both the unicorns and Pegasis were always all white. Even now, I have a poster size picture of Pegasis in my office. He is running in the sand and along the beach, while the ocean waves are breaking on the shore. Wings are up and open and she's ready to fly. And there's a place for me, on her back.

This is a 44-card deck and guidebook. The guidebook gives you the steps: 1) Prepare the deck, by holding the cards and tapping away the old energy 2) shuffle them 3) ask a question 4) lay out cards and read them.

Let's say you are guided to pick out 3 cards, and they are:
1) "One Step at a Time"--"Lots of little steps make big dreams come true"
2)"Decide"--"It's Time to clearly make a decision about what you want"
3)"Talk About Your Feelings"--"Tell a friend how you feel"

OK, so now you go to the book and look up each of these cards for additional guidance. #2, above "Decision" talks about being at a time of crossroads in your life, where you could go in a few different directions and you need to make a decision. Then it suggests how you might ask friends, ask angels for help, etc.

By the way, the art work on both sides of each card is very pretty. A standard picture of a white unicorn is on all cards. The other side contains an individual picture with the words as shown above.

Of course, you have to decide if there is an "answer" which means something to you. Then you have to decide how that "answer" relates to you and what you are or are not doing in your life.

I am a fan of Doreen Virtue and possess almost all of her oracle decks... they are all unique with great, uplifting messages, and the art work is simply wonderful. This deck does not disappoint.

This deck gets five stars for several reasons. First of all, the cards are very beautiful. The cards are gilded on the sides, the back of the cards depict a unicorn with long flowing hair, and the layout for the front of the cards is very appealing. Each card depicts a unicorn on it, of course, though some are with humans, animals, water, clouds, etc.

This is a very fluffy card deck, so to say. There are no dark cards in here as the goal of it is positivity. Also, while this deck is fine for adults, it is also perfect for children. In fact, out of all of Doreen Virtue's Oracle Card Decks, this one is the best for children as there aren't any themes that are specifically for adults (such as issues involving careers, etc) and there are many pictures that depict unicorns in a cute way, such as the "Curiosity" card which depicts a kitten rapidly interested in the unicorn's shining horn. If you are someone who is trying to introduce a child into the realm of reading Tarot/Oracle cards, this deck is wonderful as a starter.

While this deck is excellent for children, it also works very well for adults as well. For anyone seeking cards that will give a good source of inspiration, these cards work very well. Also, the themes of the cards are more broad, therefore making these cards great for beginners.

I have always received accurate readings from using these cards and the only reason why I don't use them that often for readings is because I always get so distracted by how beautiful the pictures are. So even of you are not into reading cards, this deck makes a great collector's item.

Wow, loooove how the pictures are so vivid and deep in color, and that there are no borders!

Since getting this deck, nearly EVERY reading I have given becomes VERY detailed and usually pleasantly surprises the person being Read.

These are now one of my 'standard' decks I grab when someone wants a Reading! (And I'm a beginner!).

I've been reading Tarot and teaching Tarot for 25 years and probably own a dozen different Tarot decks. The Morgan-Greer is my all-time favorite. No matter how many other decks I try to work with, this is the one I always return to. The colors are so vibrant and the artwork so beautiful, this deck truly speaks to me. The people illustrated on these cards are handsome, extremely appealing, and reflect each aspect of life clearly. If your intuitive or psychic abilities are stimulated by visuals, this is the perfect deck for you!

This deck was the one I learned to read with. The graphics on the cards are bold and tend to jump out to your eye. I went from this deck to the Thoth deck but end up using this one regularly as I have a rapport with it. I don't think the cards look dated at all.

This is a great deck. The cards are vivd and the people are memorable in the cards. The lack of a border gives the cards expansiveness and the bright, deep, and rich colors pop out at you. The cards also give great readings.

I couldn't decide between this deck or Robin Wood....well....

I got the Robin Wood first and was soooo disappointed. Everyone is super happy, dimpled and "too" pretty. The colours seem just washed out and weak, and some of the cards look downright silly and cheesy.7 of Wands spring to mind. The Wheel of Fortune is the worst I have seen in any deck, it's so bad it is hard to look at. I had high hopes, but when I got it in my hands, wow what a let down.

Then I got the Morgan-Greer. WOW. From the minute I took it out I was in love and enraptured. The saturated colours, no borders and unusual classic artwork drew me into what seems a world of it's very own. When I take out this deck (just like Tarot of the Old Path) it is as if I am entering and being enveloped in a different world. The pictures seem simple, yet there is so much going on, much symbolism to find hidden. Laying the cards out side by side is powerful. A story naturally unfolds and blends one into another. And one thing I discovered a few days ago was how different the cards look in darker light. The use of colours and richness of them have a unique power in this deck, very mystical.

I myself was worried that the star backs which recieve so many complaints were going to be a drawback, but upon seeing them I loved those as well. Random hand-drawn stars are much more enticing than just perfect ones. The only thing I can think of to improve the deck would be a different darker colour for the back. A rich purple or forest green.

These cards must be seen in person too get the full impact of the deep, evocative colours and intense gorgeous artwork. This deck has been around 28 years for a reason....it's a classic that speaks to the inner, quiet center of a person and captures you in it's magic.

This is it, the original manga that started a worldwide franchise. Before the anime, before the card game, before the video games, there was this.

Actually, this first volume is actually Volume 8 of Kazuki Takahashi's manga-meaning that readers will learn as much about Yugi's beginnings as they do from watching the first few episodes of the anime. The source material for the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh!, the manga follows Yugi and his friends from their first encounter with Maximillion J. Pegasus to their arrival on Duelist Kingdom (Yugi's first duel with Kaiba is left out). Those familiar with the anime will also be pleased to know that characters like Insector Haga (Weevil) and Mai Kujaku/Valentine will make appearances. Also featured is a rundown on the Duel Monsters cards used in the current storyline. While those who have watched the anime may not find much to talk about here, it's worth a look for those who want to know what all the buzz is about. But if you're a diehard fan who's got to have Yugi on the go, this is good place to start.

This book is rated T for Teen: Violence, Adult Situations

Ummm...Hello? Why are you people talking about volumes 2, 3, and 5 of the regular YGO manga series? This is Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelist, the original story line of the Duelist Kingdom tournament. It is rated teen...that's been established by my fellow YGO fans. Seriously, if you're a parent, don't get this book for your 7-year-old kid who thinks he knows everything about YGO...these are the mangas that you read backwards, so good luck explaining that to your child, and then there are some (...) situations in the other YGO books (there aren't really any in this one, that I remember). Actually, Mai Kujaku (Mai Valentine for all you dubbies) is very, VERY clad...her (...) are practically falling out of her "shirt." But anyway, I wasn't too enthusiastic about reading this because I own three versions of Duelist Kingdom including this, so I know what happens already. It's kind of hard for me to read through all the duels because I have practically memorized every duel in the DK saga. I am usually very tempted to skip the duels the first time I read this, but I didn't skip them, but now I only read through entire duels every once in a while...but I do really like this book!

i would give this book a A+ cuz its so cool to no the character's origins. as some of the other pple mentioned Seto Kiaba doesnt look to good though that doesnt matter to me since i like yami more. anyway the plot of this story sorta sounds like the episode where kiaba tore up Yugi's granfather's bwd(blue eyes white dragon). The only difference with that is that yugi doesn't duel kiaba right off the bat. i'm not gonna tell more cuz that's 4 u to find out.

another thing is that if ur under 12 u shouldn't read this. someone i no read this when he/she was 10 and wouldn't stop asking questions about it. It has a little bit of perverteness cuz of tristan/honda's nephew jojhi. dont get me mad if ur 7 years old and say u like yu gi oh cuz u dont even no the 1/2 of it.

anzu(tea 2 u unkwoning freaks) is not that bad in this manga. but she does draw the smiley face as the friendship sign and makes the litle speech. actually its the only speech she makes on friendship in the entire series. it's still a great book and i would recomend this book to all my friends if they read yu gi oh.

From the title of the item, I would have to say that this is the new Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist. The Duelist series is supposed to be based on what American viewers saw, Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, those things, without the annoyance of fillers like Noa's Arc and DOOM. This manga shows the first introduction of Pegasus, how Yugi-tachi got to the island, and the introduction of Mai and Insector Haga (Weevil Underwood for the American fans.) This is a lot more violent, though, as such, you should obey the "Teen" rating on the series.
Other than that, great book, great series, and help in the cause of getting pictures of the thing onto the Amazon.com site, so people will stop giving reviews for manga 2 and 5!

I really like this book. Well, I'm a big fan of Yugioh, so duh! This is the book in which we first see the Duel Monsters cards and meet the young CEO (though at the time we don't know he is one) Seto Kaiba and the mysterious Shadi.

Beware though, Seto, who usually looks all hot and sexy, doesn't look too spectacular. I'm not sure why, but some of the images of him look rather awkward, so if you are used to watching the anime, this is the manga, note the change. It's not like it matters to anyone but me anyway. (I'm an absessive Seto fangirl).

Also, if you are some silly little kid who's under ten and "thinks" he/she likes Yugioh, back away before I get angry. Don't even READ this if you're under 12.

I'm fourteen, and when I see f'ggin FIVE YEAR OLDS saying they like Yugioh I get real pissed...... So, if you are some baby, this book is too sophisticated for you. It is rated TEEN, whatever it says up there, and includes a lot of (minor) swears and violence and drugs and alcohol and more mature stuff.

Joey and Yugi and Honda (Tristen, to all you unknowing twerps) are known to pull perverted pranks. Once, they watched a movie that mentioned "censoured" girls and Joey trying to see through the censoring....O.O...... but that wasn't in this book, so don't worry about Yugi wanting to watch digitized porn.

Yugioh as a whole is awsome. It's my favorite anime for many reasons. It includes hot guys (SETO KAIBA!!! & Malik, Bakura, Yami), Millenium magic, dueling action (I love action/violence, I don't know why) and everyone else that makes it so unique and awsome.

Buy, or at least READ this book, (if you like Yugioh) because it is NOT some cheesy kid's book like the dubbed TV show has become. Now I'm going to get angry at 4kids and the dubbers..... *throws computer at dubbers, they scream and run, I follow them laughing like Yami Marik swinging the Millenium Rod DAGGER!!! (which, to all you unknowing dub-following YGO babies, DOES exist.... but any true Yugioh fan knows that, right?)*

This book is the best I have seen on enameling. Very informative on anything you need to know on the subject !! Cannot wait to purchase my suppies and get started !!!!

I've started enameling my Art Clay Silver pieces and needed an easy to follow guide, since my one enameling class gave me the basics but not enough to comfortably work on things in my studio without having a good reference book. "The Art of Enameling" has been great. It has sections on working with fine silver, which is a big help. The author writes well and the accompanying photos and tips are great. After reading through it, I feel a lot more comfortable and ready to tackle some projects.

This book is a comprehensive overview of most enameling techniques. It includes several projects with step-by-step instructions. This is a good resource book for beginning and intermediate enamelists.

I purchased this book for my daughter. She is an advanced metals major in college and was absolutely thrilled with this book. She was familiar with the work of the author and was very pleased to have detailed instruction as well as wonderful photographic examples of her work. If you are looking for great gift for an art major, you can't go wrong with this book.

I've owned this book since it was first published and learned much about the art from its pages. Last week I had the good fortune to take a week-long workshop with the author at the Revere Academy in San Francisco. We used the book as text and reference throughout a fantastic week of exploration. In person, Linda is every bit as informative and enthusiastic as her fine book would lead one to expect. For anyone who can't share the luck of those who have studied with her directly, this book is by far the most thorough, clearly written, beautifully illustrated enameling manual currently in print. If you want to learn The Art of Enameling, buy this book before any other!

The Halloween Tarot, 78 card tarot deck by Kipling West

Kipling West describes herself as living in a damp rainy place which may account for the wicked humor found in this Halloween themed Rider-Waite-Smith style deck. For example there is a voodoo doll in the Justice card, and the man attached to the Wheel card is holding a four leaf clover, not to mention the wonderfully ooky spooky oddities in the Temperance card kitchen! Slinking about is a curious black cat that seems to insert himself both conspicuously and inconspicuously in almost every card of the deck. From giving a mouse the stink eye in the Devil card to offering consolation in the Nine of Bats card this cat has character!

Did I say Nine of Bats? Yes I did, the suits are titled: Bats for Swords (air), Pumpkins for Pentacles (earth), Ghosts for Chalices (water), and Imps for Wands (fire). The Court cards consist of Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings and the scenes on the suit cards are RWS based. The Majors are numbered 0-21 with 0 being the Fool, 8 for Strength, and 11 for Justice.

The cards themselves are 4.8 x 2.9 inches and are printed on thin flexible card stock with a matte finish and white borders. The language on the cards is English with Roman Numerals on the Major Arcana and written numbers on the suit cards. When stacked the sides of the cards feel rough to the hand and unpleasant if you are a compulsive overhand shuffler like I am.

The back of the deck is reversible with skulls, spiders, fish bones, and black cats in colors of black and orange which gives you an immediate idea of the delights you will find when you flip the cards over.

It would take a book to describe all the wondrous details in this deck and indeed you may purchase this deck in a set with a 148 page fully illustrated book. If you choose to purchase the deck alone you will not be left in the shadows as the Little White Book included with the deck will remove the cobwebs of uncertainty. This LWB is in English and does a great job in it's explanations of the cards and the card suits but does not offer any information on reversals or contain any new or unique spreads.

The Major Arcana card that has capture my heart the most would have to be the Tower card which shows a haunted house complete with a wrought iron fence, a gargoyle, and ghosts both in the windows and falling from the lightning struck tower.

My favorite Ace would have to be the Ace of Pentacles. This card depicts the usual hand reaching out from a cloud, however this hand holds a plastic jack-o-lantern trick or treat basket filled with goodies...and yes the black cat is oogling it.

The Page cards all sufficiently depict the youthful energy of their suits. The Knights mounts are galloping, prancing, or plodding. You guess who is riding which horse. The Queen of Pumpkins is particularly engaging and indeed the black cat thinks so too because he is nestled right next to her and I trust his judgement. The Queen of Ghosts (Chalices) has a fish tail rather than legs; I don't believe this means that she is a cold fish. Did you know that the Loch Ness Monster has been found!! It is hanging out with the King of Ghosts who is the only King wearing a face mask which seems very appropriate given his suit.

So is this deck a Trick or a Treat? Is there a Trick to reading it? Readers familiar with RWS imagery will be able to read with this deck immediately and novices will enjoy their learning experience with the help of the well written little white book. I have enjoyed reading with this deck, it is a real treat!

These are super easy to read cards, fun to look at and personally one of my very favorite decks that I own!

This is my favorite deck. I have had mine since it first came out and I will use no other (unless I can't find mine). This deck is extremely well designed as it incorporates all of the major symbolism of the [original - for mass public consumption] Waite deck with fun, happy characters that bring the deck to life. The black cat is your guide throughout the deck (so be sure to find him in each picture) and he interacts with each inhabitant of each scene in turn. The suits are faithfully represented, although here they are pumpkins :-) bats :-) imps :-) and ghosts :-D who are arguably the cutest of all. The whole deck is so steeped in fun that it is simply impossible to give a "bad" reading, assuming that you have been practicing.

This deck is one of the few that can be used as a starter deck (due to its ease of accessibility - the images are clear in meaning and easy to assimilate meaning from), a solid journeyman's deck (it is reliable and does not interfere with your formulae, whether you fall on the side of Uncle Al or Frater Waite & Co.) and a good choice for experts and masters as it truly contains the symbolism needed for advanced divination purposes. Rarely do you come across a deck for all occasions. This is certainly one of them.

Unlike other decks that simply toss in animals or their heroes to augment th basic card layouts in a cheap attempt to cash in on the novelty of a tarot deck (please send all hate mail to: Dusty White... :-) this deck really stands on its own. I highly encourage you to take this deck for a test drive. It is very reasonably priced and very durable (it is made by U.S. Games - the premier makers of tarot decks) and will last you for years. As for my favorite card of the deck: I really love the lobster nailed to a tree. Touche Kipling!

(Although this review is about the BOX SET rather than the deck only, the observations about the cards themselves are still relevant).

"Successful Tarot readings are based on insight into what you *do* see, and whatever flashes of insight into your own life the pictures may offer you. In fact, think of yourself as the black cat that appears in every card of the Halloween deck. He is your touchstone, and travels through the deck with you as your companion." - From the companion book

For quite some time, I've had my eye on The Halloween Tarot deck and book set by Kipling West (illustrator) and Karin Lee (companion book and LWB author). Although I assumed I'd be pleased when I eventually bought them, I had no idea just how thrilling it would be to actually SEE the deck!

While the outstanding cartoon-like artwork of The Halloween Tarot is colorful and clever, I wasn't prepared for the intuitive and symbolic richness of the cards. Designing many of the cards based on Rider-Waite iconography--but tweaked and twisted to incorporate themes from Halloween, old monster movies, circus images, and the German-made "Vegetable People" that were popular Halloween toys/decorations in 1920's America--Kipling West has given Tarot an influx of fresh perspective--while still paying homage to ancient esoteric symbolism.

As I went through the deck one card at a time, I noticed how certain phrases popped into my head--a silent commentary to the arresting depictions--and a very good sign that this is a deck that would "speak" to me.

From the terrified man strapped to the ever-turning Wheel (and the target of knife-throwing!), to the experimenting mad scientist in The Hermit--the jolly Pumpkin Man careening through paved cemetery roads in a hearse (The Chariot) to a chained Frankenstein fixed on his cement throne (The Emperor), associations both practical and divine made themselves known.

Reading the delightful illustrated 137-page companion book was more than just a treat: it provided solid, yet innovative, ways to see and interpret the cards (including upright and reversed meanings). While you *can* buy The Halloween Tarot by itself--and it *does* include a LWB by Karin Lee--the companion book found in the box set is a not-to-be-missed traveling companion through this particular deck. The LWB only provides brief meanings, and doesn't elaborate on actual images (which is why I prefer the box set which comes with the companion book.)

The suits of the Minor Arcana are Ghosts (Cups), Imps (Wands), Bats (Swords) and Pumpkins (Coins)--and the Court Cards follow the Page, Knight, Queen, and King rendering. The whimsical orange and black card backings are fully reversible, depicting a black cat, spider, smiling skulls, bats, vines, stars, full moon, and an all-seeing eye in the center.

There is no nudity in The Halloween Tarot, nor are the images gruesome or threatening--making it a *wonderful* for deck for children. (My 8-year-old son is enraptured with both the cards and book!) But make no mistake: the light-hearted appearance of the cards belies the abundant symbolism nestled within the images, as well as the rich repository for intuitive insights.

I was blown away by a three card reading I performed with this deck, mostly because two of the cards contained specific (to me) references about a book I was reading--a direct answer to my unspoken query about my spiritual path. So if you're tempted to think that The Halloween Tarot is only for holiday readings or as a quirky, light-weight addition to a deck collection, think again: this is a great reading deck than can also speak to weightier matters!

If you're a huge fan of Halloween, there's no question you'll love this deck. However, even for those who *aren't* rabid for this particular holiday or its accoutrements, a charming, readable deck awaits you--no matter *what* time of the year!

(To see 10 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

I bought this deck after spotting it in a store 10 years ago, and though I thought it might be another theme deck, it goes above and beyond that!

The colours used in this deck are so vibrant and alive. They are so refreshing. The artwork, superb and evocative. The choices for the majors are truly inspried. I just love the Star, the Tower and the Chariot! A sense of humor also runs through this deck.

It very closely follows Rider-Waite symbolism so it can be read right out of the box by anyone remotely farmiliar with that system. But she has put in some interesting twists though in that framework. The idea of changing the suits too Imps, Bats, Ghosts and Pumpkins is brilliant! And how about those vegetable people? Love it!

The book that comes in the set is a must have if you love this deck. She gives you many tidbits and facts surrounding the history of Halloween. Each card is described and her prose is charming as well. Some of her takes on the cards a different and exciting!

This is a great all around deck, the artist and writer struck just the perfect note for lovers of old time Halloween. From the images,to the colours....even the font. I read this deck all year round, and it is a firm favourite. If you love Halloween, I can assure you you will not be disappointed in this purchase! Now I wish Kipling West would make more decks!!! Please?

Not your typical tarot deck, and not a tarot deck for a beginner. This deck uses darker and more challanging images, and reaches deeper into the psyche than the standard decks. However, it is wonderful for the adventurous reader.

Well, if you're a tarot collector / lover like me, or just a reader with a sense of humor... be ready for a fun ride. This is indeed a unique deck, a piece of art, and a wonderful representation of the darker side f our nature. I just got this deck a few weeks ago and I still can't put it down. It's vibrant and full of character.
I highly recommended it.


Blessings,
www.shakticonjure.com

The Deviant Moon Tarot deck is easy to read, even for beginners. The cards are well-detailed. They seem very dark and urban at first glance, or even at a second, but the lightness and variations in expressions allows fuller meaning to each card. You'll want to try these cards just to see if these slightly insane pictures will add a little depth to your readings, and you'll love them if you are a tarot collector!

Valenza's highly stylized drawings are evocative, provocative, and fabulously unique. Each card is painstakingly illustrated but lacks the glitzy clutter of so many over-fluffed decks out there that lose themselves in dumbed-down beauty. This deck demands that you pay attention to the meaning of the card, not just how lovely the pictures are. As the author mentions in one of his interviews, there are no "filler" cards in this deck... and it shows.

The physical cards themselves are rather slippery, making them a tad difficult to handle without spilling them. But this made me pay attention to how I shuffle them, and I'm sure with further use it will be easier-- but just something to note.

So far, the readings I've done using these cards have been full of wry humour and straightforward truth. This deck has a crystal clear "personality" that refuses to compromise. Absolutely no fluff here, just an unabashed and incisive approach to "traditional" Tarot reading.

To say The Deviant Moon Tarot deck is just another deck in Rider Waite Smith tradition would be an understatement. The deck takes you into another world of ying/yang insectoid creatures populating a bleak industrial landscape. Patrick Valenza subliminally inserted images from cemataries and an abandonded insane asylum into the images. My first impression upon my receipt of the deck that it was too dark for me to do readings with for people I ordinarily would read for; but for those whose tastes lean to the unusual I'm sure it would work fine. The symbolism of the images maintain traditional interpretations in most cases, but give it a new twist. I think this is an excellent deck for collectors as well as those whose tastes and insights gravitate towards dark imaginings. Valenza is a talented surrealist, and more than just in a deck of cards, the images belong in a museum as each are a unique work of art, making the old new again and reinterpreting it for our times.