Artwork: 10 Research: 9 LWB: ?? Ease of shuffling: 2
Use in face-to-face: 7 Use for self: 9 Meditation potential: 10 Background: 8
Overall: 8

This deck comes in the coolest packaging ever. A black slip-case contains the deck and accompanying book and it is very compact. My only gripe with boxed sets is that they are impractical for those who like to transfer the cards to a separate bag or box, but with this particular set it is not really necessary.

The cards are very, very big, and so extremely hard to shuffle for those (like me) with relatively small hands. I personally have short fingers but a very large hand span, and I still found them hard to handle. The backing is very nice to look at - a deep blue background with a pattern that looks like it has escaped from a Biology textbook (it is actually DNA).

However, it is difficult to complain about the cards or the packaging when you see the artwork. This is purely and simply a collage deck, no other term for it. It really is stunning. From the cool, silent Two of Worlds to the bright explosion of the Ace of Wands to the surreal Kandinsky-esque trappings of the Two of Wands, every image is amazing. Every card has a light beige border, which might sound foul but actually works quite well.

The Minor Arcana is split into Wands, Worlds, Crystals and Cups. It seems rather odd to me, but then I do like my rather more normal Pentacles. The Majors have a couple of significant changes - Temperance is 'Art', Judgement is 'Time Space' and Justice is 'Balance'. Each card has a keyword on it, and that is probably just as well as the cards have rather different meanings to your common Rider-Waite.

Does the book explain all sufficiently? The book. It's...interesting. I think maybe I should put a little warning in here - if you want to use the Voyager seriously then you're going to have to learn a whole new language. I have quite honestly never come across a deck which goes into the concept quite so deep as this. We have Architypes and Attributes, the Universal Self, Self-Transformation, DNA: Symbol of Human Universality...I think you get the picture. The book is very well written and certainly provides some good alternatives to your normal Celtic Cross or Romany idea, but did go somewhat over my head. The best way of describing it would possibly be like practising a new religion.

The cards cry out to be used in meditation - this feels like a box of 78 Art prints rather than a Tarot deck. Unfortunately this detracts from their general usefulness, but if you like to study each card in a deck individually (through Card A Day, for example) then this is the one for you.

A word of warning on the pricing of this deck: I purchased mine over eBay for about £25 ($40), and this is about right. I have seen a shop in the city I live in selling this set for a whopping £69.99 ($112), which is absolutely ridiculous - you could get a Vertigo Deck instead. Any more than £30 ($48) and you are being taken for a ride.

Good Points: You will be hard-pressed to find better collage work anywhere, let alone just on Tarot decks! The Two of Worlds and Death stand out.

Bad Points: Having to learn new meanings is never welcome for me - and the book really does go a bit overboard in places. The Queen of Worlds (Pentacles) was wrecked for me with the presence of the pregnant woman.