It’s been a long time since I got my hands on a new tarot deck, and I couldn’t have picked one better than this one. It is a mix of surrealism, classical symbology, and gothic charm. The Incubus Tarot, by Davide Furnò and Charles Harrington, was love at first spread.
The Incubus Tarot by Davide Furnò and Charles Harrington [Llewellyn]
- Imprint: Llewellyn
- Publication Date: December 2024
- Product Type: Boxed Deck
- Page Count: 128 pages
- Card Count: 78 cards
- Size:00 x 5.03 x 1.72 inches
Hiding down in the obscure depths of our consciousness is a world that only reveals itself during sleep, when the mind has fallen into the hands of the subconscious. As your inhibitions fade, the dark lords of Incubus Tarot appear. This nightmare-themed deck by Davide Furnò opens the gate to a dark and barren realm, inhabited by surreal creatures that evoke your innermost fears and challenge you to overcome them. With Charles Harrington’s book to guide you, your journey through danger will lead to remarkable insight and confidence.
Starting with the more technical aspects of the deck, the cards are of a very comfortable size, which makes them easy to shuffle and handle, although they’re not as sturdy as I’d prefer. This makes them ideal for quick readings that don’t require effort, giving the whole process a comfort that is always welcomed.
The guidebook is one of the best I’ve read. Concise and direct, its meanings are captivating, giving you a new understanding of the cards, pointing to the upright and reversed meanings. Yes, it uses reverse meanings, but I have always considered them as part of the card regardless of the position; they are two sides of the same coin for me, so I always keep mine upright.
This makes for a highly intuitive reading. The book is amazing: the meanings make lots of sense, but there is also room for your intuition. Although the symbology is heavily based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, there is also a good dose of originality that allows you to consider different aspects of the cards during the readings.
A lot of people have asked me to “only tell me good things” in a tarot reading. I understand where this fear comes from: the idea that tarot decks are intrinsically evil and can affect your fate. However, I always tell them that this is more of a tool to see how to make things better. This is a deck that embraces this idea and shows it in all its gloomy glory.
Selections from the Incubus Tarot by Davide Furnò and Charles Harrington [Llewellyn]
For example, cards that I saw as mostly positive, hardly negative, or with negative aspects, such as The World or The Sun, turned out to be a warning against impatience and indolence, respectively. Just like with them, new aspects of the cards come to light upon closer examination. It is a deck that invites you to consider new angles, new perspectives, that you might not notice at first sight with a more traditional deck.
Because of this, I added the Incubus Tarot to my list of decks that might not tell you what you asked, but what you need to know. I did several readings throughout several days, and there were times when I felt exposed, called out, but also encouraged. There is a primal, wild energy to these cards, barely tamed, that doesn’t beat around the bush or give you complicated meanings. It wants you to get sh*t done.
Another aspect that I loved was that my two favorite cards are evocative. The Moon is the box illustration, showing the illusions and mystery that permeate the whole deck, while also keeping its own meaning, while Death shows a menacing calm, the silent promise of its visit at any time.
Page of Wands from the Incubus Tarot by Davide Furnò and Charles Harrington [Llewelyn]
All in all, the Incubus Tarot is an evocative, charming deck comprised of darker, as if corrupted versions of the traditional RWS. Soft and comfortable to use, it’s a good option for those who are starting with readings but feel more connected to Gothic decks.It doesn’t compromise quality, either, presenting an insightful interpretation of all cards and a useful three-card reading I am already in love with.
Thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for the deck.
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