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Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful Tarot Deck But Sadly Some Flaws
Review: First the positive: this is one of the most beautiful comercial decks available, created by the late Brian Wiliams for U.S. Games Systems(largest maker of tarot decks). It appeals to those(like myself) with an interest in the Renaissance and medieval periods. The gold highlights on the cards echo the historic ancient Italian decks(Visconti) from the 15th century. The reference to four major Italian renaissance cities(Florence, Milan, Venice, Rome) in the four minor arcana suits is a great highlight to this deck. Unfortuantly there are some flaws I found with this deck that is not in keeping with traditional(and universal) tarot teaching/instruction. The major flaw is the reversal of two of the four elements(air & fire)in the minor arcana swords/staves suit. In traditional tarot teaching, Staves(or Wands) are linked to the element of FIRE, symbolizing action, and Swords are linked to AIR, symbolizing mental thought. The Brian Williams Renaissance deck REVERSES these elements, with the result that, if you are already a reader of tarot it will confuse you- because the elements play just as an important part in Tarot reading as astrological signs & other symbols. An alternative renaissance inspired deck that does feature correct element/symbol corelation is the "Renaissance Tarot" by Jane Lyle, featuring beautiful cast metal images against rich colors & medieval/renaissance imagery. Again, the Williams deck is beautiful, but you may want to take this into consideration if you are seriously planing to study and read the Tarot as I am.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor/confused symbolism makes this a difficult deck to read.
Review: I recently purchased this deck because one of my students was trying to learn Tarot with it. I opened it with great expectations, but found a dud of a deck inside. Some cards bear symbols not associated with their key, and others hold very little symbolism at all. The Emperor has very little to offer, and the High Priestess shows a bundle of WHEAT and flowers that belong on the Empress. This deck gives difficult, confusing readings as a result. I would not recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Poor/confused symbolism makes this a difficult deck to read.
Review: I recently purchased this deck because one of my students was trying to learn Tarot with it. I opened it with great expectations, but found a dud of a deck inside. Some cards bear symbols not associated with their key, and others hold very little symbolism at all. The Emperor has very little to offer, and the High Priestess shows a bundle of WHEAT and flowers that belong on the Empress. This deck gives difficult, confusing readings as a result. I would not recommend it!
Rating: 
Summary: Exceptional scholarship, research, and visual imagery!
Review: Tarot scholar, historian, and researcher Brian Williams has created an exquisite and exceptional tarot deck. Each card is a work of fine art. His concept of mythological narrative to explain the minor arcana is absolutely inspirational. The book that accompanies this deck may be the finest tarot text ever printed in English because it includes so many historial, pagan, gnostic Christian, neo-Platanic, and Humanist sources. Bravo Brian Williams!
Rating:
Summary: The best Tarot Deck out there!
Review: This deck encompasses all the important symbols used in Tarot -- both historically (faithful to the origins of the cards) and in terms of readings. Some of the images may not be "traditional" for those stuck in outdated paradigms, but the Renaissance deck offers a rich resource for anyone using the cards. I've had my deck for over ten years and regularly buy more for gifts.
Rating:
Summary: The best Tarot Deck out there!
Review: This deck encompasses all the important symbols used in Tarot -- both historically (faithful to the origins of the cards) and in terms of readings. Some of the images may not be "traditional" for those stuck in outdated paradigms, but the Renaissance deck offers a rich resource for anyone using the cards. I've had my deck for over ten years and regularly buy more for gifts.
Rating:
Summary: artistically gorgeous deck drawing on ancient tarot roots
Review: This is one of the most beautiful decks you are likely to find. The major arcana are detailed etchings, delicately colored and bordered in gold. A casual look might make one think that this is a "period" deck, differing from other tarots mainly in the lavish Renaissance costumes shown on the cards. However, it is much more. The artist is a student of art history, in particular the Italian Renaissance, in which the very first tarot decks were produced. This deck captures something of the spirit of those original tarots, in which the major arcana were presented as classic, allegorical designs. We've become accustomed to tarot designs laden with 19th-century occult symbolism; this deck offers a refreshing taste of a different kind of tarot, one whose message is open to anyone with imagination and an appreciation of the language of art. There are many references to Greek and Roman mythology in these cards, as well as medieval folklore and philosophy. So there is a lot of symbolic richness here, although it draws from somewhat different sources than many other decks. For this reason, it is a good idea to buy this deck along with the book, which explains the cultural context of the imagery in great detail, with lots of illustrations from art history. I have found this to be a reliable and often stunningly powerful reading deck. Perhaps because the artist has studied so many centuries of western art with an eye for recognizing the tarot archetypes wherever they appear, these cards seem to capture the essential ingredients of the human condition with force and clarity. The suit cards in this deck require a little extra effort, however, being more reserved in dramatic content than those in many other decks. This is a beautiful, powerful deck. Because its inspiration comes from the early Italian tarot tradition, rather than the occult systems of more recent times, I strongly recommend it be purchased along with the companion book, rather than trying to use it with concepts meant for a different sort of deck.
Rating:
Summary: artistically gorgeous deck drawing on ancient tarot roots
Review: This is one of the most beautiful decks you are likely to find. The major arcana are detailed etchings, delicately colored and bordered in gold. A casual look might make one think that this is a "period" deck, differing from other tarots mainly in the lavish Renaissance costumes shown on the cards. However, it is much more. The artist is a student of art history, in particular the Italian Renaissance, in which the very first tarot decks were produced. This deck captures something of the spirit of those original tarots, in which the major arcana were presented as classic, allegorical designs. We've become accustomed to tarot designs laden with 19th-century occult symbolism; this deck offers a refreshing taste of a different kind of tarot, one whose message is open to anyone with imagination and an appreciation of the language of art. There are many references to Greek and Roman mythology in these cards, as well as medieval folklore and philosophy. So there is a lot of symbolic richness here, although it draws from somewhat different sources than many other decks. For this reason, it is a good idea to buy this deck along with the book, which explains the cultural context of the imagery in great detail, with lots of illustrations from art history. I have found this to be a reliable and often stunningly powerful reading deck. Perhaps because the artist has studied so many centuries of western art with an eye for recognizing the tarot archetypes wherever they appear, these cards seem to capture the essential ingredients of the human condition with force and clarity. The suit cards in this deck require a little extra effort, however, being more reserved in dramatic content than those in many other decks. This is a beautiful, powerful deck. Because its inspiration comes from the early Italian tarot tradition, rather than the occult systems of more recent times, I strongly recommend it be purchased along with the companion book, rather than trying to use it with concepts meant for a different sort of deck.
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