Deck Review: Dark Magick Oracle

Fiona Horne and Jes Abella, Dark Magick Oracle: Reveal the light within. Summer Hill, NSW Australia: Rockpool Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922579386.

Genre: oracle decks

Subgenre: shadow work, dark

Format: Hard box with guidebook and card deck

Source: I own this one.

I first used this deck in March 2025. The deck kit includes a guidebook and the 36-card deck. This is a deck that "addresses the darker aspects of our lives: the difficult emotions, the less-popular choices" (from the back cover description). 

I picked this one up at Half Price Books; they've been stocking Rockpool Publishing decks recently, often at very affordable prices. 

The small softcover companion book is 156 pages. It is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction. The author introduces the deck's concept. The author states this is a shadow deck and a deck for inner child work. (Naturally, you can use it however you wish.)
• How to use this deck. Here we find advice on using the deck and suggested spreads. 
• The Cards. These are the card entries. Each entry includes card name, number, keyword, message. You get interpretation (a short essay), shadow work (instructions to do the shadow work with the card), and some suggestions for daily practice. Each entry is about 4 pages in length, and it also includes a small color image of the card. 

The book is relatively easy to read. Some of the ideas and activities suggested for shadow work and daily practices can be a bit complex; they may require materials for spell work, so on. Depending on what items you may already have or not, there may be additional costs involved. For me, the card messages and interpretations were the most useful part of the book. 

The art for me is great with some surrealist elements. The art is colorful, and it does lean strongly into darkness. Each card is a work of art that works well for daily draws and meditation. These are cards you can spend time just looking at them. I feel they can work well for intuitive readers. Can you read and use the cards without the book? I usually suggest reading the book, but intuitive readers can possibly skip the book if they so desire. Overall, I find the art beautiful, dark, and interesting. 

The cards measure about 5 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The card edges are gilded, which is a nice touch. The card art is borderless. The cards have a soft gloss finish; they shuffle with ease. The card back art features a pentacle. It is not reversible. 

Overall, I really like the deck. For me, so far works best for single draws, meditation, and small spreads. If you want a dark oracle deck, this may work for you. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

This kit qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: