Deck Review: Magicians, Martyrs, and Madmen Tarot

Travis McHenry, Magicians, Martyrs, and Madmen Tarot. NSW, Australia: 2023. ISBN: 9781922785848. (Link to publisher.) 

Genre: Tarot deck

Subgenre: historical figures

Format: 80-card deck with small companion book

Source: I own this one. Found it for a good at Half Price Books.  

 

Death-XIII, featuring Jack the Ripper 

I first used this deck in September 2025. This is one of the most unique and interesting decks I have used so far. This deck features witches, magicians, martyrs, saints, prophets, and other mad and even evil individuals. These figures allow us to see Tarot in new and intriguing ways. 

The kit includes a small companion book and an 80-card deck. The deck features three Lovers-VI cards: M+F, F+F, and M+M. You could choose which one to use based on preference, or like me just leave all three cards in the deck when you use the deck. The companion book is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction. The author describes the deck's concept. He describes some of the research he did on the persons featured in the deck.
• How to use the cards. This includes two card spreads you can try out. 
• Major Arcana. The entries include a small color image of the card, a biography paragraph, and another paragraph of card interpretation. Both paragraphs then give you an overall picture of the person and how they exemplify their Tarot card. 
• Minor Arcana. The entries are pretty much the same as the Major Arcana. The entries here are organized by suits: cups, pentacles, swords, and wands. 
• Short notes about the author and illustrator. 
• The book also includes a few lined pages in the back for writing notes. 

This is a companion book that is interesting to read. I usually try starting to read companion books prior to using a deck. I was drawn in to learning about the various persons. Some I knew about. Many others were new to me. I enjoyed reading their stories and how they connect to Tarot. The entries are well written and easy to read. 

Do you need to read the book to use the deck? I would say yes. While some intuitives could pick up and read the cards, knowing the persons is part of the card reading process. The cards will make more sense if you know who the persons are. I read it, and it was helpful. 

Hierophant-V featuring Tomas de Torquemada  

The cards feature art in classical painting style, mostly realistic. Some of these images could be hanging in a museum. The cards are colorful and very expressive. Do not some of the images can be very intense and violent. If violence and some graphic actions are an issue for you, then skip this deck. Otherwise, I found this to be a good, expressive, and reliable reader. I found the cards easy to read, and the information about the persons enhanced the readings. 

This is a deck I could have included in my list of Tarot decks for the Hard Times. This is not a light and happy deck. While it can deliver positive messages, this deck does not hold back. It is a hard hitting deck. 

For some, this may be a good deck for shadow work and other dark magic. I can see some folks, me included, using this deck for spell work. This is not a deck to use in public readings unless you know the client well enough or maybe during Halloween season. It may be a better deck for individual work. If you feature its cards on social media,  you may need to use a content warning (CW) label for some cards to appease the prudes that run social media or to just warn some viewers. Some of the art may recall Rider Waite Smith (RWS) system, but overall this deck is not within RWS. 

The cards measure 4 3/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. Card stock is a bit thick, which adds a bit of weight to the deck. The deck has a very soft gloss, and it shuffles with ease. The cards have a light golden gilded edge, a nice detail. Card back art is reversible; the sigil on the back is briefly explained in the book.  

Overall, I love this deck, and I am glad to have it on my collection. I find it to be unique and interesting, and it is one I would buy a backup copy. It is one I recommend, especially if you want something different than the usual. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

 

This deck kit qualifies for the following 2025 reading challenge: