Is magic fantasy, theory, science or lunacy? SUSAN WANDS' Arcana Oracle Series. MAGICIAN and FOOL, HIGH PRIESTESS and EMPRESS (April)
Is magic fantasy, theory, science or lunacy? I was entranced by M agician and Fool, the first fantasy novel in Susan Wands' Arcana Oracle Series (Spark Press.) I recently finished High Priestess and Empress (April, 2024), the second novel and look forward to the third. Though not a regular reader of fantasy novels nor ones about magic, it's the history, characters and sheer imaginative leaps that I enjoy in this work. The series, projected to cover the creation of the entire tarot deck, is a challenge. History is the bedrock for this series, enriching the fantasy with depth and plausibility. Then there's the characters, who would be fascinating in any time. Pamela Coleman Smith (1878-1951) is the artist who created the famous Rider-Waite tarot deck, perhps the most used in the world. Her inspired designs are on display in the collection at NYC's Whitney Museum of Art, as are her colored prints of ocean waves with female spirits. Th...