While Lo Scarabeo expresses exclusiveness in their gold stamped images, it seems to be a new trend for US Games to express the same through high quality boxes. Recently we saw their "Golden Tarot", a Waite-Smith remake, and so far, the best box from this manufacturer.

With this new set, US Games have surpassed themselves. "The Lover's Path Tarot Set", consisting of a 78 card tarot deck, an elaborate book and a "scroll", is contained in a beautiful, heavy cardboard case; the card deck itself has its own box, well secured within the outer box, a detail which so often is neglected.

The entire set is the work of the artist Kris Waldherr, well-known from her Goddess Tarot (1998). She conceived and illustrated the deck, she wrote the text and designed the layout of the box and book and she retained the copyright, which I believe is the very first time that has happened with a tarot deck published by US Games. This indicates to me, that Stuart R. Kaplan considers this deck such a source of income that he has agreed to deviate from the usual practice of having the copyright transferred to US Games. Thanks to Ms. Waldherr for having broken that practice! Also on another note, it deviates from Kaplan's 2002 statement, that for US Games Systems Inc, the deck itself is the important thing. "If the creator of a deck can not write a book him-/herself, we publish the deck and eventually, maybe, we find someone to write the book" (quoted as remembered). In this case we have an integrated product. The deck couldn't be without the book, the book not without the deck. If this deck is sold separately (a separate ISBN number and a booklet indicates, that it will be) the buyer certainly cheats her-/himself.

So, what is it all about? It is all about love. An eternal and universal theme, that appeals to everyone and is an obvious theme for a tarot deck. It is not about a limited sphere of interest like Norse Mythology, Thai folklore, American Indians or whatever. It is about love. Romantic love, tragical love, unhappy love, fulfilled and unfulfilled love, as it is described in history and in literature. We meet them all, the famous lovers: Tristan and Isolde, Cleopatra and Ceasar, Orpheus and Eurydike, Arthur and Guinevere, Romeo and Juliet of course, and many more.

The major arcana tells 22 such love stories and the minor suits use four of them to apply the stories to everyday life (leaving 18 to be treated at a later time perhaps?) Cups refer to Tristian and Isolde, staves to Siegfried and Brunhilde, coins to Danae and Zeus and arrows to Cupid and Psyche.

Love-related card spreads, keywords etc. are, of course, a part of this set. The enclosed scroll reveals, when opened, seven card spreads; one is called "The Burning Question".

Italian Renaissance images seem to be en vogue right now and in this case they are relevant; not only tarot that originated in this period but many of the love stories told that were likewise used in the art of that time. The 78 cards are of large size and the space is well used. The decorated borders give an impression of looking in through a window, following the scenery that takes place inside.

Seen from a design point of view, this pack is very well considered. The square book format is agreeable (why are not more books made in that format, which allows for better placement of illustrations following the text?) The whole set is consistently an aesthetic design, which we rarely see in the realm of tarot. That I am not a 100% fan of Kris Waldherr's art style and that I feel the obvious Waite-Smith influence in the minors should have been evaded, is of less importance in this instance.

One minor question: why are there not publication dates in the books and decks reference list? As readers of my reviews will know, it is not often that I am unconditionally positive towards a deck from US Games. But in this case I am, due to the coherence between concept and design.