Are you searching for some clue to your own fate, or maybe just need to know when the Dune: Part Three trailer will come out? With this new Dune Tarot deck maybe you could be prescient … maybe it’ll show you the way.
A Brief History of the Dune Tarot
Before we review the new deck, let us take a quick look at how the tarot has been used within the Dune universe. It first appears in Dune Messiah, where pilgrims to Arrakis buy it from vendors’ stalls. The cards are also used by Alia and Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam in an attempt to divine the future, but the little prescience provided to their users also acts to cloud Muad’Dib’s own powers of prophecy. This is also mentioned once in passing in Children of Dune.
… it contained one flimsy basket chair occupied now by the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, a pallet with a brown cover upon which had been spread a deck of the new Dune Tarot cards…
Dune Messiah
The tarot forms an important part of the story for Dune Messiah, and even appears in the 2003 Children of Dune miniseries, although we’ll need to wait to see if it makes an onscreen appearance in Dune: Part Three.
The Dune Encyclopedia also includes a lengthy article on the tarot, detailing all the Major Arcana and has drawings of several cards.
XVIII. Al-Lat, The heat of the desert sun encourages the growth of Shai-Hulud, but this is the devouring sun, a deadly power. It glowers over the Desolate Sand and a Sandworm. It signifies an approaching trial, or growth of the spirit.
The Dune Encyclopedia
Tarot Deck and Guide
Insight Editions produce many tarot decks, some for movies such as Beetlejuice or Hocus Pocus that tie into those films nicely. Other releases, such as the Back to the Future deck, seem an odd connection, but as we’ve seen, the tarot fits perfectly into the lore of Dune.
This tarot deck from Insight Editions is completely new, it doesn’t draw on any previous representation of the Dune Tarot on page or screen, and is solely based on the Dune films by Legendary Pictures. The deck features 78 cards in a tradition tarot setup – 22 Major Arcana cards, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor cards are split into 4 suits, which in this Dune-themed set are named Spice, Water, Planets, and Crysknives. All of the cards feature new artwork by illustrator Sarah Rain Hammond and depict characters or scenes from both Dune: Part One and Part Two. For some cards the choice of artwork is obvious – Shaddam IV for The Emperor for example, whereas others are clever adaptations – Paul dangling from the ‘thopter during the Spice Harvesting scene to represent The Hanged Man is my favorite.
The deck is accompanied by a 128-page guide written by Minerva Siegel – penned as if by an in-universe Bene Gesserit. It details all 78 cards, providing guidance on how to interpret the card if it is drawn in its upright or reversed (upside-down) orientation. Each card’s description relates to the aspect of the Dune universe depicted, for example the King of Spice features Duke Leto and relates to loyalty and admiration, while the IV of Crysknives is about celebrating a victory and is illustrated with Feyd and Lady Fenring. The card’s illustration is next to the description, allowing for a quick visual reference when looking up a particular card’s meaning.
The guide concludes with instructions on how to perform tarot readings and provides some example spreads, such as Decisions of the Kwisatz Haderach.
Interview with Author Minerva Siegel
Minerva Siegel was kind enough to talk to us about her experience creating the Dune: Bene Gesserit Tarot Deck and Guide.
What was your introduction to Dune?
“I began exploring science fiction as a literary and television genre when I was about nine years old. I’d read everything by Jules Verne I could get my hands on, and a teacher recommended I read the Dune saga next. It went a bit over my head at the time, but I revisited it in my teenage years, and fell in love with the complex, rich world Frank Herbert created. Seeing it adapted into film so beautifully by Legendary Pictures has been such a treat! Their films have deepened my appreciation and understanding of Dune’s characters and themes.”
Was this a daunting opportunity tackling such a beloved science fiction property?
“Authoring the Dune: Bene Gesserit Tarot Deck and Guide has been very exciting for me! I’d already authored over a dozen decks by the time I was offered this opportunity, so I felt confident that I could do my job well going into this. But the Dune world is complex and unique, and intricacies matter. It has a very loyal fan base that would surely notice any inconsistencies, even in the minutia, so I took extra care to stay detail-oriented throughout the creation process.”
What was the process of working with the illustrator Sarah Rain Hammond on the tarot deck?
“I created the character assignments and an art log for the illustrator. The art log includes a brief description of each card, and any elements that are crucial to include. It’s important that the artists are allowed to bring their own vision and magic to each deck, but care is always taken to make sure the illustrations and manuscripts are cohesive and authentically, firmly grounded in the traditions of tarot.”
How easy was it to fit the tarot into the lore of the Bene Gesserit and the movies?
“I love projects that allow me to write creatively. Writing from the perspective of a member of the Bene Gesserit Order was such a fun, immersive challenge. As I wrote and reviewed, I mentally read the work in the voice of the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam to maintain consistency. If I started writing something I couldn’t imagine her saying, it was axed from my manuscript.”
Summary
The Dune Tarot is presented in a lovely box which opens easily with a magnetic flap, and is sturdy enough to protect the cards while not in use. At under $30 it is also reasonably priced, and a welcome break from many of the other expensive Dune products such as the recent Topps cards! It would make an excellent gift for any Dune fan, provided they don’t have any religious objections to the tarot.
About the Author
Minerva Siegel is the author of Tarot for Self-Care: How to Use Tarot to Manifest Your Best Self as well as over a dozen popular tarot decks. She’s a ghostwriter, sensitivity reader, and consultant on witchy themes for film studios, publishers, and television. An eternal student of witchcraft and practitioner with over two decades of experience, she haunts an Edwardian home near Milwaukee with her triple-Virgo husband and the hospice/medically-complex dogs they rescue. You can find her on Instagram under the handle @Author.Minerva.Siegel
About the Illustrator
Sarah Rain Hammond is an American illustrator and graphic designer based in North Carolina. She’s passionate about symbolism and storytelling, using her art to highlight human experiences and emotions. Inspired by her Southern roots, her illustrations reflect a mix of histories and perspectives, creating meaningful, visually rich narratives.
About Titan Books
Titan Books is a division of Titan Publishing Group and a leading world publisher of media entertainment fiction, non-fiction, and lifestyle publishing, as well as a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling publisher of original genre fiction. Titan Books’ acclaimed entertainment and culture non-fiction publishing includes a wide range of some of today’s most exciting franchises and studios, including Netflix, Alcon Entertainment, Marvel, Star Trek, Alien, and many more. The diverse publishing program includes critically acclaimed retrospectives of beloved film and television classics, exciting Making of companions to blockbuster media and gaming properties, and a wide range of in-universe guides and cookbooks to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in their favorite worlds. The division’s original and licensed fiction includes some of today’s biggest names in genre and includes numerous bestsellers and award-winning titles. Learn more at titanbooks.com.
Note: Many thanks to Titan Books for providing the Dune News Net team with a review copy.
About Insight Editions
Insight Editions pushes the boundaries of creativity, design, and production with award-winning books and collectibles. From collaborations with innovators like James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro to partnerships with global brands including Warner Bros. and Disney, Insight Editions creates stories and experiences for fans, readers, and seekers of all ages that transcend the page. The dynamic catalog ranges from pop culture to photography to cooking to nature conservation. Learn more at insighteditions.com.
About Legendary Entertainment
Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world’s most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $20 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com