Tarot and Taromancers in Fantasy Fiction

By Emily E. Auger

Since the invention of Tarot as a card game in 15th century Italy, Tarot decks have been used for many purposes from counseling to creativity exercises, divination and magic. In the 1970s, Tarot took on yet another life as it began making more regular appearances in popular genre fiction and fantasy novels. As representations of Tarot in literature have only increased, Tarot has become a literary and symbolic device for better understanding one's past and potential and for recognizing the deep relationship between the mundane and spiritual realms.

This ground-breaking study brings new perspectives to the histories of Tarot and fantasy by analyzing the representation of Tarot and taromancers in English-language fantasy novels published between 1970 and 2025. The ever-changing representations and demographics of Tarot and taromancers in fantasy fiction are identified and analyzed by period (1970-2009 and 2010-2025) and subgenre (Fantasy I, II, and III). These contexts highlight evolving perceptions of the Romani cartomancer, taromancy as a predominantly female practice, and Tarot use as a form of witchcraft or magic. They also reveal the unique inflections that familiar issues, such as character roles, relationships and 2SLGBTQ+ characterizations, take on when Tarot is an important prop, character-defining feature, or literary device. Comparisons with 20 pre-1970 Tarot-inclusive literary works provide important context.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1476697647
• ISBN13: 9781476697642
• Release Date: June 2027
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 191 Pages
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.0" x 10.0"