“There’s no doubt about it: life is tough. But when you’re out of ammo and up against the wall, make the Zombie Tarot your weapon of choice. When used properly, these cards can offer

advice on a host of situations – and a glimpse of the Big Picture to come.”

– The Zombie Tarot by Stacey Graham

I suppose I should’ve seen it coming. Zombie fiction has not only radically influenced every area of genre fiction – horror, fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, etc. – it has spread its necrotic reach into other literary categories as well. There are undead cookbooks (A Zombie Ate My Cupcake!, The Zombie Cookbook, etc.), zombie children’s books (David Lubar’s Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie saga, Ten Little Zombies by Andy Rash, etc.), zombie business and investment guides (Z.E.O. by Scott Kenemore, etc.), and zombie philosophy books (Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy by Richard Greene), so a zombie tarot deck was all but inevitable.

And leave it to Quirk Books to create one in gloriously

gruesome style. The soon-to-be-released The Zombie Tarot – written by Stacey Graham (The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide) and illustrated by Paul Kepple (The Housewives Tarot) – is a “must have” for anyone who claims to be a hardcore zombie aficionado. First and foremost are the stunning 1960s inspired visuals, which pay homage to numerous zombie tropes. The very first card, for example, The Fool, pictures a clueless man walking through a cemetery as the dead begin to rise, very much reminiscent of Johnny, the irritating guy (played by Russell Streiner) in the opening sequence of the Romero classic Night of the Living Dead.The gory, retro visuals are beautifully complemented by Graham’s tongue-in-cheek narrative, which comes in the form of a booklet that explains the significance of every card in the 78-card deck as well as tips on how to conduct a reading. Here are a few examples of what you can expect:

 

Major Arcana

• The Hierophant: “The truth can be hard to swallow, especially if you’re missing part of your esophagus, but pay attention to the messages you’re receiving. Though they may be alarming, you’ll need the information to make wise choices later. And with the city under siege, there’s no telling how long this reporter will stay on the air…”

 

• The Lovers: “Decisions, decisions. Where do we start – the head or the heart? The Lovers are duality in motion, and you must make up your mind before moving on to the next phase. If you decide to overlook that your new lover is one of the undead, don’t be surprised when he or she rips your heart out. Maybe it’s better to leave this relationship behind – it’s starting to stink.”

Minor Arcana

• Six of Cups: “Ahh, the carefree days of childhood! No zombie plagues, no hiding in abandoned houses, and your best friend was always at your side. Well, there’s good news: someone from your past may soon arrive for a visit. Just don’t mistake a friendly kiss on the cheek for a zombie gnawing your face off.”

• Two of Wands: “A decision needs to be made. Do you chase after the bums living down by the waterfront? Or go after small children on the playground? Both seem like easy pickins, and it’s possible that neither choice is wrong. What’s more important is that you make a decision – any decision – soon. You’re starting to mold!”

The bottom line is this: I absolutely love this tarot deck. The Zombie Tarot is a meticulously – dare I say, lovingly – produced creation that is sure to be a cherished possession by the hordes of zombie fanatics out there. Entertaining and more than a little outrageous, if you know someone who is a hardcore zombie enthusiast, this is just a perfect gift – and it also includes oodles of zombie-inspired wisdom as well, like: “Pay attention to your intuition, listen to your instincts, and always, always keep the shotgun loaded.”

Paul Goat Allen has been a full-time book reviewer specializing in genre fiction for the last two decades and has written thousands of reviews for companies like Publishers Weekly, The Chicago Tribune, Kirkus Reviews, and BarnesandNoble.com. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. 

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