The Complete Encyclopedia of Magic: The Gathering

They didn't bother to update the earlier parts, for starters. Thus, many of the erratas are out-of-date. Also, many times it'll make references to page numbers--but the things are no longer there. To top it all off, it says that 4th Edition is the newest set...then it says that 5th Edition is the newest set...then it says that 6th Edition is the newest set...then that 7th Edition is the newest set. Also, I would have liked to see Odyssey, Torment, and Judgment in here.

Still, despite all these problems, as I said, this IS a good book. But don't bother buying it if you have all the other volumes.


Buggy omnibus edition of volumes 1 - 6   April 28, 2003
Michele L. Worley (Kingdom of the Mouse, United States)
62 out of 62 found this review helpful

I have in the past complained about the need for an omnibus release of the Encyclopedia's volumes to date, like that before you. I would have expected to recommend this over the individual volumes, but the main incentive there is that this is cheaper; there's no added value apart from consolidating most of the earlier volumes' material between one set of covers.

The editing team didn't review the old individual card sets' text, and it shows. The text covering the card sets has been lifted straight from the corresponding separate volumes. For example, the new and useful layout used for volumes 5 and 6 appears *only* for card sets first documented therein; the older sets' text haven't been revised even to fix page number references and "latest version of the basic set" material, let alone to utilize the cleaner layout.

An ordinary index is included, but *no* deckbuilder's index as such, and the related boilerplate at the beginning of the volume has been simplified accordingly - not such a bad thing, since that material dates very badly. (All 6 volumes' standard boilerplate has been combined, as far as how-to-use-this-guide and Collector's History material goes. As for the frills added for volume 5, see below.)

The "Misprints and Oddities" section from volume 1, ironically enough, has had errors inserted: of the 10 cards shown, only *one* has the correct card image matched with the accompanying text. The text itself remains identical - and in the same order - as in volume 1. (I didn't notice cards being transposed or messed up elsewhere.) Volume 1's "Overlong errata" was dropped. Apart from those appearing in volume 1, most of the separate sections on promotional cards and playtest cards have been dropped; all the World Championship Decks material has been dropped.

From volume 1: 4th Edition, Discontinued, Chronicles, Ice Age, Alliances, Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends, The Dark, Fallen Empires, Homelands. Fourth Edition's header text still proclaims that it's "the latest version" of the basic set. "Discontinued" is still an exact match for the section in volume 1. Chronicles' header text still uses volume 1's page numbers to refer to the Collector's History, and since the omnibus' boilerplate *has* been updated since volume 1, the numbers don't match. This holds for page number references throughout; Legends' page number for the errata for Mirror Universe hasn't been updated in the card list.

From volume 2. Mirage omits the Famous Cards section, although the playtest cards at the end of the card list were retained. Visions, 5th Edition, Weatherlight, and Portal haven't been modified (including "Portal is different from all the other sets in this book"). Volume 2's "Arena League, DCI" page was dropped.

From Volume 3: Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus, Vanguard, Portal: Second Age.

From Volume 4: Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy, Classic (6th Edition), Urza's Destiny, Portal: Three Kingdoms, Unglued (my favourite), Starter. The 1998 World Championship Decks section and the playtest section were dropped.

From Volume 5: Starter-Level Set for 2000, Mercadian Masques, Nemesis, Prophecy. The preliminary essays on "Wizards of the Coast: From Basement to Belgium and Beyond" and "Artists Speak!" were dropped, as were the sections on 1999 World Championship Decks, Promotional Cards, and Playtest Cards. (The Misprints and Oddities section in volume 5 matched that in volume 1, see above.)

From Volume 6: Invasion, Planeshift, 7th Edition, Apocalypse.

That's everything.


Great book -- why the bad reviews?   March 30, 2003
Rhian G. Hunt (Port Wing, WI United States)
7 out of 14 found this review helpful

This is an excellent book on the Magic: the Gathering game. It has a full-color picture of every card from the first sets to Invasion and 7th Edition. It is an invaluable resource for building decks, particularly for casual play but also for tournament purposes. It doesn't have the most recent sets, it is true, but such a massive project requires months of preparation and it would be impossible to add a set issued within a week or two of its publication, unless the book producers can see -- and get pictures from -- the future. The only quibble that I have with this book is that it does not have an index which classifies cards by color and type -- that is, you can't look up to see a list of blue enchantments or white creatures. Other than that minor point, this book is a great resource and also fun to look through! :) If you like Magic, buy this book.