Over its history, the card game Magic: the Gathering has featured over 1,000 unique creatures (called 'legends'). In Legends: A Visual History, Jay Annelli covers a portion of them across many of the planes in Magic's history and explains their backstory, showcasing wonderful art along the way.
I liked the concept; the execution could have been better. As art features so heavily in Magic, a visual history is the right approach. The writing wasn't great but informative enough, and interesting for those who have played the game, giving us backstory to the cards (there is an impressive story, planned in advance, both for individual sets and across them- knowing it's not necessary to enjoy the game, but it does enhance the experience). My problem was the uneven coverage of different worlds- some planes received dozens of pages, while others had just a few. I get that it can't be a 1,000-page book and cover everyone, but I wish it were a little longer (perhaps 350 pages instead of 255) and more evenly sampled. Ultimately, I think I'm looking for a coffee-table art book that covers all of Magic's history.
Rating: B
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