The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons Deep Dive
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
New collection offers three previously published books covering the ecology and lore of dragons
Wizards of the Coast has recently released a new book entitled The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons. Notably, the book is actually a collection of three previously published works: A Practical Guide to Dragons, A Practical Guide to Dragon Riding, and A Practical Guide to Dragon Magic.
That being said, don’t expect the kind of detailed dragon stat blocks and random magic tables that were in something Like Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. While the original books are set in the Dragonlance universe, they aren’t D&D fifth edition products. Instead the books – while written like guides – are really works of fiction that are meant to be companion pieces to the Dragonlance: The New Adventures young adult novels.
The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons was released on August 15th, 2023 and you can order it now from Amazon. Below, we take a closer look at what’s inside.
What does The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons include?
As mentioned previously, The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons is really a collection of three previously published book written by award-winning children’s author Lisa Trumbauer. The books are set in the world of Krynn and narrated by Sindri Suncatcher, a character who previously appeared in the Dragonlance: The New Adventures novels and aspires to the be the first kender wizard of all time.
In the series, Sindri provides handwritten commentary and illustrations that detail the various habits, strengths and weaknesses of the unique dragons that inhabit Krynn. The three books collected in The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons are as follows:
- A Practical Guide to Dragons: Originally published in 2006, the book highlights a number of different dragons from Kyrnn, covering everything from the life cycle of copper dragons to the best way to counteract a red dragon’s fiery breath.
- A Practical Guide to Dragon Riding: Published in 2008, the book further explores the ecology of numerous dragons, including details on elements such as how to hatch a wyrmling egg, the ins and outs of dragon saddles, and tips on speaking draconic.
- A Practical Guide to Dragon Magic: The final book in the series was published in 2010 and includes a closer at the magic of Krynn’s dragons. It also offers an insider’s look at the Darastrix Academy, a place where young wizards and dragon hatchlings live and study side-by-side.
Notably, the three books are essentially published without any new material, although The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons collected edition does include a new foreword and cover art.
When was The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons released?
The new book was officially released on August 15th, 2023 and is now available online and at major book retailers across North America.
How much is The Practically Complete Guide to Dragons ?
The book currently retails for $39.95 USD, and is likely to be of interest to readers who missed out on the three volumes when they were first published (notably, all three are now out of print).
Final Thoughts
WhileThe Practically Complete Guide to Dragons is geared more towards younger readers, fans of D&D, Dragonlance, and dragons in general will likely enjoy the book. The writing is quirky and fun, the illustrations are amazing, and it offers a genuinely intriguing look into some of Krynn’s most powerful creatures.
You can order the book now from Amazon.
See Our Complete D&D Book Coverage
Visit our D&D Books page for more reviews of the latest novels and game books.
Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
*We are a member of the Amazon Affiliate marketing program, which provides us with a small commission on any sales at no additional cost to you the consumer.
