Okay. Responses.
First: Magic has actual novels that are independant of the sets (although they do use some of the unique characters from the card sets and the actual environment within the set and incorporate all that into the novel), but as I said, the books of each block (taht's a set of 3 sets) are linked together, sometimes even through different blocks to continue the story. It makes for some interesting points as tho why certain cards in the set are like that and definitely the that form of entertainment that pertains to pokemon or YGO (acts similar to the anime to the TCG).
O Pogi, you might have not read my edits on Blasty's first post, but the basis of magic is Dungeons and Dragons, which is something completely different again (those darn D&Ders...). So it's actually connected to Dungeons and Dragons and its own novel series (although I'd have to say that half the novelists suck. That leaves the other half decent and highly entertaining to read.). I know quite a few people who play D&D and also play Magic. It seems to me that they also like changes to their D&D games every now and then (instead of elves and goblins, they might want a modern version with robots and guns), so the changes within magic sets also pertain to that. I do hope YGO does do some fun changes every now and then. You know, get away from just the anime stuff and explore different possibilities.
And to tell you the truth, my fav. thing to do in magic is to stall and bring up a huge inifnite combo...and laugh at my opponent's face when they don't understand how it actually works. I'd like to see something like that in YGO in the near future.