Svelte

Yes, and that someone was me! I'll post a proper topic in EB soon.

Congrats pedro! Exciting times for you and mrs pedro! I've seen a few AFOLs go through the baby-makin' shakes in the last few years but they always come back in the end

(From left to right, Back Row: Clone O'Patra, Svelte, WhiteFang, Erdbeereis; Middle Row: JimButcher, Walter Kovacs, Rufus, The Cobra, Big Cam; Front Row: Rapseflaps, VBBN, Inconspicuous, ZO6; Not Pictured: def) Reviewers Academy 2nd Anniversary Special 3431 Streetball 2 vs 2 written by Inconspicuous 6595 Surf Shack written by The Cobra 7570 Ostrich Race written by WhiteFang 7952 Kingdoms Advent Calendar written by The Cobra 7953 Court Jester written by JimButcher 8089 Wampa Cave & Snowspeeder written by Rufus 8096 Emperor Palpatine's Shuttle written by Rufus 21005 Fallingwater written by Svelte Dear Eurobricks Community, We at the Reviewers Academy are proud to be celebrating our second anniversary! The Reviewers Academy started out two years ago with a handful of awesome reviewers dedicated to teaching anyone interested in the community how to produce those in-depth, clean reviews that we all enjoy. Like any school, the faculty has changed a bit since then, with plenty of new students reaching the teacher level by completing nine stellar reviews, and some of the original teachers becoming less active. In any case, our teachers are continually guiding students to make their reviews excel, which in turn benefits the LEGO community as a whole by providing detailed insight into hundreds of sets, new and old alike. With the help of the Reviewers Academy, Eurobricks has truly become the number one spot for detailed set reviews on the internet. Some of our reviews of new sets like Battle of Alamut have even caught the eye of TLG itself! None of this could be possible without the dedication of our teachers, most of whom today were students themselves. But this group didn't stop reviewing when they received their gold badges; no, our teachers continue to churn out many reviews of the very finest quality. Below you will find links to new reviews by our teachers, most of them just posted today. So, on behalf of the Reviewers Academy, we would like to show appreciation to Eurobricks and the entire LEGO community, and encourage everyone to keep on reviewing and look into the Academy. Click here to join and share your thoughts here. Thanks for a second great year! Sincerely, The Reviewers Academy Teachers.

If you're in the UK I hear Customs is fearsome. I think the limit is 18 pounds before they stick on tax but in Australia we can receive shipments worth up to $AUD1,000 without attracting duty. Crazy!

Online seems the way of the future even for the big retailers I'm all for it, it takes a train and a bus and an hour long journey to get to the nearest Big W from me.

You can order this from BN.com for list price ($US90) plus shipping (very cheap at $US13 to Australia flat rate, not sure about Sweden!) With the exchange rate it's better than picking it up anywhere else.

Thanks for the awesome review! The 2008 Castle Advent calendar was a must-have for the Fantasy line, since it contained practically every small useful build lacking from the main sets, and the 2010 looks just as handy! I do find it incredible they can stuff these Advent calendars with figs and small mini-builds and yet still not find any budget in the main sets for the little extras that make an enormous difference in bringing life and joy to an otherwise empty bley wall style Castle. They really strike me as old skool Ideas books brought to life and updated for C21. There are so many great things about this set - Queen, Knight, pig, sword in the stone, greenery, owl... - I could go on and on! Alas, now I must go knock my head against a brick wall to try and forget these pics so by the time December rolls around I'm pleasantly surprised again!

I concur with my clone colleague on this one. In fact the only PoP set I kept assembled for more than 5 minutes was the awesome Alamut battle - but what parts there are here are pretty great - lots of useful bits and bobs in brown and dark tan are fab for MOCing. Little noticed fact: the fleshy muscle print here is a different shade to that found in the German mechanic torso from the Indy Flying Wing set. Yes, my level of reviewing skill requires these close examinations be made I noticed a few unscrupulous Bricklink sellers combining the torso from this set with the brown mustache head from the Rebel Trooper battlepack to make German mechanic sets and then flogging them for over $US10 a pop Tssssk! Technically you could complain you got the wrong torso and ask for a refund

Thanks for this lovely review, Rufus. Try as I might, it's hard to get excited about this set - and I generally love landscaping type sets, minimal as the caves are here. What I don't like about the Wampa is how dull the white plastic looks, and how if you hold an arm up to the light, you can see right throught it I understand the cost issue, but the white plastic they have used feels very poor and it lets down the set overall. I have to say, I didn't have any problems with the lightsaber flicky thing. Maybe you're thinking about it too hard! A quick flick and off it flies!

City Transport is an ordinary release, not a S@H Exclusive TRU Exclusives always arrive at slightly funny times - and I rarely see them anyway since they always seem to sell out by the time I get to a Toys R Us - but even the latest LEGO Club insert said it would be a TRU Exclusive for September.

Name: Fallingwater Number: 21005 Theme: Architecture Year: 2009 Pieces: 811 Price: $US99.99, UK GBP74.99 Resources: brickstructures, brickset, bricklink, Shop @ Home Introduction: Based on Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Pennsylvanian house designed and built in the 1930s, 21005 Fallingwater was the first Architecture release to break out of the small-scale and monumental sets produced earlier by brickstructures architectural artist Adam Reed Tucker. I was never particularly interested in the earlier sets, although I liked the concept, but Fallingwater seemed to be a more interesting and detailed design than the silhouette approach of smaller models like the Empire State Building or Space Needle. Since these sets are not available in Australia, even via S@H, this was a special purchase directly from Adam's own website. It was certainly one of the most striking and original sets released in 2009, even nominated by designer Jamie Berard as one of the must-have sets of 2009 in an interview here on Eurobricks. Read on and see if it lives up to its reputation in this Reviewer's Academy 2nd anniversary special! The box front: A box signed in silver Sharpie by designer Adam Reed Tucker himself! US citizens complain about the high price on these sets generally ($US99.99 for this one) but what many people don't mention is the extremely high quality and luxe packaging which make the opening and building of these sets such a tactile and gratifying experience. The Fallingwater box isn't some cheap collapsible cardboard - it's reinforced with an opening flap and the inside is a matt black to match the outside. It really takes you back to the days when opening a new set was like being an archeologist gently prying open a tomb of mystical delights! Box rear: The rear of the box has lots of information, a line drawing plan from Frank Lloyd Wright, and a diagram of how the puzzle box model splits apart. The inclusion of Frank Lloyd Wright's signature suggests that part of the cost of the set is also due to licensing arrangements between LEGO and his estate - licensing isn't just for Disney and Star Wars, kids! Box opened: You lift the front flaps and open the lid to reveal a matt black inside finish on the cardboard and a secret message on the outer rim when you open the box Stylish! Instruction manual: This isn't a booklet - it's a spiral-bound tome! Again, the quality production values add to the high-end feel of the total package for the Architecture line. Inside the manual: Instead of warnings not to shoot yourself in the eye, or mix bricks on grass, the instructions contain a very detailed precis of the original building, including photos and design notes from the original architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. It's like Wikipedia in paper form! (Yes, that was a joke.) Message from the artist: Adam Reed Tucker provides his own message explaining the inspiration and challenges behind the decision to add this set to the Architecture line. Like a bley ninja, Adam's sweatshirt blends seamlessly into the storage buckets of his Chicago LEGO lair! There's also a flyer with a link to an AC Nielsen survey which seems to pre-date the other survey LEGO did and the subsequent launch of these sets for some countries in Europe. Parts: The parts include a 16x32 baseplate, an 8x16 dark bley brick, lots of tan, a touch more dark bley, a splash of dark green, and loads of 1x2 trans-clear tiles. There are 52 of the latter in this set - prior to its release, you could only get a miserly 1 per set from the 2003 Coastguard HQ set (although in 2010 you can get 4 from the 5893 Creator set Off-Road Power.) Parts, debagged: Tantastic! This set is full of very useful small tiles and pieces and would make a great parts pack... if the price was a little lower. Parts of interest: A sample of the more 'interesting' parts - the trans-clear tiles, dark green plates and 1x1 bricks, and a printed tile with the building name, as per all the Architecture sets. The build, part 1: The base The first part of the build constructs the natural landscape base which the house sits on. The sparkly waterfall is added and the footprint of the building takes shape. With all the small, intricate and repetitive colour-work, the instructions helpfully outline the new parts to be added in each step in red. Here, the insta-forest is added! The base section is complete! The build, part 2: the mid-structure Next to be added is this extraordinary concoction of plates and tiles to form the bulk of the building, including the glass-enclosed interior staircase (represented by the trans-clear plates). This set is really very interesting design-wise since it isn't just a solid structure, but takes the form of an interlocking puzzle box, where this mid-structure (and the later upper floors) lock together, not via a studded connection but through tiled angular fingers. It means you can quickly take out sections of the set and see how they fit together. It's a fun and clever building conceit, although whether this reflects anything integral to Lloyd Wright's actual building design is more doubtful. It definitely adds to the unique feel of the build. Here through all the insane platage you can see how complicated this apparently simple part of the build looks! The view of this midtrsucture from the other side looks totally different - this is true of the model as a whole, which is wonderfully complex and unique. The build, part 3: upper floors The third part of the build is to add all these mini-floors, which stack on top of each other when placed in the mid-structure, to build up the bulk of the house itself. These all slot on top of each other and into the mid-structure like pieces of a three-dimensional puzzle. Here's the next one. And another! And another... The small roof section is the final part of the puzzle. Assembling all the small structures Finally we can assemble the entire model! We start with the finished base. Note the little bridge and the SNOT waterfall. The middle structure sits snugly in place with the cantilever supports overhanging the river. The middle floors are added. And voila! The wonderful Fallingwater is complete. As in the spirit of Lloyd Wright's design, the model seems to integrate with the landscape that surrounds it rather than just being a bare, detached silhouette.Colour-wise it isn't at all accurate but 'realistic' colours would detract from the way the eye takes in the overall design. The finished model: Front elevation. A close-up of the cantilevered balconies. Overhead view shows how expansive the house is at the rear. This model really is a small-scale delight! Extra parts: Conclusion: Parts: 8/10 - Great for tan enthusiasts. Build: 9/10 - A fascinating challenge, introducing a whole new system of studless modularity Playability: 7/10 - The puzzle-box aspect of the separating floors is kind of addictive in itself! Overall: 8.5/10 - Easily the most appealing of the Architecture sets in terms of design, complexity, and build. If you only buy one Architecture set, make it this one! It makes a lovely display piece and is also tactile and inviting. Yes, it's pricey but it's also surprisingly hefty with all those teensy parts and definitely a deluxe item - like a fine wine, or couveture chocolate, you get what you pay for

OMG! Best! Birthday! Ever! Sounds like you had a great day

When posting topics, please be clear in your thread title about exactly what it is you are requesting. Otherwise it is annoying for members to have to click through to find out what you are looking for. I have amended the title of this thread accordingly. Thanks.

I don't think that's a misprint - they're all like that. The Series 1 Caveman is the same, I think it's just more noticeable in this series.

Thanks for the review. Any set with a nude fig is an automatic win in my book, even if it is Santa Is it wrong that I like the mini-models better than their large scale system counterparts? This definitely looks better than the last two years I really, REALLY hate that they don't give a face print to the cat anymore Can it really be that expensive to add? It makes a huge difference to what is otherwise a fairly crappy mould.

Great work! The prototype is brilliantly realised and very original - kudos for that in a mecha-saturated world! The 'story' aspects of the bloodstain, dismembered figs and other human escapees is dynamic and exciting Very impressive.

Thanks for this review - I was wondering how succesful these attempts would be. Not great as it turns out! Thanks for making this sacrifice to the Atlantean gods on our behalf, Oky To be honest, that black speckled armour does feel cheap anyway - in the original set it comes in a ChinaBaggy and it is a bit sucky in the fact that it doesn't colour match any other shade of gold or speckle and is only a cheap spray job on the outside. Great mould, yes, but the execution gets the from me and hence so does the fig.

bttw has the Series 2 figs in stock (for $6.95 each ) so I imagine they will be hitting regular stores very soon.

Not that far ahead, no. achris also seems to be an 'insider' with respect to Licenses and attends the convention in October, I think. He hasn't been wrong before

Ooh, an intriguing tidbit if true!

The bwilliant thing about B&N is that they ship so cheaply. It's US13 for the first item and then a bit for each one after that (for standard shipping 7-21 business days, you can also express it.) Obviously they have some flat rate deal with their supplier since it doesn't change whether you're buying a book or a giant LEGO set. Compare that with any other seller, either shipito or starwarshop.com, and it's pretty sweet. I've made several orders now and never had any problems. All the large sets I've had come boxed and in a US mail sack! Certainly no worse than buying off ebay or Bricklink and without the markup. When they have discount codes it's even better! They don't have the full LEGO range and obviously no exclusives but if you buy a large set and pay the shipping, it still works out significantly cheaper than buying a set for full-price here, and if there's a really good deal you can save significantly (like the $AUD67 Alamut sets inc shipping a few weeks back.)

Those two weren't there yesterday but they are this morning

hewman alerted me yesterday that B&N is now updating with the US summer sets and this morning they've added a few more including the Slave I for US$80. I got the Kingdoms Castle and a Dragon Tower for about $AUD190 including shipping, not a bad deal at all considering the retail here for both of those is $270 and I haven't seen them in stores yet (no Toyworlds around central Sydney).

Last year the Lego Club sold the Advent Calendar for $29.99 and S@H had it for $39.99 so if that is true again it's not such a bad deal. Ooh, Harry Potter board game! Thanks for the news.

Well, at current exchange rates you will be able to get it from Star Wars shop for about $430 including shipping. If they have a 20 or 25% off sale and you manage to grab one before they sell out (the Tantives always seem to vanish first) it will be even better. And you get stuff there in under a week with nice shipping rather than the S@H package-smash lottery. Not a great saving but better than nothing. It's still not for me! I wonder if Obi Wan's starfighter will hit $200? It wouldn't surprise me. I tell you what does make my blood boil, comparing the UK and Aus prices. 99GBP for the Tantive IV is $AUD170 now. It's not so much a slap in the face but a kick in the crotch while being keelhauled over a pit of piranhas.