Category: LEGO Books (Page 20 of 37)

The LEGO Christmas Ornaments Book Review

August 18, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

A few days ago, I received a new review copy of The LEGO Christmas Ornaments Book: 15 Designs to Spread Holiday Cheer by Chris McVeigh from No Starch Press. If Chris’ name sounds familiar, he’s a pretty popular builder and photographer in the LEGO community. The book contain 220 pages and retails for $19.95 and will be available at the end of September.

The LEGO Christmas Ornaments Book consists of 15 different builds ranging from simple builds like the wreath variety to more involved ones like the computer and camera. They are grouped into three categories such as Christmas Classics, Geometric Designs, and Fun Stuff which are your non-traditional holiday ornaments. The instructions are broken down in a very simple way, similar to what LEGO does with their instructions. At the beginning of each build, there’s a parts list, including the official parts ID number, to let you know which parts are need to create it and of course, you can substitute the colors to your liking. If you’re not familar with the numbers, you’re probably wondering what they are as it is not explained anywhere in the book. Words are very scarce since there really is no need for them.

One thing that I really appreciate about the instructions for this book as compared to other third-party instruction books is that the ones in this one are large and easy to see as compared to the small instructions with a number of pieces squeezed into that step.

Overall, The LEGO Christmas Ornaments Book is a … Continue

LEGO Pop-Up Book Pre-Order on Amazon

August 5, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

If you didn’t know, Scholastic will be releasing a new, first-ever LEGO Pop-Up book by Matthew Reinhart which takes you through the LEGO Universe in a fun and interesting way. With the help of LEGO designers such as Matthew Ashton, Mark Stafford, Jamie Berard, and Simon Lucas, just to name a few, the book has lots of facts that you can read through by opening and pulling tabs, turning wheels, and such. Earlier today, Matthew Ashton also tweeted out some images of the book and there’s also a preview video as well which you can check out below.

LEGO Pop-Up will be available on September 27 and you can pre-order your copy over on Amazon. It is a little pricey with it retailing for $29.99 for 10 pages but it may be worth checking out especially if kids are into these kinds of books.

The first ever LEGO(R) pop-up book! Matthew Reinhart creates another spectacular pop-up book, this time telling the LEGO(R) story with equal amounts facts, fun, and adventure! Packed with a variety of features- pop-ups, pull tabs, turning wheels and more, this “fun-formative” book will be a delight for both LEGO(R) and pop-up fans alike.

Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

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The Brick Fan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to

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Blocks Issue 21 Press Release

July 6, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

Blocks has sent over their press release for Issue 21 of the magazine.

Secrets from the LEGO Architect in Blocks magazine

Have you ever wondered about the designers behind the LEGO sets you buy? Blocks Issue 21, on sale now, has an interview with Adam Reed Tucker – the man behind LEGO Architecture. Here is a sample of the conversation he had with Blocks magazine, that had to be left out because we didn’t have the space…

Adam Reed Tucker is living the dream of many – if not most – LEGO fans. Many know that he has designed sets with the LEGO Group and tours exhibitions of his skyscrapers, but as well as that he has been a speaker for LEGO Education, worked on a DK book and contributed to the Master Builder Academy. It’s all in a day’s work for a LEGO Certified Professional.

But one surprising thing about this LCP is the controversial methods he will employ when necessary. He prefers to be a purist – but is willing to bend that rule when he needs to. 100% purist builders should not read any further.

‘The one area I am not a purist in,’ Adam tells Blocks, ‘is that, if it is absolutely necessary, I will cut pieces. There were times when I needed a 1×11 plate for the rollercoaster. There is nothing that I can do. I cannot take a 1×3 and a 1×8, because I can’t splice them. I could glue them, but I’ll just take a 12 and snip a

… Continue

Blocks Issue 21 Press Release

June 25, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

Issue 21 of Blocks magazine is now with subscribers and on shelves across the UK.

This month, we’re deconstructing the Architecture range to find out what makes those iconic buildings tick, including exclusive interviews with two of the biggest names on the scene – Adam Reed Tucker and Rocco Buttliere.

Elsewhere, MOD Squad member Alec Hole takes a comprehensive look at the new CITY Police range, before giving us his own spin on expanding 60130 Prison Island, while Daniel Konstanski examines LEGO jails through the ages.

There’s much more besides, as we take you behind the scenes on our front covers and introduce you to some ingenious methods for creating roofs from build specialist Simon Pickard. It’s all topped off with a journey into interior design, with detailed instructions for a pair of inspired living room and kitchen builds.

You can get your copy now in the UK, and why not subscribe to get future copies early and enter monthly free prize draws? See www.blocksmag.com for more details.

Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

When you make a purchase or, sometimes, carry out some other action as direct result of clicking on a link at The Brick Fan, we will receive a small commission.

The Brick Fan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

We partner with Rakuten Advertising, who may collect personal information when you

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Tiny LEGO Wonders: Build 40 Surprisingly Realistic Mini-Models! Book Review

June 20, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

The folks over at No Starch Press has sent me an early review copy of Tiny LEGO Wonders: Build 40 Surprisingly Realistic Mini-Models! by Mattia Zamboni. The book consists of 208 pages and as the title states, instructions for 40 mini build. The book will be available on July 30 but you can pre-order now on Amazon for 30% off the list price.

The book is separated into different categories depending on what type of vehicle the builds are about such as trains, airplanes, and boats. Each build consists of a few pages which also includes the parts needed to create it. Similar to other book instructions, the construction is condensed into a few steps with multiple pieces going into each step.

I must say that some of the vehicle builds are pretty nice looking especially with a few of the cars with the small wheels. They actually give sort of a sleek look to them.

If you’re into building minimalistic cities, Tiny LEGO Wonders: Build 40 Surprisingly Realistic Mini-Models! may be a good resource for you, There are many different builds and may provide inspiration for you to create your own miniature vehicles. The words are very minimal as there isn’t that much of a need for them. The instructions may be a little confusing as they do incorporate a number of pieces for each step. The biggest offender of this are the ship builds. Other than that, I think it’s a pretty solid book.

Again, you can now pre-order the book on Amazon at … Continue

Tiny LEGO Wonders by No Starch Press

June 15, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

No Starch Press has sent over a press release regarding one of their upcoming books called Tiny LEGO Wonders by Mattia Zamboni.

Tiny LEGO Wonders
Build a lot with a little in the “new LEGO bible”
Tiny LEGO Wonders

San Francisco, CA (June 14, 2016) — While some LEGO models require thousands of pieces, anyone can make an impressive replica with fewer than 10 bricks, a dash of creativity, and the latest book from No Starch Press.

Hailed as the “new LEGO bible” by VICE, Tiny LEGO Wonders (No Starch Press, $24.95, 208 pp., July 2016) is a collection of step-by-step building instructions for 40 compact yet realistic miniscale models—each built with fewer than a few hundred bricks. Packed with stunning models of engineering feats like a muscle car, a fire engine, a Swiss locomotive, and wooden ships, Tiny LEGO Wonders teaches readers how to make the most of their LEGO collection, no matter its size.

The pint-sized models in Tiny LEGO Wonders include:
A space shuttle and crawler-transporter
Emergency vehicles like choppers, police cars, and fire trucks
A cruise ship, freighter, and wooden ships
An Airbus A380, F-15 Eagle, and V-22 Osprey
Flatbed trucks and cement mixers
Race cars like the McLaren F1 and Ferrari F1
A fleet of sci-fi military vehicles
Bullet trains like France’s high-speed TGV train

According to No Starch Press founder Bill Pollock, “Miniscale building has fascinated me since I watched a friend build an airport from a cupful of LEGO bricks. Tiny LEGO Wonders finally makes miniscale building make sense.”

… Continue

Bricks Issue 13 Press Release

June 12, 2016 / Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

Great builders, great buildings

Issue 13 of Bricks takes a look at some of the world’s best LEGO structures and the amazing builders that create them.

Architecture plays a pivotal role in sculpting our landscapes whether old or new, big or small, structures that push the boundaries of design hold a constant fascination. Our relationship with architecture is no more apparent than when it comes to our use of LEGO bricks; we love to create castles, houses and skyscrapers and much more.

In this issue, Bricks takes a close look at some of the best microscale architecture on offer, from official sets to those brick architects that never cease to amaze. Ingeniuos part usage and unique techniques are of a plenty.

The journey begins in London, with the new Creator Expert Big Ben set. The techniques used within this set area testament to the skills of the designer, Jamie Berard. We then fly to the USA where Adam Reed Tucker has built wonders of the engineering world for a Chicago museum. Another native of the Windy City is Rocco Buttliere, who reveals the clever techniques used to create his detailed skyscrapers. This month we have an exclusive feature from Tom Alphin, author of The LEGO Architect book, who not only guides you through scale and proportion in LEGO building but also provides his never-before-seen instructions to build your own model of San Diego’s Geisel Library.