Tag Archives: Fantasy

In my tower of solitude

Just look at this lovely new LEGO creation by Thomas van Urk. The shapes and textures here; I’m almost lost for words. The slopes and tiles along that very interesting red roof are masterfully sculpted. A lesser builder would have just spired the roof and called it good but Thomas taunts us with first a spire, then an onion dome, and back into a spire. I frankly can’t even fathom how he did that! The Tudor-style detailing is not entirely uncommon in LEGO. The medium most certainly works well in that style but there are parts of the Tudor detailing that, like the red spire I can’t fathom. Thomas calls this The Princess Tower and I’d happily be a princess for a day if it means hanging out in this fantastic world for a while.

The Princess Tower

Even the gray stone part of the tower utilizes both new gray and some sun-faded old gray. I recall in 2004 when LEGO changed their gray bricks there were starchy, rigid LEGO fans who vowed to leave the hobby forever. I imagine either they eventually warmed up to the new color shades or indeed remained in 2004 with their flip-phones and AOL email addresses.

Walking the planks of the boardwalk

Can you tell which of these LEGO buildings belongs to the now-retired Captain Redbeard? Naturally, it’s the tallest one in the this colorful scene from builder Sleepless Night. The build is full of so many incredible textures and colors, allowing each building to stand out on its own. They each have their own design too! Shapes, in general, are obviously reused (like archways), but they’re each done with different elements across the whole. Take a close look at everything present and you’ll see so many cool things. For me, the best parts usage is definitely the croissants making up the billowing sails on the ship at the top of Redbeard’s house. It’s unexpected, but the food elements translate wonderfully for the purpose.

Captain's House

Does this LEGO mosaic commemorate the Red Dawn, or portent a new one?

Our favorite annual LEGO castle contest, Summer Joust, is in full swing for 2023. And builder T-86(swe) has made a glorious submission to the silhouette category: the Dandelumian Crest. In an age when LEGO sets are also starting to stretch the 2-D boundaries of the standard mosaic, T-86 provides depth to their creation with a lattice of dark gray plates and tiles fit in-between the background studs. While it may not be a “legal” connection in all cases (legal with a tile and not with a plate, but that’s a discussion for another post), the maze-like grid provides an outstanding backdrop for the sword and twisting plant laid over top. The whole thing definitely gives off some heavy “Gordian Knot” vibes, and I love it!

Dandelumian crest

LEGO Dreamzzz 71459 Stable of Dream Creatures [Review]

We started our look at the new LEGO Dreamzzz theme on the dark side with 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. Today let’s skip nightmares entirely and explore a relaxing place of peace, beauty, and wonder: 71459 Stable of Dream Creatures. There are no Grimspawn, Night Terrors, or other bad dreams here – just giant flowered dream deer, a windmill, and a… a cat cactus? Yeah, a cat cactus. If you’ve watched the first 10 episodes of the TV show… either you spotted something we didn’t, or you’ll recognize the deer, and that’s it. In any case, here’s our review of the set, which contains 681 pieces, 4 minifigures + 2 dreamlings + cat cactus + z-blob, and can be pre-ordered now and will ship August 1st for US $79.99 | CAN $99.99 | UK £74.99.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read the full review

A fin-tastic knight of the sea

Take a trip with us down into the sea where we find a noble seahorse on a knightly quest in this wonderful LEGO scene by Mohamed Marei. Built for the Bio-Cup saltwater biome theme, the scene shows off the creativity of a great builder. The bright colors contrast nicely against the bronze look of the seahorse knight, bringing our attention to the central figure. Floating above the knight is an exquisite jellyfish, using an array of transparent pieces well. The framing of the scene is fluid and I can’t stop looking at it! As is intended in the Bio-Cup, this is one of those builds that pushes the use of LEGO as a medium to new levels. Also, can we acknowledge how nice the use of the stud shooter is for the mouth of the seahorse? It’s like it was meant for such a use all along.

Don Quixote, El Caballero Andante

When you get to Dragonkeep, drop me a postcard

Built for a local LUG (LEGO Users Group) challenge in the theme of postcards, this miniature scene by Dale Harris looks like a tribute to all things fantasy, from the castle by the water to the swooping dragon… I guess we can see where the town gets its name. The dragon is nicely detailed for such a small build, and that uncommon red binoculars make an interesting snout. Let’s hope the dragon is friendly, or that castle will melt faster than Harranhall from Game of Thrones.

Dragonkeep Postcard

A library for those who aren’t tirelessly building...

After over 30 years of building with LEGO, I can’t tell you how many rubber tires I’ve amassed in my collection. And as someone who never designs anything automotive (primarily due to lack of skill), they have sat collecting dust for far too long. But Tom Studs gives me hope for their eventual use with this brilliantly floored scene. Utilizing forced perspective, Tom gives us a view out the building’s main portal into a green wilderness, complete with a perfectly positioned minifig to convey all those feelings of wanderlust. The interior of the door is beautifully designed, with plenty of intricate brown designs that stand in stark contrast to the verdant outdoors and its winding stone path. But, again, the real star of the show is the cobbled black floor, comprised of a multitude of brick “nuggets” each wrapped in an appropriately-sized tire.

'The Library' ????

Winter is summoned

In this imaginative LEGO scene by Malin Kylinger, a group of mages have summoned a portal to the winter realm. The whole diorama is loaded with great builds, from the trees with their densely packed foliage, to the picnic of magical equipment beside the house. The whole build rewards closer scrutiny with lots of great details lurking.

The Enchanters of the Portal Have Answerd the Queens Summons

But the real standout is the magic circle at the center, a fantastic use of cheese-slope mosaic-making to craft a pattern that’s almost quilt-like, and at the center is a perfect use for the rare Belville crown element.

The Enchanters of the Portal Have Answerd the Queens Summons

A castle chained to the sky

I’m not familiar with the Deepgate Codex fantasy series, but after seeing this captivating floating castle built of LEGO by I think I might have to check it out, because this microscale structure has my imagination running. It’s a simple build but no less effective at evoking the feeling of precarious city perched atop a magic rock and chained in place. A few carefully placed studs make for great windows on the buildings, while the rock-texture slope gets put to good use giving added dimension to the chunk of earth without looking forced.

Deepgate

A Steward stews in Gondor

It took a random conversation in the grocery check-out line this weekend for me to realize just how happy I am that Lord of the Rings has returned to LEGO. While I admit, I’ve never been a die-hard Ringer, I appreciate so much that Tolkien’s work inspires others like no other fantasy tale. Case-in-point, check out this beautiful Gondorian hall by Nathan Smith. Depicting the scene where we are first introduced to Steward Denethor II, the build is deafeningly empty. Ornate walls and pillars cast in white, black, and tan lead from Gandalf and Pippin to the “empty” throne beneath the city’s emblem, the White Tree of Gondor. The brickwork here is gorgeous, from the inset panels in the arched ceiling to the design of the White Tree using Technic bits and bobs. Even details like the statues in white to the left of the hall are so intricate and effective in the design, while still not being 100% visible from this angle. The triumph here is how all these aspects combine together to emphasize the gaping chasm in this hall where a king should reside.

The Empty Throne (version 1)

LEGO Creation of the Week (#14): Lothlorien Riverside by Ralf Langer

Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Ralf Langer got nearly 40% of all votes with his amazing Lothlorien Riverside scenery! Yet another Creation of the Week in our improvised hall of fame, ha!

Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!

Some towers have spires and some towers inspire

There’s magic waiting to be revealed in every LEGO piece, and builders like exis- (or like you, dear Reader) bring it out. In this case, the build itself is quite magical, being a mage tower of sorts. The black roofing and crenellations create a forbidding–or foreboding–presence. However, the tan of the rest of the architecture balances it out. Perhaps this hints at the risk vs reward of entering such a place. Looking closer, you’ll see wonderful details abounding throughout the build. I really like the use of minifig legs for details in the base floor windows. I do recommend taking a trip over to the builder’s photostream to take a look at the wonders that fill the tower’s interior. There’s even a brief video showing off some cool play features.

01_MTower