stevesheriw
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stevesheriw's Stats
stevesheriw's Stats
- 4.8Average Rating
- 1,102Helpfulness Votes
- 1Featured Reviews
- 83Review Count
- September 3, 2012First Review
- January 1, 2019Last Review
The Council of Elrond
The Council of Elrond
Posted:June 6, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Charming small set
" This Lord of the Rings set was fun to build and contains very unique features and minifigures. Of the new wave of sets, this is certainly one I had my eye on. There is a good variety of color and some new bricks which are so far exclusive to the set.
Council of Elrond is the first set featuring the elven domain of Rivendell. There is just enough foliage and architecture to give a sense of the place. Many people will likely want to expand it in some way by adding more chairs or making more building and landscape structures. The most desired pieces will include the new orange tree branches as well as the gothic style arches. Some weapons are included, such as Frodo's Sting, elven bows, and the long elvish blades which enjoy a fair amount of popularity. Stickers are used for the chair designs. Also, as Elrond himself said, "Sauron has his eye fixed on Rivendell". this is also true in the set as an eye of Sauron sticker makes an appearance in a hidden spot. Playability is limited, as the Gimli launcher is the only action feature. Also, there are no bad guys. This set will probably appeal the most to older children and adult collectors who are interested in the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings.
Four minifigures are in the set. Gimli and Frodo are mainly the same as in prior sets. Gimli's inclusion is of course due to the Gimli launcher feature where he tries to attack the ring with his axe and gets thrown back. Frodo is of course in the set because he brought the ring to Rivendell. Besides, this is the only Frodo minifigure in the new wave. I wish they had included Boromir in this set since he will have very limited opportunities to appear in future sets. Naturally, Elrond is in the set and will be a very popular figure. He has a multicolored cape and has a crown identifying his authority and stature among elves. Also appearing for the first time in a set is Arwen. She is presented nicely with a unique hairpiece.
Other than the exclusion of Boromir, the only other criticism I have is this observation: You have three chairs in the set, yet NONE of the minifigures in the set are suited to actually be seated in them! Frodo and Gimli have the short legs, so they will not be sitting. Arwen has a sloping piece for her lower section instead of legs, so she will remain standing. Elrond can technically sit, but it messes up his cape. If you do not want his nice unique cape bent, he is best left standing. I suppose if they had added Boromir, we would get the same problem. You might want to bring in Aragorn and Legolas in from other sets to at least get someone in the chairs.
Overall, a great set in terms of presentation. Some people will likely buy multiples of this to try and make the scene bigger. I would like to somehow try and make a "shards of Narsil" setup, a bedroom for Bilbo, and maybe a bridge at some point. For LOTR fans, it would seem that this is essential to have in the collection. Again, not much in playability, but it is great for display.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+13points
16of 19found this review helpful.
Pirate Ship Ambush
Pirate Ship Ambush
Posted:June 5, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Great ship, lots of minifigs
" I must admit that I was not originally planning to buy this set. If you do not have the extended version of the Return of the King, you are probably wondering where the ship came from. My kids like pirate ships, and it does contain some unique elements and figures, therefore this was the first purchase in the new wave of sets.
The ship itself is an imaginative and unique design. In comparison to the Black Pearl of Pirates of the Caribbean, it is a bit longer from bow to stern and shorter at the masts. There is plenty of deck space for display and play activities. If you like lots of weaponry, you will really enjoy this set. There are plenty of weapons available, and it is even incorporated into the design of the ship. The anchors are made from axe heads, and it looks great. A dozen shields also line the ship fore and aft. There are plenty of accessories such as Middle Earth maps, a bit of treasure, and bottles. The back sail and wheel area lifts up to reveal the brig, complete with a bucket and rat. Moving functions include flick fire weapons on each side of the ship. The anchors can also be raised and lowered by a clever wheel device. A really nice variety of parts are used, and the build remains interesting from start to finish.
This set is great for those who desire minifigs, because there are nine. Three are Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas. They appear exactly as they have in earlier sets. There are two orcs, neither of which have hair. They come with a catapult to recreate the scene where the ship lands near Minas Tirith. Although the orcs are not unique from previous designs, one could always use more orcs to set up for large battle scenes. Then there is the Army of the Dead. Lego did a great job here, and I suspect these minifigs will be the most desirable of the nine presented. The King of the Dead has a nice green crown and you get two army of the dead soldiers to go along with him. The soldiers are not identical, which is also nice. Aragorn and the King of the Dead use a large sword, while the soldiers have smaller swords. Gimli has an axe, and Legolas has his bow. Since this is a pirate ship, there is one pirate in the set. He is made to resemble Peter Jackson's cameo role as one of the Corsair pirates. He comes with a chain and bread, yes bread. He has the new hair which appears to allow for a quiver to be worn if for some reason you wanted him to have one.
Overally, this is a great set to have, although it is one of the pricier ones. I do predict it will be popular due to design, playability, and minifigures. There is not really much I would change about the set. Of course, I would have liked Aragorn to have a unique sword representing Anduril. Another pirate would have been great, but these are only minor issues. This should be a hit with all ages.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+74points
78of 82found this review helpful.
Turtle Lair Attack
Turtle Lair Attack
Posted:March 10, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Fun playset
" We bought this for my son's birthday as he is really getting into the theme, likely from watching the cartoon on TV. As the parent, my main involvement was putting the set together.
I was really struck by the variety of colors, parts, and functions in the set. Likely, most children will be attracted by the characters, the accessories, and the look and feel of the set. For this price range, it looks very good, and I am impressed.
There are five characters included, six if you count the training dummy with the swivel function. Two of them are ninja turtles, one is Splinter the Rat, and two are attacking bad guys in a ninja theme. There are lots of weapons and accessories for the characters to use such as throwing stars, daggers, and large swords.
The set itself has a some stand alone small builds such as a TV screen, skateboard ramp, shelves, and a desk. There is also a launcher which can send a character into action. There are multiple levels to the set, with the street level being the top. After all, the turtle lair is in a sewer. An interesting trap door feature leads through the manhole cover into the lair. Inside the lair are many details and features such as a pizza oven which can launch its contents, a skateboard rack with two skateboards, a crane with a hook, some spiral steps, and a collapsing wall function with a stick of dynamite. There is also a secret entrance as well as a training dummy for the turtles to practice with. A rotating function on the street level allows for some creative action play. My son likes to attach a turtle to a skateboard and then attach the turtle to the rod to really make him spin.
I highly recommend this set for those interested in the theme and for children looking for lots of playability in a set. It is not terribly expensive, so it might make a nice gift. Some of the techniques in the design could be interesting to try in other builds. If my son continues to enjoy the theme and my other son is more interested, likely I will look at some of the other sets.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+27points
36of 45found this review helpful.
Escape from Mirkwood ™ Spiders
Escape from Mirkwood ™ Spiders
Posted:February 9, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Good characters
" We purchased this set, mostly in anticipation of the four minifigures which are included in the set. This includes Legolas, Tauriel, Kili, and Fili. Legolas will be desirable more many, because this is a much less expensive way to get him compared to Mines of Moria. Tauriel is a new minifigure and actually the first female minifigure made for the LOTR or Hobbit line. She is armed with two multicolor swords. The dwarves are also well presented. Both get a quiver of arrows. The instructions call for providing one dwarf with a bow and the other with swords, but an additional bow is available so that Legolas and both dwarves can use one. The hair is long on the dwarves, however it is cast in such a way that the quiver can still be mounted in back. Hopefully this technique can also be eventually adopted for the elves. The printing is excellent on all minifigures.
There are two identical spider builds. The design is good, although it is nothing like the one in the Shelob Attacks set. There are a few moving parts in the two brick built spiders. Three other spiders of normal size are included. One of these actually glows in the dark. The eye pieces in the large spiders and the bottom of the two mushrooms also glow in the dark.
The pieces used in the set are very interesting. There are a lot of blacks, dark browns, and some deep reds in the set. They combine to give a spooky effect of trees in the Mirkwood Forest. There are also two action features. One allows for a small spider to be pushed out from under a tree to give the appearance that it is attacking. Another feature allows the tree to topple, which will release the captured dwarves. There are two web nets provided. I am afraid to let my young kids touch these as they look fragile, and there are no spares provided. These web bags can hang from the trees to give the dwarves a cocooned appearance.
This seems to be a decent set. I think it will be a hit with kids because of the play features, characters, and spiders. Collectors will mainly appreciate the minifigures and some of the more unique pieces/color schemes found in the set.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
2of 3found this review helpful.
Barrel Escape
Barrel Escape
Posted:January 1, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Nice details and new characters
" I purchased this set to add to the collection due to the interesting look it had in the photos provided. After the Bag End set, this was my second priority for a set to collect from the Hobbit line.
The color scheme is good with lots of browns and tans, I like the arch pieces included, and it has a lot of nice little details. There are two functions: one to bring down the back wall of the cell, and one to release the two large barrels. The barrels will hold smaller characters such as dwarves and hobbits. They fit loosely since there are no studs at the bottom of the barrels. At the time of this review, the particular scene being portrayed has not been released. It is going to be in the second movie, thus the set is labeled as a special preview set. The setting is in the wine cellar and dungeon of the the elven king Thranduil. The barrels are presumably released into the river so the escaped dwarves can get away.
The characters are really interesting. Oin and Gloin are both well done and unique as are all the dwarves. As some know, Gloin is Gimli's father, and there is a resemblance in the design and surely in the weapons they both carry. Oin has a brick built staff. Bilbo comes in the set, and he has both Sting and the ring. The two Mirkwood elves are interesting and a welcome addition to the Tolkien minifigure collection. They are both unique. One of the chief's faces has a tipsy appearance, suggesting he had too much wine. The elvish weapons include a spear, a bow, and three of the blade weapons that are found in the special Elrond polybag. I was happy to get the blade piece, because I did not break down and get the video game just to get the Elrond with this weapon.
Besides the barrels and the cell, there are lots of other pieces such as kegs, chairs, wine glasses, wine bottles, a letter, and a table. Many people raved about the winding stairs from the Weathertop set. They will be found in this set as well. Apparently, this could be a popular design in future sets.
Overall, a great set. I think adult collectors will enjoy it as well as children. My boys enjoy letting the barrels loose with the dwarves inside so they can get away. My youngest son who has the forest police station thinks I have one of my own in Middle Earth style. The price is not too bad. I recommend due to the unique design, selection of parts, and the fact that you need this set to get all of the dwarves. Besides, you know you want those elven blades.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+2points
2of 2found this review helpful.
Forest Police Station
Forest Police Station
Posted:December 31, 2012
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Fun for kids
" My youngest son received this set for Christmas. He really enjoys it with all of the minifigures and features. There are two badguys, three police officers, and a bear. Two of the police officers have the forest ranger type hat and one is female. The other police figure is the helicopter pilot. There are some prop pieces such as a crowbar and pickax. The bear comes in one piece and is fairly decent sized compared to the minifigures. The robbers have an all terrain vehicle to transport money and gold bars and hid them in a rock and tree feature. Also included is a police all terrain vehicle with a hatchback and a helicopter.
I like this better than the regular city police station perhaps due to the forest theme. I do think this structure looks more interesting, and it provides a bit more color with the greens and browns in addition to the blues and whites. There is a jail with an escape feature through a mailbox. Also, a gate and radio tower are part of the assembly. The interior consists of two chambers. One is the jail with three beds, and the other is the office with a rotating chair and computer desk. Other features include the wanted poster, map, and the coffee maker/refrigerator. There are some stickers, so young ones might need a little help with this. Otherwise, the station is fairly easy to build and the instructions are easy to follow.
This certainly is my son's favorite gift, and he should enjoy it for a long time.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+31points
34of 37found this review helpful.
Attack of the Wargs
Attack of the Wargs
Posted:December 26, 2012
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Nice battle scene
" This was the primary Christmas gift for my 5 year old, because he kept asking for this. The build was fun, and it was especially interesting watching the tree come together. The tree is fairly large, it appears to stand about a foot above the tabletop. The tree actually rotates in two places. It contains some flame pieces to simulate the goblin attack on the hapless dwarves in the tree. There are two places where the flames can be shot out, similar to the flick fire functions, except they are activated by pushing the knob. A little gold nugget piece is also in the tree-lucky find! Needles to say, the tree is a unique and clever design.
A rocky outcrop setup is also included. Figures can be mounted on a slope resembling a rocky outcrop. There is a catapult function to launch the included round 1x1 pieces. It is also capable of launching dwarves, but some practice is necessary in order to shoot them into the tree.
In addition to this, the minifigures will be a big draw for people. Two wargs are included with saddles. They can also be without the saddle by inserting matching colored pieces into the slots, just like the Lego horse. Three goblins are included, two are warriors with a bow and sword. The third is Yazneg, and his mold is unique. He comes with a very interesting bone axe. Two dwarves are in the set. One is Bifur, and he comes with a cape and spear. The other is Thorin Oakenshield, which will be highly sought after since he is the leader of the company. He comes with a sword and an axe.
The set is very good. The price does seem a little bit high, but there are some good pieces in here, and the figures will be considered a must have. Similar to Bag End, this will be a popular set.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
4
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+2points
6of 10found this review helpful.
An Unexpected Gathering
An Unexpected Gathering
Posted:December 25, 2012
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
A key set
" This set should appeal to both Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fans because it really is a big part of both sets of movies. The build is fun, the set is attractive, the minifigures are good, and it should appeal to several age groups. Of all the Tolkien sets done by Lego so far, I predict this could be the most popular. Do not be surprised if some people have this as a desk model in the office.
Bag End itself is very colorful with green, brown, and tan pieces. The design was very creative, and this definitely fits the story and mood well. While this is not a "battle" set, it is very cheerful in tone and there are many details which really makes this work. There are a few stickers, but they should not be too hard to apply. The door itself is printed, and it contains Gandalf's rune on it. The garden and gate design is well done. The house certainly appears to be under a hill with a tree on top and other vegetation. Several new pieces are introduced, including the round windows.
The interior is nice and cheery. There is a small kitchen setup as well as several other shelves and props. Also included are three sticker maps of key locations for the upcoming adventure. Although this is set for the arrival of the company of dwarves, there are actually three tie-ins to the Lord of the Rings. They are: Sting mounted on top of a shelf, Bilbo's book of the adventure, which Frodo eventually completes, and a letter, which presumably contains an important item. Several food items are included with the table setting.
The minifigure count is good with a Bilbo, Gandalf, and four dwarves in the company. All dwarves are unique, and each carries something different.
I can easily recommend this set, at the very least collecting and displaying. There is good playability as well for the younger kids. For those who grew up reading JRR Tolkien's books, this would be nice to have. I would even venture to state that some who do not normally buy or build Lego might want this because it is so memorable in the stories. Likely, I will never take this apart, and will keep it safe, like that hidden object in the envelope. It looks like the Hobbit line will have some good sets, but in my opinion, this is the best one. The only other thing I think they could make that could compare would be Smaug on his pile of treasure, or maybe a really good Minas Tirith set.
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+35points
44of 53found this review helpful.
Off-Road Fire Rescue
Off-Road Fire Rescue
Posted:December 1, 2012
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Small set with many accessories
" My youngest son chose this at the store, so I brought it home and built it within a short time for him. This was his first firefighter themed set, and he really enjoys it. One minifigure is included. You also have the truck, trailer, and lots of nice accessories. Some stickers are included, but there are not too many to place on the set. This is very easy to build, and could be recommended as a good starter set for someone learning to assemble Legos. The truck fits the one minifigure. Also included is a trailer with an attached fire hose function. The hose is a little difficult to wind up, but that is really my only rant with this set. Lots of accessories are included such as the ax, oxygen tank, megaphone, radio, etc. Kids will enjoy having these features to choose from.
The price is certainly good as it is with most sets of this line. This will make a good addition to any collection.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
Sith Nightspeeder™
Sith Nightspeeder™
Posted:December 1, 2012
stevesheriw
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Best for young Clone Wars fans
" My son picked this out at the store, so I put it together for him. The minifigures are interesting. This is a fairly inexpensive set to get Anakin Skywalker. Also included are two unique looking badguys. The male badguy has a double bladed lightsaber as well as a pike that looks like a Lord of the Rings weapon. He has a unique rubbery head piece as well as an armor plate that attaches to the torso. The female is bald and has two identical lightsabers. Of course, Anakin also has a lightsaber, so this is a good set if you like these weapons.
The nightspeeder was easy to put together. The majority of time spent on the build was devoted to aligning the stickers. There were also printed pieces that corresponded with the sticker patterns. The nightspeeder has some flick fire missiles as well as the ability to separate into the smaller sections. The separate sections are harder to balance, because there is not much surface area on the bottom.
In all honestly, the set may not necessarily appeal to everyone. For parents, I would see if your child prefers this first before buying. It does seem a little bit expensive. For the same price, you can get the Desert Skiff which seems to have much more to it. With that said, the design is interesting.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
25-34
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.