LEGO Lord of the Rings: Shire Quest Begins

LEGO enthusiasts and fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga rejoice! The LEGO Group is set to launch "The Lord of the Rings: The Shire" on April 2 for LEGO Insiders, with a general release on April 5. This enchanting set, marked as set #10354, continues the legacy of LEGO's Lord of the Rings series, following the massive 6,167-piece Rivendell released in 2023 and the imposing 5,471-piece Barad-dûr in 2024. With a total of 2,017 pieces, The Shire offers a detailed yet cozy representation of Bilbo Baggins' hobbit-hole, capturing the essence of his "eleventy-first" birthday celebration.

Out April 5### LEGO LOTR: The Shire, the Beginning of an Epic Quest

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The new set is a testament to LEGO's commitment to craftsmanship, featuring meticulously designed rounded walls and curved surfaces adorned with a plethora of accessories. IGN had the privilege of building The Shire and found it to be a charming replica that truly reflects the spirit of the source material. However, its price point raises some eyebrows, as it is disproportionately expensive for its piece count.

We Build LEGO LOTR Shire

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Set #10354 brings to life Bilbo Baggins' iconic home, featuring nine minifigures including Bilbo, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie Cotton, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf the Grey. The model showcases the hobbit-hole built into a green-bricked hillside, with a cutaway back that allows for a glimpse into three distinct rooms: the main foyer, a study, and a combined dining and sitting area. Each room is built separately and connected via clamps, ensuring a seamless exterior and a cohesive interior space.

The designers have captured the cozy essence of Bilbo's home with patterned rugs, stacks of letters, and strategically placed food items like cheese over the fireplace and bread on the windowsill. The set also includes artifacts from Bilbo's earlier adventures, such as the Mithril Coat and a well-worn map, adding depth and narrative to the build.

A unique feature of the set is a LEGO Technic element that allows you to switch the fireplace display between a charred envelope and the One Ring, recreating a pivotal scene from "The Fellowship of the Ring." The rooms' design, wider than they are tall, reflects the hobbit-hole's canonical layout and creates a sense of spaciousness. While the interior construction is straightforward, the exterior demands careful attention to achieve the natural curves of the hillside.

Building The Shire evokes a tactile pleasure similar to running one's hand over a relief map, with the use of curved green pieces to create a realistic landscape. This design choice underscores the hobbits' harmony with their environment, a theme central to Tolkien's work. The set is crowned with a tree, symbolizing the natural beauty of the Shire.

Additional elements like a birthday cake, Party Tree with lanterns, a patterned tent, a red dragon firework, Gandalf's horse-drawn carriage, and a group of barrels with interlocking gears enhance the set's playability and allow for scene recreation from the films. These features add a dynamic element to the otherwise static model.

Despite its simplicity compared to Rivendell and Barad-dûr, The Shire's charm lies in its representation of the hobbits' simple lifestyle. However, the set's price of $270 for 2,017 pieces is significantly higher than the traditional 10 cents per brick metric, making it 34% above the expected price. This pricing is notably higher than even some LEGO Star Wars sets, which are known for their premium due to the "Disney tax."

While The Shire remains the most affordable option among the recent Lord of the Rings LEGO sets, its per-brick cost is higher than its predecessors. The question remains whether LEGO's brand loyalty and the enduring popularity of Lord of the Rings can justify this pricing. Despite the cost, the set's aesthetic appeal is undeniable.

For those interested, a LEGO mini-movie showcasing The Shire set is also available:

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