The Fireside

  Good news for anyone who's missed the much sought-after and coveted "collector's editions" (explanation of quotes further below, without sarcasm) that came out back in 2013. It appears that they are coming back later this year! Based on the description and cover artwork, anyway. These are likely re-prints of the 2013 editions, though under a different ISBN; much like the recent re-print of Tales From the Perilous Realm . Here's hoping that they stay in print longer, and anyone that really wanted them the first time can get them.  The thing is, as I often say, there's no 'wrong' Tolkien edition, it's just the publisher's wording on these make them sound more 'special' than they really are. In fact, the 60th anniversary boxed set (w/ the Companion by Hammond & Scull) and the recent Alan Lee illustrated editions are nicer and more 'special' than these are. These are good reading copies, and are decent enough standard hardba...

  Some great news for fans of the Castle LEGO theme! I won't go into the details (as the LEGO website offers great description and product images) though there is a big (nay, huge ) set coming up in August: Lion Knights' Castle [10305]. This set is in celebration of their '90 Years of Play.' Without a doubt, the most ardent of LEGO fans and collectors already know about this immense set. It is also quite pricey, though considering the size (piece count and amount of mini-figures) it is a great set and value for your money. What was also just announced, and you may want to act fast on this one, is that on the LEGO site, the free promo if you spend $X (price varies by what region you're in) you'll receive a Forest Hideout [40567] set. Now, the amount that you'd to spend to get that promo set is definitely covered in the price of the Castle (it works out to be approx 1/4 of the Castle's price tag). This special is on for June 15 - 22 so act fast if you...

  I was initially quite skeptical about the Fantastic Beasts franchise. It took a later trailer (the final one, I believe?) for me to actually get interested. I've reviewed the first two films, but recently I've seen the latest title, The Secrets of Dumbledore . I'll give that a review, then break down why I believe the the franchise (not Harry Potter, not Wizarding World, just the Fantastic Beasts films) aren't quite working. The film picks up some time after The Crimes of Grindelwald . Because it's been a few years (for both the audience, as well as in the chronology of the films) we get somewhat-reintroduced to the characters, and brief recaps here and there as we catch up with familiar faces. Nothing from The Crimes of Grindelwald is flat-out 'retconned' per se, but all the multiple story angles and elements are somewhat down-played. The primary focus of the film is of Dumbledore (played very well by Jude Law) and Grindelwald (played by Mads Mikkelsen,...