Book Review: Great LEGO Sets – A Visual History

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LEGO is undoubtedly one of the most popular global brands and that success comes from decades of creating amazing products (and of course some not so great ones). Great LEGO Sets attempts to distill the best of the best from LEGO’s history into a single book.

This isn’t a book for young LEGO fans, this is a detailed study of the history of LEGO. I’d like to think that if there was a university course in LEGO this would be high on the required reading list.

The book opens with a beautifully written foreword that makes a very strong case for why LEGO is such an amazing product.

The intention behind the LEGO System of Play was to “create a toy that prepares the child for life, appeals to the imagination, and develops the creative urge and joy of creation that are the driving forces in every human being.”

The foreword also give adult LEGO fans a call to action – go and get that LEGO sitting in your parents house collecting dust. I’d try this myself but I’ve been told by my mum that those bricks are reserved for grandchildren.

The content of the book is broken down by decade. This structure works perfectly as it allows LEGO fans of any vintage to quickly flick to the decade of their childhood.

The book opens with a year by year timeline of the LEGO company. While the main parts of the book focus on great sets, this timeline is more broad but also less exclusive. Themes that are well regarded as flops still get a mention in the timeline.
Great LEGO Sets Review Timeline

After the timeline is one of my favourite parts of this book. The section is called “How a LEGO set is made” and it’s a really interesting insight into the design process. It’s packed with great quotes and information that people may not know.

I laughed at the quote from designer Jamie Berard where he states that he is always suggesting they make a carnival. Jaimie Berard is the designer behind the Fairground Mixer and Ferris Wheel sets. When I explained why I found that funny to my wife she called me a massive nerd. She’s right and this book is perfect for LEGO nerds.

Great LEGO Sets Review How A Set Is Made

This book isn’t something that you really need to read from cover to cover in order but I recommend that rather than jumping straight to a decade of choice. The chronological order gives you an interesting look at the evolution of LEGO over the years and it’s fascinating to see when certain themes kicked off.

Every page is packed with detail. I expected the quality of the images to be impeccable (and they really are) but I was surprised by how wordy the book is. Every set featured has lots of interesting facts and details. There are also great quotes from LEGO employees throughout.

Great LEGO Sets Review Space Cruiser

Larger sets have a detailed ‘guided tour’ that highlights specific parts of the set in detail.

There are also quite a few double page spreads with collections of sets, such as a spread on LEGO houses through the years or one on emergency services. These are a nice way to include pictures of more sets that didn’t quite earn their own page.

Great LEGO Sets Review Spread

I think your journey through this book is going to depend on your age. I am 29 so was in my prime LEGO playing years during the 90s. For me the early chapters were all cool things that I had missed out on. I’m extremely envious of kids who had LEGO in the 70s. That decade was amazing for LEGO sets. I was actually surprised that the 90s chapter didn’t feature a lot of stuff that I really recognised.

Great LEGO Sets Review 90s

If you are an AFOL that experienced a dark ages (period of time without LEGO) then this book is also going to contain some heartbreak – all of the stuff that you just missed out on. I was looking at amazing sets and thinking that “I was just a few years too late to own that.”

I also noticed that once the book got to the last few years my opinions got stronger – “That is a great set, so glad I’ve got that” or “Not sure I would have included that”. Anything from the last few years is going to be a lot more subjective as I don’t think they’ve had time to become classics yet.

Great LEGO Sets Review Haunted House

I think this book is a must have for any serious LEGO fan to have in their collection. If you can get away with it this would make for an amazing coffee table book; I think even people who aren’t massive LEGO fans would find this interesting. Of course a book about great LEGO sets is going to be subjective but I think that DK have done a great job to cover a variety of themes and styles. Even if your all time favourite set didn’t make the cut there is just so much to love about this book. It’s easily my favourite LEGO book.

11910 Micro-Scale Space Cruiser

The Great LEGO Sets book also comes with an exclusive LEGO set – 11910 Micro-Scale Space Cruiser.

I am a big fan of small scale builds, as long as they are well designed. The set included with Great LEGO Sets faces a tough challenge – it has to be a good small scale build and capture a truly classic LEGO set.

11910 Micro-Scale Space Cruiser 02

The micro-scale space cruiser is modelled after the ship in 928 Space Cruiser And Moonbase. The 1979 set features all the elements you’d expect to find in classic space LEGO; the blue, the grey and of course the transparent yellow. The micro-scale cruiser gets all of those details spot on. Looking at the set it really feels like a shrunk down version of the original.

The set features 102 parts, which doesn’t sound like a lot but I was actually surprised when I tipped the contents out. There aren’t any overly strange or rare parts included (although I’m no expert on part rarity).

11910 Micro-Scale Space Cruiser 07

The build itself is quite straight forward; first the base is constructed and then details are added on top. I don’t really expect there to be ‘play features’ on micro-scale sets but the designer has managed to recreate the opening rear cargo hold. It’s a cool addition.

11910 Micro-Scale Space Cruiser 05

This set was designed by Australian Melody Caddick and she’s done an incredible job.

Even if the Great LEGO sets book didn’t come with a set I would still highly recommend it. It’s easily one of my favourite LEGO books. The fact that the book does come with a set that is also awesome makes this a must buy.

Bricking Around was sent a copy of Great LEGO Sets: A Visual History to review by Penguin Australia.

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2 thoughts on “Book Review: Great LEGO Sets – A Visual History

  1. Mark Reply

    Nice review Michael. And what an awesome job by Melody on the mini space cruiser! 928 is, and always will be, my favourite set.

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