dj2005

Looks to be dark green with black on the outer lining. Whatever color is is, it looks great. Edit: The color is controversial due to the way monitors are made (as well as picture quality). Many LCD monitors use TN panels which are subpar in the color category (along with angle viewing). Then there are VA panels which are quite good color and angle wise (I currently use a MVA). Lastly there are S-IPS panels which are superb in color reproduction and angles, but usually have a high input lag and are very costly compared to the other panels. So, I simply opened the photo up in Photoshop to create a more clear distinction between colors: http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/98LS1TA/drbg.jpg http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/98LS1TA/004en.jpg Upon closer inspection, the black has nothing to do with the dress but since LEGO cannot use a transparent clear, they used black (it's not actually true black, but it's close). The dress consists of a jacket and long skirt. Of course, I may be wrong but I have nothing better to do sadly.

The Klocki article states it will be available Jan. 2009 at Shop@Home.

Wow, great new pictures. They really provide the viewer with the details. I'm trying to figure out if the store signs/painting are stickers or prints.

Probably true as this is in the Klocki article: "This set, like other ‘Exclusives’, will be available at Shop@Home in January 2009. Price of the set will be €99.99 (Euroland), £84.99 (UK), $99.99 (USA), $149.99 (Canda) $149.99 (Australia), 379,95 zl (Poland) , what is really reasonable amount of money for this excellent product."

Amazing (I'm speechless). If TLC actually does sell the set for only $100USD then I know I'll be purchasing two. That Troll "Queen" is great as well.

I just built this set today and I must admit, it is damn good. A little small, but all the detail and minifigs just make it worth the price. I chose not to build the catapult as I really had enough of almost every castle set including one. However, the pieces that form the catapult are actually very useful for other applications and the rock itself is awesome (plus it can be mined for silver/gold pieces within it).

Did the book provide any names/information concerning the new sets?

I envy him and his horde of gold coins. Great find. I love the use of magnets to hold the two halves

You can probably find $9 by scavenging your the street. Definitely a great idea by TLC. I'm amazed that people were spending ~$20-40 just for the set! Hopefully this brings down the price for those that cannot purchase this set from LEGO directly.

Also one of my favorite sets of the new Castle line. The minifig selection is great, an abundance of useful pieces for structural building and the set has plenty of playability. Very nice job with the review.

Yes, damn TLC for designing two really nice sets! I am tending to agree with you on both accounts (size and parts). Also, I love to add on to sets and the Castle Siege has plenty of areas that can be molded into new forms, as well as giving the owner a big empty courtyard. Perhaps I will just purchase both. Reviews such as this one really help make buying LEGO sets easier as it is normally very hard to judge a set by just a few favorable pictures. I was expecting the Mine to be a bit larger in terms of baseplate size.

Would you recommend it over Castle Siege? I am looking for a base for my Crownies and overall a good set to have them battle the trolls/skeletons. I'm thinking this set may be too small, but I just love the minifigs and all the goodies. I can't justify splurging and buying both sets, at least for now, so this is a difficult choice for me.

To have it available in North America.

Ah, now it makes sense. I'm not good with humor on message boards. Also, I have no clue why I stuck "I was" in that sentence that you quoted. Now that is settled, would the initial post from the thread http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21291 be considered a review for the 7979 Castle Advent Calendar 2008 set?

I was merely stating the fact why you never included Hinckley's well done review on the Dwarves' Mine set. From your previous Castle review thread: "What reviews wont become part of the index 1. Single picture or no picture reviews wont be part of the index 2. Off site linked reviews wont be part of the index 3. Blurry pics or pics bigger than 800x600 reviews wont be part of the index" I'm not sure if these guidelines pertain to every review index or not so that I was I labeled them yours.

It is still available. If you can't find it in a store, then try LEGO's online shop (http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=7036) or another online retailer. And thank you for the review. Nice to have another review for one of Castle's larger sets.

That is because KimT has his own guidelines that he follows when adding reviews.

I remember this set back in 1992. Ah, what great times were had. I wish I didn't miss out on all the Legend sets.

Only just begun collecting again after a decade of time but so far it has been Amazon's 20% LEGO sale. While 20% isn't a whole lot, I didn't have to pay tax, shipping, or for gas and of course, it is easier to purchase online than taking the time to traverse to a B&M store. Reading this thread, some people have gotten some amazing deals.

Castle for me. I do love City and the Pirate themes, though.

Has a lot of good pieces and it is nice to see printed walls (wish the new castle had printed instead of stickers). The design is well done and offers a sufficient amount of playability, the stronghold could use some bulking up. Overall, I vote above average and would've voted outstanding if the set included more bricks for a more sound structure.

Include me if you are willing to ship to the USA. I think this is a great looking set.

I'm curious about the actual garage. Great review so far.

According to BL you are correct: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?SetID=7979-1

I know, but a person can dream, can't he? I can't wait until your next MOC as I like each one more than the other, which is quite the feat as they are all great.