LEGO enthusiasts and Lord of the Rings fans have much to look forward to with the upcoming release of LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire, set to hit the shelves on April 2 for LEGO Insiders and April 5 for the general public. This marks the third installment in the LEGO Lord of the Rings series, following the 6,167-piece Rivendell in 2023 and the 5,471-piece Barad-dûr in 2024.
Out April 5### LEGO LOTR: The Shire, the Beginning of an Epic Quest
3See it at LEGO StoreThe new 2,017-piece Shire set captures the essence of Bilbo Baggins' hobbit-hole with meticulous detail. Every wall is thoughtfully curved, and every surface is adorned with accessories, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. IGN had the privilege of a test build of The Shire, finding it charming and true to the source material, though notably priced higher than expected for its piece count.
We Build LEGO LOTR Shire
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Set #10354 beautifully recreates Bilbo Baggins' home as seen during his "eleventy-first" birthday celebration. The set comes with nine minifigures, including Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Mrs. Proudfoot, Farmer Proudfoot, Merry, Pippin, Rosie Cotton, Samwise Gamgee, and Gandalf the Grey. The hobbit-hole, integrated into a green-bricked hillside, is designed with a cutaway back that reveals three distinct rooms: the main foyer accessible through the iconic round door, a study to the left, and a combined dining and sitting area to the right.
These rooms are assembled separately and then connected using clamps, resulting in a seamless exterior hillside and a cohesive interior living space. The set emphasizes the cozy ambiance of Bilbo's home, featuring various patterned rugs, letters from well-wishers, and food items scattered throughout. Notable details include a wedge of cheese above the fireplace, a loaf of bread, and libations on the windowsill.
Artifacts from Bilbo's youthful adventures are also scattered around the home. Inside a large chest by the door, you'll find the Mithril Coat, a gift from Bilbo to Frodo before his journey to Mordor. A well-worn map, pivotal in guiding Thorin and Company to the Lonely Mountain, rests near the teapot on a table. An umbrella stand by the door holds a sword and a parasol, adding to the home's charm.
The set includes a single mechanical feature utilizing LEGO Technic to change the display in the fireplace between a charred envelope and the One Ring, referencing the iconic scene from The Fellowship of the Ring.
While the rooms are broader than they are tall, reflecting the hobbit-hole's canonical design and creating a sense of spaciousness, the interior construction is straightforward, requiring no advanced building techniques. However, the exterior's flowing curves demand more attention to detail for accurate assembly.
Building The Shire evokes a tactile pleasure similar to running one's hand over a globe, with its use of multiple curved green pieces to create a natural, varied hillside. This design choice underscores the hobbits' harmonious relationship with their environment, highlighted by the crowning tree on Bag End with its sprawling branches.
Additional standalone elements, while not essential to the core set, enrich the play experience by allowing for scene reenactments. These include a birthday cake, a Party Tree adorned with colorful lanterns, a patterned tent that famously ascends in the film, a red dragon firework mounted on a clear attachment for flight simulation, and Gandalf's horse-drawn carriage with adjustable legs for minifigures. A set of barrels with interlocking gears lets you recreate Bilbo's disappearing act from his birthday party.
LEGO The Shire, though simpler than its predecessors Rivendell and Barad-dûr, aligns with the unpretentious nature of hobbit life. The set's simplicity is a refreshing departure from more complex builds, but its price of $270 for 2,017 pieces raises eyebrows, being 34% above the typical 10 cents per brick metric. Comparatively, Barad-dûr and Rivendell offer better value at their respective prices.
While LEGO Star Wars sets are known for their premium pricing due to the "Disney tax," The Shire's cost feels disproportionate even by those standards. Yet, it remains the most budget-friendly option for Lord of the Rings fans who couldn't justify the larger sets.
Whether LEGO's goodwill and the enduring love for Lord of the Rings can justify this pricing remains to be seen. Nonetheless, The Shire is a visually delightful set.
For a closer look, check out the LEGO mini-movie of this set:
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Shire, Set #10354, retails for $269.99, and it is composed of 2,017 pieces. It is available at the LEGO Store beginning on April 2 for LEGO Insiders and on April 5 for the general public.More Movie and TV LEGO Sets
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