It was an idea, LEGO made it a set. Is it absolutely necessary to make a set of all the ideas that find their audience on the LEGO Ideas platform? Nothing is less sure.

Initially, there is Jacob Sadovich, a LEGO fan who uploaded a project of bottle with a ship inside. The realization is not perfect but the idea is there. The project brings together the 10.000 required supports, it is validated by LEGO and therefore goes into production.

The result: the set LEGO Ideas 21313 Ship in a Bottle (69.99 €) with its 962 pieces, its bottle and its micro-galleon proudly displaying a coat of arms which nevertheless closely resembles the logo of a Strasbourg brewery.

Everything has already been said about this set. I will therefore content myself with raising a few points that seem important to me. For the guided tour, you will find dozens of reviews to the glory of this box elsewhere.

Let's get rid of the price issue right away: it's far too expensive. There it's done.

The purists of this art of building a boat IN a bottle should take no offense, here we build the boat BEFORE putting it in the bottle.

You can always try to convince me that this boat is successful, that it's LEGO, that it's because of the scale of the bottle, and that if I don't like it, I just have to build another one, etc ... It's crude and barely the level of a good polybag with this too rigid wing.

In fact, LEGO has reversed the rules of the game: in general, you put a pretty boat in a lambda bottle that simply serves as a case through which you can see the result of a particular know-how. Here, it's the opposite, the bottle is successful, its content is much less.

The LEGO designer who took over the file admits himself, the bottle of the initial project was too big. Its size logically dictates the scale of everything else and the boat pays the price.

When the micro-vessel is assembled, it is then a matter of fixing it in the bottle before closing the latter. Nothing complicated, this set will not require any special skills at this stage. It is when it comes to closing the bottle that things will get a little tough.

Further in the assembly phase, we therefore find the bottom of the bottle with the vessel firmly fixed to the wall and the upper part with the neck and the stopper that will have to be fixed to close everything. It's a bit laborious but you end up doing it with a little patience and not following the instructions that recommend fixing the neck before joining the two halves of the bottle.

Nice stopper by the way, with a wax seal which we will talk about later.

Watch out for fingerprints and scratches ...

The fourth panels 6x6x9, which are back in the LEGO inventory here and which form the top of the bottle, are delivered loose in the box without bag or protection. This results in some unsightly marks and traces that will annoy the most perfectionists.

Before finalizing the assembly of the bottle, do not forget to add the water, the waves, the waves. This crucial step here is simply to pour 284 round 1x1 plates, or nearly a third of the contents of the set, into the bottom of the construction.

Can pouring a set of parts into a container be considered a construction technique? It's up to everyone to decide, especially since this process has always been used by many OMCs. I find the technique very lazy even if I understand the intention on the part of LEGO to leave these elements their mobility to better embody what they represent: water.

Should it be specified that the bottle is not waterproof? If some hoped to be able to really fill it with some liquid, this is obviously not possible and it is normal.

The support which accommodates the bottle is successful. It is stable and the bottle is perfectly maintained. It is also the only element of the set with the stopper which brings a little construction pleasure thanks to some well thought out techniques that the buyers of the set will discover.

The only regret, once the bottle is in place, we no longer really see the compass (obviously fictitious) which is however the central element of the base which supports the construction. This compass is a good idea, but it is in the wrong place. So much pad printing effort for something barely visible, it's a shame.

It should also be noted that the wax seal attached to the ingenious cap bears the initials ... of the LEGO designer Tiago Catarino who took over the project.

Jacob Sadovich will not have had the honor of seeing his idea greeted by this detail. It's a shame, he deserved at least to leave a personal mark in this set, beyond his signature on the packaging on the occasion of different events that allow to meet him and the page dedicated to him in the instruction booklet.

It will remain "the one who had the idea"and he will be able to console himself with the royalties on the sales. Flattering his ego in a nice way was not on the program.

In short, you will understand, this set leaves me a little indifferent even if I welcome the originality of the product which has its place in a range called LEGO Ideas. Bravo for the bottle, very realistic, too bad for the boat. I wish I could have said the opposite.

I note in passing that the assembly areas of the transparent parts hinder the visibility of the contents of the bottle from certain angles. You will tell me that this is normal, because it is LEGO and not glass. And you will be right. It's up to you to find the perfect place to display this set, with the right lighting.

I am not a collector of references from the LEGO Ideas range, nor a retired former sailor, and the concept developed here will therefore never find its place in my living room. Even though I'm a LEGO fan, this set is still way too kitsch for me. I will skip the same way if LEGO one day offers us a stuffed boar's head to hang on the wall because I don't have a chalet in the mountains or a hunting cabin.

For those who will acquire it, this set is also a good starting point to do something sexier. At the cost of some modifications, the fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga can for example try to give a little cachet to the whole by transforming it into a beautiful tribute to the Black Pearl:

It's up to you to get creative, the bottle can accommodate whatever you want: another micro-boat, micro-spaceship, minifigs on a micro-raft, etc ... As long as it fits.

You can even extend the experience by filling the bottle with different layers of 1x1 plates in different colors for a more modern effect on the Ikea dresser. It's up to you.

Otherwise, you can also prank your friends in the evening:

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is included in the game. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before the February 10 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, it is not eliminatory ;-).

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

It's confirmed, the LEGO Nexo Knights range, launched in 2016, will not survive the year 2018. The wave of six sets launched in January will therefore be the last (ref. 72001 to 72006). I don't know if there will be many people to mourn the disappearance of the band of young knights, but the discontinuation of the range was officially announced during the Nuremberg Toy Fair as indicated Zusammengebaut.

If you want to treat yourself to a last memory before moving on, know that the publisher Qilinn (Huginn & Munnin) has just published the encyclopedia of characters Nexo Knights in French version.

in 176 pages, you will be able to tour all the different protagonists of this medieval-futuristic universe and you will get as a bonus the exclusive minifigure of Clay in his phase of transformation into a villain Stone Clay with his mutating armor, Claymore sword and a special Nexo Power: "Chromium Bell".

As with all encyclopedias of the same genre, it is abundantly illustrated and filled with facts and anecdotes about the different characters.

As a bonus, a few pages are devoted to the genesis of this universe with preliminary sketches and other rather interesting interviews with the members of the team of LEGO designers in charge of the file.

Unfortunately, the book, which is the translation of the English version published in September 2017, does not mention the six boxes marketed in 2018. Too bad.

If you liked the range, this book will still give you a memory of its existence and you will probably wipe away a little tear when you leaf through it in a few years. I leave the last word to Jestro:

The LEGO Nexo Knights Encyclopedia of Characters - 176 pages - 21.95 € at amazon ou on FNAC.com.

Note: The book presented here, along with a second book on the adventures of the Nexo Knights, is up for grabs. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment on this article before the February 7 at 23:59 p.m..

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we are interested in a new publication from the publisher Qilinn (Huginn & Munnin): LEGO, Chain Reactions (24.95 €) which is none other than the French translation of the educational book offered since 2015 by the publisher Klutz (LEGO Chain Reactions).

This book is a very elaborate product, the development of which has obviously been carried out with care. The visuals are good, the illustrations are explicit, the text is didactic and the box itself is cleverly designed.

The product pitch is also promising:

It is confirmed, it will not be necessary to count on Toy Fairs from London (January 23 to 25, 2018), Nuremberg (January 31 to February 4, 2018) and New York (February 17 to 20, 2018) to discover LEGO novelties for the second half of 2018. The manufacturer has indeed indicated that he would not present any of the sets planned for the second half of the year during these events which are above all fairs intended for toy professionals.

LEGO will not be present in London, product photos will not be allowed in Nuremberg and written reports will be "framed".

I read here and there a bit of everything and anything about this decision by LEGO not to reveal many months in advance the products that will fill store shelves later in the year. Let's be serious, LEPIN does not wait for Toy Fairs at the beginning of the year to reproduce identically the sets to come ... It is obvious that the Chinese manufacturer specializing in the counterfeiting of existing products has much more elaborate resources than simple blurry photos taken on a stand. LEGO's surprising neglect does the rest with the massive leaks that take place outside factories or in the various "private" spaces that allow dealers to download visuals and official descriptions.

We can therefore assume that LEGO no longer wants to communicate on the sets to come so as not to cannibalize the attention around the boxes currently on the market. The novelties of the first semester have only been available for a few weeks and the manufacturer will have analyzed its own sales statistics to come to the conclusion that it is better not to communicate too early on the sets planned to be put on the shelves in several months. .

LEGO's decision can also be explained by a desire to keep control of its own marketing plan, largely imposed by the rights holders of the licenses concerned, which does not exactly correspond to the schedule of Toy Fairs beginning of the year.

If Disney or Warner set a timeline for the announcement of products derived from their respective licenses, LEGO must comply. As proof, I take the threatening emails sent by the manufacturer asking for the withdrawal of visuals or slightly too precise descriptions of derivative products: LEGO almost always claims to act under the constraint of the owner of the license in question.

The various leaks that take place only dampen these carefully prepared official announcements to make the buzz and in recent years LEGO has a little too often been the brand by which the first information (spoilers) on a film are disclosed, whether partial or even false.

It is therefore quite possible that Disney and Warner, among others, have finally asked LEGO to do their utmost to ensure that these leaks in the form of spoilers no longer reproduce. Exit therefore the presentation of sets based on Avengers: Infinity War or the second part of the saga Fantastic Beasts... No early reveal either for sets based on the animated film Incredibles 2 ou Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. It is the studios that decide when and where these derivative products are announced.

Obviously these are just guesses, it's hard to know what really motivates LEGO to change their strategy so significantly towards Toy Fairs.

The LEGO fan will have already seen these different sets anyway thanks to the many leaks that have flooded social networks in recent weeks, but the general public will have to wait until the studios decide to unveil these products.

In short, LEGO will be present in Nuremberg and New York, but not to distribute spoilers and blurry photos of upcoming news. It will be for the brand to meet its customers and promote its products currently marketed. The second half of the line will wait until the right time to be revealed.

The regulars will in any case have already recovered the retailer catalog available for download for a few days which reveals a large part of the sets planned ...

Here we are: goodbye 2017, hello 2018. Another year has passed, with its batch of LEGO news, sometimes heated discussions on many themes, various and varied competitions and tests.

In 2017, more and more of you came to the blog, for one reason or another, and stopped by to chat with other fans and share your experience, knowledge or good for this community. plans. Over 180.000 comments have been posted since the blog was created seven years ago. This constant increase in attendance has also imposed this year a major resizing of accommodation resources.

My mailbox is more than ever filled with various and varied messages, often benevolent. I try to respond on time to all requests. If yours has unfortunately gone by the wayside, don't be too angry with me. I'm lucky to be able to devote time to running this blog, but I also have a (real) job and I do my best to combine it all.

I repeat the same thing every year, but I would like to sincerely thank all those who bring this space to life through their interventions, whether regular or more punctual. Without you, Hoth Bricks would ultimately be of little interest and just one more blog in the already crowded little world of LEGO.

You know, I like to point out that before being fans of LEGO, we are above all consumers. As such, I will continue to allow all those who wish to express basely material considerations relating to the cost of our passion. This perspective is important to me and it therefore has its place here.

The usual advice: don't sacrifice anything for a LEGO box. Don't go into debt to buy LEGOs. Plastic cannot be eaten, and it does not sell for as expensive as some people would like to believe, especially when it is necessary to act in an emergency.

I hope that 2018 will be better than 2017 and a little worse than 2019 for all of you, with or without LEGO bricks, with a phase of Dark Age or personal constraints that force you to temporarily or permanently put this overwhelming passion aside.

I wish you all a Happy New Year 2018.

Note: Tradition obliges, I am bringing five copies of the "exclusive" Hoth Bricks minifigure into play. To participate, all you have to do is post a comment (you should find what to say without too much problem ...) and you have until January 4, 2018 at 23:59 p.m. to act.

Update : The winners have (finally) been drawn and have been notified by email, their nicknames are indicated below. Without a response from them to my request for contact details within 5 days, new winners will be drawn.