On the other side of the room is a writing desk writing desk with teal accents, and a fireplace sits to the side. A single twin bed will sit next to the wall, suggesting that one of these kids is just visiting. (Probably the one wearing Forest Guardians clothes.) There’s some lovely foliage around, which include raised sections (likely to mimic raised baseplates) as well as these new dark green trees introduced. The foliage really ties the entire model and structure together, giving it a wonderful organic and whimsical feel. Not all of the castle is made from grey stone; the upper story features a bit of woodworking. SNOT connections create a narrow patterns of lines that closely resemble classic LEGO wall elements. The second key strength to 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle’s exterior design, in spite of the one colour, is in the various angles that the entire structure is built across, with changes in direction and grid lining coming several times around the outer wall. There are certainly squared-off sections to the building as needs be, but the all-round construction follows a curious, more rounded foundation that so cleverly changes the aspect and appearance of the castle depending on what angle you look at it from.

This section looks into the kitchen area thanks to ball joints embedded in the walls. It’s an interesting connection method and one that snaps together easily. And last but certainly not least, everyone’s favourite Castle faction – the Forestmen! After making a triumphant return in 40567 Forest Hideout, it’s great to see 3 Forestmen included in the set – we get a male, female and a young girl all garbed in Forestmen green. LEGO have come a long way with Queens, and I must say, this Warrior Queen Lionne will go down in history as one of the most-loved Castle characters. Time to highlight another wonderful bit of construction wizardry! The square balcony area outside of the kid’s room is built on the hinged section of the larger castle, so it has to go through some contortions when changing display modes. The magic happens thanks to this heavily hinged bit of masonry.

Stages 14-25 – Lion Knight’s Castle Keep

Here’s a look at the completed Book 1, which assembles the keep and left-hand section of the build. Lion Knights’ Castle has instantly become one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time. I’m a big fan of Vintage LEGO (I get so much more satisfaction from my vintage collection than my modern collection), and a big Castle fan, so this in essence is my dream set.

The great castle on the horizon is home to the Lady of the brave Lion Knights. As a firm but just ruler, the Lady has established her stronghold as the natural gathering place for people from near and far. It serves as a place of trade and treaties, as well as a haven for those in need. Because the build is split into two books, you can build this together with someone else, with each person focusing on one build. Once both halves are complete, you bring them and snap them together to create the Lion Knights’ Castle. First up, here’s a look at the Lion Knights, who make a triumphant return and feature all-new highly detailed torsos and printed legs. The red, blue and yellow are just glorious to behold, especially when they make up almost half of all the minifigures in the set – it’s superb that you’re almost getting a small army of Lion Knights ready for conquest. There are a number of ways to display the castle, with the most impressive being the “fully open” view where all the sections are unfolded to show off the interior and exterior features. The trade-off is that this takes up a LOT of linear space.

Details

Even if you don’t have an affinity with Castles, this is a really fun fantasy set, and if you didn’t grow up in the Castle Era, or like me, could not afford large LEGO castles when you were a kid, you’ll want to start saving and making space for this, because this is everything you could ever wish for in a LEGO Castle set. Even the size of the latrine, squeezed as it is into the third floor with little room to fit between, is accurate to how toilets were generally designed in castles, when space was at a premium. Arguably, the only room missing is the biggest – a great hall of sorts. Something for customisers to create as an add-on build, perhaps. There are also plenty of instances of Nice Part Usage (NPU) to be found. For example, this small water feature/cistern uses a minifigure energy blast for the falling water.

At one point, you’re asked to lay down a whopping 42 1 x 1 tiles, with only a single diagram for reference Reflecting her royal bloodline, she has an exclusive and unique torso and printed legs, which you can see beneath her armour. She also comes with a hairpiece and crown, to swap out her helmet. And here’s a comparison with the original Magisto, which you may remember from sets like 6020 Magic Shop. I do wish he had some printing on him, especially a pouch which has been a staple with Magistos throughout the ages.EDIT TO ADD! Turns out I’m the one who’s full of it. Thanks to Jamin Hoyle for pointing out in the comments that the toilet actually empties outsidethe castle walls – and there’s a brown “frog” on the ground to prove it. Under the castle, following the river, there are a series of twisting caves where all sorts of skullduggery can occur. (Provided your hands are small enough to fit into the limited open spaces.) A nice touch is these friendly bats – critters you might have trouble finding again once the build is complete.

Lion Knights’ Castle is an outstanding LEGO experience where money is not the object at play. It may take many months to save up for 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle, but the reward for doing so is so very special and unique to you that there’s no need to think twice when you come to that moment to spend hundreds on just one LEGO set. The mortgage can wait. — LEGO ICONS 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle pictures —I had the honour of reviewing this set early, and as a fan of Vintage LEGO, and Classic Castle, this set was everything I dreamed of, and more, and just might be one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time. Far and away the most challenging building technique is the drawbridge, which uses Technic axles, gears, and chains to create a neat winching system. However, setting the drawbridge in position took us a few tries, since the diagram could have been a little clearer. At 4,514 pieces, this is well and truly in biggest LEGO sets ever created territory, and a rarity for a non-Star Wars set, so you know LEGO means business.