Possibly one of Lego's biggest franchise tie-ins yet, there's no end in sight for the popularity of Lego Lord of the Rings and, naturally, related kits (and games, no doubt!). Of course that includes cashing in on the upcoming Hobbit release, and those of you eagerly awaiting the newer sets can rest easy thanks to Amazon.

A few are available now, including "An Unexpected Gathering", "Escape from Mirkwood Spiders", and "Riddles for the Ring", all featuring the sorts of wonderfully crafted surroundings and minifigs you've come to expect by now. While all of the sets certainly have their own appeal, I'm particularly fond of the Shire, looking just fantastic and unmistakable in miniature.

I'll be honest--I've never read the books and only seen the movies for the first time this past week at a certain someone's behest, but I'm certainly interested enough to be keeping an eye on these myself!

[via The Brothers Brick]