We bought this book for our 8 year old lego-fantatic son. He really enjoyed reading the book and looking at the designs. But as for doing the projects...as others have said, there aren't that many actual projects in there, and most of those require specialized pieces my son doesn't have. In order to get the right pieces, he must either buy a kit that includes those pieces (such as a motor) or go to one of the sites that will sell individual pieces...but the prices are high for a kid.

So, although he was excited to get this as a gift, it hasn't worked out so well for him.

I'd rather a book that gave more projects with more standard pieces.

the boook is fine, but you only get five "projects". for $17 dollars new, you'd think there would be more ... guess i should have reviewed the table of contents before purchasing. also, the pieces aren't identified well enough for me. a name, or piece number would work MUCH better because i don't have some of the pieces and would need to purchase them, so now, i have to order them, blah, blah, blah. anyway, the book is nice, slick and well bound. there, i said something positive.

I was very excited to get this book for my LEGO-crazed son, and the included projects are great...EXCEPT for the fact, as others have pointed out, that many required parts are, to say the least, non-typical. To require the book purchaser to spend hours searching for parts online, then spending multiples of the book price to get them, is deceptive to say the least. Bad form. It's like writing a cookbook with recipes requiring ingredients only available in ancient Mesopotamia or on modern-day Madagascar.

You've always wanted to make that medieval catapult hurl things at your siblings. You've always wanted to gear down that racer and try to take it into the sandbox. Now here are designs that can help you do it. Not only do you get a ton of cool designs, but included are a ton of ideas on changing up the designs or switching pieces in case you're missing a few of the bits recommended. The designs all work very well, and are of the top quality that you'd expect from the former LEGO employees who made this book.

The real fun is that you get so much more than that. The book opens with exposition on how the LEGO design process works, and gives you a ton of excellent trivia (yes, the designers really have hugs bins of every part ever made so they can build any design they can dream). The insights into the LEGO design process not only show you the incredible quality that LEGO puts into every product, but give you excellent ideas on better building for your own models as well. Even when the book's models are presented, they've given multi-page stories detailing their history, and why the designs would never make it at LEGO headquarters, as well as the little technical aspects down to exactly why the model uses the gearing solution it does.

I definitely recommend this book for the LEGO fanatic in your life- they'll thank you for it. And, with help from the designers, they'll likely expand on the models presented and dream up all-new creations that will allow the design hints from this book to remain in use for a long time to come.

The only thing I'd note in closing is that this isn't really a book for kids, though you should be able to figure that out from the gun modeled on the front. This is a book for grownups, or at least kids with proper supervision.

This book has step-by-step instructions that are fun to build and use. My Jr High students really enjoyed making the projects.

Great book, as soon as my four sons saw the word FORBIDDEN the wanted to read it right away.

This is a great book for LEGO aficionados wanting to push the boundaries of this wonderful Danish product.

Personal favourites include the full-functioning ground-to-air missile - built from the Fire Rescue set - and the life-size girlfriend with realistic hair that can be cobbled together from combining the Star Wars: Clone Trooper with various Bionicle sets.

My life would be complete if they were to publish a second book showing how to make a working distillery.

I use Lego to experiment with mechanisms for engineering students and so I was interested to see some of the authors designs. The book is well presented with building steps illustrated with excellent colour diagrams. The introduction and the explanation of the "Lego Rules" was a surprising but interesting addition. The only limitation of the book is that some of the parts were special parts, which come from a Lego Technics kit, which might be difficult to source for people without the Technic Kits.
I would still recommend the book as it still has great ideas.

I've been a LEGO builder for my whole life, starting with the original castle series. This book has instructions for all those sets you wish you could've bought, and then used to torment your siblings and parents.

Some highlights include:
Ping pong ball catapult
LEGO plate gun
and so forth...

I havent built them yet, but each set has a description of why its not allowed as an "official" set (for instance, one requires you to wire two lego power packs together, making one more powerful power pack). There are also some stories about desigining official lego sets, and other interesting lego trivia.

Its a fun book to read, and I cant wait to build some "Forbidden Lego"

I've been a LEGO builder for my whole life, starting with the original castle series. This book has instructions for all those sets you wish you could've bought, and then used to torment your siblings and parents.

Some highlights include:
Ping pong ball catapult
LEGO plate gun
and so forth...

I havent built them yet, but each set has a description of why its not allowed as an "official" set (for instance, one requires you to wire two lego power packs together, making one more powerful power pack). There are also some stories about desigining official lego sets, and other interesting lego trivia.

Its a fun book to read, and I cant wait to build some "Forbidden Lego"

There are a number of cool projects in this book, including a ping pong ball shooter and a paper airplane launcher. The instructions are purely pictorial, in keeping with other Lego instruction manuals. Definitely not for the inexperienced builder.

My main criticism: the authors should have included a list of resources, places online where we can purchase some of these pieces. NAMING some of the more exotic-looking pieces would be helpful, too, since it can be a challenge to find some of these items online if you don't know their names.

This book is well laid out with various plans for Lego siege items. The plans are well printed and feature bright and easy to read diagrams. I recommend this for all Lego enthusiasts who enjoy all things Lego.

I wanted to keep this all for myself, but now I must watch out for flying legos. Great book.

This is a really fun book for kids who are really into Lego building and robotics. The only thing missing is a list of the proper names for the parts so youy can find the ones you are missing. Lots of fun and adaptable projects.

'Forbidden Lego: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against!' is one of, if not the best Lego building book you will find out today. Jam packed with 200+ pages in FULL COLOR (I stress this because there are several other good Lego books on the market that don't have this which keep them from being great), there are plenty of designs that will keep you and your kids having fun for days, weeks, months, and possibly years to come!

If I am a Lego fan, I am looking for a book that gives me lots of clear examples, several fun projects to build, step by step instructions, and the FULL COLOR that any reader would demand not only because it looks better but with something so hands on and color intense as Legos, this just makes the whole experience easier and BETTER overall.

If you are a Lego fan who wants to get some new ideas and build some cool new things, pick up this book and let the fun begin!!!

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This book was a good effort. The instructions are pretty good, in full color and it somewhat interesting to find out why these models would be forbidden from the perspective of a former Lego designer.
There are some problems though. My two biggest beefs with the book were

1. The author didn't tell you what sets you could pull pieces from to make the given model. I had to use a Lego set inventory web site ([...]) to determine that which took about an hour per model.
2. The models didn't use the latest pieces and motors in the Technic line. Most of the models in the book were built with pieces and motors from sets that came out in 2000-2003. Thus, unless you're a collector like me, the people who buy this book will have a hard time finding the right pieces to use.

This would be a great book IF you could actually make any of the models shown. Our family has $300 worth of technic models and we still don't have the necessary items to make *any* of the ideas in this book. Furthermore, the pieces are not available on the pick-a-brick website nor at the stores. Lastly, a two-month-long search high and low for anyone to help us find the bricks listed in this book has left us high and dry. So, this book is like a fancy record player in a CD store-pretty cool, but absolutely impractical.

If you have sons or sons-in-law who are still kids at heart or NEED to be kids at heart. This is a great gift - just include a set of Lego blocks and a couple of Lego motors and you will be the best mom/mom-in-law around. Maybe you want to think about a set for yourself??

fantastic book. very entertaining and highly creative. my kids have enjoyed it thoroughly.

This book is awesome. I am 26 years old and this is just another way to fall back in love with an old hobby.

What an awesome, fun book! My 9-yr old son and I are having a blast creating all the cool models. The instructions are clear and as good as any official lego kit, while the text is funny and informative.

Included is some behind the scenes information on the inner workings at Lego, and how the design process operates there. Interesting reading for all ages.

The book has also inspired my son to build other creations of his own design. A great way to watch less TV and video games, and get the creative juices flowing.

Any fan of the Lego Technic line would enjoy this book. But be forewarned, unless you have a stockpile of technic parts, you will be buying more Lego sets and pieces to complete all the cool models. But it's not that bad, and well worth the effort.

Here are my best 5 little-known reasons for you to consider buying this book:

1. It's got a great little summary (10 or so pages) about LEGO, the company's mindset, how these 2 authors got involved in LEGO, and how the design process works at LEGO. LEGO's safety test is described which is important because it helps to determine what is safe vs. non-safe for consumers (from LEGO's point of view). It's a great behind-the-scenes summary and very enjoyable to read.

2. What follows is a short 6 page summary about the LEGO master builders' design theory. With headers such as "How We Build at LEGO" and "The Hero Model," (don't know what that is - get the book!) readers can read a short essay on LEGO's design strategy as well as steps on incorporating it into your own design process.

3. Each project has an "Inspiration" and "Design" short discussion that lets you know how the project came to be. My favorite "LEGO Rules Broken" which tells you EXACTLY why this book is titled "Forbidden LEGO!" (You're also told if any non-LEGO parts are used which is a HUGE benefit before starting to build a project.)

4. "How it Works" short discussions tell you the principle behind the project's design and operation. After that, you've got full color building instructions.

5. Every project can be "MINDSTORM"-ed! These projects all have the ability to be converted to robotic platforms, automating them and giving your robots some real firepower. I've already got some ideas moving through my head after reading over some of these projects.

A great book - definitely a LOT of time and energy put into it.

What an absolutely fun book to read. The authors, Pilegaard and Dooley, both worked at LEGO. Apparently, as a LEGO engineer, there are many rules that need to be followed when creating a new toy. Most of these rules appear to be in place to protect children from getting hurt. The purpose of this book is to allow two amazing LEGO designers to create models that break one or more of the LEGO rules. The results are some really interesting models that are a lot of fun to build--just don't let your 5 year old play with them!

I've read some previous LEGO books where the construction information was printed in black and white, making it difficult to follow. This book has all model instructions printed in full-color, making this book as easy to read as any LEGO-printed construction manual.

It also helps that the models are a lot of fun to build. You'll see instructions for a paper plane launcher, a candy catapult, a ping-pong cannon, an all-terrain vehicle, and "high velocity automatic plate dispenser". Each model starts out with the builder's inspiration for the model, as well as why it is forbidden by LEGO. While some reasons include safety concerns for young builders (any catapulted item must be below a certain velocity for it to be deemed "safe"), others include models that use non-LEGO parts.

All in all, this is a very fun book to read and build along with. If you've got a Technik set and want to try something new--something forbidden--then this is a great book to pick up. Not only are the models easy to follow (thanks in part to the color instructions), but they're fun to build.

Having a couple of close friends who are LEGO-maniacs, I couldn't pass up the chance to read and review this particular title in order to see what it's all about... Forbidden LEGO: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against! by Ulrik Pilegaard and Mike Dooley. I now understand why they find LEGO building so much fun, and it probably wouldn't take much to bring me into the fold...

Contents:
Introduction; How to Build Great Things; Project 1 - Paper Plane Launcher (PPL); Project 2 - Candy Coated Catapult (CCC); Project 3 - Ping-Pong Cannon (PPC); Project 4 - All-Terrain LEGO (ATL); Project 5 - High Velocity Automatic LEGO Plate Dispenser (HVALPD); Tips and Tricks

So what makes these projects "forbidden"? There are certain rules that have to be followed in order for a LEGO model to be allowed to be marketed as a kit. Some of these rules would be:

Never launch a non-approved object into the air.
Never launch a non-approved object into the air with great force.
Never alter any LEGO part.
Never connect two moters to run together.
Never double the approved voltage.

And so on. Generally speaking, a LEGO kit should not be able to injure someone, should be able to be built with standard pieces, and shouldn't use anything that doesn't come directly from LEGO. In varying degrees, these five projects break some (or all) of the official rules. Which is why they are appealing to the LEGO builder's inner-geek. For as complex as these devices look on the surface, the authors do an excellent job in breaking things down into step-by-step instructions. They start with a brief explanation of the project, some of the design hurdles they faced, what rules are broken, and what non-LEGO parts you might need. From there, you find a full parts list (in color, complete with pictures and amounts) followed by a numbered series of steps. The steps show what parts are needed for that specific step, as well as how they fit together with the growing assembly. Surprisingly, they do this without directions... just the pictures. But the assembly is broken down into very small steps, so you don't have to make any major intuitive leaps to get from step 45 to 46. And if you've been building with LEGO before this, I'll guess that you wouldn't have any trouble following along. I could even see myself making any one of these, and I'm definitely *not* an engineering wizard. :) Oh, and another nice touch... the binding is designed to allow the book to lay flat when opened. So you won't be looking for weighted objects to hold the book open while you're building your next contraption.

I don't know that I'd want to give this book to a 10 year old for fear of what he'd do with the items once built. But knowing the person(s) who I'll be giving my copy to after this, I should probably trust the 10 year old a bit more. Great book, wonderful quality, and it should provide a number of hours of fun walking on the "wild side".

Having a couple of close friends who are LEGO-maniacs, I couldn't pass up the chance to read and review this particular title in order to see what it's all about... Forbidden LEGO: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against! by Ulrik Pilegaard and Mike Dooley. I now understand why they find LEGO building so much fun, and it probably wouldn't take much to bring me into the fold...

Contents:
Introduction; How to Build Great Things; Project 1 - Paper Plane Launcher (PPL); Project 2 - Candy Coated Catapult (CCC); Project 3 - Ping-Pong Cannon (PPC); Project 4 - All-Terrain LEGO (ATL); Project 5 - High Velocity Automatic LEGO Plate Dispenser (HVALPD); Tips and Tricks

So what makes these projects "forbidden"? There are certain rules that have to be followed in order for a LEGO model to be allowed to be marketed as a kit. Some of these rules would be:

Never launch a non-approved object into the air.
Never launch a non-approved object into the air with great force.
Never alter any LEGO part.
Never connect two moters to run together.
Never double the approved voltage.

And so on. Generally speaking, a LEGO kit should not be able to injure someone, should be able to be built with standard pieces, and shouldn't use anything that doesn't come directly from LEGO. In varying degrees, these five projects break some (or all) of the official rules. Which is why they are appealing to the LEGO builder's inner-geek. For as complex as these devices look on the surface, the authors do an excellent job in breaking things down into step-by-step instructions. They start with a brief explanation of the project, some of the design hurdles they faced, what rules are broken, and what non-LEGO parts you might need. From there, you find a full parts list (in color, complete with pictures and amounts) followed by a numbered series of steps. The steps show what parts are needed for that specific step, as well as how they fit together with the growing assembly. Surprisingly, they do this without directions... just the pictures. But the assembly is broken down into very small steps, so you don't have to make any major intuitive leaps to get from step 45 to 46. And if you've been building with LEGO before this, I'll guess that you wouldn't have any trouble following along. I could even see myself making any one of these, and I'm definitely *not* an engineering wizard. :) Oh, and another nice touch... the binding is designed to allow the book to lay flat when opened. So you won't be looking for weighted objects to hold the book open while you're building your next contraption.

I don't know that I'd want to give this book to a 10 year old for fear of what he'd do with the items once built. But knowing the person(s) who I'll be giving my copy to after this, I should probably trust the 10 year old a bit more. Great book, wonderful quality, and it should provide a number of hours of fun walking on the "wild side".

I ordered this book a week ago, and I'm having a lot of fun with it now.

It's a very thorough, thick book for the somewhat small number of models it shows you how to build, (only 5 different models), but it does cover them all in depth and with full illustrations, just like any Lego manual you've ever used. There's a lot of interesting notes written in the comments at the beginning and end of the projects, offering some interesting insight into what goes on at the Lego thinktank. Overall, if you've got a lot of lego bricks on hand, and time to kill, this is a very fun and amusing book, and I would definitely recommend it.