Rating: 
Summary: Genious!
Review: A good look, full of images of the set and of the New Zealand, well describe.
With a good map (not include), this book will become your favorite ( But, Only If you want to go in New Zealand and you love the lord of the rings!! for sure!).
It's a little and wise size for bring in a backpack.So this is THE book to buy for Lord of the rings fans.
Rating:
Summary: Been there, done that
Review: Having just returned from NZ on a self-guided Lord of the Rings tour using this book as our map, we found it very good in providing details of what was filmed where and whether it was feasible to get there without a helicopter tour or how much driving would be involved on gravel roads etc. Some directions were a little difficult to discern on the ground (not having access to a GPS)but we eventually found our way to all of the sites we wanted to get to (we visited about 20 locations mentioned in the book)- you will usually find some other fanatic wandering around in the remote location carrying this same guidebook. If you are planning a trip to NZ and want to see some LOTR sites, get this book. It also provides information on other interesting things to do in these film locations.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have For an LOTR Pilgrim
Review: I cannot believe that this book lacks the single most obvious thing that such a book should have - A MAP OF THE LOCATIONS DESCRIBED!! There is one giant map of NZ, with a few cities on it. And there are a small handful of zoomed-in maps of a few given locations. But what there logically should be is a map of NZ, showing where these locations are! Very frustrating thing to leave out. Other than that, the book provides pretty much everything else one might need: descriptions, pictures, some limited information on reaching the places (very limited), and even GPS coordinates. But the lack of maps, and the limited directions, make this book lacking in a big way.
Rating: 
Summary: Where is the map?!?!
Review: I cannot believe that this book lacks the single most obvious thing that such a book should have - A MAP OF THE LOCATIONS DESCRIBED!! There is one giant map of NZ, with a few cities on it. And there are a small handful of zoomed-in maps of a few given locations. But what there logically should be is a map of NZ, showing where these locations are! Very frustrating thing to leave out. Other than that, the book provides pretty much everything else one might need: descriptions, pictures, some limited information on reaching the places (very limited), and even GPS coordinates. But the lack of maps, and the limited directions, make this book lacking in a big way.
Rating: 
Summary: so so
Review: I found this guidebook lacking. The pictures are tiny, it's weak on details and every other location mentioned seems to have the caveat "closed to public" tacked on. If you want to go to New Zealand, have a lovely time. If you are expecting to see actually places from the movie you'll be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have For an LOTR Pilgrim
Review: I just returned from New Zealand. This book is everywhere there at substancially more money.It is supposedly a best seller there.That aside if you want to know about where some of the movie sites are, this book will pinpoint it down for you. It is a good thing to read before you go. Many, many of the sites are on private land there and you can't get to them, others are way, way down dirt roads and best accessable by 4x4,car rental companies severly frown on using their cars on unpaved roads. The GPS coordinates are in the book and you may want to try to find them yourself. However, several local tour companies have sprung up, especially in the Queenstown and Matamata area, that use this book and will take you to the exact locations quickly. I found the book a real asset in that it not only told you things about the movie but also delved into interesting related sites, like what to see in Wellington or Te Anua. I learned from the book that Hobbiton is still partially in existance, far of in the middle of a huge sheep station, only accessible by a local tour company. To know that is worth the price of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Comment from the Author
Review: It has been interesting reading the reviews of my book. As a Tolkien fan for the last 32 years I wanted people to enjoy the scenery of New Zealand as it relates to Middle-earth.
Certainly there are more than 3 locations easily accessible. In fact, 90% of the locations listed in this book are accessible by car. There are very few (about 6) that are only helicopter accessible.
The GPS co-ordinates are listed to enable some fans to find the exact spots. They have been checked to within 5 metre accuracy.
The book is not intended as a travel guide to NZ, hence the sparseness of maps. I would recommend any visitor purchasing a good NZ atlas as well.
My major disappointment with this book is the small pictures - but the book is a guide to allow people to pit it in glove-boxes or backpacks.
A much larger coffee-table version will be released later this year with more pages and much bigger pictures.
Rating:
Summary: Plan the Ultimate New Zealand Lord of the Rings experience!
Review: The Good: During June/July of 2003 I had the unbelievable opportunity to spend 6 weeks exploring New Zealand (this was before the revision of the book to include the Return of the King locations). As a lover of Tolkien and the LOTR movies I knew I could not miss seeing some of the filming locations used to portray 'Middle-Earth.' Ian Brodie's location guide is a godsend! I do strongly recommend renting a 4WD vehicle - the best locations are way off the beaten path and there is no other way to get to them! North Island Highlights -
1) Visit the remains of the Hobbiton set in Matamata. Even without the remaining Hobbit hole facades, this lush green country is instantly recognizable as the Shire. To walk up the same stone steps at Bag End that Gandalf climbed is unbelievable. If you're lucky, you'll get one of the Alexander brothers as your guide! 2) Do not miss the opportunity to reenact the "get of the road" hobbit sequence on Mt Victoria. We had a bit of trouble finding the spot as much of the smaller brush and shrubbery had recently been trimmed, but once you're there you will recognize the location (focus on finding the older tree growth)! 3) Spend some time in Kaitoke Regional Park - aside from the lush vegetation you won't recognize anything directly from the movie, but the park is gorgeous and offers several walking trails. South Island Highlights -
1) You MUST make the trek out to Erewhon/Mt Sunday. This was one of the best days of my trip. It is a long unpaved road and an endless drive deep into what seems like the middle of nowhere, but very much worth it! Mt Sunday/Edoras is instantly recognizable and you'll hardly notice that Meduseld isn't still standing there in all its glory. The Rangitata Valley is immense and breathtaking. There simply aren't words to describe the experience. Oh yeah, and it really is windy! 2) Queenstown, Queenstown, Queenstown! Do not short yourself on time in this adventure capital of New Zealand! You will recognize the Remarkables, overlooking Queenstown, from the movie immediately - they were used in many landscape shots in the film. Deer Park Heights is amazing - the LOTR locations are labelled with small guide markers, but also take your time to enjoy the animals roaming the preserve! When you find the tiny mountain tarn Peter Jackson used to film the refugees escaping Rohan you will truly come to understand this man's genius and vision! One of the Glenorchy Dart River safaris out of Queenstown is the best way to see the Isenguard location! 3) The second greatest day of my New Zealand trip was yet another long unpaved drive to the Mavora Lakes. I can't stress 4WD, common sense, and following speed signs in unpaved locations enough here - going slightly too fast at a road bend, we did at one point lose traction and drive staight off the road. Nonetheless, this worthwhile drive hits several locations. Without a GPS device, you'll find the burning Orc hill/Fangorn Forest location easiest by lining up the mountains to the forest looking for the matching movie shot. Hop the fence (watch out for sheep poo) and take the easy walk up to the hill. Reenact Aragorn's "a hobbit lay here and another here" sequence. Highly amusing after the long drive! Keep on driving (and do not mistake South Mavora Lake which you'll pass first for North Mavora) and you'll eventually get to the location used for Nen Hithoel. The waters where Sam nearly drowned trying to swim to Frodo are indeed cold! The fallen tree where Merry and Pippin hide is easily recognized, as is the tree Frodo hides behind - it is less that 10 feet away from the fallen Merry/Pippin tree. Don't let the prospect of getting a little dirty deter you from crawling under the fallen tree and whispering "hide here"! The guide directions aren't the greatest, but just at the forest edge in the open parking area, stand with the lake parallel to your left and these film locations are close by at the top of the ridge in the 2 o'clock direction. Personal rant to follow! Please do not stray too far into the forest - there is no trail to follow and the forest here is so dense that you could quite easily become lost/disoriented! As a word of warning - at one point in our search my friend and I were separated by only 20 to 30 feet and we could not see each other let alone the lake or parking area. Even though this is no more than a quick climb up a hill, be smart (we did find the car in case you were wondering) - as a precaution bring a daypack/backpack with drinking water for two days (for each person in your party), a small amount of food, and winter warm clothing even if the weather is hot. In the event that you do become lost, don't panic, don't run/rush, and at a calm walk DON'T WANDER FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES thinking that you'll find your way out (the average person who wanders for 15 minutes will have walked a mile) - stay put, settle in, and wait to be found. Whether you're going alone or with others - tell someone at your hostel/hotel that if you do not check in with them by a certain hour they should notify authorities of your location - by doing this, someone will find you if the worst case scenario does occur! The same goes for any location you are heading to that is off the beaten track! LOTR draws people from all walks of life, and hopefully those without outdoors experience/knowledge wishing to explore 'Middle-Earth' will stay safe in these wonderful locations! The Bad: The only drawback to this book is that I didn't bring GPS equipment and thus sometimes found the directions to locations slightly vague - nonetheless, the directions do offer enough information to find the locations! The Ugly: This last comment in no way relates to the book! If you're going to this fantastic country simply to see LOTR filming locations, I promise that you are missing out on what could be one of the greatest experiences of your life. Yes, go to see 'Middle-Earth' but do not forget the rest of New Zealand!
Rating:
Summary: Essential, Though Better Maps Would Be Nice
Review: This excellent and indispensable guide is thoroughly researched, richly illustrated with photographs, and well written. But while it is an essential book for anyone planning a visit to Middle Earth, it is handicapped by one glaring omission: though several maps are provided, none adequately indicate the locations of Middle Earth's features. This is frustrating for anyone who wishes to use the book as a travel guide (though it is always possible to sort out locations by using the text and the limited maps provided) and a serious drawback for the armchair traveler who just wants to get a sense of how Middle Earth maps onto New Zealand. Be sure to get the "Revised Edition".
Rating: 
Summary: the only way to find the LotR sites, but vague in places
Review: This really is the only way to ever hope to find any of the film locations in NZ. Other guides & websites mention a few of the places, but this is the only book to collect all the info. in one place, & in a handy, travel-size book too.
However, Brodie's directions are often vague & incomplete. Maps would help, but simply including specifics like "drive 15km up the mountain & look for the DoC sign that says XYZ" would be just as useful. The current directions only say "drive up the road to the film location" or somesuch. This book really seems geared to people using GPS.
In NZ last week, I purchased the 'extended' version of this book, but I haven't had time to compare the text to see if it's been improved. However, the new version is a larger format, more of a coffee-table book, so it wouldn't be suitable to carrying on the road. Perhaps you could photocopy pages for traveling.
| 
