Here are a few pics. The faux leather covers turned out much better than I'd expected and actually feel pretty classy (even the shimmer effect). The interior pages have a modest gloss and are a little thinner. The ink is a bit darker, so you lose a tiny bit of detail on some pictures, but I didn't see any that were ruined. The page layouts changed a little bit, but nothing looks materially different. Overall, I think the reprints turned out really well. Glad I have them.

Note: The interior comparison shots have the reprints on the left, the originals on the right. This is a little confusing vs the external shots, but oh well. I'm not doing it over again. Too late already.  

I have to admit I was pretty skeptical about these reprints, though it didn't keep me from ordering them.  Seeing the pictures, the books look to be high quality with real attention to detail.  Given the need to reproduce them manually, the effort must have been considerable.  So I am glad to be pleasantly surprised.  Now, I just need to get my copies . . . .

I had thought these would now be available in the UK so surely it is just a matter of time until they are available. I certainly want a set.

misterspock wrote:this place in the UK has them listed for preorder.

http://www.leisuregames.com/acatalog/newPREORDERS.html

Thanks for that!

Although it works out around $115 to buy them here bizarrely....

But... but... this printing comes with a bookmark!  

i went and got a set from the great flgs Games Plus that is 15 minutes from my home. I paid a little more than some other avenues ($105) but they let me pick through all of their copies and select the nicest ones that had the straightest corners and where the wrap-around paper inserts were all at the same level so they would be aesthetically appealing on the shelves to view. i was reminded of my days managing a game distributorship 25 years ago. the pay was lousy, but i was, as an example, able to go through the 144 copies of dragon magazine that we received each month and pick out the best one for my collection.

my question for the people that have been posting reviews of these books: you didn't take the shrinkwrap off of your copies did you?

(just poking fun at myself)    (oh and Ryan too of course)

Hah, I didn't take the shrink off of mine yet.... not so much because I like my stuff in shrink, but because I've been too busy to sit down and look at them all closely, hahaha...

Just picked up a set today, the players handbook is already in short supply at my local store and they have only had it since tuesday  

stratochamp wrote:
my question for the people that have been posting reviews of these books: you didn't take the shrinkwrap off of your copies did you?

(just poking fun at myself)    (oh and Ryan too of course)

Easy answer!  Two sets.