The coffee table book is a special category of books. Rather than being defined by their content, they are defined by their function and the place in a home they inhabit. Coffee table books are conversation starters, gorgeous catalogues of all things the book owner loves, and the most literary form of interior decorating.
As huge fans of all things geeky, we have curated an eclectic list of coffee table books available on Amazon.sg that will give a huge boost to anyone’s geek cred. And who knows, maybe you will end up converting a geek or two because of these books.
The Toys Of He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe
This is a thick book for the connoisseur of the smorgasbord of toy lines based on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. What started as a line of toys from Mattel that’s inspired by Conan the Barbarian became a unique fantasy franchise that’s still going strong even after 40 years.
This encyclopedic record of toys in the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise by YouTuber Dan Eardley and He-Man historian Val Staples spans over 700 pages. Beyond the high quality photographs of the toys, there are in-depth overviews of every item, along with meticulously researched documentation of the toys’ development and variants. Not only that, the book also features interviews and commentaries from the toys’ creators, lending further insight for any fans of the franchise.
You truly have the power with this impressive tome holding fort at your coffee table.
Marvel Encyclopedia, New Edition
The Marvel Encyclopedia is a gorgeous database of pretty much all the heroes and villains in the Marvel comics universe. With over 1200 characters’ biographies and secret histories to go through, it is guaranteed that just flipping through the book at random will net you unexpected new trivia knowledge.
This new edition ensures that readers will be getting the most up-to-date information about the Marvel universe. For instance, summaries of recent key events such as Civil War 2 and Infinity Countdown are included in this volume.
Reading this book is like visiting a candy store for the Marvel fans, and it also serves as a great way for them to ease newcomers into the vibrant world of Marvel comics. The introduction by the late Stan Lee, who stated that this is ‘a book that is -now and forever- a shining beacon of wonder’, is also a big reason why the book is a must-have for geeks.
Wonder: The Art and Practice of Beatrice Blue
And for geeks who are also into the more creative, artistic side of geekdom, Wonder: The Art and Practice of Beatrice Blue is a beautiful book to consider. Featuring the enchanting, intricately detailed illustrations of Beatrice Blue, readers get a peek at Blue’s creative process and how she comes up with ideas.
This book is a great way to dive into her imagination, and to get to know the many lovable characters she has drawn. For artists, this can be a source of inspiration. For regular geeks, this is a chance to immerse yourselves into a truly wholesome world of a brilliant artist who has worked with Hasbro, Dreamworks TV, Nickelodeon, and more.
Also, the lightbulbs on the cover are glow-in-the-dark. It really is a book that’s a source of comfort, and will bring a smile to anyone’s face.
The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games
The CRPG Book is one of the many sexy coffee table books about games published by Bitmap Books. Boasting over 500 pages and featuring 400 game titles, this book tracks the evolution of an entire game genre, evokes nostalgia for those who played these games, and also adds dozens of titles to our backlogs.
Also, given the difficulty that could arise from playing old games on new hardware, every entry helpfully comes with a selection of suggested mods and guidelines on how to run these games on modern PCs. Not only that, the book also illustrates and acknowledges how it is impossible to truly nail down the definition of a genre, giving readers a lot of food for thought. This is a fun yet thought-provoking book for the gamer interested in owning a chunky slice of PC gaming history.
(Really, Bitmap Books’ catalogue is awesome enough to fill up this entire list, so consider this a recommendation for all their books.)
The LEGO Architect
The best type of coffee table books are the ones that not only let readers indulge in their hobbies, but also expand their horizons in various ways while reading them. The Lego Architect is one such book.
It is more than just another testament to the endless possibilities of creative expression with Lego bricks. The book exposes readers to various architectural styles such as Art Deco, Brutalism, and High-Tech, pointing out their stylistic hallmarks and features. There are also guides on how to build 12 Lego models from a range of architectural styles, nudging readers to have fun and get their hands busy.
Beyond exploring the world of Lego further, The Lego Architect could change the way readers notice and look at the buildings around them.
Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe
Coffee table books are perfect conversation starters, and Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe encapsulates that aspect perfectly. The book presents storylines, character arcs, relationships, and comparisons using pie charts, bar graphs, scatter plots, and more.
This makes for a clear and simple illustration of specific elements within the comic book universes. For example, there is a page that places heroes and villains on a graph according to their political leanings. Now that is definitely going to spark some interesting discussion, though hopefully it won’t escalate into something more fiery.
For comic book fans, this is definitely a book that can serve as social lubricant as you trade geek cred. For newly minted geeks, this is a clear visual guide that may whet your appetite for more comics to check out.
Star Wars: The Blueprints
This is the closest most readers could get to touching and with part of the production process behind Star Wars. Digging deep into the Lucasfilms Archives, scans of many original technical drawings, blueprints, photographs, and illustrations, readers get to pore over documents that are usually forgotten and lost to time.
Films historian J. W. Rinzler also provides commentary for the various items within the collection, giving fans an in-depth look into the production and world of Star Wars. The book is a work of art in itself, and is heavy, which is fitting given that it is gold as far as a Star Wars nerd is concerned.
Add this book to your library if you want to make your friends jealous and drool.
Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture
Geeks exchange memorable quotes from films, games, shows, and books all the time. It is pretty much part of the geek package. After all, who can ever forget lines such as ‘with great power comes great responsibility’, ‘no, I am your father’, and ‘all your base are belong to us’?
Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture shows readers that those quotes are not just a random assortment of sounds that geeks respond to like Pavlov’s dogs. They are nuggets of wisdom that teach us valuable lessons about life, and here is a whole book to prove it. It is also almost certain that readers will pick up a quote or two along the way.
This is a fun, breezy book to flip through, and maybe readers can even add in a few choice quotes from their own mental collection.
The Art of Pixar: The Complete Colorscripts from 25 Years of Feature Films
There has to be some kind of secret behind Pixar’s impeccable track record, and The Art of Pixar: The Complete Colorscripts from 25 Years of Feature Films clues readers in as to how Pixar is able to maintain their indelible filmmaking prowess.
Colorscripts are basically sequential paintings that highlight key moments of each film, and set the tone, lighting, and colour as the films are made. They map out the essence of each film in a visual manner, giving readers a glimpse into what the creators of these beloved films think are the most essential, powerful parts of them.
This book is a tribute to Pixar’s attention to detail and conscientious approach to their works, and will serve as a great focal point on anyone’s coffee table.
The Art of Magic: The Gathering: Concepts & Legends
Magic: The Gathering has 28 years of lore and history for fans both new and old to look into. Most fans simply enjoy playing the card game and admiring the phenomenal art without really learning or knowing much about the world. This says more about the quality of the game’s mechanics and design than about the writing itself.
Given that the world of Magic: The Gathering has spawned many novels, with a Netflix animated series in the works, there is surely an amazingly vast world to explore. With Concepts & Legends, the distinctive art style of Magic: The Gathering is blown up for readers to truly study, and elements of the lore are also introduced in an easy-to-read manner, giving readers a primer to the fantastic world of artifacts and planeswalkers.
This book will show readers how legends became legends, and is a no-brainer for fans of Magic: The Gathering.
For convenience Amazon.sg is our go-to place for book purchases. What we have listed here is but a single drop in an ocean. There are also categories such as bestsellers, most gifted, and top rated for readers to browse and find out what others are reading.
Increasingly, Amazon.sg sees the importance of promoting and supporting Singaporean literature, which has been growing and becoming better known in recent years. A wide selection of works from local authors can easily be found and it is heartwarming to browse through the impressive variety of local literature.
If you’re seeing yourself purchasing items more frequently on the platform, a Prime membership is worthwhile. For just S$2.99 per month with a 30-day free trial, members enjoy free one-day domestic deliveries with no minimum purchase, free international deliveries for orders above S$60, and more.
Happy reading!
Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.
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