This article originally appeared in d20 Weekly
Lone Stars: The Texas Rangers (for Deadlands)
Published by Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Written by Christopher McGlothlin, M.Ed.
128 b&w pages; $20.00
This book is epic, sweeping across the Deadlands setting. Despite what one might surmise by the group's title, the Texas Rangers are not merely limited to the Lonestar State; indeed, they serve as law dogs throughout the breadth of the Confederacy. That's a lot of territory to cover, and yet the sourcebook manages to deliver richly detailed information invaluable to both player and GM alike.
Pinnacle has always packaged their material in attractive books, and Lone Stars is no different. The cover features a great painting of a hell-stompin' ranger in action, while the interior duties are shared by Richard Pollard and Andy Park, both of whom perform yeoman duty in providing remarkably atmospheric illustrations. Not only is their work of superior quality, but it's plentiful as well! Combined with excellent editing and professional layout, this makes for an attractive book.
McGlothlin's prose is a thrill to read, humorous and steeped in western lingo that provides an authentic feel. It's a relative rarity to find a roleplaying book where the words flow so effortlessly, instead of feeling like a dry textbook. Partly this is a result of the book's format; a large portion is written as if it were the 1877 edition of Fugitives from Justice in the Confederacy, otherwise known as the Rangers Bible -- a survival guide for field agents. With this . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: September 4, 2002
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