[DL] Lone Stars first impressions

["Nick Zachariasen" <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu>]

I just picked up Lone Stars at a local con this weekend (a guy there ran
tomb of Horrors using Toon rules- that was some twisted fun!). So far I've
managed to get as far as the Catalog of Extraordinary Threats section, and I
wanted to offer up some first impressions and questions.

First, I like the tone of the book. General King writes like he would talk,
though I'm not sure he'd actually use spelling like "agin" or "hain't".
Actually, while on the subject of writing, it's pedantry time! For future
reference, it's "a mite", not "a might". That one's just bothered me every
time I've seen it. I also think that the gentleman with the "tuckus" concern
definitely had a valid point. I can see a grizzled Texan using it once,
maybe twice, but I'd think the load could be spread among "kiester", "butt",
"rear", "hind end", "rump", "posterior", and even "derriere". Thankfully,
though, he hasn't used "ass" yet, as I've noticed a fair amount of creep as
far as modern tone in the last few Weird West books. It sort of hurts the
verisimilitude. Still, don't get me wrong here- it DOES make for a good and
entertaining read!

Next, a question. When it says that being called part of the Ranger Band
gives those with "supernatural taint" a cover, does this mean that they have
to actually take the Performin' aptitude to some degree in an instrument or
singing?

Lastly, I skipped ahead to the character creation stuff and I'm a bit
concerned about the No-Sell maneuver. Shouldn't something like this be more
like a cheap Edge? After all, the character doesn't have to do anything
except see it coming, and it then gives him extra on his Vigor roll. Every
other sort of maneuver is just that- a maneuver, which would entail the
character actively doing something.

That's what I've got so far from Lone Stars. Like I said, I love the book so
far, despite a couple issues with it. I can't wait for the delightfully
gruesome stuff in the Marshal's Handbook!

Nick Zachariasen
Editor Emeritus
Trojan Times