Unnatural Selections #95: "An instant classic" – what reviewers and fans say about RuneQuest Classic's Sun County
Posted by Michael O'Brien on 4th Feb 2025
The 'Unnatural Selections' series is our regular round up of notable Chaosium reviews worth a look.
Sun County is a Gloranthan campaign supplement for RuneQuest's 3rd edition. First published in 1992, it's back for RuneQuest Classic!
RPG historian Shannon Appelcline's new foreword for the book describes how Sun County was "an instant classic" on release. It ushered in a short-lived but brilliant 'RuneQuest Renaissance" for the game's third edition, with a further five well-regarded Gloranthan titles released from 1992-1995 under the creative auspices of 'Rune Czar' Ken Rolston. Shannon also notes that such is Sun County's influence on Gloranthan creators, the themes and settings of the "RuneQuest Renaissance" are still strongly reflected today in Chaosium's Jonstown Compendium community content program.
The Sun County re-release in late 2024 has prompted many reviews: here they are!
"An instant classic." — Shannon Appelcline, Designers & Dragons, Sun County & The RuneQuest Renaissance: 1992-1994.
- "What a setting supplement this is! [The full color hardcover] sits very appealingly next to my Games Workshop hardcovers, like it’s an artifact from a parallel universe where Games Workshop never stopped putting out Chaosium RPGs under licence." — Refereeing and Reflection, Sun County: Dawn of the RuneQuest Renaissance.
- "Wow! What can I say!! One of the classic premier RQ supplements back at last. ... Everything you heard about it being a solid original sourcebook full of great ideas and characters is totally correct! - 5 STARS." — Ian, customer review.
- “Telling you Sun County stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the greatest RQ game books (or heck, game books in general) feels like explaining that water is wet and chocolate is really good. It feels like something we just all know. Yet RuneQuest Roleplaying in Glorantha has initiated a lot of new members into the Glorantha Tribe, and they need to know how good this book was (and now “is”)... Sun County is a must for Glorantha fans, particularly those who enjoy its spiritual successors like the Sandheart series or Life and Traditions under the Sun Dome — Andrew Logan Montgomery, The Return of "Sun County" The Re-Release of a Classic.
- "If you love the original I would definitely recommend you get the hardback edition without a shadow of a doubt it’s like seeing an old friend come to life again…. 5 STARS." — Antony, customer review.
- "As a book delving into more Gloranthan history and culture, Sun County is precious... The scenarios presented are some of the best available in RuneQuest [3rd edition]." — Vintage RPG, Sun County (1992).
- "Sun County shines... it deserves a place in any RuneQuest fan's collection." — Runeblogger, Review of Sun County: Adventures in the Land of the Sun.
- "This classic RuneQuest work launched a renaissance of RQ material in the early 90's and remains a standout... with some of the best scenarios published by Chaosium. Highly recommended. 5 STARS." — Harald, customer review.
- "9/10 – I can certainly see why so many people over the years have spoken so highly about RuneQuest: Sun County... there are plenty of modern RPG publishers who WISH they could pack as much excellent roleplaying gaming goodness into 200 pages as you'll find in these 124 pages." — The Gaming Gang, RuneQuest 3 Classics: Sun County Reviewed.
- "Under the aegis of roleplaying game designer Ken Rolston, Avalon Hill published Sun County: RuneQuest Adventures in the Land of the Sun in 1992. It was well received by the fans of the setting and in the next three years, Sun County would be followed by River of Cradles, Shadows on the Borderlands, Strangers in Prax, Dorastor: Land of Doom, and Lords of Terror. All together, these six supplements for RuneQuest III set in Glorantha explored new areas of Dragon Pass and became known as the ‘RuneQuest Renaissance’, rekindling interest in Glorantha that continues to this day." — Reviews from R'lyeh.
- "A well-loved title from the 'Re-Glorantha-ization of RuneQuest' era in the 90s, Sun County is an absolutely must-have title if you plan on adventuring in Prax... There has been much in Jonstown Compendium published about Sun County since the advent of RuneQuest: Adventures in Glorantha, and every single bit of it was based on material in this book. Hard buy recommendation. 5 STARS." — Carl, customer review.
- "The new edition has been carefully crafted to maintain the integrity of the original while incorporating modern touches. Enhanced with color interiors in its hardcover version, it serves both as a nostalgic piece for long-time fans and an accessible entry point for new players. This edition includes scenarios, detailed cultural and historical notes, and contributions from a talented team of creators, including Michael O’Brien, Ken Rolston, and Greg Stafford, among others."— TGN Tabletop Gaming News, RuneQuest Classic: 1992’s Sun County Returns with New Edition.
Get your own copy of Sun County today!
The fully remastered Sun County is available now in PDF and print formats:
PDF from Chaosium –