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In both cases, the pregenerated character write ups were fairly clean and simple, taking up about half a page, leaving room for an illustration of the sort of character the template represented. Often the illustration would be the reason the player chose that particular template.
Now GURPS is a build your character from scratch sort of system and there are players who really don't want to bother with that sort of work. The idea was plain: Set up a system for making the basics of a character archetype. System tinkerers, ie many GMs and most of the writers who get hired to write GURPS books could then set up the basic bones of common character types and players who don't like building from scratch could have 95% of the work done for them.
There are some problems. First, while significantly simpler than building from scratch, GURPS Templates don't have the elegant transference of data to character sheets that Shadowrun and the various WoD games do. It's not as much a labor saving system as envisioned.
Second, the above mentioned games came with a particular setting for their templated characters. GURPS by being Generic and Universal covers many templates. The Roman Centurion template would also be the foundation for a Galactic Patrol officer, but you'd need to do more work to make the character fit a Futuristic setting.
The idea behind Templates is to make less work. This approaches the point many gamers will say "Too Much work".
Third, GURPS templates eat up LOT of space. Those of you interested can search the archives here for the GURPS Traveller book reviews. Sample templates took up far more room than many reviewers and posters liked and were generally seen as the reason not all five of the main Traveller Races weren't covered in the main book. The pre-Template method GURPS used covered about as many professions in far less space.
Fourth, the art isn't as likely to inspire players to take this or that character type. If you want good art from that publisher, see their Cartouche Press line. It's highly unlikely that you will EVER see high quality art in a GURPS book again after the Goblins experiment fizzled.
The Template books aren't without benefits however. They've been written by people who know the system and will show less experienced players things about the system they probably would like to know. Some of the characters in the books are quite useful and a welcome addition to many campaigns.
Rogues presents 116 characters in some 116 pages. Each character Archetype has a general overview of the character type as well as the basic Template algorithm, three 'quick characters' and one that gets a full page plus an illustration.
This allows the author to demonstrate different genres the archetype can be worked into and at the same time plug a GURPS book dealing with those settings.
Cowper has a number of characters that do not 'belong' to an existing or upcomiing GURPS settings, primarily 'Modern' but some historical eras not yet covered by GURPS are done as well.
She didn't get all of the possible GURPS genres by any means. I'm mildly astounded that the Espionage setting isn't covered. Two of the Archetypes, Spy and Saboteur, were made for Espionage.
Similarly, not every 'roguish' type could be covered given the space available. Some of the types I didn't see included "Carpetbagger", "Moocher*", "Injury Faker", "Embezzler", "Homeless", "Informant" and "Addict"
*Probably excluded as the template would resemble many gamers. ;)
But enough of what the book didn't have. Let's get to what it does.
Rogues gives a wide variety of characters ranging from a credibility defying inexplicably sentient Parrot Burglar to a time hopping Smuggler whose backgound that could seriously be the basis of an entire campaign.
There are a few glitches, the WWII Sniper's (Assassin Template)background says he'd earned a few promotions but his write up lacks military rank of any sort. The male cult leader with a female alternate identity who isn't trained in the disguise skill. (Ok his default skill is high enough (barely!) to have a reasonable chance of getting away with it, but as a GM, the chance of his resorting to this escape is high enough that I'd want his skill listed in the write up. If I have to stop and figure out what it is, the flow of the game gets hindered.) And the Civil War era Southern Belle Union Spy who is trained in the obsolete black powder weapons instead of the then common cartridge using guns.
But on the whole, Cowper produced characters I'd allow into my games, so if I need a rogue of some sort, this book is of use to me.
