Tarnsman of Gor

by
John Norman

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Tarnsman of Gor (Gor #1)

by John Norman

3.34 of 5 stars 3.34 · rating details · 1,301 ratings · 128 reviews

Tarl Cabot has always believed himself to be a citizen of Earth. He has no inkling that his destiny is far greater than the small planet he has inhabited for the first twenty-odd years of his life. One frosty winter night in the New England woods, he finds himself transported to the planet of Gor, also known as Counter-Earth, where everything is dramatically different from

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Mass Market Paperback, 219 pages

Published January 12th 1978 by Del Rey Books (first published 1967)

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Jun 03, 2011 Stephen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, science-fantasy, pulpy, 1954-1969, shame-on-you, sorcerous-swords

[…. The following was discovered by investigators at the scene of the Tarnsman Incident in late April, 2011. The narrative report is reproduced in its entirety and a transcription of the audio recording made by Officer Honcho is reproduced to the extent possible...]

GOODREADS LITERARY POLICE REPORT
CASE No. TBD
OFFICER: Mike Honcho
DATE: April 29, 2011

NARRATIVE REPORT (Draft only....not for official release)

At approximately 06:15 am, I was ~~shaking down hookers~~ on routine patrol on Robert E. Howar...more

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Jan 07, 2009 Keely rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, fantasy, reviewed, american, sword-and-planet

The first of the infamous S&M fantasy series of the world of Gor is a rather unremarkable adventure book. Taking cue from Burroughs' John Carter of Mars, Norman gives us an Earthling sent to survive on savage, alien world. However, instead of John Carter, a cowboy and Civil War vet right out of Wister's 'The Virginian', Norman's hero is a mild-mannered British professor.

His transformation from comical figure to unrivaled warrior is swift and inexplicable. Such a man might learn to become a s...more

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Sep 04, 2010 J.M. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This was my secret indulgence and, boy-oh-boy, how my fantasy consumption had suddenly gone wayward, from Tolkien to Lloyd Alexander to John Norman? Indeed! It's like a well-bred Catholic schoolboy (which I was) was suddenly found loitering outside the local canteen bumming smokes.

Anyhow... there it was. TARNSMAN OF GOR. Sitting on the bookshelf, beckoning me to pick it up. Earth man Tarl Cabot is transported to a fantasy world where he rides flying tarns, duels with swords, and protects beauti...more

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Jun 22, 2009 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, sword-and-sandal

Ah, yes... the Gor series. At first it was just sort of Nietzchean-Burroughsian sword-and-sandal escapism with an overtone of sexist-pigotry, but then he spun off into porno world-building. Not that I don't like porn (I do), but the series became increasingly bizarre and the author's sexual obsessions got more and more obvious as the series progressed. It is kind of like watching a slow-motion train wreck.

If he'd written them as porn, he would have been long since forgotten; I'm still pretty ama...more

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Aug 02, 2008 David Monroe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

Tarnsman of Gor was the first in the Gor series. It's been so long since I read these books. I remember raised eyebrows and judgmental looks from the librarians as I checked these out. They are a product of their time. They're sexist and a bit silly, especially in later books.

The first book, despite the Frank Frazetta cover, was not really about slavery, etc. It was a good sword and sandal story told through the eyes of Tarl Cabbot. I had just started getting into the DC's multi-verse and was f...more

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Aug 16, 2010 Paul Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-sci-fi

There seems to be 2 types of people reviewing this book:

1) Those who have read it many years ago as a teenager but are afraid to give an honest review as they have teenage kids now and spouses who may not like what they really thought about it at the time.

2) Those with an agenda - as this book was a controversy back in the bra burning days...

It seems as though women can read historical romance novels full of sex scenes and tight corsets and restrictive clothing that was nothing less than a lac...more

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Aug 13, 2010 Kat Hooper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

While walking in a New Hampshire forest, college professor Tarl Cabot unexpectedly receives a strange communication from his long-lost father. Suddenly he is whisked away by spaceship to Gor, the Counter-Earth, a planet which we never see because it lives on the other side of the sun. Its powerful priest-kings have been able to shield it from even our theoretical view and, though the society seems primitive, its aloof rulers seem to be hoarding and selecti...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

While walking in a New Hampshire forest, college professor Tarl Cabot unexpectedly receives a strange communication from his long-lost father. Suddenly he is whisked away by spaceship to Gor, the Counter-Earth, a planet which we never see because it lives on the other side of the sun. Its powerful priest-kings have been able to shield it from even our theoretical view and, though the society seems primitive, its aloof rulers seem to be hoarding and selectively doling out secret knowledge and technological advances (such as spaceships and advanced medical and communication techniques).

After Tarl Cabot meets his father, he is thoroughly educated in the Gorean language, history, and customs, and trained as a Tarnsman (a warrior who rides the huge carnivorous flying Tarns). Gor’s caste system doesn’t sit well with Professor Cabot’s 20th century Earth ideas and, at least at first, he’s especially appalled that Goreans keep slaves and even have them branded, collared, and leashed. Though not prevalent in this first book, there is a caste of pleasure slaves whose prominence in future books have given the Gorean Saga its reputation and made it a cult classic. But when Tarl is given a dangerous mission, he finds out that not all women on Gor are weak and submissive!

Tarnsman of Gor (originally published in 1967) is quintessential male-oriented sword & sorcery fantasy: intelligent but modest Earth man goes to another planet where he’s suddenly courageous, powerful, and important and he whoops up on all male challengers. He meets women who are a lot more exotic and exciting than any Earth women he knows and they may be wearing collars and leashes and it’s acceptable to drag them around by their hair. I couldn’t help but chuckle when one feisty woman who was wearing a veil and heavy voluminous robes gets muddy and ends up stripped to her silk slip which has to have a couple of inches removed at the bottom when a bandage is needed. Oh, yeah, and against his original ethics, Tarl occasionally has to tie her up (but she definitely deserves it, and maybe she even likes it).

So far (I have not read further in this series), I find John Norman’s treatment of the male-master/female-slave theme much more palatable than that which I recently encountered in Christine Feehan’s Dark Prince. Norman’s women (so far) are not only beautiful, but intelligent, strong, and brave. Some of them are forced to be slaves because of their circumstances and their society. That is, they wouldn’t actually choose to be submissive unless it were temporary and on their terms which, of course, doesn’t really make sense (that we can choose when to be slaves), but is how we want it nonetheless.

I listened to Tarnsman of Gor on audio, narrated by the very pleasant Ralph Lister who has a lively energetic tone appropriate for this action-packed novel. The story is told in first person by Tarl Cabot as if he’s relating his adventure to his friends at the dinner table. So we only know he’s astounded, afraid, enraged, in love, etc. because he tells us he’s astounded, afraid, enraged, in love, etc. We don’t really feel it. Thus, there’s not much emotional depth (or any other kind of depth) to Tarnsman of Gor, but it’s fast and fun and most likely appealing to young men and to women who find it amusing to discover what entertains (or what we assume entertains) young men.
www.fantasyliterature.com (less)

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Mar 27, 2010 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pulp-adventure, science-fiction, planetary-romance, wanking-authorial-wish-fulfillment

All right, I admit it; I read these books (the first few, anyway) when I was a teenager. John Norman's "alternate-Earth" is one of those series that every SF/fantasy fan (or at least, every guy) has probably read, but no one wants to admit it, or else you have to layer lots of disclaimers, like I'm doing. Yes, they're horribly misogynistic, cheesy, and just badly written, for the most part, and the most memorable thing about them is the Frazetta covers.

That said, the first three or four books we...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Benjamin Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-prior-to-1987

Yes I read all of the Gor books as they came out, back when I was a teenager. My older brother and his friends who were in High School at the time passed them around and made a lot of Gor-related inside jokes among themselves. I really liked this first one, having already read quite a bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and found the plot similar. The first Gor books were pretty interesting for me, especially the political landscape that the author developed. Of course most people concentrate on the fe...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Jim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action, fantasy, sword-sorcery

I read these back in the 70's when they first came out. It's kind of a cool world & story in many respects but women are kept as chained & collared slaves. I tried to read past that, but even as a teen it was too much of a turn-off for me to really get into the series. I read the first 4 books & maybe one later one some years after.

Norman's writing wasn't terribly impressive, more like Lyn Carter than Robert E. Howard, as I recall.

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Mar 13, 2009 Eurik rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

After reading this book, I completely understood how this series got its reputation of a cult thing. Happening in a world, that is mostly fantasy-like (although very un-Tolkienish) but has a certain link to real world and even sci-fi elements occasionally appearing in it, describing a fictional, honour-based traditionalistic society, where slavery, especially of woman, is considered a perfectly normal things, where rigid cast system hold everybody in their place and role, and where violence is t...more

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May 02, 2013 Oni rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I stumble on this old book accidentally. It is only about 200 pages, so I think I can make it a quick read.

I do not expect a great deal of fantasy reading from this book. At best I think it is just some pulp fiction, so I begin without high expectation. And actually it surpass my expectation. It is a standard fantasy. Consider that it is first published in 1967, maybe it is quite OK at that time.

The storyline starts from a modern world, and than by some magic high-tech, the main characters is tr...more I stumble on this old book accidentally. It is only about 200 pages, so I think I can make it a quick read.

I do not expect a great deal of fantasy reading from this book. At best I think it is just some pulp fiction, so I begin without high expectation. And actually it surpass my expectation. It is a standard fantasy. Consider that it is first published in 1967, maybe it is quite OK at that time.

The storyline starts from a modern world, and than by some magic high-tech, the main characters is transported to an alternate world, call Counter-Earth, a medieval world with knights and kings. The writer spends lots of pages on the description of the world and culture, and even some reference to the language. Even though it is below par compared to modern standard (which has been set pretty high by writers like George R.R. Martin), I think it is quite decent, even at some points can be quite boring.

The world building is quite OK, a "C". The author seems to try hard to design a genuine world, with its unique animal and religion. What I don't like from this novel is the plot and the characters. By using nowadays term, the male main character resembles a Garry Stu of YA novels. Too strong, too handsome, and too lucky! And the women characters are too unimportant and too submissive. Which gives me no characters that I like to follow. The plot is also quite boring, typical type of quest without plot twist. The hero sets on a quest, finds companion along the way, had several set back, but eventually wins. That's all. Done. Boring.

I want to give it a ONE star actually, but since it is published in 1967, I think I can give it a benefit of doubt by giving an extra star.

End note:
I am quite surprise while checking Goodreads review on this book. Some readers classify the book under BDSM, what the @#$%! Until I check the new cover of the book, published in 2007, Kindle edition. This is the piece of the evidence:

Judge by yourself...

PS: there are NO BDSM in this novel. Barely having a slave chain in collar does not make it a BDSM novel. It is a straight fantasy novel, through and through. But I cannot guarantee that for the entire series.(less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Nicholas Hansen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 05, 2013 Sargeatm rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 Sterne
Vorausschicken möchte ich die Info, dass ich als Teenager 50 Bände der Dray-Prescot-Saga mit Freuden gelesen habe. Nachdem ich bis vor kurzem nichts vom Gor-Zyklus wusste, kam bei mir nach wenigen Seiten das Gefühl auf, eine stark von Dray-Prescot inspirierte Story zu lesen. Dabei haben vermutlich beide Autoren sich ihrerseits stark von Edgar Rice Burroughs "Princess of Mars" 'inspirieren' lassen. Da ich kürzlich den Film "John Carter" gesehen habe, kommen mir bestimmte Schlüsselelemente...more 3 Sterne
Vorausschicken möchte ich die Info, dass ich als Teenager 50 Bände der Dray-Prescot-Saga mit Freuden gelesen habe. Nachdem ich bis vor kurzem nichts vom Gor-Zyklus wusste, kam bei mir nach wenigen Seiten das Gefühl auf, eine stark von Dray-Prescot inspirierte Story zu lesen. Dabei haben vermutlich beide Autoren sich ihrerseits stark von Edgar Rice Burroughs "Princess of Mars" 'inspirieren' lassen. Da ich kürzlich den Film "John Carter" gesehen habe, kommen mir bestimmte Schlüsselelemente wie die Priesterkaste, die die Protagonisten von der Erde auf ihren Planeten entführt, natürlich sehr bekannt vor. (Bei Dray Prescot heisst das Äquivalent dazu "Herren der Sterne").

Der Roman ist knapp gehalten und lässt sich flüssig und schnell lesen. Die Story ist natürlich recht vorhersehbar, wenn man vergleichbare Literatur schon kennt. Ich hätte mir etwas mehr Dialoge oder Überlegungen zu Tarl Cabots Situation als Neuankömmling auf Gor gewünscht. Stattdessen gibt es ein äusserst kurzes Gespräch mit seinem Vater, den er vorher nie gesehen hatte, und danach geht es gleich zur Ausbildung als Krieger. Anschliessend gleich eine selbstmörderische Mission, die dann die weiteren Abenteuer einleitet.
Das geschieht mir dann doch etwas zu flott. Tarl stellt keine Fragen, er vermisst auch nicht das kleinste bißchen von der Erde und freundet sich extrem schnell mit den gorischen Gepflogenheiten an, die für jemand aus dem 20. Jahrhundert äusserst barbarisch scheinen müssen.
Inwieweit jemand innerhalb von Monaten zu einem fantastischen Krieger ausgebildet werden kann, lasse ich auch mal dahingestellt. Das wurde bei Dray Prescot besser gelöst, da dieser als britischer Offizier schon sehr gut fechten konnte.

Das "Worldbuilding", wie man es so schön nennt, fällt recht knapp aus. Dem Leser werden die für diesen Band wichtigen Eckpunkte der goreanischen Gesellschaft vermittelt, etwa die Verbundenheit zum Heimstein, gewisse Regeln der goreanischen Sklavenhaltung oder das Leben eines Kriegers.
Die Knappheit sehe ich aber weniger kritisch, weil es nur natürlich ist, dass im Verlauf solch einer langen Romanreihe viele Details erst später ausführlich dargestellt werden.
Insgesamt wirkt Gor im Vergleich zu Dray Prescot aber weniger detailreich.

Vom berüchtigten Sexismus der Gor-Reihe ist im ersten Band noch nicht allzu viel auszumachen. Scheinbar wurden zwar vom Heyne Verlag bei späteren Bänden (teils heftige) Kürzungen vorgenommen, aber hier ist das wohl nicht nötig gewesen, da es keine (für Jugendliche) bedenklichen Szenen gibt.

Fazit: Locker-leichte Lektüre, die vornehmlich für Fans des "Sword & Planet"-Genres interessant ist. Darf sich in den kommenden Bänden gerne steigern bezüglich Detailreichtum und Spannung.(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK this may pop out as totally bizarre in my list of 4-starred books. I just read this, it's not nostalgia for me (like so many other reviewers). I can honestly say I'd never heard of it, and was reading a post on Jezebel this morning where someone was talking about how BDSM has gotten a bad name (haha) via Fifty Shades, and this book was brought up as a "gorian erotica". Then I read the hilarious "gorian houseplant" satire. Intrigued, I read the book today (one sitting).

I didn't expect to like...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Tarl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is my third time reading this book.

Tarnsman of Gor is everything a high fantasy book should be. Much along the lines of Conan, Death Dealer and such, Norman captures high fantasy extremely well in this novel. Men are men, lots of swords and action, and beautiful women are everywhere for the taking. This is one of the tales that young boys cut their teeth on when they want to get away from reality, and older men read to escape their boring existence pushing paper.

Norman does a good job tel...more This is my third time reading this book.

Tarnsman of Gor is everything a high fantasy book should be. Much along the lines of Conan, Death Dealer and such, Norman captures high fantasy extremely well in this novel. Men are men, lots of swords and action, and beautiful women are everywhere for the taking. This is one of the tales that young boys cut their teeth on when they want to get away from reality, and older men read to escape their boring existence pushing paper.

Norman does a good job telling the story or Tarl Cabot. He glosses over things he should (such as his training to become a warrior) and pays attention to what the reader wants to read (such as the sword fights, war, and such. This helps the flow of the story which moves easily from scene to scene, never truly getting bogged down in any particular moment. Like most action and high fantasy novels, the story moves from action scene to action scene, which happen very quickly and very often. This keeps the story moving at a quick pace and keeps the reader engaged and wanting to keep reading to find out what happens.

The characters themselves are interesting and help to keep the story moving as well. Their interactions drive the action almost as much as the action does, and often the characters themselves are the cause of much of that said action. Norman has done a good job capturing the nuance of people's interactions and does well showing how two people who hate each other (or are at least frustrated) can slowly fall in love.

Norman's issues when it comes to stories are aspects of the world of Gor. Here you have a world filled with high technology (except for weapons) yet the population lives in a state of barbarianism for the most part. They even have electrical lights that last longer than our current technology and yet they still have primitive tech in other regards. This creates a weird mental image for readers as they are travelling through a wonderful barbarian/fantasy world and yet suddenly come across high technology that seems to be implanted willy nilly throughout the tale. This can get distracting and pull the reader out of the story.

But in the end, the story in Tarnsman of Gor is a good read and one I have recommended to more than one person.

One last thing:
This is the book that my parents took my name from. I have a love/hate relationship of this book because of this. I love it because of the books and the tale they tell of Tarl. I hate it because of the hardcore fans that have created such a negative view of the novels in their obsession with Norman's philosophy. More than once I have been approached by 'Gorians' who think that simply because of my name, I am part of their subculture. Some have even ignored my denial that I am a 'Gorian' and continued to push and pry in their attempt to prove that I am indeed one of them simply because of my name. (even going as far as saying my parents were 'Gorians') In the end, I can only say that you should ignore the fandom that obsesses over this series of books and enjoy them for what they are, a well written high fantasy tale.(less)

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May 07, 2012 Michael Clifton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tarnsman of Gor was an enjoyable read for me. Published in 1967, it is a fantasy novel set on the planet Gor which the main character, Tarl Cabot, comes to call the "Counter-Earth". Gor is ruled by the mysterious "Priest-Kings", or pseudo-Gods who apparently are so technologically advanced, they can move entire planets (Gor) into orbit around stars (such as our sun). In fact, Gor is peopled by humans taken from other planets, including Earth. However, the Priest-Kings are very jealous of their m...more Tarnsman of Gor was an enjoyable read for me. Published in 1967, it is a fantasy novel set on the planet Gor which the main character, Tarl Cabot, comes to call the "Counter-Earth". Gor is ruled by the mysterious "Priest-Kings", or pseudo-Gods who apparently are so technologically advanced, they can move entire planets (Gor) into orbit around stars (such as our sun). In fact, Gor is peopled by humans taken from other planets, including Earth. However, the Priest-Kings are very jealous of their monopoly concerning technology, and they have deliberately retarded technological development on Gor, particularly regarding weapons (swords, spears, crossbows, etc.).

Because of the restrictions on development, a feudal and somewhat barbaric society has developed. Centered around city-states, the Gorean culture is stratified into a rigid caste system. You are born into your caste, and there is little one can do to change that. For example, Women are possessions to be bartered and fought over, slaves are either born to the caste or are a conquered people who by virtue of being conquered, become slaves.

The story begins with Tarl Cabot being suddenly and mysteriously transported from earth to Gor while on a camping trip. There, Tarl becomes a Tarnsman, a warrior who rides one of the fierce "tarns" or huge, predatory birds which inhabit Gor. Tarnsman of Gor is therefore, the story of Tarl and his epic adventures on becoming a legendary warrior of Gor.

The parallels between Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars novels and that of Norman's Tarnsman of Gor are obvious. However, I would also throw in a little "Conan" to the mix. I would say that unlike the brilliant and original way Burroughs "transported" John Carter to Mars, Norman's means of transporting Tarl Cabot (a silver disk - flying saucer anyone?) to Gor was cheesy and unimaginative.

Tanrsman of Gor is an easy read. It's kind of like a pulp fantasy novel, and really, the only thing I really disliked about it, was the amount of time Norman spent describing Gorean society, the caste system, and Gorean beliefs. Way too much information! Once Norman began describing Tarl's adventures, the story picks up considerably.

Three stars for the 60's fantasy novel, Tarnsman of Gor.

(less)

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May 15, 2011 AC rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Once upon a time (1994 to be exact) an adolescent boy and his brother, both fond of reading, were taken to a second hand store by their mother and pointed to the used book shelf where paperbacks were sold for only .25 cents a piece. The youngest of the two boys, who was eleven at the time, searched through the books until he found one that snagged his eye... "Tarnsman of Gor." When he presented his choice of reading material to his mother he was promptly scolded and told that that book was posit...more Once upon a time (1994 to be exact) an adolescent boy and his brother, both fond of reading, were taken to a second hand store by their mother and pointed to the used book shelf where paperbacks were sold for only .25 cents a piece. The youngest of the two boys, who was eleven at the time, searched through the books until he found one that snagged his eye... "Tarnsman of Gor." When he presented his choice of reading material to his mother he was promptly scolded and told that that book was positively demonic and would brainwash him into a sexist, male-chauvinist, drooling maniac. Needless to say the boy went home with a much better book by his mother's estimation, Peter Benchley's "Jaws."

Ok, so that is the true story of everything I knew about the Gor series up until recently. I had heard the usual horror stories of sexism, BDSM, ect., and figured I'd stay away. But a few days ago, with my heart pounding out of fear I'd be caught, I gave into that same curiosity I had as a kid and finally read this book and its companion volume "Outlaw of Gor."

What we have is a Sword and Planet adventure of the highest magnitude. Yes its highly derivative of John Carter of Mars, but that's the whole point of the Sword and Planet genre, all efforts at making it "fresh" just don't work, what can I say? You can't reinvent the wheel, so stick with what works. And work it does! This book captivated me so much I read it through in one sitting with only a short break in the middle. I really can't see where any of the criticism leveled against this book has its basis, other than people who take a look at the already exaggerated cover art and exaggerate it even further.

I think that social activists thrive on controlling what other people do, whether its what I feed my kids, to what I watch on tv, or what kind of car I drive. The goal of transforming the world into a "utopia" of hybrid driving, granola munching, medicinal marijuana-smoking, hackysack playing, emasculated hippies and clip haired feministas proceeds with gusto. And, sadly, imaginative entertainment that extols the virtues of honor, integrity, and valor must be swept away because the author has chosen to lace his novels with an indictment of feminism and liberalism in the form of unique Gorean cultural element: female slavery. Maybe someday I'll become a convert to the cause of the New Humanity and climb up an Ivory Tower and bloviate about believability, plot development ect, when really I'm just pissed that John Norman has the audacity to criticize the sacred Social Change that I have dedicated my life to.

All in all this book was amazing, and the informal censorship that this series has faced is ridiculous. I certainly don't agree with what some of the more obsessed fans of the series do (ie try to live out the Gorean society in real life), but if the hard core "Trekkies" don't keep one from occasionally enjoying a Star Trek movie or TV show, why should the hard core "Goreans" keep one from occasionally enjoying a Gor novel?

"Tarnsman of Gor" introduces the reader to an imaginative, well crafted, and savage world that pulsates with romance and adventure. I heartily recommend this book to any fans of the Sword and Planet genre and to anyone who wants to read something that is truly unique and inspiring.(less)

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Oct 12, 2010 Joshua Keezer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have two very good reasons as to why this book has a two star rating.

First reason: The author can spell words correctly and understands basic grammar.

Second reason: One star books are best left to disappear into the void. The Tarnsman of Gor deserves to continue to exist. In fact, I think it should be required reading. This book should be the epitome of misogynistic literature. It needs to be the piece of literature (if you can call it that) that we use ten, a hundred, a thousand years down th...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Kenton Crowther rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

We start with the matter of factness of the British academic, Tarl Cabot, camping out with his can of chili and a borrowed tent. Then there is this metallic envelope he finds by the wayside--from his father but dated 1640! John Norman creates hard-edged descriptions of objects such as this envelope that are somehow disorientating.

It's obvious Morman has read his Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarl Cabot gets to Gor, Counter-Earth, almost as simply (and acceptably) as John Carter does in A Princess of Mar...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Colin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: junk-food-lit

So I first read this book many years ago, when I was in high school. I forgot about it until recently, when the series was recommended to me by someone I met online. Oddly enough, I've been seeing references everywhere since. I even saw a copy of this very book in a bin at an Amazon warehouse where I work. Anyway, it is apparently regarded as a very important series by the BDSM community (who knew?). Like Heinlein, but more BDSM.

Anyway, it's not a bad series. But it's not a great series either....more

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Jan 31, 2013 PsypherPunk rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Norman has come up with a most genius mechanism for explaining away his plot-holes: the Priest-Kings. Bookish protagonist becoming the greatest swordsman evar? Priest-Kings. Inexplicably docile wild animals? Priest-Kings. Coincidences and blind luck which stretch even the most willing suspension of disbelief? Priest-Kings. Absent, vaguely described, alleged quasi-gods which can influence all and sundry so everything doesn't really have to make sense - see? Genius.

The book is largely seems adoles...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Shane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I had no idea up until a week or so ago that the author of these books was blacklisted by publishers because of them. I don't really see what the problem is to be honest. Oh I can see the rage building on the faces of various people and flame wars springing up all over the place, and that's really what I'd expect with a series of novels like this, but to blacklist the author? That baffles me.

The story itself isn't bad, and the characters are interesting to say the least, I mean, who wouldn't lov...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Carrie-lea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a very quick read for me.
I did enjoy the mix of a tech-savvy world (in some castes) with the barbarianism of the rest of the setting.
I'm also a sucker for the different species created for this story.

I will say, however, that I'm really disappointed in the writers lack of general knowledge of an example he used to describe a bird taking flight.

Eagles and hawks DO NOT run along the ground to get lift to take off.
They're not geese or ducks.
One would think that if he was going to write about...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Jason Bergman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided to read Tarnsman of Gor after reading an interview with John Norman on the sci-fi site i09. He was well spoken and reminded me a great deal of my college philosophy professors, and as a fan of pulp sci-fi I wondered why I had never actually read his stuff before. I knew of this series' infamy, but decided to go in with a completely open mind.

Regardless of what you may have heard (or really, what the latest release's cover may imply) this is not a collection of fantasy-themed S&M er...more I decided to read Tarnsman of Gor after reading an interview with John Norman on the sci-fi site i09. He was well spoken and reminded me a great deal of my college philosophy professors, and as a fan of pulp sci-fi I wondered why I had never actually read his stuff before. I knew of this series' infamy, but decided to go in with a completely open mind.

Regardless of what you may have heard (or really, what the latest release's cover may imply) this is not a collection of fantasy-themed S&M erotica. It's not even close. If that's what you want, then I'm sure there are better books out there to cater to that. Instead what Tarnsman of Gor is, is a decent (but not spectacular by any means) pulp sci-fi novel. It's very similar in concept to John Carter of Mars, but has a few differences.

For one thing, the protagonist of A Princess of Mars (and the books that followed) was a soldier, well-trained in the art of war. The central figure in Tarnsman of Gor (who has the unlikely name of "Tarl Cabot") is a college professor. If (like me) you found the plausibility of Ender's Game difficult to swallow, you may find yourself scoffing at the notion that a college professor with a small amount of fencing training was able to become, not just a warrior, but the greatest warrior on the entire planet, in a matter of weeks. It's a little silly, and clearly contains more than a little wish fulfillment on the part of the author.

The manner in which Tarl is brought to Gor is really weird, and somewhat of an open question. I almost wish Norman had skipped that part entirely, as it's even stranger than John Carter's means of transport (which was so poorly defined as to be beyond question).

The world itself is well defined however, and other than the wild winged beasts, there's other interesting wildlife and a nice feel to the politics of this region. Gor itself is supposedly on the other side of our sun, which is a little silly, but there's a lot here that's silly, so I let it go.

Of course, I can't talk about this book without mentioning the way it treats its female characters, which is, to say the least...uncomfortable. I was willing to take everything at face value, and it didn't keep me from continuing, but there were a few points in the book that I was a little taken aback. Yes, slavery is very much alive and well on Gor. Women are property (as are men, but that isn't discussed all that often). I was willing to go along with that, but Norman really slaps you across the face with it at times.

He goes out of his way to introduce a strong and willful female character, only to have her humiliated and in chains moments later. Further on in the book, after she has been won over by the apparent charms of Tarl Cabot, she is on her knees begging him to dominate her.

But again, it's not the focus of the book. Ultimately, Tarnsman of Gor is just another pulp sci-fi novel. The writing is no better or worse than your average pulp, and it was enjoyable enough.

If you can get past those instances of uncomfortable dealings with women (and there aren't that many, I swear) then you'll enjoy it, as I did. I'm not sure I'll continue with the series, but it was an enjoyable enough novel to read on a plane (even if I did raise an eyebrow every now and then). (less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Cherie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, after hearing so much about them I finally read one of the Gorean books. I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece but I was certainly expecting... more. I don't know if the books get better as you get further into the lore, but nothing about this books begs me to read the next or any other in this series. Many of the questions raised by the plot were left unanswered. Perhaps to encourage a reader to continue the series, but since there was no hint of answers to the questions it only encoura...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Brad Wheeler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, audiobooks

John Norman's Gor series is, I've been told, a sort of counter-cultural phenomenon. Well, that's as may be, but it doesn't make the book any good. Basically, Gor is a sort of generic fantasy world, where swordsmen and assassins and merchants and whatever live in a quasi-medieval world filled with strife, watched over by deific aliens who are worshiped as gods.

This might sound familiar, and that's because it's a mish-mash Barsoom, the Hyborean Age, or Haggard's deepest Africa, or even Avatar. It...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, what an action-packed book! I became attached to the humorous Tarl Cabot and it was an emotional roller coaster, "Oh man, how's he gonna get out of this pickle!" I couldn't put it down, and had to pick up the second book immediately. Loved it. Many fighting scenes and even some strong female roles, great book for men and women.

Contains adult sexual themes not for children, such as nudity and S&M. Based on the entertainment value of the rest of the book, I felt it could be looked past....more

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Sep 03, 2009 Aik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: exploration

I picked this up purely because of the whole weird subculture thing around it - it's actually very good, in its way. Not sure if it's let's-form-a-subculture good, but good.

'Good' being defined here as 'I liked it a lot', because pretty much every criticism being leveled at it by other people here is valid. Sexist, unrealistic, that slow 'old-timey' writing style ... yep, definately. I don't let that kind of thing intrude on my enjoyment while reading though - in retrospect sure, but there's not...more

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Mar 04, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Was okay but not overly impressed. Seem as if he just took ERB's A Princess of Mars and tried to write his own version. Man finds himself transported to a mix of old and new tech world where he becomes a great fighter, finds a princess who he falls in love with, rescues her and in the end finds himself back on Earth. Also found the "just happen to get really lucky" means of getting out of each bad situation he finds himself in to be a little much. A few times I wondered, why didn't he just do th...more

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About John Norman

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

John Norman was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1931. His best known works, the Gor novels, span 31 books written 1967 to 2012, plus three installments of the Telnarian Histories, two other fiction works and a non-fiction paperback. Mr. Norman is married and has three childre...more

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