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Priest-Kings of Gor
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Priest-Kings of Gor (Gor #3)
by
John Norman
This is the third installment of John Norman's popular and controversial Gor series. Tarl Cabot is the intrepid tarnsman of the planet Gor, a harsh society with a rigid caste system that personifies the most brutal form of Social Darwinism. In this volume, Tarl must search for the truth behind the disappearance of his beautiful wife, Talena. Have the ruthless Priest-Kings...more
Mass Market Paperback, 317 pages
Published
November 12th 1973
by Ballantine Books
(first published January 1st 1968)
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ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
I’m not sure why I’m still reading the Gor books. I guess it’s partly because Brilliance Audio has kindly sent them to me (they are nice productions), but it’s also largely because these books have been maligned for years as poorly written sexist-BDSM-erotica, so I can’t help but want to see for myself before dismissing them as such. After finishing book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, here’s my take so far:
They are not poorly written. The quality of the writing i...more
I’m not sure why I’m still reading the Gor books. I guess it’s partly because Brilliance Audio has kindly sent them to me (they are nice productions), but it’s also largely because these books have been maligned for years as poorly written sexist-BDSM-erotica, so I can’t help but want to see for myself before dismissing them as such. After finishing book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, here’s my take so far:
They are not poorly written. The quality of the writing i...more
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Top of the list of books no one should admit to reading this is a sample from what has to be some of the most mysoganistic fiction ever to make it into mainstream publishing. My excuse was that I was a teenager stuck in a caravan in a rural area with my parents on a 3 week holiday one summer and the Gor books was the only thing in the caravan shop that looked readable. I also read Battlefield Earth.
Something brought them back to mind last year and I did some googling to find out more - the conte...more
Something brought them back to mind last year and I did some googling to find out more - the conte...more
Great book! I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire book. The battles are crazy good. Sometimes the history of things and explanations seem to drone on, so I skimmed in those parts. This book was really funny as well, especially two male characters that are twins. Hilarious. Can't wait to see what Tarl Cabot does next!
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. In my pe...more
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. In my pe...more
This, the 3rd in the Chronicles of Gor series, very nearly got 5 stars, and perhaps it should still get those 5 really. One of the main reasons it didn't is because of the sheer alien-ness of the Priest Kings, great insectile creatures that immediately had me attempting to look away even as I continued to read about them. This wasn't at all unexpected since there's a nice colour piccy of one of them right there on the cover. Still, I had a little difficulty empathizing with them to quite the ext...more
This is my favorite of the first three. I love the world that is being built here, I love the idea of the Priest-Kings and what is revealed about the nature of Gor in these novels.
I do wish that the author (and thus the narrator) would either accept the culture of Gor, slaves and all, or decide to reject it. The pages full of internal monologue about the true nature of women, slaves, natural selection, etc get a bit tiresome.
(But, I will guiltily admit to continuing to the next story.)
I do wish that the author (and thus the narrator) would either accept the culture of Gor, slaves and all, or decide to reject it. The pages full of internal monologue about the true nature of women, slaves, natural selection, etc get a bit tiresome.
(But, I will guiltily admit to continuing to the next story.)
I have come to expect a certain flow to these books and this one doesn't disappoint. While the world gets expanded, especially down the path of a larger scifi element, with the Priest-Kings and their technology representing the worst of technological excesses, there still exists the fundamental story of stereotypical masculine bravado with a dedication to strength, loyalty and an abiding desire for love.
Conan-style hero discovers the god-like creatures that rule his planet are not what he thought they'd be. Adventures ensue. This one has a sort of Planet of the Apes feel to it. Unfortunately the dodgy gender politics of the author (all women secretly want to be slaves to a strong man yada yada yada) are becoming a bit more overt than they were in the first couple of books, but at the current rate the hack'n'slash aspect should still dominate for another couple of volumes. 2.5/5
I read this whole series in a marathon session, while stationed in England. The depth and volume of the stories is humbling for any writer and I consider this series very influential in my own approach to writing and world building in general; generic post for all the books in this series as I am finally getting around to recording my reading list in Goodreads.
You can probably read the first three books without too much shame (Boris Vallejo covers aside), but you deserve all the scorn you'll get if you stick with the series, because after this, Norman really began descending into BDSM fantasyland.
In the third book of the original trilogy, we get introduced to the bug-like alien "Priest Kings," making Gor really more of a science fiction series, though its feel is much more swords & sorcery. I maintain that the first three books are a pretty good r...more
In the third book of the original trilogy, we get introduced to the bug-like alien "Priest Kings," making Gor really more of a science fiction series, though its feel is much more swords & sorcery. I maintain that the first three books are a pretty good r...more
It's just awful. I can see why it's popular though. It's on the same level as 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in that it allows people to read some tame (if slightly twisted) porn without it being labelled as such.
Pretty much bottom of the barrel, but for those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they will like.
Pretty much bottom of the barrel, but for those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they will like.
All I can say right now is that in my head the Priest-Kings look like giant golden praying mantises... and its kind of awesome.
As to the rest, if you choose to see mysoginy (which I care so little for that I can't even spell it right, heh) in it feel free but I disagree. In the reality of the world that the books are set in, its simply the natural way of things. Just like in Planet of the Apes
Certain stories require not only a suspension of disbelief but a suspension of self, setting aside pre-c...more
As to the rest, if you choose to see mysoginy (which I care so little for that I can't even spell it right, heh) in it feel free but I disagree. In the reality of the world that the books are set in, its simply the natural way of things. Just like in Planet of the Apes
Certain stories require not only a suspension of disbelief but a suspension of self, setting aside pre-c...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Hate to admitt how many of these I read "back then". If you look up "objectfies women" in the dictionary I'm pretty sure you'll find a picture of some of these books...soft core porn. Read some when i was young.
This novel takes you deep into the heart of Sardar Mountains, where the God-like Priest Kings reside. It reveals the mystery and political intrigue of this race, and their role on the planet Gor.
The complexity as to which this new and un-human-like race is described is absolutely magnificent. Norman leaves absolutely nothing to question; the world of the Priest Kings is fleshed out in breathtaking detail.
The complexity as to which this new and un-human-like race is described is absolutely magnificent. Norman leaves absolutely nothing to question; the world of the Priest Kings is fleshed out in breathtaking detail.
More of an interesting reprieve from the other two hedonistic books. Not worth going much further in this series unless you're a fan-boy.
though it may be very controversial in its subject matter I have to say it is very well written for the most part!
Read the series ages ago and disliked the whole of it.
This is the third book in the Gorean Saga. I was very surprised with the development or "turn" the book took with the backstory of the Priest-Kings. I found it incongrueous and disconcerting. However, the ending of the book certainly swept the development under the Gorean rug. A guess a nice touch, since the Priest Kings, in my opinion, aren't your usual fantasy staple. But maybe this series is goign to explore and become more of a cross genre book series. I have not read them before - so I will...more
I read this series once
Review coming soon.
This Gor book actually has a much more entertaining story than the first two, hence three stars. The dialogue is still very stilted though especially between men and women. I know Norman's premise is that women want to be slaves, but FFS, it doesn't make them of sub-normal intelligence and unable to string a sentence together!
I understand that the later books in the series got kind of weird, but I remember thinking this one was pretty good when I read it in High School.
I remeber liking this book because it had sci-fi technology and there was a priest-king civil war-Tarl Cabot got to fight bug-eyed monsters.
This one reveals a lot about the world of Gor and why it's like it is. Good, but not as action packed as "Outlaw."
Not Sexist.
Not Sexist.
it was alright.
don't get caught up in the detail if you don't have the time.
Norman can be very tedious.
don't get caught up in the detail if you don't have the time.
Norman can be very tedious.
I recently found out this series has 26 books. I will be reading them all. This book was the best I have read yet.
I can honestly say, this was one of the worst books I have ever read.
Swords, sandal, chicks in light bondage, and a hero who always wins the day.
science fiction,gor
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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
More about John Norman...
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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