Gor Books In Order
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Gor is the name of John Norman’s long running series of science fiction novels; it is also the name of the parallel universe Counter-Earth, the setting within which Norman’s story plays out.
Often categorized as philosophy and erotica as well as science fiction, there are many names by which the Gor series is known, including the Tarl Cabot Saga, Chronicles of Counter earth and Gorean Saga.
The renown and popularity of the Gor series is such that it has inspired a Gorean subculture, with the terminology and customs utilized in the series playing a central role in the lives of many an individual online and offline, in their attempts to manifest the world and culture of Gor.
Gor
Within John Norman’s story, Gor is a habitable planet linearly opposed to the sun (essentially hidden by the sun) even while sharing the same orbit as earth. Inspired by John Norman’s career as a classical scholar and philosopher, the planet of Gor is populated with cultures not unlike those of the Roman, Viking Greek and even native American, this presence of Earth-like cultures explained by the occasional transplantation of entire population groups from Earth to Gor.
Ruled by extraterrestrial beings known as priest kings, the human communities that populate Gor have made various strides in the fields of agriculture, medicine and architecture, even as their progress in the arenas of communication, transportation and even weaponry has been restricted to the level of classical Mediterranean Civilizations by the priest kings, an act designed to ensure the safety of not only the priest kings but the indigenous life forms of Gor. The belligerence of mankind is such that, in Norman’s world, they cannot be trusted with weapons of great power.
Because of the planet’s lower gravity in comparison to earth, Gor is home to a number of creatures capable of flight as well as considerably tall towers connected by bridges that span the skies.
The Story of Gor
Most of the plots that play out within the Gor series are of an action and sexually charged nature, adventurous yet erotic, typically drawing upon historically accurate military engagements to drive each novel.
A number of the initial books feature a voice narrating the protagonist’s journey to a different world, though Norman drops this motif in later novels as a loose plot arc begins to emerge within the many individual novels.
The majority of the books focus upon Tarl Cabot, Norman’s primary protagonist; a British professor, it is Cabot that narrates most of the books, with the swordsman essentially chronicling the entirety of his adventures, his stories often interspersed with humans, Kurii and even priest-kings.
Seven books within Norman’s Gor series are actually narrated by earth women that have been abducted and forced into a life of slavery, while three follow Jason Marshall, a male abductee that narrates his story to the audience. From Gorean men to scribes and even a slaver, Norman has been known to veer the focus of his novels across a wide variety of characters, especially in later novels as Tarl Cabot’s presence seems to wane.
Of the alien beings that populate Norman’s world of Gor, the priest kings stand most prominent, though most of them seem content to sit back and leave the humans to their affairs so long as they abide by the laws regarding technological restrictions.
The Kurii play a more active role, so much more aggressive, in possession of advanced technology and determined to colonize both Earth and Gor.
Various critics of John Norman’s Gor series have often noted the drastic transformations that series has undergone over the years, shedding its skin as a space opera adventure driven by cohesive plots to works more interested in pursuing the philosophical and sensual facets of the Gor universe.
It is worth noting that a number of plots and subplots weave in and out of the Gor series’ many books, with some first emerging as early as the first book and continuing to influence stories more than a dozen novels later.
Controversies
John Norman’s later works in the Gor series have been met with severe criticisms, especially from female readers, with many a voice quick to complain about the relationships Norman creates between dominant men and overtly submissive women, typically within settings of slavery. For many critics, the Gor series’ later novels degenerate into sexist, sadomasochistic porn, a lot of which tends to incite offense in readers.
Norman’s base of readers has declined significantly as a result of the direction he has decided to force his stories towards.
Tarnsman of Gor
Tarl Cabot, citizen of earth, has never seen himself as anything remotely special; until he’s transported from the New England woods one cold winter night to the planet of Gor, where life and cultures are drastically different from anything he has ever known. It isn’t long before Cabot learns that he is to be trained into a tarnsman, one of the most honored positions in the society. But for what purpose, he does not know.
Like many of Norman’s books, the first novel in the Gor series is highly controversial, inciting irritation in many readers for the misogynistic and pornographic material it portrays. Yet the Tarnsman of Gor isn’t without its followers, many of whom approach the novel as an interesting commentary on history, with a story that tackles numerous philosophical elements even while providing many an action packed thrill. Many readers of this first book in the Gor series have admitted to having thoroughly enjoyed the novel during their teenage years, this despite the offense they cannot help but experience when reading the book during their later years.
Outlaw of Gor
In this second novel of the Gor series, Cabot’s life as a history professor is upended when he is returned to counter earth; pleased to re-enter the role of great swordsman, comforted by the arms of his true love, Cabot quickly learns that all is not as well as it might seem. His name has been tainted and all he loves defiled.
Cabot is now an outlaw, no longer the proud warrior he remembers; he is left with difficult questions, starting with why the priest kings chose to draw him back to Gor.
The second novel in the series manifests what quickly became Norman’s signature, with the plot exploring the question of gender through lenses marred more with sex than philosophical arguments. The question of John Norman’s perception of women remains conflicted, with his rhetoric about their strength and spirit often contradicted by the manner in which they consistently degrade themselves.
Book Series In Order » Characters »
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There are also a lot of female Gor fans who love these books and would give anyyhing for them go be real. To see Gor and be in our rightful place would be a wonderful thing
Right? I am short a few books of the series, but love the ideals in the plots and people of Gor. The beasts and adventures are very original, and the women superb. The cover art on the books is marvellous too!