John Norman Books In Order

Publication Order of Gor Books

Publication Order of Telnarian Histories Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

The Gorean Gor series novels are great reads. They have an epic historical adventure that keeps one hooked to it as a reader. The author, John Norman keeps changing settings and the plot is interestingly adventurous. John Norman, the author of Gor novels, all 33 books written between 1967 to 2013, has also authored the Telnarian histories series , other novels, non-fiction works and a collection of short stories in a book called ‘Norman invasions’ that was published in 2009.He was born in Chicago in 1931. He is also known as John Frederick Lange Jr. having adopted the name John Norman, to be able to publish his Gor novels.
The Gor series by John Norman are inspired by Gorean sub-culture, whose setting is a fictional counter earth called Gor. The story combines philosophy, science fiction and love. The word ‘Gor’ means ‘home stone’ in the Gorean language.The series is usually referred to with a couple of names including, Tarl Cabot saga, the chronicles of counter- earth, the Gorean saga and the chronicles of Gor.

The setting of the series is illustrated to be a habitable planet, sharing the same orbit as earth but always hidden by the sun. The population of Gor consists of people who were taken there from earth through behind-the-scenes rulers of Gor and the priest kings. The priest kings are said to be sexless, the priest kings rule Gor as impartial custodians who do not interfere with human affairs as long as they live by certain rules on technology. We have the antagonists, the Kurii who have advanced technology but not greater than that of the priest kings. The Kurii wish to colonize Gor and earth and are in constant battle with the priest kings through their spies and agents.

A lot of human historical cultures on earth are evident in the series, though the most outstanding is the Greco- Roman historical culture.An attempt was made in the 1990s to publish an authorized graphic novel of the Gor series under vision entertainment but the project collapsed due to financial issues and the nature of the imagery that was alleged to have violated Canadian law.

‘Gor’ and the ‘outlaw of Gor’ are the films that have been created based on the Gor series.’Gor’ was produced in 1988 by Avi Lerner and Harry Alan Towers. It was based on science fiction and fantasy. Additionally, the ‘outlaw of Gor’ was an American film directed by John Cardos that was aired in mystery science theater 3000 in 1989.

TARNSMAN OF GORBeing the first book of the Gor series, Tarl Cabot is portrayed as an Englishman who teaches history at a small university. one week during camping, a strange envelope appears at his campfire. He reads the content of the letter and finds out that it is from his father whom he has never seen, asking him to take earth soil when he goes to see him. He boards a ship that goes for him and finds himself in a tower. His father tells him that he is in Gor. Tarl has no idea that his destiny is greater than the planet he had been living in, for the first twenty odd years in his life and has always thought himself to be a human being of planet earth. On a winter night, when he was in the new England woods, he finds himself transported to Gor, which is also known as counter-earth, where everything there is different from what he had ever experienced. It comes to be that he is to be trained as a Tarnsman where worriers are trained to ride tarns which are dangerous great winged birds that can easily harm anyone, including its rider. He is also disciplined by the best trainers from Gor. After weeks of intensive training, he becomes a great and influential tarnsman in the caste- bound planet of Gor. His father then tells him to go to the city of Ar, his father’s enemy city, and steal the home stone which symbolizes defeat of king Marlenus. Tarls’ adventure truly gets fascinating as he is forced to kill other men, rescue his love Talena, recapture his tarn and keep the king Marlenus from killing him. Tarl works with Talena, his first true love, Elizabeth who was a brave worrier fighting with him and an Amazonian lady called Verna, who was fierce and wild. the three women would then work with Tarl Cabot to help him on his mission in the city or Ar.

THE OUTLAW OF GOR Published in 1967, the second novel of the epic Gor series brings Tarl Cabot to life. One night while professor Tarl Cabot was drinking alone, a fellow professor joins him and it is during their car journey to the next drinking spot that Cabot’s ring activates and transports the two of them to Gor. The characters find themselves taken to counter-earth, from earth where they were both history professors. In this other place, he is a great worrier and is happy to be with his one true love called Talena. Cabot is re- united with Talena and discovers that her father, King Marlenus has gotten married to a lady called Lara. During a feast that night, Marlenus makes an announcement to the effect that he will will step down and suggests that Cabot should succeed him. Because Lara desires the throne, she conspires with a priest king to kill Marlenus. She finally succeeds to kill him and frames Cabot for the murder, forcing Cabot to flee the town. Cabot is however captured and imprisoned. It soon transpires that Lara, Cabot, Talena and Hup were guilty over Marlenus murder and are brought outside the palace for a ceremonial execution. Incidentally, Lara gets killed by the Hunter after being convinced by Cabot’s fellow professor from earth that she was the guilty one. As a result, Cabot and Talena are crowned King and Queen and as they prepare to consummate their marriage, Cabot’s ring activates and sends his fellow professor, Whatney back to earth where he gets arrested for jaywalking on a busy road.