"John Norman - Counter Earth 00 - The Gor Books" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norman John)

     The Gor books were written by Professor John Lange under the non de plume of John Norman, and were published in the United States between 1967 and 1988. They sold something like a million copies, making him a certified bestseller. They have been printed in at least four countries outside of the US, though not in their entirety (France, for instance, only published the first three, to my knowledge). Dr.Lange is still very much alive as of this writing, and I am told that he is busily working on the 26th book of the series to be published within the next year or so. This is reputedly due in part to a sudden influx of fan interest generated on the internet through our channels and websites.

     Professor Lange, I am told, studied both Ancient Earth Cultures and Psychology in college, specifically psychology as it relates to human sexuality. In addition to the Gor books he also wrote some other non-Gorean fiction, the books Time Slave and Ghost Dance, as well as a trilogy known as the Telnarian Histories. He also authored a nonfiction work entitled Imaginative Sex.

     There are some interesting rumors floating around out there regarding he and his work; one is that he was a Headmaster or instructor at an all-girl school at one time, another that not all of the Gor books (particularly the Jason Marshall books, books 14-16) were actually authored by him. He denies these rumors and dismisses them as rubbish.

     The Gor books, in their entirety, presently consist of 25 novels which are made up of roughly 9,300 single spaced pages of printed text. Averaging approximately 300 words per page, this stacks up to about 2.8 million words. In comparison, the standard King James edition of the Holy Bible contains roughly 1400 pages, and averages 500 words per page for a total of around 700,000 words, making the Gor books roughly four times the length of the Bible. My usage of the Bible as a reference here in relation to the 2.8 million words of the Gor books makes a certain amount of sense, because, GOD HELP ME, I've read'em all. Several times, in point of fact.

     When one considers the sheer amount of work published, John Norman is one of the most prolific authors of the decades in which he was published. Not as prolific or as widely read, or accepted, as, say, Stephen King; but right up there with Tom Clancy, Scott Turow, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks, all authors of lengthy fiction series.

     As of this writing, the first seven Gor books have been reprinted by Masquerade Books, and can be found in the social sciences or erotic fiction section of such bookstores as Borders Books and MediaPlay (which is rather strange, when one considers that the first seven Gor books are more science fiction/fantasy than erotic anything). The rest of the series remains out of print, though Vision Entertainment, the guys who are planning to market graphical renditions of them in Gor Magazine, eventually plan to republish at least the last six, plus Norman's new installment, Witness of Gor. One can find old copies of the series rather easily in used bookstores or through Amazon.com on the internet, though books 21-25 were not given as long a print run as the earlier ones, and are more difficult to locate.

     The first seven books were originally published by Ballantine, and were reprinted in new editions in the early 1980's. DAW books took over after book 7 and faithfully published each successive volume right up until the publishing field put the squeeze on Norman's politically-incorrect subject matter in 1988 and shut him down. With any luck, Vision will have the 26th novel out in bookstores sometime in 1999, eleven years after his last Gor book was published and thirty-three years after the first one saw print.
1. Tarnsman of Gor

     This is the book which first introduces us to Tarl Cabot, the primary protagonist of the series, and explains the nature of the Counter-Earth Gor. A real good old fashioned action novel, it jumps from situation to situation so fast the reader barely has time to catch his breath before Tarl is plunged into yet another deadly confrontation. Tarl winds up in a duel to the death to save the life of Talena, his love interest and the daughter of his deadliest enemy. Norman's plot devices plainly reveal shades of Edgar Rice Burroughs. All in all, a great beginning to the series.

     It seems ironic to me that, in the back cover of the first Ballantine edition print of Tarnsman I own, that Norman's name is listed quite prominently with the other writers of Ballantine's 1966 fantasy stable such as Ray Bradbury, Fritz Leiber, Larry Niven, and Arthur C. Clarke. The back of the book jacket even says, in the words of his Ballantine editors: "We predict that the name of John Norman will one day be known among the best." Thirty-two years later Norman's work is widely scoffed at by the traditional SF/Fantasy crowd because of the sexuality and delicate subject matter of his work, and he has been blacklisted by the publishing industry since the last book went to print in 1988. Even now, when he is so close to seeing the 26th book finally appear in print, there are forces in the publishing world working to block him from doing so. Meanwhile, Harold Robbins and Jackie Collins have topped the bestseller lists for years. I suppose sex is okay in a novel, provided the dreaded word "slavery" isn't used. Too weird.
2. Outlaw of Gor

     This book brings us once again to Gor, this time for good. Tarl returns from Earth at the start of this one, and stays there for the rest of the series. In it we learn what has occurred on Gor during the past seven years, and catch up on what we've missed. Upon arriving back on the Counter-Earth, our hero discovers that his home city has run into a bit of trouble, courtesy of the godlike Priest-Kings of Gor. Setting out to confront the Priest-Kings, Tarl wanders into the city of Tharna, which, he discovers, is female-owned and operated. Not only that, but they have the nasty habit of enslaving everyone who visits them and forcing them to toil away in their silver mines. Tarl gamely does this, makes some new friends, busts them all out of the pokey and begins a revolution in the city. At the end of the book, the men are back in charge (and rightly so! grunt grunt) and Tarl says goodbye to his latest girlfriend, Lara, and sets out toward the forboding Sardar mountains, home of the fabled Priest-Kings, to kick a little alien butt.
3. Priest-Kings of Gor

     Tarl goes after the dreaded Priest-Kings of Gor to get even with them for what they did to his home city, Ko-ro-ba. This one is a bit heavier on the hard science fiction elements, and a bit less action-packed, at least until the end. The love interest, Vika of Treve, is pretty much an unrepentant bitch for much of the book. The Priest-Kings, however, are fascinating creatures, and Tarl befriends one and helps him wage a war against "those who would bring ruin down upon the nest." Gravity gets a bit out of whack on the planet for awhile, but Tarl and his compadres soon fix that.
4. Nomads of Gor

     Tarl goes to work in the service of Priest-Kings, becoming a "secret agent," and visits the grasslands of the distant southern hemisphere. Widely regarded as one of the best books of the series, this one introduces us to the nomadic Wagon Peoples of Gor. Lots of action, with a new addition: humor. Norman reveals himself in this one to have a rather wry wit, and he applies it to good effect. You can't read this one without wanting to be a Tuchuk, or, if you are a female reader, wondering what it would be like to live in the collar of one. Also, this book introduces a new love interest for Tarl: Elizabeth Cardwell, or, as she comes to be called, Vella of Gor.
5. Assassin of Gor

     Tarl goes to the big city! This book brings us back to glorious Ar, center of Gorean civilization, for the first time since Tarnsman. We learn quite a bit about the doings of professional slavers, also, and how slave-training houses are run. Lots of action, some gladitorial combats and tarn races, and the requisite big finish. Plus we learn a lot more about Kaissa, or Gorean chess. This book also introduces the Kurii, an alien race out to swipe Gor from the Priest-Kings.
6. Raiders of Gor

     Secret agent Tarl plunges into the marshlands of the Vosk Delta, and winds up with egg on his face. We meet the Rencers, the inhabitants of the great marsh, and so does he, to his dismay. This is the first time that we see Tarl less as a classic, chiseled fantasy hero and more as a human being with faults and foibles. Norman shows us the darker side of Gorean slavery which Tarl experiences, much to his chagrin. He winds up leaving the service of Priest-Kings and running off to become a pirate on Thassa, choosing decadent, squalid Port Kar as his new home. Everything you ever wanted to know about Gorean ships, sailing, and ocean battles is in this one. Plus, Tarl gets a new love interest: out Vella, in Telima. And Tarl acquires some new companions. One of my personal favorite books, it's Gor at its most savage and unpredictable. Tarl wins, of course.
7. Captive of Gor

     The first of the infamous "slave books," which gives us a firsthand view of Gorean slavery through the eyes of its protagonist, the incredibly snotty and bitchy Elinor Brinton. This one introduces us to the Panther Girls, tribes of wild free women who hole up in the unexplored forests and pounce on any unsuspecting males who happen along, and the leader of one tribe, Verna. We also learn what has become of Talena, Tarl's true love from the first book, who makes a brief cameo appearance. Meanwhile, Elinor is a general pain in the ass to anyone who tries to befriend her, and a cringing, sniveling coward to boot. She learns to be a good slave, however, and winds up as the treasured pet of Rask of Treve, the undisputed Fabio of the Gor books. Go figure.
8. Hunters of Gor

     Tarl goes to the woods! The Great Northern Forests, to be exact. Our hero blows off Telima in classic Gorean fashion and traipses off to the unexplored forest lands in search of Talena, his long lost love. Once there, he tangles with some Panther Girls and winds up with the short end of the stick. We run into Talena's father, Marlenus of Ar (whom we first encountered in Book 1) again, who goes right on being the consummate Gorean A-type personality and winning at everything he tries. This book has a great scene near the end, where Tarl goes against unbeatable odds like the Tarl of old, and which gives me goosebumps everytime I read it. The ending, however, is a downer. There is also a brief cameo by Vella (remember her?)
9. Marauders of Gor

     Tarl goes Viking! This one marks the beginning of the Priest-King vs. Kurii machinations which last for the rest of the series. Our hero winds up in the north, in Torvaldsland, and joins up with a Viking raider to do some marauding (hence the title). Very nasty battle sequences in which men clash with Kurii, which is no fun for anyone. One of the better books of the series. And Tarl runs into Telima again, much to her regret.
10. Tribesmen of Gor

     Tarl goes to the desert! This book is similar in most respects to the one which precedes it. Tarl goes to infiltrate the desert tribes to stave off a desperate Kurii plot to destroy all of Gor. And who should he encounter again but...Vella! This time he gets his hooks into her, though, but only after serving a nasty tour of duty slaving away in the salt pits of Klima, fighting against pretty much everyone in the desert, and saving Gor from those huge jerks, the Kurii. We also run into Kamchak, Tarl's pal from book 4, again, except this time he's named Hassan. Come to think of it, Ivar Forkbeard, the viking from book 9, was kinda like Kamchak, also. Norman must have really liked Kamchak.
11. Slave Girl of Gor

     Second of the slave books, this one deals with the adventures of Judy Thornton, kidnapped from Earth to serve the savage lusts of Goreans. We suffer with her through her various trials and tribulations, and meet Rask of Treve's first-runner-up in the Gorean Fabio competition, Clitus Vitellius, he-man of Ar. Between the time when Judy first shows up on Gor as a haughty little brat and her acceptance of the wonders of slavery, we get some very interesting glimpses into the workings of the largest of the Gorean castes, the Caste of Peasants. And the Kur are involved, as usual. This is one of the books which makes reference to "the strange gray man with the glassy robotic eyes," who sounds suspiciously like the Assassin Pa-Kur, dreaded villain from the first book, who was believed slain though his body was never found. Is it mere coincidence that the name Pa-KUR is so similar to the word KURii? I suspect that, since John Norman is writing the series, such a coincidence could simply not exist. Still, if Pa-Kur is scheduled to make a comeback, twenty-five books is a little long to be considered "foreshadowing."
12. Beasts of Gor

     Tarl goes Eskimo! The Kurii are back with a vengeance, and Tarl must travel to the frigid ice-fields of the northern polar region to combat them. There is some great info about Inuit culture in this one, though in my opinion it is one of the slower and more wordy books of the series. Kamchak/Ivar is back, this time in the guise of Imnak, one of the Red Hunters (Eskimos) of Gor, whom Tarl meets while performing his usual term of "post-capture slave labor" at the beginning of the book. Also, we get to make the acquaintance of a member of the Caste of Assassins, who has been working for the Kurii, and who turns out not to be such a bad guy after all. And the leader of the Kurii, in this book, is not such a bad guy either. The Kurii, we discover, are sort of like a cross between Klingons and Wookiees, and fall somewhere in the K'zinti range when it comes to acceptable behavior. This book ends with a bang. Literally.
13. Explorers of Gor

     Tarl goes Tarzan! In this one, Tarl travels down to the jungle rainforests of Schendi in search of a stolen bit of Kurii super-technology, and winds up rafting down the Gorean equivalent of the Amazon, the Mighty Cartius river. On the way he gets caught and winds up being forced into a brief period of slave labor, during which he makes some new friends who join forces with him upon his escape (do you see a pattern developing, here?). Pretty much everyone Tarl interacts with in this part of Gor happens to be black, of Earth African descent, and this book points up the utter lack of racism on Gor. But how come the southern version of the panther girls, the "Talunas," are all white chicks? Where did they all come from, and how did they all manage to dress their pale northern asses in cheetah skins and tiger claws (or panther skins and larl claws, rather)? What's up with that? Despite a rather tedious period of travel down the deadly river, the book ends up with Tarl and his friends winning the day. Not the worst book of the series. Everything you ever wanted to know about the jungles of Gor, but were afraid to ask, basically.
14. Fighting Slave of Gor

     Tarl takes a vacation! In this book, the first of the Jason Marshall trilogy, we meet a new protagonist named, you guessed it, Jason Marshall. Jason is a he-man college frat boy from Earth who accidentally gets caught in the middle of a surprise slave abduction here on Earth, and winds up being transported to Gor as a "silk slave," or a Gorean free woman's "boy toy." Despite the fact that he begins the books as a total wuss, Jason quickly responds to the simple diet, forced exercise, and fresh clean air of his slave pens and miraculously transforms into: a clone of Tarl. He winds up being drafted into the Fighting Pens and trained as a slave gladiator. During the time in which he must endure enforced slave labor, he makes some friends who... well, you can pretty much figure it out from there. By the end of the book he is free and searching for Beverly, the girl he was trying to rescue when he got jumped by Gorean slavers in the first place.
15. Rogue of Gor

     In this book, Jason travels to the river town of Victoria and finds work as a dock hand. He also finds Beverly, and upon doing so immediately reverts to his former wimpy Earth-weenie self. The job, and his equal-rights-based relationship with Beverly, both last for about two chapters. Jason gets embroiled in dire doings by river pirates and charges to the defense of his adopted hometown, marshaling (Hey! Marshaling! And his name is...! How ironic) the gathered forces of the river towns to resist the league of pirates. Following in the footsteps of Tarl, he becomes the Gorean version of a secret-agent, does his requisite period of being captured and led around in chains, and becomes a master swordsman between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Still, the river warfare is quite interesting and Jason is an okay fellow, though I personally prefer Tarl, one super-hero being quite enough for a single planet. Norman ends this book by doing one of the most heinous things an author can do in a fantasy series: he ends it as a cliffhanger! The trumpets sound, the big battle is about to happen, and suddenly: BE SURE TO READ ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT EXCITING INSTALLMENT... Aaaaagh! Norman! How could you? Shame on you.
16. Guardsman of Gor

     A year later, the next exciting installment was published, and the battle was fought. In this book much heroism is performed on the murky Vosk river, much fighting occurs, and Jason proves himself more than a match for a fleet of Gorean river pirates. Still, all's well that end's well, and the river cities get saved after much tumult and tons of action. Jason finds Beverly again, who has well-learned the benefits of Gorean slavery and can now appreciate Jason's newly discovered, finely-honed Gorean nature. He collars her in proper Gorean fashion and they settle down to a quiet life of marathon sex, interspersed with long discussions about how natural slavery is and how fulfilled they both feel.

     Tarl goes native! Jason seems to have run his course, so Tarl's back with a vengeance, heading off into the frontier wilderness on the far side of the Voltai mountains, where the Indians live. This book is one of Norman's "culture books," in which he explores a transplanted Earth culture and discusses how it has fared upon the planet of Gor. In this case, he explores Native American culture. My pet name for this book, and the book which follows it, is "Dances with Slaves." This book is not one of my favorites... not because I have anything against Native American culture, but rather because although the Indians work well on Gor, Norman has an odd tendency to try to make the white Gorean settlers whom they battle seem like Goreanized versions of nineteenth century cowboys. The earlier books have Gorean society firmly based upon the Greco-Roman model, even to the names of the major characters: Samos, Marlenus, Clitus, Sullius Maximus, et. all. So when a bunch of rowdy Goreans in kerchiefs and wide-brimmed hats show up, riding lizards and calling themselves "the boys of the Hobart Ranch," then head off toward "Russell's Tavern," it just kills the mood of the series.
18. Blood Brothers of Gor

     Tarl goes on the war-path! More Native American stuff, here. The fights are good, and the explanations of Indian culture are fascinating to read, especially the "Waniyanpi," a freakish spin-off tribe which subscribes to the belief that males and females are identical in every way. This book features the return of Ubar of the Skies, Tarl's long lost riding bird which he has not seen since the beginning of book six. When the bird still remembers him and instantly falls back into his old habits, even becoming Tarl's "super bird" when he rides into battle, however, it's a bit far-fetched. Exhilarating to read, exciting, but kind of hard to swallow. Tarl wins the Indian wars by the end of this book.
19. Kajira of Gor

     Yet another "slave book." Here's the run down: Tiffany Collins, card-carrying snotty rich girl, gets kidnapped and brought to Gor by the Kurii to serve their dark purposes, gets used as a pawn in the game of world conquest, then gets cast away when she has outlived her usefulness, gets enslaved, and spends the rest of the book waiting for her dream-Master to come rescue her. He does. This time he's named Drusius Rencius. He looks like Rask of Treve and acts like Clitus Vitellius. He slaps his collar around Tiffany's neck and she swoons with joy, and they settle down for some good old-fashioned Gorean "sex & discussion" sessions. There is some great stuff in this one, however, dealing with Gorean economics and the usage of slave labor in the Gorean textile industry.
20. Players of Gor

     Tarl's back! So is book 5, Assassin of Gor, only now it's fifteen books later. Still, it brought me great feelings of joy when I read this book and saw Norman returning to the roots of the series, introducing new quasi-alien Gorean races, and once again pitting Tarl against the Kurii in the game of worlds. So, basically, you take the well-worn "Tarl-in-disguise spying in enemy territory" premise, add in some interesting new characters and a new caste description (Caste of Entertainers), sprinkle in a few episodes from book five such as the usurped Ubarate, the secret presence of a "beast" (Kurii) in a hidden room of the palace and the kaissa match to the death, do a few captures and escapes, and tie it all up with Tarl beating the crap out of the bad guys in the end. Still, this is a very humorous book, full of great characters (Boots Tarsk-Bit, Gorean con man, is one of them) and plenty of action, and it ends with a chilling scene where Tarl sees an event which he realizes will signal sweeping changes on Gor as he knows it. For the first time, the two greatest city-states on Gor, Ar and Cos, are going to war, and this time it's serious.
21. Mercenaries of Gor

     Tarl goes to war. This book begins the great Ar/Cos conflict, which pretty much takes over the series for the next five books. The Kurii are forgotten. Tarl travels across the war-ravaged countryside, becoming involved in the various intrigues which are occurring behind the scenes. Norman goes into great detail describing how such a widescale conflict effects the Gorean way of life, with suitably cautionary results. We also meet the latest incarnation of Kamchak: Hurtha of the Alar tribe. This book is an excellent read if one is interested in the hows and whys of Gorean warfare, plus it has some good slave stuff, and one heck of a comeuppance for a particularly obnoxious free woman named Boabissia.
22. Dancer of Gor

     A slave book. This time it's book 19, retitled, with new names. Despite the similarities of plot, though, this one really stands out due to its exploration of Gorean slavery, work chains and chain gangs, press gangs, the art of slave-dancing, and the sad fate of a noble tavern owner named Hendow and his faithful pet sleen, Borko. Plus, there is a surprise cameo by Ost, a nasty little fellow who we last saw in book 2. Oh, and this time the Gorean "Fabio-stand-in" is named Teibar of Ar.
23. Renegades of Gor

     A great book, full of intrigue, danger, and all the excitement to be found in a Gorean war-zone. In this book we first meet Marcus of Ar's Station, who seems destined to become the Iolaus to Tarl's Hercules. The seige and battle for Ar's Station are particularly fascinating, and Tarl's defense of the docks is heroic fiction at its finest. Jason Marshall shows up again and makes a brief cameo near the end, and some of Tarl's escapades at a roadside tavern in the war zone are quite humorous. This is classic Norman.
24. Vagabonds of Gor

     Tarl goes back to the swamp. This book has some great stuff in it about courage, and the foolishness of taking duty to an extreme, but it also bogs down (pardon the pun) a bit in the middle. Tarl also again encounters Marcus, and they team up. What happens to the army of Ar in the Vosk Delta seems to be a veiled reference to America's involvement in Viet Nam, though I wouldn't put money on it. The most annoying thing about this one, and the one before it, is the patent stupidity of some of the people whom Tarl must attempt to reason with. Then again, perhaps that only annoys me because typically, in books, people are depicted as being much more intelligent and reasonable than they actually are. In books 23 and 24, however, we get a healthy dose of the kind of intractible, irrational and impractable thinking which most people are capable of. It drives me nuts, and almost gets Tarl killed half a dozen times.
25. Magicians of Gor

     Tarl falls under the shadow of an occupying military force. Without a doubt the most comprehensive Gorean work yet written. This book is twice the length of most of the others, and is jam-packed with information for the discerning Goraphile. In this book, the city of mighty Ar finally comes to grips with the invading army of Cos, though nothing turns out as planned due to treachery within the highest levels of Ar's leadership. No sign of Marlenus, Ubar of Ar, who seems to have vanished while on a punitive expedition into the Voltai mountains around the time of book 19. Tarl and Marcus plot to steal the captured Home Stone of Ar's Station back from her detractors, with the expert aid of Boots Tarsk-Bit, who returns after an absence of five books. In this book Norman describes to us the effect it has when an invading foreign power systematically strips away all the vestiges of a people's cultural pride and dignity. Goreans refuse to be subjected to such treatment for long, it would seem. We also encounter Talena, for the first time in seventeen books, and she has become an even bigger bitch than the last time we saw her. Tarl enacts his revenge upon her for the disrespectful behavior she displayed in book eight, and he and Marcus begin to make their plans to free Ar from the occupying forces of her ancient enemy.
26. Witness of Gor (soon to be released)

     With any luck, this one will finally let us in on what happens in the Ar/Cos conflict, and maybe bring back Pa-Kur, or at the very least, give us an update on the Priest-Kings vs. Kurii war.

     My personal favorite book of the series is book #6, Raiders of Gor, in which Tarl is finally forced to abandon his more romantic notions about life in general and finally grows up a bit. Until that time, Tarl always wins, and as such, he is the eternal optimist. In Raiders we finally see him have to deal with a no-win situation.

     In book #8, Hunters of Gor, he sets out, now armed with his new Gorean pragmatism, and attempts to grasp personal power through intrigues and power plays, his ambition now one of economic and political importance. Again, he fails. In this failing, he comes to grips with his fallibility, and endures great cruelty due to this failure. When the wheel of fate again turns in his favor, he seizes the opportunity and begins anew, now well aware of his humanity and the ever looming spectre of fate. He becomes more human, more ruthless, and Gorean.

     Each of the books brings Tarl closer to learning what it means to be Gorean, and being Gorean, in these books, is a metaphor which represents being a natural human being, unfettered by counter-instinctual conditioning ( Neat phrase, huh? It's one of Norman's). In several of the books he is captured and is forced to endure, if only temporarily, the life of a slave. Winning his freedom, he again comes closer to understanding and appreciating the simplicity of Gorean life and culture, even the more harsh and brutal aspects of it.

     Books #14-16, the Jason Marshall Trilogy, introduce us to a new protagonist. Jason Marshall is a man of Earth, brought to Gor not as a warrior and the son of a former Ubar, as Tarl was, but as a male slave. By telling us his story, Norman offers us a glimpse of another side of Gor; what he so often shows us in regards to captured Earth females, he now shows us with a captured Earth male. Some of the most insistent pillars of the Gorean mindset are made clear to us as Jason refuses to consider them, only to be forced by the reality of his situation and the call of his maleness to finally accept and embrace them. What takes Tarl the better part of twenty books to learn is thrust upon Jason by the reality of his bondage, under the whip. Just as captive females are sent through the emotional grinder which forces them to accept certain underlying truths about their sexuality, so, too, is Jason. In such a way he is forced to become Gorean much faster than Tarl, and by the end of book #16 he is a free Gorean male through and through.

     Nothing signifies this better than when, in book #23, Renegades of Gor, Tarl Cabot and Jason Marshall finally meet one another. In this brief episode, just a minor cameo by Jason, really, the two former Earth men come face to face, and neither recognizes the other as a transplanted native of their mutual home planet. Tarl and Jason have both become Gorean men.

     We see a similar occurance in book #25, Magicians of Gor, when Tarl happens to encounter the slave girl Tuka (formerly Doreen Williamson of Earth) outside the walls of Ar. Tuka, who was the protagonist of book #22, Dancer of Gor, dances before him and Tarl is utterly unaware that she is a transplanted native of Earth until he spies the "Barbarian Brand" (the Gorean designation for an Earth vaccination mark) upon her arm. Tarl is stunned by the realization that the Earth girl has been so totally assimilated into Gorean society, and we are once again made aware by Norman that Goreans and Earthlings are, on a very basic level, fundamentally identical. Tarl has met the Goreans, and they are us.

     If you wish to learn about being a slave, study the "slave" books which detail almost exclusively the training of Earth girls brought to Gor. These are books #7 Captive of Gor, #11 Slave Girl of Gor, #19 Kajira of Gor, and #22 Dancer of Gor.

     If you wish to learn more about the varying Gorean cultures, try books #4 Nomads of Gor (Wagon Peoples), #5 Assassin of Gor (High Cities), #6 Raiders of Gor (Rencers), #8 Hunters of Gor (Panther Girls), #9 Marauders of Gor (Torvaldslanders), #10 Tribesmen of Gor (Desert Dwellers), #12 Beasts of Gor (Red Hunters), #13 Explorers of Gor (Jungle Tribesmen), #17 Savages of Gor and #18 Blood Brothers of Gor (Red Savages), and #21 Mercenaries of Gor (Alar Tribesmen).

     If you want to know how dreadful and brutal is the practice of war upon Gor, read books #21 Mercenaries of Gor, #23 Renegades of Gor, and #24 Vagabonds of Gor.

     If you want see what it is like to live in an occupied Gorean city under enemy rule, read book #25, Magicians of Gor.

     And if you want to learn what it is to be Gorean, read them all. Norman is a patient, if repetitive teacher, and he gives us 25 entire books to figure it out for ourselves. And three million words makes for one hell of a textbook, as well as a pretty amazing adventure, for Tarl, for Jason, for Elizabeth and Elinor and Doreen and all the rest.

     Perhaps even for a confused and weary humanity, trying to heal itself.

     The Gor books were written by Professor John Lange under the non de plume of John Norman, and were published in the United States between 1967 and 1988. They sold something like a million copies, making him a certified bestseller. They have been printed in at least four countries outside of the US, though not in their entirety (France, for instance, only published the first three, to my knowledge). Dr.Lange is still very much alive as of this writing, and I am told that he is busily working on the 26th book of the series to be published within the next year or so. This is reputedly due in part to a sudden influx of fan interest generated on the internet through our channels and websites.

     Professor Lange, I am told, studied both Ancient Earth Cultures and Psychology in college, specifically psychology as it relates to human sexuality. In addition to the Gor books he also wrote some other non-Gorean fiction, the books Time Slave and Ghost Dance, as well as a trilogy known as the Telnarian Histories. He also authored a nonfiction work entitled Imaginative Sex.

     There are some interesting rumors floating around out there regarding he and his work; one is that he was a Headmaster or instructor at an all-girl school at one time, another that not all of the Gor books (particularly the Jason Marshall books, books 14-16) were actually authored by him. He denies these rumors and dismisses them as rubbish.

     The Gor books, in their entirety, presently consist of 25 novels which are made up of roughly 9,300 single spaced pages of printed text. Averaging approximately 300 words per page, this stacks up to about 2.8 million words. In comparison, the standard King James edition of the Holy Bible contains roughly 1400 pages, and averages 500 words per page for a total of around 700,000 words, making the Gor books roughly four times the length of the Bible. My usage of the Bible as a reference here in relation to the 2.8 million words of the Gor books makes a certain amount of sense, because, GOD HELP ME, I've read'em all. Several times, in point of fact.

     When one considers the sheer amount of work published, John Norman is one of the most prolific authors of the decades in which he was published. Not as prolific or as widely read, or accepted, as, say, Stephen King; but right up there with Tom Clancy, Scott Turow, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks, all authors of lengthy fiction series.

     As of this writing, the first seven Gor books have been reprinted by Masquerade Books, and can be found in the social sciences or erotic fiction section of such bookstores as Borders Books and MediaPlay (which is rather strange, when one considers that the first seven Gor books are more science fiction/fantasy than erotic anything). The rest of the series remains out of print, though Vision Entertainment, the guys who are planning to market graphical renditions of them in Gor Magazine, eventually plan to republish at least the last six, plus Norman's new installment, Witness of Gor. One can find old copies of the series rather easily in used bookstores or through Amazon.com on the internet, though books 21-25 were not given as long a print run as the earlier ones, and are more difficult to locate.

     The first seven books were originally published by Ballantine, and were reprinted in new editions in the early 1980's. DAW books took over after book 7 and faithfully published each successive volume right up until the publishing field put the squeeze on Norman's politically-incorrect subject matter in 1988 and shut him down. With any luck, Vision will have the 26th novel out in bookstores sometime in 1999, eleven years after his last Gor book was published and thirty-three years after the first one saw print.
1. Tarnsman of Gor

     This is the book which first introduces us to Tarl Cabot, the primary protagonist of the series, and explains the nature of the Counter-Earth Gor. A real good old fashioned action novel, it jumps from situation to situation so fast the reader barely has time to catch his breath before Tarl is plunged into yet another deadly confrontation. Tarl winds up in a duel to the death to save the life of Talena, his love interest and the daughter of his deadliest enemy. Norman's plot devices plainly reveal shades of Edgar Rice Burroughs. All in all, a great beginning to the series.

     It seems ironic to me that, in the back cover of the first Ballantine edition print of Tarnsman I own, that Norman's name is listed quite prominently with the other writers of Ballantine's 1966 fantasy stable such as Ray Bradbury, Fritz Leiber, Larry Niven, and Arthur C. Clarke. The back of the book jacket even says, in the words of his Ballantine editors: "We predict that the name of John Norman will one day be known among the best." Thirty-two years later Norman's work is widely scoffed at by the traditional SF/Fantasy crowd because of the sexuality and delicate subject matter of his work, and he has been blacklisted by the publishing industry since the last book went to print in 1988. Even now, when he is so close to seeing the 26th book finally appear in print, there are forces in the publishing world working to block him from doing so. Meanwhile, Harold Robbins and Jackie Collins have topped the bestseller lists for years. I suppose sex is okay in a novel, provided the dreaded word "slavery" isn't used. Too weird.
2. Outlaw of Gor

     This book brings us once again to Gor, this time for good. Tarl returns from Earth at the start of this one, and stays there for the rest of the series. In it we learn what has occurred on Gor during the past seven years, and catch up on what we've missed. Upon arriving back on the Counter-Earth, our hero discovers that his home city has run into a bit of trouble, courtesy of the godlike Priest-Kings of Gor. Setting out to confront the Priest-Kings, Tarl wanders into the city of Tharna, which, he discovers, is female-owned and operated. Not only that, but they have the nasty habit of enslaving everyone who visits them and forcing them to toil away in their silver mines. Tarl gamely does this, makes some new friends, busts them all out of the pokey and begins a revolution in the city. At the end of the book, the men are back in charge (and rightly so! grunt grunt) and Tarl says goodbye to his latest girlfriend, Lara, and sets out toward the forboding Sardar mountains, home of the fabled Priest-Kings, to kick a little alien butt.
3. Priest-Kings of Gor

     Tarl goes after the dreaded Priest-Kings of Gor to get even with them for what they did to his home city, Ko-ro-ba. This one is a bit heavier on the hard science fiction elements, and a bit less action-packed, at least until the end. The love interest, Vika of Treve, is pretty much an unrepentant bitch for much of the book. The Priest-Kings, however, are fascinating creatures, and Tarl befriends one and helps him wage a war against "those who would bring ruin down upon the nest." Gravity gets a bit out of whack on the planet for awhile, but Tarl and his compadres soon fix that.
4. Nomads of Gor

     Tarl goes to work in the service of Priest-Kings, becoming a "secret agent," and visits the grasslands of the distant southern hemisphere. Widely regarded as one of the best books of the series, this one introduces us to the nomadic Wagon Peoples of Gor. Lots of action, with a new addition: humor. Norman reveals himself in this one to have a rather wry wit, and he applies it to good effect. You can't read this one without wanting to be a Tuchuk, or, if you are a female reader, wondering what it would be like to live in the collar of one. Also, this book introduces a new love interest for Tarl: Elizabeth Cardwell, or, as she comes to be called, Vella of Gor.
5. Assassin of Gor

     Tarl goes to the big city! This book brings us back to glorious Ar, center of Gorean civilization, for the first time since Tarnsman. We learn quite a bit about the doings of professional slavers, also, and how slave-training houses are run. Lots of action, some gladitorial combats and tarn races, and the requisite big finish. Plus we learn a lot more about Kaissa, or Gorean chess. This book also introduces the Kurii, an alien race out to swipe Gor from the Priest-Kings.
6. Raiders of Gor

     Secret agent Tarl plunges into the marshlands of the Vosk Delta, and winds up with egg on his face. We meet the Rencers, the inhabitants of the great marsh, and so does he, to his dismay. This is the first time that we see Tarl less as a classic, chiseled fantasy hero and more as a human being with faults and foibles. Norman shows us the darker side of Gorean slavery which Tarl experiences, much to his chagrin. He winds up leaving the service of Priest-Kings and running off to become a pirate on Thassa, choosing decadent, squalid Port Kar as his new home. Everything you ever wanted to know about Gorean ships, sailing, and ocean battles is in this one. Plus, Tarl gets a new love interest: out Vella, in Telima. And Tarl acquires some new companions. One of my personal favorite books, it's Gor at its most savage and unpredictable. Tarl wins, of course.
7. Captive of Gor

     The first of the infamous "slave books," which gives us a firsthand view of Gorean slavery through the eyes of its protagonist, the incredibly snotty and bitchy Elinor Brinton. This one introduces us to the Panther Girls, tribes of wild free women who hole up in the unexplored forests and pounce on any unsuspecting males who happen along, and the leader of one tribe, Verna. We also learn what has become of Talena, Tarl's true love from the first book, who makes a brief cameo appearance. Meanwhile, Elinor is a general pain in the ass to anyone who tries to befriend her, and a cringing, sniveling coward to boot. She learns to be a good slave, however, and winds up as the treasured pet of Rask of Treve, the undisputed Fabio of the Gor books. Go figure.
8. Hunters of Gor

     Tarl goes to the woods! The Great Northern Forests, to be exact. Our hero blows off Telima in classic Gorean fashion and traipses off to the unexplored forest lands in search of Talena, his long lost love. Once there, he tangles with some Panther Girls and winds up with the short end of the stick. We run into Talena's father, Marlenus of Ar (whom we first encountered in Book 1) again, who goes right on being the consummate Gorean A-type personality and winning at everything he tries. This book has a great scene near the end, where Tarl goes against unbeatable odds like the Tarl of old, and which gives me goosebumps everytime I read it. The ending, however, is a downer. There is also a brief cameo by Vella (remember her?)
9. Marauders of Gor

     Tarl goes Viking! This one marks the beginning of the Priest-King vs. Kurii machinations which last for the rest of the series. Our hero winds up in the north, in Torvaldsland, and joins up with a Viking raider to do some marauding (hence the title). Very nasty battle sequences in which men clash with Kurii, which is no fun for anyone. One of the better books of the series. And Tarl runs into Telima again, much to her regret.
10. Tribesmen of Gor

     Tarl goes to the desert! This book is similar in most respects to the one which precedes it. Tarl goes to infiltrate the desert tribes to stave off a desperate Kurii plot to destroy all of Gor. And who should he encounter again but...Vella! This time he gets his hooks into her, though, but only after serving a nasty tour of duty slaving away in the salt pits of Klima, fighting against pretty much everyone in the desert, and saving Gor from those huge jerks, the Kurii. We also run into Kamchak, Tarl's pal from book 4, again, except this time he's named Hassan. Come to think of it, Ivar Forkbeard, the viking from book 9, was kinda like Kamchak, also. Norman must have really liked Kamchak.
11. Slave Girl of Gor

     Second of the slave books, this one deals with the adventures of Judy Thornton, kidnapped from Earth to serve the savage lusts of Goreans. We suffer with her through her various trials and tribulations, and meet Rask of Treve's first-runner-up in the Gorean Fabio competition, Clitus Vitellius, he-man of Ar. Between the time when Judy first shows up on Gor as a haughty little brat and her acceptance of the wonders of slavery, we get some very interesting glimpses into the workings of the largest of the Gorean castes, the Caste of Peasants. And the Kur are involved, as usual. This is one of the books which makes reference to "the strange gray man with the glassy robotic eyes," who sounds suspiciously like the Assassin Pa-Kur, dreaded villain from the first book, who was believed slain though his body was never found. Is it mere coincidence that the name Pa-KUR is so similar to the word KURii? I suspect that, since John Norman is writing the series, such a coincidence could simply not exist. Still, if Pa-Kur is scheduled to make a comeback, twenty-five books is a little long to be considered "foreshadowing."
12. Beasts of Gor

     Tarl goes Eskimo! The Kurii are back with a vengeance, and Tarl must travel to the frigid ice-fields of the northern polar region to combat them. There is some great info about Inuit culture in this one, though in my opinion it is one of the slower and more wordy books of the series. Kamchak/Ivar is back, this time in the guise of Imnak, one of the Red Hunters (Eskimos) of Gor, whom Tarl meets while performing his usual term of "post-capture slave labor" at the beginning of the book. Also, we get to make the acquaintance of a member of the Caste of Assassins, who has been working for the Kurii, and who turns out not to be such a bad guy after all. And the leader of the Kurii, in this book, is not such a bad guy either. The Kurii, we discover, are sort of like a cross between Klingons and Wookiees, and fall somewhere in the K'zinti range when it comes to acceptable behavior. This book ends with a bang. Literally.
13. Explorers of Gor

     Tarl goes Tarzan! In this one, Tarl travels down to the jungle rainforests of Schendi in search of a stolen bit of Kurii super-technology, and winds up rafting down the Gorean equivalent of the Amazon, the Mighty Cartius river. On the way he gets caught and winds up being forced into a brief period of slave labor, during which he makes some new friends who join forces with him upon his escape (do you see a pattern developing, here?). Pretty much everyone Tarl interacts with in this part of Gor happens to be black, of Earth African descent, and this book points up the utter lack of racism on Gor. But how come the southern version of the panther girls, the "Talunas," are all white chicks? Where did they all come from, and how did they all manage to dress their pale northern asses in cheetah skins and tiger claws (or panther skins and larl claws, rather)? What's up with that? Despite a rather tedious period of travel down the deadly river, the book ends up with Tarl and his friends winning the day. Not the worst book of the series. Everything you ever wanted to know about the jungles of Gor, but were afraid to ask, basically.
14. Fighting Slave of Gor

     Tarl takes a vacation! In this book, the first of the Jason Marshall trilogy, we meet a new protagonist named, you guessed it, Jason Marshall. Jason is a he-man college frat boy from Earth who accidentally gets caught in the middle of a surprise slave abduction here on Earth, and winds up being transported to Gor as a "silk slave," or a Gorean free woman's "boy toy." Despite the fact that he begins the books as a total wuss, Jason quickly responds to the simple diet, forced exercise, and fresh clean air of his slave pens and miraculously transforms into: a clone of Tarl. He winds up being drafted into the Fighting Pens and trained as a slave gladiator. During the time in which he must endure enforced slave labor, he makes some friends who... well, you can pretty much figure it out from there. By the end of the book he is free and searching for Beverly, the girl he was trying to rescue when he got jumped by Gorean slavers in the first place.
15. Rogue of Gor

     In this book, Jason travels to the river town of Victoria and finds work as a dock hand. He also finds Beverly, and upon doing so immediately reverts to his former wimpy Earth-weenie self. The job, and his equal-rights-based relationship with Beverly, both last for about two chapters. Jason gets embroiled in dire doings by river pirates and charges to the defense of his adopted hometown, marshaling (Hey! Marshaling! And his name is...! How ironic) the gathered forces of the river towns to resist the league of pirates. Following in the footsteps of Tarl, he becomes the Gorean version of a secret-agent, does his requisite period of being captured and led around in chains, and becomes a master swordsman between the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Still, the river warfare is quite interesting and Jason is an okay fellow, though I personally prefer Tarl, one super-hero being quite enough for a single planet. Norman ends this book by doing one of the most heinous things an author can do in a fantasy series: he ends it as a cliffhanger! The trumpets sound, the big battle is about to happen, and suddenly: BE SURE TO READ ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT EXCITING INSTALLMENT... Aaaaagh! Norman! How could you? Shame on you.
16. Guardsman of Gor

     A year later, the next exciting installment was published, and the battle was fought. In this book much heroism is performed on the murky Vosk river, much fighting occurs, and Jason proves himself more than a match for a fleet of Gorean river pirates. Still, all's well that end's well, and the river cities get saved after much tumult and tons of action. Jason finds Beverly again, who has well-learned the benefits of Gorean slavery and can now appreciate Jason's newly discovered, finely-honed Gorean nature. He collars her in proper Gorean fashion and they settle down to a quiet life of marathon sex, interspersed with long discussions about how natural slavery is and how fulfilled they both feel.
17. Savages of Gor

     Tarl goes native! Jason seems to have run his course, so Tarl's back with a vengeance, heading off into the frontier wilderness on the far side of the Voltai mountains, where the Indians live. This book is one of Norman's "culture books," in which he explores a transplanted Earth culture and discusses how it has fared upon the planet of Gor. In this case, he explores Native American culture. My pet name for this book, and the book which follows it, is "Dances with Slaves." This book is not one of my favorites... not because I have anything against Native American culture, but rather because although the Indians work well on Gor, Norman has an odd tendency to try to make the white Gorean settlers whom they battle seem like Goreanized versions of nineteenth century cowboys. The earlier books have Gorean society firmly based upon the Greco-Roman model, even to the names of the major characters: Samos, Marlenus, Clitus, Sullius Maximus, et. all. So when a bunch of rowdy Goreans in kerchiefs and wide-brimmed hats show up, riding lizards and calling themselves "the boys of the Hobart Ranch," then head off toward "Russell's Tavern," it just kills the mood of the series.
18. Blood Brothers of Gor

     Tarl goes on the war-path! More Native American stuff, here. The fights are good, and the explanations of Indian culture are fascinating to read, especially the "Waniyanpi," a freakish spin-off tribe which subscribes to the belief that males and females are identical in every way. This book features the return of Ubar of the Skies, Tarl's long lost riding bird which he has not seen since the beginning of book six. When the bird still remembers him and instantly falls back into his old habits, even becoming Tarl's "super bird" when he rides into battle, however, it's a bit far-fetched. Exhilarating to read, exciting, but kind of hard to swallow. Tarl wins the Indian wars by the end of this book.
19. Kajira of Gor

     Yet another "slave book." Here's the run down: Tiffany Collins, card-carrying snotty rich girl, gets kidnapped and brought to Gor by the Kurii to serve their dark purposes, gets used as a pawn in the game of world conquest, then gets cast away when she has outlived her usefulness, gets enslaved, and spends the rest of the book waiting for her dream-Master to come rescue her. He does. This time he's named Drusius Rencius. He looks like Rask of Treve and acts like Clitus Vitellius. He slaps his collar around Tiffany's neck and she swoons with joy, and they settle down for some good old-fashioned Gorean "sex & discussion" sessions. There is some great stuff in this one, however, dealing with Gorean economics and the usage of slave labor in the Gorean textile industry.
20. Players of Gor

     Tarl's back! So is book 5, Assassin of Gor, only now it's fifteen books later. Still, it brought me great feelings of joy when I read this book and saw Norman returning to the roots of the series, introducing new quasi-alien Gorean races, and once again pitting Tarl against the Kurii in the game of worlds. So, basically, you take the well-worn "Tarl-in-disguise spying in enemy territory" premise, add in some interesting new characters and a new caste description (Caste of Entertainers), sprinkle in a few episodes from book five such as the usurped Ubarate, the secret presence of a "beast" (Kurii) in a hidden room of the palace and the kaissa match to the death, do a few captures and escapes, and tie it all up with Tarl beating the crap out of the bad guys in the end. Still, this is a very humorous book, full of great characters (Boots Tarsk-Bit, Gorean con man, is one of them) and plenty of action, and it ends with a chilling scene where Tarl sees an event which he realizes will signal sweeping changes on Gor as he knows it. For the first time, the two greatest city-states on Gor, Ar and Cos, are going to war, and this time it's serious.
21. Mercenaries of Gor

     Tarl goes to war. This book begins the great Ar/Cos conflict, which pretty much takes over the series for the next five books. The Kurii are forgotten. Tarl travels across the war-ravaged countryside, becoming involved in the various intrigues which are occurring behind the scenes. Norman goes into great detail describing how such a widescale conflict effects the Gorean way of life, with suitably cautionary results. We also meet the latest incarnation of Kamchak: Hurtha of the Alar tribe. This book is an excellent read if one is interested in the hows and whys of Gorean warfare, plus it has some good slave stuff, and one heck of a comeuppance for a particularly obnoxious free woman named Boabissia.
22. Dancer of Gor

     A slave book. This time it's book 19, retitled, with new names. Despite the similarities of plot, though, this one really stands out due to its exploration of Gorean slavery, work chains and chain gangs, press gangs, the art of slave-dancing, and the sad fate of a noble tavern owner named Hendow and his faithful pet sleen, Borko. Plus, there is a surprise cameo by Ost, a nasty little fellow who we last saw in book 2. Oh, and this time the Gorean "Fabio-stand-in" is named Teibar of Ar.
23. Renegades of Gor

     A great book, full of intrigue, danger, and all the excitement to be found in a Gorean war-zone. In this book we first meet Marcus of Ar's Station, who seems destined to become the Iolaus to Tarl's Hercules. The seige and battle for Ar's Station are particularly fascinating, and Tarl's defense of the docks is heroic fiction at its finest. Jason Marshall shows up again and makes a brief cameo near the end, and some of Tarl's escapades at a roadside tavern in the war zone are quite humorous. This is classic Norman.
24. Vagabonds of Gor

     Tarl goes back to the swamp. This book has some great stuff in it about courage, and the foolishness of taking duty to an extreme, but it also bogs down (pardon the pun) a bit in the middle. Tarl also again encounters Marcus, and they team up. What happens to the army of Ar in the Vosk Delta seems to be a veiled reference to America's involvement in Viet Nam, though I wouldn't put money on it. The most annoying thing about this one, and the one before it, is the patent stupidity of some of the people whom Tarl must attempt to reason with. Then again, perhaps that only annoys me because typically, in books, people are depicted as being much more intelligent and reasonable than they actually are. In books 23 and 24, however, we get a healthy dose of the kind of intractible, irrational and impractable thinking which most people are capable of. It drives me nuts, and almost gets Tarl killed half a dozen times.
25. Magicians of Gor

     Tarl falls under the shadow of an occupying military force. Without a doubt the most comprehensive Gorean work yet written. This book is twice the length of most of the others, and is jam-packed with information for the discerning Goraphile. In this book, the city of mighty Ar finally comes to grips with the invading army of Cos, though nothing turns out as planned due to treachery within the highest levels of Ar's leadership. No sign of Marlenus, Ubar of Ar, who seems to have vanished while on a punitive expedition into the Voltai mountains around the time of book 19. Tarl and Marcus plot to steal the captured Home Stone of Ar's Station back from her detractors, with the expert aid of Boots Tarsk-Bit, who returns after an absence of five books. In this book Norman describes to us the effect it has when an invading foreign power systematically strips away all the vestiges of a people's cultural pride and dignity. Goreans refuse to be subjected to such treatment for long, it would seem. We also encounter Talena, for the first time in seventeen books, and she has become an even bigger bitch than the last time we saw her. Tarl enacts his revenge upon her for the disrespectful behavior she displayed in book eight, and he and Marcus begin to make their plans to free Ar from the occupying forces of her ancient enemy.
26. Witness of Gor (soon to be released)

     With any luck, this one will finally let us in on what happens in the Ar/Cos conflict, and maybe bring back Pa-Kur, or at the very least, give us an update on the Priest-Kings vs. Kurii war.

     My personal favorite book of the series is book #6, Raiders of Gor, in which Tarl is finally forced to abandon his more romantic notions about life in general and finally grows up a bit. Until that time, Tarl always wins, and as such, he is the eternal optimist. In Raiders we finally see him have to deal with a no-win situation.

     In book #8, Hunters of Gor, he sets out, now armed with his new Gorean pragmatism, and attempts to grasp personal power through intrigues and power plays, his ambition now one of economic and political importance. Again, he fails. In this failing, he comes to grips with his fallibility, and endures great cruelty due to this failure. When the wheel of fate again turns in his favor, he seizes the opportunity and begins anew, now well aware of his humanity and the ever looming spectre of fate. He becomes more human, more ruthless, and Gorean.

     Each of the books brings Tarl closer to learning what it means to be Gorean, and being Gorean, in these books, is a metaphor which represents being a natural human being, unfettered by counter-instinctual conditioning ( Neat phrase, huh? It's one of Norman's). In several of the books he is captured and is forced to endure, if only temporarily, the life of a slave. Winning his freedom, he again comes closer to understanding and appreciating the simplicity of Gorean life and culture, even the more harsh and brutal aspects of it.

     Books #14-16, the Jason Marshall Trilogy, introduce us to a new protagonist. Jason Marshall is a man of Earth, brought to Gor not as a warrior and the son of a former Ubar, as Tarl was, but as a male slave. By telling us his story, Norman offers us a glimpse of another side of Gor; what he so often shows us in regards to captured Earth females, he now shows us with a captured Earth male. Some of the most insistent pillars of the Gorean mindset are made clear to us as Jason refuses to consider them, only to be forced by the reality of his situation and the call of his maleness to finally accept and embrace them. What takes Tarl the better part of twenty books to learn is thrust upon Jason by the reality of his bondage, under the whip. Just as captive females are sent through the emotional grinder which forces them to accept certain underlying truths about their sexuality, so, too, is Jason. In such a way he is forced to become Gorean much faster than Tarl, and by the end of book #16 he is a free Gorean male through and through.

     Nothing signifies this better than when, in book #23, Renegades of Gor, Tarl Cabot and Jason Marshall finally meet one another. In this brief episode, just a minor cameo by Jason, really, the two former Earth men come face to face, and neither recognizes the other as a transplanted native of their mutual home planet. Tarl and Jason have both become Gorean men.

     We see a similar occurance in book #25, Magicians of Gor, when Tarl happens to encounter the slave girl Tuka (formerly Doreen Williamson of Earth) outside the walls of Ar. Tuka, who was the protagonist of book #22, Dancer of Gor, dances before him and Tarl is utterly unaware that she is a transplanted native of Earth until he spies the "Barbarian Brand" (the Gorean designation for an Earth vaccination mark) upon her arm. Tarl is stunned by the realization that the Earth girl has been so totally assimilated into Gorean society, and we are once again made aware by Norman that Goreans and Earthlings are, on a very basic level, fundamentally identical. Tarl has met the Goreans, and they are us.

     If you wish to learn about being a slave, study the "slave" books which detail almost exclusively the training of Earth girls brought to Gor. These are books #7 Captive of Gor, #11 Slave Girl of Gor, #19 Kajira of Gor, and #22 Dancer of Gor.

     If you wish to learn more about the varying Gorean cultures, try books #4 Nomads of Gor (Wagon Peoples), #5 Assassin of Gor (High Cities), #6 Raiders of Gor (Rencers), #8 Hunters of Gor (Panther Girls), #9 Marauders of Gor (Torvaldslanders), #10 Tribesmen of Gor (Desert Dwellers), #12 Beasts of Gor (Red Hunters), #13 Explorers of Gor (Jungle Tribesmen), #17 Savages of Gor and #18 Blood Brothers of Gor (Red Savages), and #21 Mercenaries of Gor (Alar Tribesmen).

     If you want to know how dreadful and brutal is the practice of war upon Gor, read books #21 Mercenaries of Gor, #23 Renegades of Gor, and #24 Vagabonds of Gor.

     If you want see what it is like to live in an occupied Gorean city under enemy rule, read book #25, Magicians of Gor.

     And if you want to learn what it is to be Gorean, read them all. Norman is a patient, if repetitive teacher, and he gives us 25 entire books to figure it out for ourselves. And three million words makes for one hell of a textbook, as well as a pretty amazing adventure, for Tarl, for Jason, for Elizabeth and Elinor and Doreen and all the rest.

     Perhaps even for a confused and weary humanity, trying to heal itself.