John Norman
I remember reading my first Gor novel(Tarnsman of Gor) about
20 years ago, and became a Gor fan. I read the 1st 10 or so novels before
I lost track of them, so I was surprised to find out that there were 26
of them available. At first I was a little disturbed by the bondage/SM
overtones in those early John
Norman novels. The series was a mixture of sword and sandals fantasy
and, many consider, soft core bondage and dominance, done with such drive
and conviction that it attracted both fantasy fans and BDSMers. Despite
Norman's considerable weaknesses as a prose stylist, the series is quite
successful, extending to 26 novels, becoming a best-selling fantasy series,
comparable to Edgar Rice Burroughs ( Tarzan,
Mars, Venus,
Pellucidar)
novels and Robert E. Howard/L. Sprague De Camp/Lin Carter ( Conan)
novels. I found them to be quite enjoyable, and John Norman gave me an
insight into what slavery could have been like, although he may have carried
it to extremes. Many fantasy fans claim to have initially read the series
for its Edgar Rice Burroughs-like fantasy aspect, only to be turned off
eventually by the B&D elements and the extended antifeminist rants
that Norman's characters often engaged in. But clearly, many readers enjoyed
them as well, although the B&D element becomes quite prevalent at the
seventh novel and continues unabated for the next 19 novels. The books
are action packed, and the cover art on the earlier paperback editions
is magnificent.
GOR Book
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