Book Description
The youngest sprig of a stuffy Toronto family, Wes Beattie is one of life's losers, with a tendency to lie.Since Wes has the lying skills of a six-year-old, his fibs have tended to inspire a certain fond exasperation, but now he's gone too far. After na ... Read more

Book Description
In this book is concluded the adventure which began in the 17th book in the Gorean series, Savages of Gor.Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, a Kur general fallen from favor in the Steel Worlds, now sought by a death squad of his savage compeers, has determined to lure his pursuers into the Barrens, the vast prairies to the east of known Gor, populated by warring tribes known to Goreans as the Red Savages. He has arranged matters in such a way that he will be abetted in his stand against the death squad, and its human allies, by a human ally of his own, his former foe, Tarl Cabot. The ancestors of the Red Savages, as those of many other Goreans, were brought to Gor long ago in Voyages of Acquisition by the Priest-Kings. The Red Savages were settled in an area not unlike that of their former home, a sweeping, almost endless grassland, where they tend to continue their former ways of life, and war. The various tribes have in common a tradition, or myth, called the Memory. And in virtue of this tradition, myth or memory, they entertain an inveterate hostility to lighter-skinned races. Cabot makes his way into this land, and amongst these tribes, in his quest for Zarendargar, he encounters enemies and perils, conflicts and hatreds, and, ultimately, friends. And meets once more the dreadful Zarendargar. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

the second of two
This book finishes up the saga of Tarl Cabot amongst the Red Savages.*note* it is strongly recommended that "Savages of Gor" be read before "Blood Brothers".This tale starts with our hero deep in the Barrens, lands of the Red Savages and once again John Norman does a wonderful job of setting the local and discribing the participants.Like in "Savages" I'm struck by the majesty and pride inherent in the characters.Events unfold, this time to a climatic conclusion, and it's only through the presence of Tarl Cabot, who plays a pivital role, that matters turn out the way they do.On a par with "Nomads", "Raiders" and "Hunters".thanks

the second of two
This book finishes up the saga of Tarl Cabot amongst the Red Savages.*note* it is strongly recommended that "Savages of Gor" be read before "Blood Brothers".This tale starts with our hero deep in the Barrens, lands of the Red Savages, and once again John Norman does a wonderful job of setting the local and discribing the participants.Like in "Savages" I'm struck by the majesty and pride inherent in the characters.Events unfold, this time to a climatic conclusion, and it's only through the presence of Tarl Cabot, who plays a pivital role, that matters turn out the way they do.On a par with "Nomads", "Raiders" and "Hunters".thanks

Norman gets back to his best
With Blood Brothers the series returns (albeit briefly) to something like the quality of the first few. Basically it seems that fans of Gor either like the first 12 or so books (maybe excluding Captive #7) because theylike the wonderful descriptive writing, the clever plotting and the generalexcitement of the series; or they like the later books that focus much moreon the SM motif. Blood Brothers is clearly one of the former and well worthreading if you have wearied of Norman's sexual fantasies and are keen toget back to the Tarl Cabot saga. ... Read more

Book Description
Welcome to Gor, a parallel Earth, where social norms are exotic and the way of life is brutal. In the fifth book in the Gorean Series, the deadly assassin Kuurus is intent on a bloody mission of vengeance. His adventure takes him from the caste of the pleasure-slaves, which are rigorously trained in the rules and techniques of sexual ecstasy, to the brutal arenas where humans participate in deadly hand-to-hand combat. He witnesses violence, conflict and uncertainty, as the inhabitants of Counter-Earth are forced to confront their destinies . no matter how exalted or debased. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Last of the Best
This if one of the finest of the Gor series - written at a time when the tone of Norman's work was still vaguely romantic and his characters optimistic. It centres around intrigue in the city state of Ar (Glorius Ar!) and the machinations of Tarl Cabot's erstwhile father-in-law - the indomitable Marlenus of Ar, Ubar of Ubars (Lord of Lords), - who has lived in exile since the first novel in the series.

Tarl thinks that he's been sent to Ar in disguise to discover and forstall the plans of the mysterious Others, the enemies of the Priest Kings. Whilst a paramount warrior and hero, Tarl is not too bright when it comes to intrigue. Not even his fellow spy, the beautiful slave girl Elizabeth (Vella), who is also of Earth, can help him see through the myriad of plots that surround him.

Whilst their relationship hits its zenith, it is also unfortunately near the peak of Norman's writing as well. There are gladatorial battles, Tarn races, revolutions and the ubiquitous diatribes on the training of slave girls and what women *really* want.

Too over the top
Having read every single book in the Gor series, I can honestly say that this is the only one of the early books that I don't like, and can't re-read. Norman does best when the physical action is coming at you fast and furious; not so good when the only action taking place involves complex human interactions.

Not only are many of the scenes way over the top, but there were too many characters to keep track of. At times, Tarl Cabot gets lost in the storyline. I simply didn't care enough about many of the minor characters to want to hear much about them.

I think it was just a bit too ambitious an undertaking for Norman, and it didn't play into his strengths as a writer. Fortunately, this is the last book of this type.

Assassin of Gor
I feel like an architecture critic being asked to appraise a hole in the ground.'Assassin of Gor' looks like a particularly lazy and sloppy attempt to write low-rent porn in a scifi context.Which is hardly surprising, since that's what it is.Assessing it as a story, I might say that Norman frequently repeats the exact same sentence five or ten times in a scene; or that whole chapters are wasted expounding trivial details, such as when a character takes 36 pages (!) to lock a door; or that we get not even the slightest attempt at humor or light-heartedness.Why bother?Everyone, including the fans, agrees that this book is tedious, predictable, repetitious, bloated, dull, and dreary.

Norman's real purpose is to write as much as possbile about women being murdered, raped, tortured, and humiliated.That is the sum and the totality of this book; Norman never keeps his mind out of the gutter for five pages.The utter absurdity of the sex scenes in this book speaks for itself.Others may take cheap shots at Norman and his readers; I won't.This book is hateful towards women.That's an exercise in stating the thuddingly obvious.Only slightly less obvious is that this book is hateful towards everyone and everything else.The driving philosophy here in nihilism.

(Of course some will retreat to the oldest argument in the book: ignore the violent hatred and pornography, and just appreciate the book as an old-fashioned adventure yarn.I offer the oldest response in the book: why should I put up with this filth when I don't have to?Plenty of authors can tell good stories without adding pornographic garbage.Why settle for less?)

Conclusion:

"They mean death. When they say that mankind shall be free at last, they mean that mankind shall commit suicide. When they talk of a paradise without right or wrong, they mean the grave.They have but two objects, to destroy first humanity and then themselves."
-G. K. Chesterton, 'The Man Who Was Thursday'

Outstanding, top-notch action fantasy
I read a lot. And the Gor series stands out. Great, great, great.

If you like fantasy, it is obligatory to read the first five. Nomads and Assassins are the best. You can get reading copy sets off Ebay of these five for $25. I cannot imagine $25 better spent. If you have not done so, go for it, you'll not be disappointed.

Raiders(6) is also good and has scenes that'll be with you for a long time, skip Captive (7) unless you really dig the slaving/SM side, Hunters (8) is a bit weak but has a couple of memorable moments, and Marauders (9) is also acceptable and has great action scenes. Tribesmen (10) is acceptable, you can skip Slave Girl (11), and Beasts (12) is very very good. Go for this set after you've done the first 5; your call, the first 5 I guarantee!!!

After that, you'll probably be hooked.

"Honor is important to Goreans, in a way that those of Earth might find it hard to understand; for example, those of Earth find it natural that men should go to war over matters of gold and riches, but not honor; the Gorean, contrariwise, is more willing to submit matters of honor to the adjudication of steel than he is matters of riches and gold; there is a simple explanation for this; honor is more important to him."

THE TRAIL OF VENGEANCE
Kuurus was one of the dread caste of assassins on the hidden world of Counter-Earth.He was hired for twenty pieves of gold to avenge the death of a warrior.Now he was on his way to the great city of Ar, where he was forbidden by ancient sentence of death never to appear again. He knew nothing of his intended victim, save that the man had taken part in the savage tarn races at the Arena of Ar.And all he knew of the man he was to avenge was a name.The name was that of Tarl Cabot, the great warrior and servant of the all-powerful Priest-Kings.And that was strange.Because the true name of Kuurus was Tarl Cabot! ... Read more

Book Description
The party of treason in Ar is triumphant. After the disaster of the delta campaign Ar is substantially defenseless. The forces of Cos, and her allies, are welcomed into the city as liberators. Ar's Station, which held out so valiantly against superior forces in the north, is denounced as traitorous. Veterans of the delta campaign are despised and ridiculed. Patriotism and manhood are denigrated. Ar's walls are being dismantled willingly by her own citizens to the music of flute girls. Lawlessness and propaganda are rampant. Marlenus, the great ubar, who might have organized and led a resistance, who might have rallied the city, is presumed dead, somewhere in the Voltai mountains. The Home Stone of Ar's Station is displayed in Ar as an object of contempt. Marcus, of Ar's Station, wishes to regain the Home Stone of his beloved city, for no city can die whose Home Stone survives. Cabot is concerned with a warrior's vengeance upon sedition and treachery, and, in particular, with meeting one who stands high amongst the conspirators, a beautiful woman now enthroned as ubara, whose name is Talena. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What happens when a story lines grinds sadly to a close?
I am writing this review after having read the sequel, "Witness of Gor". The sequel actually revives for me the story line that seems to peter out in "Magicians of Gor". The previous novels all lead up to this one, the tragic suborning of the greatest city on Gor--"glorious Ar"--by the treacherous opponents of Marlenus of Ar, in collusion with the forces of the island nations, Tyros and Cos. Thus, one is expecting something of an epic conclusion. Only one does not get it. The story drags through the sordid occupation of the once great city by her ancestral enemies. It details the treachery of Marlenus' cast-off daughter (and one-time free companion of Tarl Cabot) Talena, the rewriting of history by Tyros and Cos to depict the heroic defense of Ar's Port city-Ar's Station-by its garrison as cowardly and derelict, and the rejection of Ar's citizens of her own glorious heritage.

The only really bright points in this story are 1) the efforts of Cabot and another defender of Ar's Station to recover that city's home stone from its place of ignominy in Ar, where citizens spit upon it regularly, 2) Cabot's formation of "The Delta Brigade", a band of veterans of the disastrous Delta expedition as a resistance force, and 3) Cabot's determination to subjugate the treacherous Talena to his own masculine will once more-as an act of abduction and rape in reprisal for the contempt she had shown him earlier, when he lay paralyzed from the stroke of a poisoned weapon, and for her treason to her home stone and her father-Ar's greatest Ubar.

Yet even these three elements could barely save the book's virtues for me. Having been dragged breathlessly through every one of the previous 24 Gor novels, I found myself struggling, wading, and forcing myself through the final third of this one. Norman's naturalistic philosophy of male dominance and female submission became too much the center of the story, or the subject of wide-ranging discourses, even though, by this time, all of us devoteés of Norman's works are as fully apprised of this culture as we can be. And we have either bought into it or not.I was thus somewhat disappointed.

Still, ANY Gor book is better than none, and "Magicians of Gor" does paint a critical chapter in the history of Gor. Its sequel lets us know, moreover, that we may want to go back and reread this one, and tells us, finally, that the author has not abandoned the task of completing the series.

A mighty conclusion to the chronicles!
With the capital city of Ar under the sway of the beautifultraitress Talena, a ruler placed in power by the Cosian invaders, TarlCabot and the Delta Brigade, the members of the underground force sworn to defeat Cos, must call upon the unique talents of master magician Boots Tarsk-Bit to recapture the precious Home Stone of vanquished Ar's Station. .... In MAGICIANS OF GOR, Tarl Cabot and his allies must work a unique magic with illusions and swordblades to root out the treachery at the heart of a mighty empire. Must read for Gorean enthusiasts! ... Read more

Book Description
In 1974, the author of the controversial and popular Gor novelsunleashed his vision for an exciting, fulfilling sex life for all.Imaginative Sex outlines John Norman's philosophy on relations betweenthe sexes, and presents fifty-three scenarios designed to reintroducefantasy and intimacy to the bedroom.

The Aphrodisiac FantasyTheRites-of-Submission FantasyThe Lady FantasyThe I-Am-His-Slave-GirlFantasyThe Safari FantasyThe Blindfolded-Lovers Fantasy

andmany other sensuous suggestions are detailed for the enjoyment of alltruly adult readers. Find out what really lies behind the philosophy ofGor, and the ways in which role playing can spice up any love life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

the views are rubbish the actual acts are ok
If all women were meant to serve multiple men as slaves.... why is there a near perfect ratio of 1:1 male to female?

And if women are naturally submissive then why are there feminists?

I seriously think that men are the last people who should be deciding whether or not us women are submissive or not.

Logically its in the mind of the women herself...you can't say with your lack of psychological study that you actually know what your talking about

Incredibly disagree with the FBRobertson "fbrobertson2" guy...it just seems as if his interpretation of the bible is for his own means...so that it puts him somehow at the top of the social ladder a non-homosexual man.... a coincidence that he agree with this so called 'philosophy?'?

In my opinion (which I am so gracious to write as opposed to stating it as a definite fact as others) this book is not 'bad.' the idea that's all women are submissive deep down...is rubbish and isn't backed my much evidence.


However if you can ignore all the illegitimate rubbish throughout the book and simple focus on the actually sexual acts, then you are presented with a fair few ideas that, providing both partners agree, may provide some sexual enjoyment. :)


Peace :)

Its not really that bad of a book...
First of all, yes the book contains Dominance and submission fantasies to explore with your love.Saying this, to those who are dismayed by the book and its explorations...if you dont like that kind of stuff?Why the heck did you buy the book?If you are a vanilla or just afraid of showing yourself as a true Man and a True woman...whether a woman who is considered as a Free Woman or a slave...then dont buy the book!

Saying that, I myself have loved this book from the beginning.I am a huge fan of the Gor novels and their philosophy toward life and relationships.Unlike the politically correct or the feminist fools, I am proud to be a MAN.I am as a Man a Master of myself my relationships and my fate.A woman is a natural submissive, unlike those females who think and strive to be men...only to fail at being what they are genetically and psychologically.Not that I am sexist, I am a realist and I am an "actualist", that being, someone who understands what is actual about the Male/female dichotomy.

If you want a realistic book that talks plainly and truthfully about being a Man and a woman, unlike your John Grays or Phillip McWhatever his name is...then get this book and BE A MAN!

John Norman is obsessed.
John Norman is obviously whipped.Why the heck else would he write a supposed "spice-up-your-love-life" book--and make it sound just like the Gor series?

Seriously, though, not only is the poor guy obsessedwith the entire maledom/femsub thing--which is exactly why I suspect thathe's "whipped--he thinks that *everyone's* fantasies involvebondage--which simply isn't so.

This is supposed to be "imaginative?"
Norman's half-baked psychosexual philosophy is neither here nor there, but it doesn't extend to the ability to write sex guides.The highly touted "fantasies" typically run to a half a page. "I-Am-A-Slave-Girl Fantasy" = tie a naked gal up, intimidate hersome, have her call the male "Master," take things from there. Period.This wasn't breaking startling new ground in 1974, and it suretells no one anything now.

The previous reviewers failed to mention that49 of the 50 listed fantasies are male-dominant (the exception beingI-Am-A-Slave-Guy, with the sneering statement that some of us just can'tmanage to be manly 24-7).Norman states that all women are submissive boytoys deep down (repeatedly and at tedious length), and that any assertionto the contrary by the little darlings is self-evident denial.There'scertainly a segment of the male population who would love to believe this,but I haven't found many women who admit to craving chaining and whippingsif only a man would notice them.

20 years of erotic ideas and enjoyment
I bought the original publication in 1976.It captured my imagination more than any book I have read since.It is much lighter than what Anne Rice has written and safer than Topping From Below..It helps definehow andwhy women would buy into the whole Gorian idea.There are manysuggestions of ways to live and play in a sane and fun way..Excellentsection on garments, bondage, and how to create a whole set of worlds forjust the two partners that make life more interesting and the bedroom aplayground that can stay forever new and exciting. If your partnerisn't sure this isthe way they want to go, try sharing it with them.Youboth maybe surprised at the fun that you hadn't thought of before.No onewill like all the scenes suggested, but pick and choose what is right forboth of you. ... Read more

Book Description
One of the leading figurative painters of his generation, Currin's influences range from Italian and Northern Renaissance paintings to popular illustrations from the mid-20th century. Whether portraits of older women, buxom girls, nudes with elongated bodies, or group scenes of domestic life, his works are characterized by baroque gestures, loose brushstrokes, unorthodox palettes, and detailed backgrounds that startle the viewer into a reconsideration of the tradition of painting. His "old master" techniques and individual style have earned him accolades from critics and collectors worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Fantastic Awkward Nature of Existence
The first time I saw some paintings by John Currin they appealed to me right away. I did not need a second look or to hear some long winded explination like from art school about why I should appreciate them. The simple fact is they connected to me and I picked up my first book on him.

He is an excellent painter but that is just incidental to his work. There are a lot of excellent painters in this world but skill alone does nothing for art. An artist has to have something to communicate, something to show beyond his talent as a painter or draftsman. John Currin definitely has something to show. He paints mostly women but that too I feel is mostly incidental. Men as a rule of thumb love to paint women. It's a tremendous lure to paint that which we find so beautiful.

To me, I love his work because with no more than a simple pose, or a well painted women with a heavily modeled pasty face, he is able to communicate the awkward nature of day to day life. Figures with uncomfortable inner thoughts and feelings show overly affected smiles or looks. Stamford After Brunch, Park City Girl, The Activists, and Brown Lady all have this feel to them. Something is lurking in the inner psyches of these people. Women they may be, but people they surly are and something is a bit off below the surface of their lives. The masks that we all put on are communicated with the actual heavily modeled pasty made up faces of some of the women.

There is also a restless longing in many of his paintings. Paintings such as: Lovers 1993, Lovers in the Country 1993, Portrait 1993, and The Never Ending Story. These paintings seem to show that something is missing from the lives of the men. In a few of them a woman is present but she seems to be there for her man, perhaps to help aid him in what ever way she can. The man in each case appears like some kind of bizarre perversion of Abe Lincoln meets Uncle Sam meets Colonel Sanders with some Mr. Rogers thrown in. These paintings, to me, have a very distinct American feel to them. All 4 paintings have clouds and appear to be set in large open spaces where the man is gazing far and wide while he thinks about what it is exactly that is missing from his life or his country. The men and women in the paintings may in fact be metaphors for America itself, looking lost like some odd flustered older man but with all the help and appreciation of a young mistress by his side.

Currin is most definitely pointing out what he likes and does not like about this world often in the same painting. Things are not clear cut black and white, good or bad, it's messier than that and more complicated.

Day to day life as a human is complicated. We all have these powerful brains and they ceaselessly function and generate thoughts and communicate ideas, impulses and urges almost all the time. I personally find life to often be quite awkward for people in general. Adulthood is mostly a veiled childhood where we think way too much about what others are doing, thinking, and how they are acting. many facades go up and come down. People see others and desire what they have, the spouce someone has, or their house, possessions, situation and the like. All the while we are bizarre animals with all sorts of odd functions that also function ceaselesslybeyond our control. All the while we have the urge to sleep, eat, fornicate, and all this while we try and do better for ourselves and appear as normal as possible within the confines of what ever community we find ourselves in. For me John Currin's paintings show this day to day struggle we all have with the awkward nature of existence and the strains that having a large brain in a complex world put on a person with urges, and longings that often happen in direct contradiction to what is expected of one in this world, country, town, street, or home. Also there is the deeper thoughts that we mostly as a society tend to uncomfortably ignore. Where did we come from? Where did the universe come from? Why does anything exist at all? These thoughts are ones that as animals we are privileged to have. Still they have boggled man for ever and humans at home who are not great thinkers can contemplate this too. We all carry these unanswered questions around with us all the time. We may not know it but we carry a bit of fear with us as a result of these unanswered questions about existence and the universe every day. They are deep in the back of our minds. I sense this in some of Currin's paintings.

All this just scratches the surface of what I get from his paintings. Some of them are just beautiful portraits in their own rights and need not be viewed as more than that.

He is definitely one of the few great contemporary American painters alive today and he has his brush on the pulse of the odd facade that is exhibited with the awkward doppelgänger that is writhing just below the phony surface of this country.

It is 5 stars to the book, but does the artist deserve such a book?
A great art book, undoubtedly. It actually is a catalogue raisonné, with all the information needed on the provenance, the size and the medium. Now isn't it a bit early in Currin's career? At only 45 years old, he has yet to prove that he can stand the test of time. If you try to set aside all the hype that has been surrounding the artist (the "very dear" of the the art world, in every sense of the word "dear"), I am not sure that you will find his works worth the weight and the price of this beautiful monography...

surprisingly disappointed
I was so excited when the big package containing this book had arrived at my door, Currin has been one of my favourite artists and during recent years I had the pleasure of starring at many of his masterpieces from up close.
This may explain my disappointment with the selection of works & reproductions (yes, I do understand it is impossible to come close to the originals with 4 color printing, but the images in the book at least could have been larger, i dont need all this white space, and I guess theres a reason amazon didnt have a "look inside the book" for this one).

Weird & wonderful
John Currin's work occupies a very odd space. I love it all.

Worth $100?Why yes it is, my little ducky.
These art books are getting crazy, price wise. At least someone is making an effort to publish. (Gagosian who also gave us Saville's book)This is Currins raisone to date. Kind of odd considering his age. (What an ego trip that must be!) I like him, so it was a must buy for me. The book is large to begin with, 13 x 10. Color wise the reproductions are excellent. I have seen many of these in real life and as best I remember they have done a good job capturing the image.The general layout of the book is such that the main image being shown is on the right side and the image info is on the left. Many times there is also a drawing or photograph showing Currin's ideas for the painting. It works very well, I thought. Every once in a while there will be a closeup, which there can never be enough for my taste. My beef is that they reproduced some images with far to much margin around the picture. I have to assume based on the sizes of the paintingsgiven that they were trying to keep the ratio of picture to reproducton consistent. What I mean is that I think they were trying to reproduce large paintings larger and smaller paintings smaller. Why, I dont know. Size is ALWAYS a problem for me with art books. The good old days when a publisher would print a horizontal image sideways on the page are long gone. (Heaven forbid we have to turn the book.) Currin doesnt have to many horizontal pictures so its not a big issue. Eggers involvment with the book is in producing a fictional narative of what is occuring in the a few of the images (11 in total). Interesting idea. The two essays are very well written.If you are a Currin fan I think this is a book worth having. Its big and beautiful, even if all of the reproductions arent as large as they could be. If you think you want it, get it now. Im thinking there wasnt a big print run on this one.A big tip of the hat to Gagosian! Thanks snookie!! Keep em comming!! ... Read more

Book Description
This enchanting escapade is the most important quest of Tarl Cabot's career. He must retrieve a potent shield ring from a strange explorer. It is imperative that the omnipotent Priest Kings obtain this ring so that the Goreans do not challenge their enormous power. Throughout his expedition, Cabot learns of uncharted territories on Earth's cosmic counterpart. In the dense forests he discovers, Cabot must use his skills to endure the perils that await his arrival. Cabot will encounter Gor's barbarism in full force through enchantingly dangerous beasts, bloodthirsty men, and exotic kingdoms. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Tarl Cabot in Darkest Africa
This 13th Gor novel marks the halfway point in the series thus far. (As I write this the 26th book is being prepared for publication after a 13 year hiatus and a 27th volume has been announced.) In this one Tarl Cabot once more goes on a mission for the Priest-Kings, this time to recover the shield ring of the Kurii (last seen in Volume 10, Tribesmen of Gor). During his wanderings through the African landscape of the unexplored equatorial region of Gor he encounters intrigue, treachery, a hidden empire, crocodilian river tharlarion, cannibals, a boar-like tarsk, pygmies, army ants, amazons, an 8-foot thick rock spider, a lost city, a ring of invisibility, and the Kurii. Sounds pretty exciting, doesn't it? Unfortunately it's not as exciting as it sounds. None of those things show up until you're about 200 pages intothe novel! Somehow the villains in this one don't seem as villainous and the dangers don't seem as threatening as they should be. In his better adventures Tarl Cabot usually meets up with a stereotypical rogue who is charming, knowledgeable, a true warrior, and knows how to handle women a la Gor (i.e., terrorize, brutalize, and rape them). In this one the role was divided between 2 characters: Ayare who is the smart charmer and Kisu who is a violent lout (which is good on Gor). It just doesn't work as well. But the real reason this one didn't click is because the flow of the story was continually broken up by interminable discussions of Gorean philosophy. At 464 pages this may very well be the longest of all the Gorean books (some of the later ones have more pages but they also have bigger print). The difference in length is taken up entirely by the theory and practice of the enslavement of females. The author may have invented a few new ways to restrict his slave girls both physically and psychologically but philosophically speaking I don't recall anything in this book that he hasn't already beaten to death in previous volumes. At this point in the series he is just preaching to the converted---if you've bought in to his point of view, it's redundant and if you haven't, further haranguing will not change your mind. I realize that a lot of the people who buy his novels are into bd/sm and therefore expect this but I suspect that there are a lot of readers who are not. It would better serve the stories and all of the readers to confine the bd/sm aspects to example and leave the unnecessary and unrealistic philosophical discussions out.

The worst Gor novel..............by far
Long winded, low on plot, high on pages upon pages of boringdescription. The only redeming feature of this book was the Chris Achilios cover on the UK edition. If you are a fan of Gor just skip this one, it adds nothing.

Way to go stirner!!!
As an avid Gor fan I must agree that the Master/Slave relationship is a big part of the Gorean ethos. I feel that John Norman is trying to put over a fundemental point that men and women have stopped talking to each other about what concerns us most the continuation of the human species.Procreation has become a chore and increasingly if you listen you can hearthe words "men (or women just don't understand us women (or men)"how can we if we don't or won't or can't talk frankly and openly to eachother.The situation he uses may be distasteful to some but it is merely ametaphor for our inability to talk to one another.She is offered thechoice "Talk or Die" I know I would rather talk.The book offersmarvellous views of life up the amazon (Gorean equivelant) or the nile itis a book of discovery and adventure.the correctness is subjective.

Into darkest Gor
I must disagree with scuba: the slavegirls add _everything_, as any Gorean-aspirant could tell you. Tarl's probing of the blonde slave girl gets to her incandescently-hot Aztec/Mayan fantasy, counterpointing the Search-for-the-source-of-the-Nile adventure Tarl is taking with a black Livinstone expedition. The black masters make good use of the slavegirls, black and white, whilst Tarl confines himself to white slavegirls, tiptoeing safely past the whole race/and/color minefield. Pity: Tarl is at his best when he samples every morsel of wenchflesh in his surroundings, and some of the dark meat looks _really_ tasty!

excellent
This book unfortunately sees Norman's last gasp at the Kurii for about 5 or 6 books.The Guardian series is BS.Explorers has action suspense and is well researched and imagined.Marauders is better, but this book is well done.Skip the slave stuff.It adds nothing ... Read more

Book Description
This study guide is for all serious students of firefighting. John Norman offers lessons learned from an extensive and honored career by developing a thorough understanding of the third edition of Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics. This practical study guide gives updated questions and new sections that offer training, development, and guidance that can benefit every person in the fire force.



The study guide’s format includes multiple choice and short answer questions. The Fire Officer’s Handbook of Tactics Third Edition Study Guide also includes a 100-question final examination, answers with corresponding textbook page numbers, and tear-out answer sheets for easy classroom use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good study guide
I thought that the study guide reinforced what was taught in the hardcover edition. The questions are often seen on promotional tests.

Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics study Guide
Very informative considering that I have ambitions of becoming an officer someday.It give's you a different perspective about what we do and how to handle situations that we come across from someone else's point of veiw.

fire officers handbook of tactics study guide
very tough book to understand but very helpful ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A desert adventure
Though this is one ofthe later books, where Tarl has become a true Gorean male, with all the unfortunate philosophy associated with it, I found this book brought the desert region to life with keen detail and clever protagonists.

The desert men, based on perhaps 6th century Saudi Arabia were clever and subtle. The desert and it's dangers were brought especially to life. I don't think Tarl has gone through so much as in this book with the march to Klima and the trek across the desert with the Kur later. Simply amazing survival.

The Kur's were brought to life well, and Tarl impresses his admiration of the intelligent brave beasts on us. It was interesting to see the Kur have various factions much like the Priest kings did in the third book.

I even enjoyed the small haggling bit, where both Tarl and Suleiman haggle well, then Tarl gives up his advantage to give a lower pricein thanks for the hospitality and then Suleiman offers an even higher price to demonstrate his generosity.

As for side characters, Hassan (and Samos) were admirable as well as Ibn Saran and the unnamed good Kur. The females were less fortunate. The one free woman turned out to be nothing more than a puppet, and when she was allowed to demonstrate her skill with the scimitar it was of course against Tarl himself, perhaps the best swordsman on the entire planet. The rest were slaves that loved it as usual.

Saudi Arabia a la Gor
In the previous volume (Marauders of Gor) Tarl Cabot romped with pseudo-Vikings. In this one it's pseudo-Bedouins. Samos of Port Kar, agent of Priest-Kings, receives three messages under mysterious circumstances...beware of the steel tower; beware of Abdul; and surrender Gor...and off goes T.C. to the burning sands of the Tahari Desert to investigate. Along the way he encounters assassins, slave girls, treachery, slave girls, an invisible monster, slave girls, a desert bandit, slave girls, an old friend/enemy who IS a slave girl...you get the idea. As in Hunters of Gor, the author takes time out to spend 2-3 pages expounding on his sexual theories. It's hard to take them seriously, especially since they are not consistent. For example, Norman says that true slave girls revel in their domination by men and would not have it any other way. But a girl who asks to be freed reveals herself to be a true slave. Hunh? The Gorean ethic didn't seem to bother me as much in this book as it did in previous volumes, probably because domination of women, slavery, and harsh punishment are an integral part of the culture this story is based upon. (Alternatively, the previous books may have inured me to it but I don't think so.) Some of the previous books (most notably Assassins of Gor and Hunters of Gor) have had scenes so outrageously over the top as to cause the reader to guffaw. There were none in this book that compare although Cabot's inhuman stamina, good luck, and fighting ability do stretch credulity a bit. There are a few other minor flaws (such as asking the reader to believe that a massive 20 foot monster could survive in an environment that is described as chronically food-poor) and one gaping hole in the plot: early in the book Tarl is framed for a crime and sentenced to a life of hard labor in the salt pits of Klima. However, there is tribal warfare brewing between the Kavars and the Aretai so the villain that framed him becomes afraid that the march to Klima will be attacked during the fighting allowing Cabot to escape. He decides to bust him out of prison then kill him as an escaping criminal. Needless to say, Tarl makes good his escape despite the bad guys. (Why the villain didn't just kill him while he was helplessly chained to the cell wall isn't clear.) Later on the same villain captures him and the same war is still brewing but this time he DOES send Cabot on the march to Klima. Hunh? Well, I didn't read this book to be edified and I didn't read it for a dose of reality. I read it to be entertained. Ultimately, what counts in a book like this is how much fun it is to read and on that score it was quite good. It makes me wish that their were more gradations in Amazon's rating scale. I reserves 1 star for a book that is either unreadable or that made me mad that I wasted my time reading it. 5 stars I reserve for books that are near perfect for their genre. (Nomads of Gor got 5 stars.) This book is better than Hunters of Gor (3 stars) but not quite as good as Raiders of Gor or Priest-Kings of Gor (4 stars). I'd like to give it three-and-a-half stars but can't. It's closer to 4 than to 3 stars, so I gave it 4.

the fun never ends
John Norman did again! I first read this one around 1977 and found it great reading then, and have reread more than a few times since. It is right up there with his best Tarnsman of Gor which I hope is onedayreprinted. It is a different way viewing life where men are more manly,open, and honest and women are more... well you have to read it tounderstand and J N's GOREAN stories have inspired its own undergroundmovement in real life. With more than a few internet sites

gor. hmmm
john norman needs help. he has obviously long-sheltered a fondness for the use of 'binding fibre' on helpelss women. the climax of the sex scenes , basically , was tying them up. i wait his next publication with baitedbreath.. and a forlorn hope of no rope.

Polished Style
Maybe I have not been keeping a close eye on what is happening in the world of J.N. and T.C. but I reread this book for the thirtieth time and still got a buzz from the writing.I imagined T.C. as a Lawrence of Arabia figure and imangined the sand swept march to the salt mines of Klima.Theother books in the series are also as good and follow a very narrow path,predictable sure but what is the point of reading fiction if it followsreal life and ends unpredictably.I read as a form of escapism, in this Idon't drink or take mind altering drugs I use that part of my braindesigned for stress relief MY IMAGINATION J.N. merely provides thegeography. ... Read more

Book Description
Former earthman Tarl Cabot has been struggling to free himself from the cruel control of the Priest-Kings of Gor to no avail. As he pits his strength against such a formidable enemy, a terrible beast appears from the mysterious northern lands, bearing a token of the demise of Tarl's once-beloved woman Talena. The missive is a sign of defiance and disrespect from his enemies, meant to humiliate him and force him to challenge them in response. To gird his weapons and set out on a mission of vengeance against those who sent the beasts means Tarl must jeopardize his fortune and position as a wealthy slave merchant. But he is no longer practical and calm as he was on earth. He must conform to the social codes of Gor, where the only way one can avenge wounded manhood is to respond with all one's might! Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Early books are the best in Gor Series
I read the Gor series as a boy in the 70's and early 80's.IMHO the series is most appealing to teenage boys.I recently pulled ýAssassins of Gorý off the shelf one night while bored, and re-read it.I was shocked that there was no real sex, and only a handful of pages of philosophy and psychology that I had to skip over.The book was really excellent, although in a straight forward, uncomplicated sort of way.These are escapist novels, richly detailed, which immerse you in an exotic world, not real thinkers.My enduring memories were of the later books in the series, which were almost unreadable because whole chapters were devoted to philosophy and psychology.

I am not offended by the idea that it is natural and enjoyable for women to be submissive to men.Although I recognize it as wish fulfillment fantasy, still I consider it harmless, especially in such an obviously fictitious setting.I even found it mildly interesting the first time it was mentioned.It is the umpteenth repetition that I find boring.I just turn those pages, skipping ahead to the next action sequence.Speaking of wish fulfillment, I wish someone would edit the series, and re-publish it without these parts.Maybe Eric Flint could do it?He likes to edit, according to his afterword to ý1633ý and heýs good at it.Of course, if you take the sex out of Gor you get Barsoom, and that story has already been written.

I looked on Amazon to see if there was anything new going on with the series, and there was.It is being reprinted, starting at the beginning, and at least 2 new books seem to be published, or at least in the works.I was disappointed though that Amazon didnýt have the whole series listed under one easy to find heading.I guess there are, after all, millions of books and only so many Amazon employees.So Iým listing the series, in order, along with some brief info.Some of these books I havenýt read, as noted.

1.) Tarnsman of Gor - 1966.Earthman, Tarl Cabot, goes to another planet, hidden on the opposite side of our sun, and becomes a master swordsman and Warrior.This is the book that is most like ýPrincess of Marsý by Edgar Rice Burroughs, which I highly recommend.Note - in my copy, a 1975 reprint, the 1966 copyright is held by John Lange.Makes me wonder if Norman isnýt a pen name.

2.) Outlawý - 1967.Tarl Cabot returns to Gor, to find heýs been outlawed.

3.) Priest-Kingsý - 1968.Tarl Cabot goes to lair of Priest-Kings to clear his name.

4.) Nomadsý - 1969.Tarl Cabot goes to Southern Plains, and meets Mongol type nomads.

5.) Assassiný - 1970.Tarl Cabot returns to Ar, greatest city-state on Gor.Note - this is the first copy I have by Del Rey books, and it has cover art by Boris.I may not like reading about the Gorean philosophy on sexual roles for men and women, but I canýt get enough of Borisý artwork depicting it.

6.) Raidersý - 1971.Tarl Cabot goes to Port Kar, pirate capitol of scum and villainy, and learns the meaning of shame.More Boris art on the cover of the Del Rey edition.

7.) Captiveý - 1972.A new character, Elinor Brinton, is captured on Earth and becomes a slave girl on Gor.The first time this is done, it may be slightly creative and a little interesting, but it is a radical departure from the earlier books and I consider it to be the beginning of the end.At least Tarl Cabot has a few pages at the end, which sort of tie this book into the rest of the series.This is also the last book published by Ballantine books, which I think is significant in the content and direction of the rest of the series.

8.) Huntersý - 1974.Tarl Cabot goes to the Northern Forest and meets amazon type women.This seems to be the first time there was a break in John Normanýs writing, undoubtedly related to his switch to Daw books as a publisher.

9.) Maraudersý - 1975.Tarl Cabot goes to the land of the Norsemen and meets Viking type Marauders.

10.) Tribesmený - 1976. Tarl Cabot goes to the Tahari desert.

11.) Slave Girlý - 1977. Earth girl Judy Thornton enslaved on Gor.Again.No Tarl Cabot at all.

12.) Beastsý - 1978. Tarl Cabot goes to the Arctic ice pack and meets Eskimo type people.

13.) Explorersý - 1979. Tarl Cabot goes to the equatorial rain forests.

14.) Fighting Slaveý - 1980.Earthman John Marshall is enslaved and forced to fight in a pit on Gor.

15.) Rogueý - 1981.John Marshall wanders free on Gor.

16.) Guardsmaný - 1981.John Marshall earns a homeland.

17.) Savagesý - 1982.Tarl Cabot goes to the great plains and meets American Indian type savages.Note - If you like this, John Norman also wrote ýGhost Danceý in 1970, a similar type story about real American Indians.Iým impressed that he kept the writing schedule he did on the Gor novels, and still wrote other books on the side.He also wrote ýTime Slaveý in 1975.

18.) Blood Brothersý - unread.Savages and Blood Brothers are a two-part set.I read Savages and was bored when it just petered out at the end with no dramatic climax.So I didnýt buy Blood Brothers.Now I hear that this book has all that and more, oh well.

19.) Kajiraý - unread.Another Slave girl story.

20.) Playersý - 1984.Tarl Cabot joins the Carnival.

21.) Mercenariesý - 1985.Tarl Cabot returns to Ar again.

22.) Dancerý - unread.Another Slave Girl novel?This is where I stopped even looking in the bookstore.

23.) Vagabondsý - unread.

24.) Magiciansý- 1988, unread.

25.) Witnessý- 2002, unread.I read on amazon that this is a story about Marlenus (or possibly Tarl?) with amnesia, told by a slave girl.

26.) Prizeý- unread.It seems that this is not yet published, but forthcoming.

One of the best gor books
I have read all the Gor books. But this was the first I ever did read so prehaps I view it through rose tinted glasses.
It really is one of the best.
Tarl travels north to a Viking type country and we finally see open battle with the ferocious Kurii.
If you have not read Norman before you will be suprised. His descriptive style of writing is like no other author I have ever seen. Meticulous descriptions of weapons, objects, places, set pieces, give Gor a flavour unlike any other land.
And now onto the controversy. It is all about the ultimate in co-dependant roles with males being the domintator and females the submissive partner.
Now I can understand the viewpoint but we dont need to hear it over and over again. Just do what I do, and skip over these pages. Thankfully you will not have to do it that much in this book, unlike say the last few in the series where over half of the text is taken up with it.
Despite that quibble get this book now.

For my money the last really good Gor novel from John Norman
"Marauders of Gor," the 9th volume in John Norman's Chronicles of Counter-Earth, was the last of the Gor novels that I really enjoyed.One of the Others comes from the north bearing a token of the death of Talena, Cabot's one-time free companion.Cabot heads north, as much out of a sense of vengeance than to continue in the service of the Priest-Kings, from whose cruel control he has been trying to free himself.In many ways the book is quite reminiscent of the most popular novel in the series, "Nomads of Gor," with Tarl Cabot finding comradeship with the barbaric transplanted Norseman of the north.The parallels are clearly the same, with Cabot having to gain acceptance with a group of fierce warriors who do not trust outsiders, helping his new friends with their endeavors, and having them help him with his own in return.The character of Ivar Forkbeard is more boisterous version of Kamchak the Tuchuk, and my favorite sequence in the novel is when Forkbeard comes up with a way of defying his liege lord for an unfortunately slight.The book also offers a pitched battle between the Kurii, as the Others call themselves, and the warriors of Torvaldsland.Of course, it would not be a Gor novel without a couple of choice examples of women being taught by a strong master than only by accepting total dominance can they achieve true happiness, but at least in "Marauders of Gor" the focus is still more on the conflict between the Priest-Kings and the Others rather than on the Gorean philosophy, which pretty much dominates the rest of the series.The idea of transplanted Norseman also finds Norman borrowing another Edgar Rice Burroughs tradition of "lost" civilizations, as we shall see with in future novels with transplanted Native American tribes and the like.After the relative disappointment of the previous two Gor novels, "Marauders" almost gets the series back on track for those of us who enjoyed the adventure and political intrigue more than the sexual conquests, but Norman quickly abandons not only that focus but Tarl Cabot as a central character in the novels that followed this 1975 effort.

Back on track?
I had heard that Norman got back on track in terms of action-adventure in Marauders of Gor, his take on Viking life a la Gor. (Can you imagine Vikings that are chess fanatics? Sorry, it just doesn't fit the image!) Unfortunately, it is only partially true. The first half of the book establishes the character of Ivar Forkbeard, a typical John Norman-style roguish hero, and life in Torvaldsland to which Tarl Cabot is drawn by the abduction and possible murder of his runaway slave Telima by the Kurii, the alien race opposed to the Priest-Kings. This part of the book contains the usual Gorean hijinks such as the abduction of Hilda the Haughty of Scagnar but is marred by Norman's obsession with the domination of females. The level of cruelty towards woman in these books is becoming increasingly disturbing. But in the second half the Kurii show up and from this point on Norman is indeed back on track. It then rivals the first 6 volumes as fun reading. If the first half had been as good as the second half, I would have given it another star.

I have enjoy the gor books very much.
I have all the Gor books from one to seventeen and I would like to get the rest of them but I can't find them.I have read my gor books five times so far. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sensitive
This is a sensitive and articulated unauthorised biography of Elton John. In fact Elton has favourably stated that this is quite an accurate account of his life.

Only Elton can fill in the gaps.

For compelling reading by Philip Norman and for a great insite to the life of a legendary music star try to get your hands on a copy of this book. ... Read more

Book Description
In this second volume of the Gorean Series, Tarl Cabot finds himself transported back to Counter-Earth from the sedate life he has known as a history professor on Earth. He is glad to be back in his role as a dominant warrior and back in the arms of his true love. Yet, Tarl finds that his name on Gor has been tainted, his city defiled, and all those he loves have been made into outcasts. He is no longer in the position of a proud warrior, but an outlaw for whom the simplest answers must come at a high price. He wonders why the Priest Kings have called him back to Gor, and whether it is only to render him powerless. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Outlaw of Gor 1967
Book 2 of the Gor series.

Plot Kernel - At the end of Tarnsman of Gor, Tarl Cabot had fallen in love and married the High Caste woman Talena, daughter of Marlenus of Ar, and then, to his great sorrow, was returned to Earth by the mysterious and powerful Priest-Kings of Gor. Now, seven years later, Tarl is allowed to return to Gor. [Details of how these two manuscripts written by Cabot have come available for publication are accounted for in the beginning of this book.] But Gor has changed. In accordance with the incomprehensible will and power of the never seen Priest-Kings, who are said to dwell high in the Sardar Mountains, the City of Ko-ro-ba, Tarl's city, has been utterly destroyed, and its people scattered. His father and his beloved Talena are gone [and do not appear in this novel except as brief memories]. Seeking an explanation for the destruction of Ko-ro-ba, and clothed and accoutered as an Outlaw of Gor, rather than bearing the insignia of a city, Tarl sets out for the Sardar Mountains, and spends the night in Tharna, the one city of Gor ruled by women. Falsely implicated in a plot to overtake Lara the Tatrix of Tharna, Tarl is thrown into slavery upon her command. He leads a revolt and is once again free. As he continues his travels to Sardar he encounters slavers and buys a girl, not yet branded, to free her. [Here, after Tarl's slavery has shown us how male slaves are treated in Tharna, are two chapters, 200 pages into the novel, where the Gorean institution of female slavery is given some attention by the author.] Tarl's purchase turns out to be Lara, who had been usurped as Tatrix of Tharna and turned over to slavers. Before continuing to Sardar, Tarl intends to return Lara to Tharna that she might once again rule as Tatrix, with her now admitted appreciation for male dominance.

The Quest Continues
Tal!

In this we find our hero Tarl were we last saw him, back on planet Earth.For some mysterious reason, he had been taken away from his true home...the world called Gor, Gor being the same wording as Homestone.Yet the Priest Kings have their reasons, and one of them is to have him come back...thus he returns to Gor in this second book of the series.However, not all is well in the return, we find that Koroba is no more, we find that all the Free of Koroba have been scattered across the four winds...not to be allowed to stand next to another Free of Koroba.Further, the love of Tarl's life, the daughter of the Ubar of Ar herself, is gone, disappeared, somewhere out there.Still, these tragedies are not going to be taken for despair and Tarl will not allow himself to give up. That is not what a true Gorean, a true Man, a true Free, wills of Himself (or even Herself).With sword and with shield and with determination, Tarl sets out to cross the wild world of Gor to see what fate may have for him.In this follow up novel, Tarl goes through adventures dealing with the city of Tharna...where not is all as it seems.Power players behind the throne, so to speak, fight with deadly care to bring down the Ubara...the Tatrix... Laura...as Tarl delves deeper, he realizes that he will bring forth a new fate for both the city itself and Laura.

As this is the second novel, John Norman slowly but surely takes away the fabulous creatures one might find in a E. R. Burroughs novel (which is what this and Tarnsman is slightly, but not fully, akin to) and shows real world villains.Villains you may read about in European and Middle Eastern history.Again, there is a fierce dominance and submission equation here, but do not let it fool you.This is not some kind of Anne Rice erotica...in fact you rarely if ever even get a sex scene in any of the Gor books.Sensuality, yes.Pornography, no. Realize there is a big difference.It is important to understand this because one must realize that you can have beauty without being lewd and corse as many of the so called "pornography" magazines, books, videos, etc.Foolishness, I would rather have thoughts and possibilities instead of crase descriptions of what "he does and she does".That is not the way of John Norman and that is not the way of Gor.You can be playful, sensual, intimate, without being an idiot about it.

Please enjoy this book and my future explorations of the series.

Winds!

EXILE'S RETURN
Tarl Cabot's long exile was over.Again he was back on Gor, the strange world of Counter-Earth, where he had once been the proudest warrior and mightiest tarnsman of that savage planet.But nothing was as it had been.His home city of Ko-ro-ba was destroyed, razed until not one stone remained standing.His beautiful mate, Talena was dead or vanished.His family and friends were scattered across the globe.And Cabot was now declared an outlaw, with all men ordered to kill him on sight.His only chance was to find the strange Priest-Kings who ruled Hor and to submit himself to them.But Tarl was not about to submit!

The adventure continues
This book starts harsh and gives us an insight into the inhuman qualities of the priest-kings. However the general sense of adventure vs. an overindulgence in male dominance philosophy in the later books continues.

Tarl is searching for his family/friends and Talena and ends up in the city of Tharna. At first the female dominated society which is just not working seems a shallow tool to hide the author's disdain for female dominance, but after finishing the book it works out rather nicely. The escape from the silver mines was particularly well accomplished.

Some have critisized Norman's writing: there is a scene here which I thought proved the opposite. When Tarl and Thorn are fighting in the throne room and their reflections are in the water of a pool, their shadows fighting with them and all this is reflected in the golden mask of the girl watching them, I thought this brought the scene to life well.

Early books are the best in Gor Series
I read the Gor series as a boy in the 70's and early 80's. IMHO the series is most appealing to teenage boys. I recently pulled "Assassins of Gor" off the shelf one night while bored, and re-read it. I was shocked that there was no real sex, and only a handful of pages of philosophy and psychology that I had to skip over. The book was really excellent, although in a straight forward, uncomplicated sort of way. These are escapist novels, richly detailed, which immerse you in an exotic world, not real thinkers. My enduring memories were of the later books in the series, which were almost unreadable because whole chapters were devoted to philosophy and psychology.

I am not offended by the idea that it is natural and enjoyable for women to be submissive to men. Although I recognize it as wish fulfillment fantasy, still I consider it harmless, especially in such an obviously fictitious setting. I even found it mildly interesting the first time it was mentioned. It is the umpteenth repetition that I find boring. I just turn those pages, skipping ahead to the next action sequence. Speaking of wish fulfillment, I wish someone would edit the series, and re-publish it without these parts. Maybe Eric Flint could do it? He likes to edit, according to his afterword to "1633" and he's good at it. Of course, if you take the sex out of Gor you get Barsoom, and that story has already been written.

I looked on Amazon to see if there was anything new going on with the series, and there was. It is being reprinted, starting at the beginning, and at least 2 new books seem to be published, or at least in the works. I was disappointed though that Amazon didn't have the whole series listed under one easy to find heading. I guess there are, after all, millions of books and only so many Amazon employees. So I'm listing the series, in order, along with some brief info. Some of these books I haven't read, as noted.

1.) Tarnsman of Gor - 1966. Earthman, Tarl Cabot, goes to another planet, hidden on the opposite side of our sun, and becomes a master swordsman and Warrior. This is the book that is most like "Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, which I highly recommend. Note - the 1966 copyright is held by John Lange, the author's real name.

2.) Outlaw... - 1967. Tarl Cabot returns to Gor, to find he's been outlawed.

3.) Priest-Kings... - 1968. Tarl Cabot goes to lair of Priest-Kings to clear his name.

4.) Nomads... - 1969. Tarl Cabot goes to Southern Plains, and meets Mongol type nomads.

5.) Assassin... - 1970. Tarl Cabot returns to Ar, greatest city-state on Gor. Note - this is the first copy I have by Del Rey books, and it has cover art by Boris. I may not like reading about the Gorean philosophy on sexual roles for men and women, but I can't get enough of Boris' artwork depicting it.

6.) Raiders... - 1971. Tarl Cabot goes to Port Kar, pirate capitol of scum and villainy, and learns the meaning of shame. More Boris art on the cover of the Del Rey edition.

7.) Captive... - 1972. A new character, Elinor Brinton, is captured on Earth and becomes a slave girl on Gor. The first time this is done, it may be slightly creative and a little interesting, but it is a radical departure from the earlier books and I consider it to be the beginning of the end. At least Tarl Cabot has a few pages at the end, to tie this book into the rest of the series. This is also the last book published by Ballantine books, which I think is significant in the content and direction of the rest of the series.

8.) Hunters... - 1974. Tarl Cabot goes to the Northern Forest and meets amazon type women. This seems to be the first time there was a break in John Norman's writing, undoubtedly related to his switch to Daw books as a publisher.

9.) Marauders... - 1975. Tarl Cabot goes to the land of the Norsemen and meets Viking type Marauders.

10.) Tribesmen... - 1976. Tarl Cabot goes to the Tahari desert.

11.) Slave Girl... - 1977. Earth girl Judy Thornton enslaved on Gor. Again. No Tarl Cabot at all.

12.) Beasts... - 1978. Tarl Cabot goes to the Arctic ice pack and meets Eskimo type people.

13.) Explorers... - 1979. Tarl Cabot goes to the equatorial rain forests.

14.) Fighting Slave... - 1980. Earthman Jason Marshall is enslaved and forced to fight in a pit on Gor.

15.) Rogue... - 1981. Jason Marshall wanders free on Gor.

16.) Guardsman... - 1981. Jason Marshall earns a homeland.

17.) Savages... - 1982. Tarl Cabot goes to the great plains and meets American Indian type savages. Note - If you like this, John Norman also wrote "Ghost Dance" in 1970, a similar type story about real American Indians. I'm impressed that he kept the writing schedule he did on the Gor novels, and still wrote other books on the side. He also wrote "Time Slave" in 1975.

18.) Blood Brothers... - 1982. Savages and Blood Brothers are a two-part set. Just recently read this conclusion to Savages.Brings closure to Ubar of the Skies.

19.) Kajira... - unread. Another Slave girl story.

20.) Players... - 1984. Tarl Cabot joins the Carnival.Cos goes to war with Ar.

21.) Mercenaries... - 1985. Tarl Cabot returns to Ar again to try to save it.

22.) Dancer... - unread. Another Slave Girl novel? This is where I stopped even looking in the bookstore.

23.) Vagabonds... - unread.

24.) Magicians... - 1988, unread.

25.) Witness... - 2002, unread. I read on amazon that this is a story about Marlenus with amnesia, told by a slave girl.

26.) Prize... - unread. This is not yet published. ... Read more

Book Description
"Long ago in their intraspecific conflicts a violent, technologically sophisticated life form, the Kurii, destroyed their native world. They now seek another. Between Earth and Gor, or the Counterearth, and the power of the imperialistic, predatory Kurii, now ensconced in the "Steel Worlds," a number of satellite colonies concealed amongst the debris of the asteroid belt, stands only the defensive might of the Priest-Kings of Gor. Tarl Cabot, once of Bristol, England, laboring in behalf of the Priest-Kings, once managed to foil a Kur attempt to set the stage for an invasion of Gor. In that venture he encountered a worthy foe, the redoubtable Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, now fallen from favor in the Steel Worlds. The Kurii, unforgiving and relentless, have sent a death squad to Gor seeking Zarendargar. They seek the assistance of Cabot in this enterprise, but he declines to be of service. A decorated piece of hide, bearing strange symbols, tells a story, which may or may not be true. It suggests that Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, whom Cabot believed dead, may yet live. The death squad will seek Zarendargar, but, so, too, will Cabot, to warn him, for once, long ago, and faraway, in the polar north of Gor, each with the other had shared drink, a gesture of warriors, a cup lifted amongst foes. But to pursue this mission Cabot must enter and traverse the Barrens, the vast Eastern prairies of the primary Gorean continent, lands contested by tribes of warring savages, lands forbidden to strangers. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first of two
If you like the John Norman "Gor" books, then you willappreciate Savages of Gor and the story climaxing Blood Brothers of Gor. In this particular tale our hero goes to the land of the Red Savages.Asection of Gor totally closed to whitemen, with the exception of a handfulof traders.Experience the redman's heritage first hand, and you will cometo understand what the term, "noble indian" really means.Asusual John Norman does an excellent job with the detail and the characters. If you enjoy his writing style then this is a couple of books you'lldefinetly not want to hurry through.thanks ... Read more

Book Description
Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics Video Series #4: Hoseline Selection, Stretching and Placement. Every fireground is different – make sure you select the proper hoseline and placement.



In Video #4: Hoseline Selection, Stretching and Placement, John Norman covers: hoseline selection, stretching and placement; choosing the right diameter hose for the job; the amount of hoseline needed to get the job done; the different types of nozzles, both straight stream and fog nozzles alike; and specialty nozzles, tips and foams. The Fire Officer’s Handbook of Tactics Video Series is based on the best-selling book and study guide by John Norman.

Contains live-action footage and 3-D graphics! Narrative shot in High Definition!

Approx. 30 minutes.



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Book Description
Emotionally lost, Jason Marshall finds himself thrust into a lengthy struggle to save his beloved from slavery on an Earthlike world called Gor. Kidnapped and helpless, Jason begins a life on Gor as a slave and becomes a prominent warrior. He must battle his way to freedom, if only to liberate his love from the clutches of the alien slave emporium. Will Jason overcome the numerous obstacles he encounters? Will he ever reunite with the girl he loves? Can he survive the trials and tribulations he must endure on Gor? Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to r