Customer Reviews

Outlaw of Gor: (#2)

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4 star:		(11)
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2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

The first novel in John Norman's Counter-Earth Series, "Tarnsman of Gor," owed a debt to "A Princess of Mars," the first John Carter novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Both of the second novels in these series begin the same way, with the hero finally able to return to the distant planet where they can begin to search for the great love of their life. But after the beginning of "Outlaw of Gor" Norman abandons the parallels to Burroughs and starts to build on the elements introduced in the first novel to create his own unique world.

"Outlaw of Gor" offers a radical reintroduction to the world of Gor. Tarl Cabot is returned to the Counter-Earth seven long years after he left, only to discover that his City-State of Ko-ro-ba has been ordered destroyed by the mysterious Priest-Kings. Just as no two stones of the city are allowed to stand together neither can two citizens of the city. An Initiate, one of those who serves the Priest-Kings, orders Cabot to submit to their will, but he refuses, and heads off across Gor for the Sardar Mountains, the legendary home of the Priest-Kings. Along the way he walks into Tharna, a town ruled by women. The head woman is called the Tatrix and the ruling class of women wear silver masks. The society is sterile and unproductive and although they try to break Cabot to their will, they are not going to have any more success than the Priest-Kings.

For me "Outlaw of Gor" is the weakest of the early Counter-Earth novels, mainly because Cabot's adventures in Tharna are a detour on his war to the Sardar Mountains. My best advice is to have the third novel, "The Priest-Kings of Gor" on hand so that as soon as you finish this one you can start the next book, especially since this is one of the rare times in the Gor series that the next novel pretty much picks up right where the previous one leaves off. For me these second and third novels are essentially one giant story.

However, from the perspective of the Gorean philosophy (i.e., way of life) developed by Norman (the pseudonym of philosophy professor John Lange), "Outlaw of Gor" is clearly the most important of the early novels. The novel was written in 1967, a time when the feminist movement was beginning to take shape, and it is easy to read "Outlaw of Gor" as something of a response to the times that were a-changin'. A city run by women is seen as being unnatural, and Norman begins to expand on some of the key elements of the Gorean philosophy: the concept of honor and the importance of the Home Stone, the dangers of technology versus respect for the environment, and the independence of men and the "truth" of female slavery. At this point in the series Norman is clearly courting controversy.

Of course, for many potential readers of this series, this is a make-or-break proposition. I preferred the adventure aspects of the Gor novels and abandoned the series in the early 1980s when I found myself flipping through the long discussions on "slavery" that were becoming omni-present in the books. I was also dismayed that other characters besides Tarl Cabot were becoming the focus of the book and the giant story arc regarding the Priest-Kings was becoming increasingly prolonged (and often ignored). But in terms of sword and sorcery novels, Norman's first half-dozen Gor novels create a unique barbaric world and his characterization of supporting characters improves with every outing If you start the series, at least make it through "Assassins of Gor," which I consider the apex of the series.

I have read almost all of the Gorean Series. One thing that I liked about all albeit too little in some was his idea of honor, the rigidity of it at times, but the necessity of it all the time. I liked his hero at his stoic best when he was against tremendous odds. I liked the humanity of his character at times yet overall I feel he missed the mark by focusing on the man/woman - master/slave thing. He beats a dead horse into mush. If Norman had stayed true to the warrior code and the action novel I feel he could be what David Gemmell is today - One of the best of the Sword and Fantasy genre. I wish I could sit own with Mr. Norman and tell him what I liked or disliked about each book. He has the seeds of greatness like Burroughs, but seems to have fallen down a shute from which he is not willing or able to escape.

In this, the 2nd installment of the Counter-Earth saga, Cabot is finally returned to Gor after being exiled to planet Earth for reasons unknown.

This novel, which follows "Tarnsman of Gor" picks up with Cabot back on Earth in New York city. Cabot is greatly anguished at being separated from his city Ko-Ro-Ba, and his Free Companion, Talena of Ar. We get a peek at Cabot's persona, and how unfit he is for life on Earth after his exposure to life on Gor.

Upon his return to Gor, Cabot learns that the mysterious Priest-Kings of Gor have destroyed Ko-Ro-Ba, and decreed that no two men of that city may stand together without risking the wrath of the Priest-Kings.

Cabot sets forth to enter the forbidding Sardar mountains where legend says that the rulers of Gor reside, and demand an accounting of the Priest-Kings as to why his city was destroyed and its inhabitants forced to scatter before the winds. On the way Cabot passes through the city of Tharna, and learns that sometimes you cannot accept things at face value, when he is trapped into the slavery of the silver mines of Tharna.

Cabot eventually escapes, and the novel closes with him making his preparations to enter the Sardar mountains.

Much easier to read than Tarnsman. Either his writing improved over the two years, or I'm just used to it now. In either case, it flowed much better. Plus, the story is better than Tarnsman. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Tarnsman, even it was quite simple. However, Outlaw is a much better overall story. Still simple, but a little more complex than Tarnsman. The main character is given a little more depth. There is plenty of action sequences and his "luck" remains true from the first book. I call it, the will of the Priest Kings... not luck. :-) The author paints a nice picture as he describes Tharna, the people, and the dungeons below. As soon as I finish writing, I'm starting Priest Kings.

In the second novel of the Gorean Saga, Tarl Cabot has finally been allowed to return to his chosen world of Gor.

This story is a bridge between the first and the third novels in as much it provides background for how Tarl Cabot moves through the Gorean world and finds that no task is simple or direct.

A good but unneccesary part of the first three books as far as the initial story line. However, he once again tries to deal with the issue of women in Gor. He paints the picture of female leadership somewhat harshly. But again we are forced to consider all of this within a fictional context and be prepared to suspend our own contrary assumptions for the sake of perhaps broadening our own capacity for acceptance.

Worth reading as a means to get to Priest Kings of Gor, and excellent work.

The first couple of books in this series did not keep my attention as well as I thought it should have. As I have continued to read this series, I can see Mr. Norman has improved his writing and his way of story telling. The creation of the Gorean world, while not original, Mr. Norman's slant is refreshing. It seems that he is exploring his view of the differences between what evolution wants a Man to be and what evolution wants a Woman to be. I look forward to reading more in this series.

If you read Tarnsman, then you know that Mr. Normans writing is a bit...stilted. That being said, you really wouldn't want the main character, a one Tarl Cabot, to be eloquent; Wouldn't fit him, or the world of Gor at all. Anyway, in Outlaw, we have his return to Gor, to find his city destroyed. Anger at the priest kings lead him on to the Mt of Sadar, but this book is about his stop to a particular city called Tharna, a city ruled by a woman. Hmm, what can become of this?

The first novel in John Norman's Counter-Earth Series, "Tarnsman of Gor," owed a debt to "A Princess of Mars," the first John Carter novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Both of the second novels in these series begin the same way, with the hero finally able to return to the distant planet where they can begin to search for the great love of their life. But after the beginning of "Outlaw of Gor" Norman abandons the parallels to Burroughs and starts to build on the elements introduced in the first novel to create his own unique world.

"Outlaw of Gor" offers a radical reintroduction to the world of Gor. Tarl Cabot is returned to the Counter-Earth seven long years after he left, only to discover that his City-State of Ko-ro-ba has been ordered destroyed by the mysterious Priest-Kings. Just as no two stones of the city are allowed to stand together neither can two citizens of the city. An Initiate, one of those who serves the Priest-Kings, orders Cabot to submit to their will, but he refuses, and heads off across Gor for the Sardar Mountains, the legendary home of the Priest-Kings. Along the way he walks into Tharna, a town ruled by women. The head woman is called the Tatrix and the ruling class of women wear silver masks. The society is sterile and unproductive and although they try to break Cabot to their will, they are not going to have any more success than the Priest-Kings.

For me "Outlaw of Gor" is the weakest of the early Counter-Earth novels, mainly because Cabot's adventures in Tharna are a detour on his war to the Sardar Mountains. My best advice is to have the third novel, "The Priest-Kings of Gor" on hand so that as soon as you finish this one you can start the next book, especially since this is one of the rare times in the Gor series that the next novel pretty much picks up right where the previous one leaves off. For me these second and third novels are essentially one giant story.

However, from the perspective of the Gorean philosophy (i.e., way of life) developed by Norman (the pseudonym of philosophy professor John Lange), "Outlaw of Gor" is clearly the most important of the early novels. The novel was written in 1967, a time when the feminist movement was beginning to take shape, and it is easy to read "Outlaw of Gor" as something of a response to the times that were a-changin'. A city run by women is seen as being unnatural, and Norman begins to expand on some of the key elements of the Gorean philosophy: the concept of honor and the importance of the Home Stone, the dangers of technology versus respect for the environment, and the independence of men and the "truth" of female slavery. At this point in the series Norman is clearly courting controversy.

Of course, for many potential readers of this series, this is a make-or-break proposition. I preferred the adventure aspects of the Gor novels and abandoned the series in the early 1980s when I found myself flipping through the long discussions on "slavery" that were becoming omni-present in the books. I was also dismayed that other characters besides Tarl Cabot were becoming the focus of the book and the giant story arc regarding the Priest-Kings was becoming increasingly prolonged (and often ignored). But in terms of sword and sorcery novels, Norman's first half-dozen Gor novels create a unique barbaric world and his characterization of supporting characters improves with every outing If you start the series, at least make it through "Assassins of Gor," which I consider the apex of the series.

Outlaw of Gor is the second novel in John Norman's cult classic Gorean Saga. After languishing on Earth for seven years, Tarl Cabot is finally returned to the Counter-Earth where he hopes to find his father and the woman he loves. Instead, he finds that things are not at all as he left them. After a bit of roaming, he winds up in a city he's never been to before and gets tangled up in a battle of the sexes.

Tarl Cabot is a bit like Richard Rahl -- effortlessly subduing evil, fighting oppression, and spreading nobility wherever he goes. He loves and serves his fellow man ("How could I be free when others are bound?"). He spends a lot of time talking about how he reveres women and hates those Gorean cultures which capture women and consider them useful only as pleasure slaves.

Yet, for all of Tarl's assurances that he's a feminist, it's a bit hard to swallow when his only descriptions of the women he meets are their stunning beauty and how he admires their spirit. (Spirit is shown by a woman saying things like "No, never!" to men who want to subdue her.)

And the reader knows it's just a matter of time before one of these beautiful and spirited women, with her dress ripped to shreds, will be on her knees with her arms raised and wrists crossed and begging Tarl to enslave her. Even women who were previously powerful are anxious to know if Tarl finds them beautiful and pleasing and when he insists that he doesn't want to purchase them, they pout. He buys one of them as "an act of sentiment"! (There is no sex of any sort in these books so far, by the way.)

This is all fine for a little bit of fun and fantasy roleplay, but when Tarl suggests that women don't really want freedom, but actually want to be men's full-time pleasure slaves.... that's a little much for me. One ruling woman says that slave girls have it better because their skimpy clothes are easier to walk around in. Okay, I'll give her that point, but when she says that being chained is the only way that many women can learn to love...? And that she really would rather be a slave than to take up her former ruling position?... yeah, right.

Tarl goes on to explain why matriarchies don't work: men lose their self-respect and then the women lose respect for the self-loathing men and "hating their men, they hate themselves." This is a point I'm willing to consider, but he goes too far with his next point: "I have wondered sometimes if a man to be a man must not master a woman. And if a woman, to be a woman, must not know herself mastered." Unfortunately, "mastered" seems to mean that men are free and ruling and women are collared, leashed, scantily clad, and serving and dancing for men. How can Tarl Cabot, the feminist, justify this? Easily: the women say they like it this way.

But for all of this, I must admit that I've got a strange fascination with this series and I plan to read the next book. However I think that it wouldn't work for me if I was reading it in print instead of listening to it on audio. I believe that it's the reader, Ralph Lister, who manages to "fix" what otherwise I'd read as just plain sexist masculine fantasy. Lister gives Tarl a voice that's innocent and enthusiastic enough to deceive me into believing that he's not really as shallow as he demonstrates that he is.