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Tarnsman of Gor (Gorean Saga) Paperback – May 13, 2014

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,423 ratings

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The first novel in the long-running sword-and-planet series set on a Counter-Earth, where warriors rise above the chaos of bondage and brutality.

Tarl Cabot has always believed himself to be a citizen of Earth. He has no inkling that his destiny is far greater than the small planet he has inhabited for the first twenty-odd years of his life. One frosty winter night in the New England woods, he finds himself transported to the planet of Gor, also known as Counter Earth, where everything is dramatically different from anything he has ever experienced. It emerges that Tarl is to be trained as a Tarnsman, one of the most honored positions in the rigid, caste-bound Gorean society. He is disciplined by the best teachers and warriors that Gor has to offer . . . but to what end?
 
Rediscover this brilliantly imagined world where men are masters and women live to serve their every desire.
 
Tarnsman of Gor is the 1st book in the Gorean Saga, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Norman is the creator of the Gorean Saga, the longest-running series of adventure novels in science fiction history. He is also the author of the science fiction series the Telnarian Histories, as well as Ghost Dance, Time Slave, The Totems of Abydos, Imaginative Sex, and Norman Invasions. Norman is married and has three children.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.; Reissue edition (May 13, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1497648750
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1497648753
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.47 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,423 ratings

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John Norman
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John Norman is the creator of the Gorean Saga, the longest-running series of adventure novels in science fiction history.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,423 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2014
I only recently discovered the works of John Norman (2010) and have been reading everything I can get my hands on. This book (and the following 33 (counting also Norman Invasions (2009))) proves that intelligent writing that doesn't fear social or political censorship can be popular with millions of readers. I think, however, that nothing can describe or recommend this book (series of books) better than the Authors own words which I will post here;

“I do not regard the Gorean books as “controversial,” as they are based, for the most part, on history, anthropology, biology, psychology, and such. It is true, of course, that certain ideologies, and certain competitive ambitions, are more likely to prosper if certain facts are overlooked, ignored, or denied. I think one should accept human nature, and the profound, wonderful differences amongst human beings, sexual and otherwise, for what they are, and then worry about putting together a world in which humanity might flourish, rather than be lied to, threatened, coerced, sickened, and stunted. To be sure, this is a value judgment. Some people doubtless prefer a culture that is a penitentiary, assuming they are, or expect to be, the guards and wardens.”
“(The Gorean books) are written for adults, highly intelligent, highly sexed adults, of both sexes. Similarly, the Gorean books are not simply adventure fantasy, but intellectual, philosophical, and psychological novels. Also, some of them certainly have elements of sensuous romance. The Gorean books are their own country, their own world, not a part of someone else’s country, or someone else’s world. They are not out, for example, to think up the 673rd variation off genetic engineering, denounce capitalism, woo antimenite editrices, or such.”
“I am in favor of people being safe, healthy, happy, fulfilled, and so on. What makes people safe, healthy, happy, and fulfilled? That probably depends on the individuals involved. I think the test of “life consequences” is important here. I have no objection to individuals involving themselves in safe, healthy, happy, fulfilling Gorean relationships. Master/Slave sex, for example, can be emotionally and physically rewarding for both partners. I am not in favor of cruelty, to a slave no more than to any other animal. The slave is to be cherished, and know herself the belonging of her master. She exists to love and serve her master. She is not to be abused, but enjoyed. In the collar there are many rewards. The Gorean relation has nothing to do with hurting people. If it is not beautiful, it is not Gorean.”
[...]
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2011
I, too, started the series as a young man, around 6th or 7th grade, back when the books were still being released anually. I also loved the first one, (on a side note, was sorely disappointed by the attempt at a movie which was almost completely unrelated to the books) and read into the series with gusto. I have read, and re-read the books numerous times, including replacing older worn paperback copies. Now that I purchased a Kindle, and found them, I have rapidly read through the first 9. I'm purchasing number 10 when I finish this review. I agree, and always have, the stories written from the point of view of the female brought from Earth to Gor are really disappointing, but, they do have hints to the next adventure of Tarl Cabot. I, too, have found myself after the initial reading 30 years ago, taken to skipping over the majority of the long winded psycho-babble. Also, sometimes his long explanations of how a particular product is manufactured can get annoying the second, third or fourth time reading the books.

I read through Magicians, but, it has been a couple decades now. I recall being deeply disapointed the series abruptly ended, with a war raging across Gor and Tarl Cabot and Jason Marshall in the middle of it. Well, more Tarl than Jason, but, he is updated in later novels, after his little diversionary story.

I had given up on new novels ever being written until I decided to go through a bunch of paperbacks in my spare room, to get rid of them. I found the series, decided to do a search for Kindle copies, and found there were new ones. I look forward to finding out what happened in the war, and hope it is resolved. I started a couple weeks ago with Tarnsman, to work my way through to the new stuff, and am now getting through the novels in a day or so. They start getting longer, and I may slow down a bit, but, I intend to finish the whole series this Spring, early Summer.

I know they are the basis of a whole type of BDSM, and are almost "bibles" for that life style, but, I also find them to be a fun escape type novel. Tarl Cabot is an interesting character, the situations he gets into are widely varied, we are visiting every area of Gor, from the populated temperate zones through the great wild plains, the mostly barren deserts, the ice packs up north and in each, we learn a little about the character of the peoples who live there. Through them all, there are hints of sex, but, really, these stories are more of a PG-13 rating. There is no explicit sex, there is very little descriptive language of sex or the human anatomy. Yeah, we get a few descriptions of how well built a particular young lady encountered is, but, really, they are not even worthy of an R rating, if we applied a movie rating to them.

To me, if you are looking to start a series of books, in the fantasy genre, and, you are interested in detail about how a perfume is made, or a coin, or the construction fo a siege engine, enjoy them. You will find the psychology a bit wearing, but, it is well worth wading through.

My one problem with these novels, at least as it pertains to the Kindle - I wish the covers had the original, or Boris Vallejo artwork. Not all the original novels had Boris work, initially, but, the re-releases got that treatment. Not as impressive in the black and white Kindle, but, still it seems a shame to have the cover "art" the Kindle versions have. The Boris artwork was great.
24 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2011
The book "Tarnsman of Gor" by John Norman is awesome. It is obviously inspired by the Martian tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs and it is a worthy successor to the series it was inspired by. John Norman mapped out the world of Gor really well. He also gave it an interesting culture.

The narrator of the book is Tarl Cabot, a history teacher whose father mysteriously disappeared years ago. He is transported with advanced technology to a planet called Gor. The planet Gor is a planet which astronomists on Earth haven't discovered because it is always hidden behind the sun. The story follows Tarl Cabot's adventure on the planet.

The novel "Tarnsman of Gor" is hard to classify as a fantasy novel. It's definitely not high fantasy like series such as the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan or Shannara by Terry Brooks, but it doesn't have sorcery (at least in the first novel), so it doesn't fit the sword and sorcery mold that series such as Conan by Robert E. Howard and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by Fritz Leiber fit into. It mainly takes its origin from the pulp magazine tradition that Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote literature in. Although there is no magic in the book, there is a group of people called the Priest Kings of the Sardar Mountains who I suspect will bring magic in the later books. Either that or they will bring advanced technology which they keep from the general population of Gor.

John Norman's novel "Tarnsman of Gor" has lots of adventure, suspense and the book is a page turner. I read it really quickly and it has been a long time since I happened upon a book that I read so fast. The book also has romance. I thought that I had read it all as far as fantasy novels go but this book showed me that there still is more fantasy literature out there for me to explore and enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Derek Hutton
5.0 out of 5 stars Revisiting a fabulous saga.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2020
I read this book, indeed a number of books in this saga, some years ago in paperback. This first introduction to Gor transports you to a fabulous world of man, monsters and life. A truly great read. I can't wait to start book 2 which is already waiting on my kindle.
2 people found this helpful
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Thierry ALOMENE
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable...a bit rh howard like
Reviewed in France on August 18, 2017
The idea of the priestking is brillant , it explains what is often impossible to understand .... The communication between foreigners
e
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Australia on April 12, 2022
The book had you entertained through out the story and kept you reading to the end to see what happens next in the series of books.
DAVID STEWART
5.0 out of 5 stars I STILL ENJOY IT WHAT CAN I SAY
Reviewed in Canada on May 21, 2015
I READ THIS SERIES 40 YEARS AGO. I STILL ENJOY IT WHAT CAN I SAY, I LIKE SCI-FI. I SEE SOME PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAY SOME OF THE WOMEN ARE TREATED. NO, THEY ARE NOT TRAINED TO "HEEL". THE FIRST THING THE MAIN CHATACTER DOES, AFTER EXPLAINING THE INJUSTICE OF THE TREATMENT OF SOME WOMEN , IS FREE ONE OF THE SLAVE GIRLS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPLAIN, GET THE FACTS RIGHT.
One person found this helpful
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F. Miskar
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good!
Reviewed in Germany on May 21, 2013
Much better than German translation! Die Erzwingung einer bestimmten Mindestanzahl von Wörtern ist hier nur wenig zielführend, im Gegentum, sie ist völlig kontraproduktiv!
3 people found this helpful
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