priest-kings of Gor, John Norman

priest-kings of Gor

(Gor #3?)

by John Norman (John Lange)

science fiction / fantasy

copyright 1968

read in June 2024

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

I was expecting a John Carter type of world. And it is... but...

There is a lot of depth to this world. With more complex people, too.

The priest kings themselves have depth and are almost more human than the humans.

John Carter of Mars is a gentleman of Virginia. Tarl Cabot of Gor is more like a thug of Manhattan. And yet... he does have responses other than fighting.

In another comparison... Heinlein women are beautiful, with big breasts and their role is to make sandwiches while the men do the serious thinking.

The women of Gor are sex slaves. Chained, naked, to the bed or screwed on the floor. A "free" woman may, at the whim of any man, be made a sex slave. Then if you hit her hard enough the woman will soon love you.

Yes, it's a turn-on for the reader but outdated. Except that the same gender roles are apparently espoused by misogynists on the Web.

The book is enjoyable, quite clever and needs a warning for jerk-off porn content.

NB: Several pages are given to description of -- and justification for -- the male-dom, fem-sub roles. And from Wikipedia: the author supported the roles. Was a well-qualified academic and wrote Imaginative Sex to get you started.... And yes, I think that I would enjoy the book. (Though one review says that it quickly gets boring :-)

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