Melissa Jeltsin

Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.

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In my hands, I hold a slim paperback novel titled The Tarnsman of Gore. Published in 1966 by author John Norman, it's the first in a sprawling series of fantasy novels set on a counter-Earth. Here's the blurb from the back cover.

In my hands, I hold a slim paperback novel titled The Tarnsman of Gore. Published in 1966 by author John Norman, it's the first in a sprawling series of fantasy novels set on a counter-Earth. Here's the blurb from the back cover.

This book, it's not the type of fiction I typically gravitate towards. It's giving pulpy romance novel meets planetary sci-fi vibes. On the cover is a suggestive illustration. A shirtless, muscular man brandishes a sharp weapon, his stance exuding dominance. Below him, a topless woman kneels, her head bowed in submission, her hands bound behind her back.

This book, it's not the type of fiction I typically gravitate towards. It's giving pulpy romance novel meets planetary sci-fi vibes. On the cover is a suggestive illustration. A shirtless, muscular man brandishes a sharp weapon, his stance exuding dominance. Below him, a topless woman kneels, her head bowed in submission, her hands bound behind her back.

Looming in the distance, a warrior rides a massive, savage-looking bird. I read the first book for research purposes, but honestly, it was a struggle. Listening as an audiobook on double speed helped.

Looming in the distance, a warrior rides a massive, savage-looking bird. I read the first book for research purposes, but honestly, it was a struggle. Listening as an audiobook on double speed helped.

The gore series, spelled G-O-R, starts off pretty tame, following a British professor abducted from Earth and forced into the life of a warrior on gore. Gore is different from Earth in a lot of ways. Fantastical creatures, homestones that hold mythical powers for different clans, that sort of thing. Plus, there's your typical array of human activities.

The gore series, spelled G-O-R, starts off pretty tame, following a British professor abducted from Earth and forced into the life of a warrior on gore. Gore is different from Earth in a lot of ways. Fantastical creatures, homestones that hold mythical powers for different clans, that sort of thing. Plus, there's your typical array of human activities.

Plundering, nomadic wandering, kidnapping, wars. But the most notable thing is that men on Gor can own female slaves. They're called Kajira. They wear collars and have no rights. These women are considered akin to pets.

Plundering, nomadic wandering, kidnapping, wars. But the most notable thing is that men on Gor can own female slaves. They're called Kajira. They wear collars and have no rights. These women are considered akin to pets.

And this arrangement is mutually beneficial, according to the philosophy described at length by author John Norman, as men are naturally dominant and women are inherently submissive. Here's a typical passage, the likes of which is repeated ad nauseum throughout the series.

And this arrangement is mutually beneficial, according to the philosophy described at length by author John Norman, as men are naturally dominant and women are inherently submissive. Here's a typical passage, the likes of which is repeated ad nauseum throughout the series.

So, yeah, unsurprisingly, the books were divisive, released during the 1960s and 70s as women fought for equality and pushed back against patriarchy. There was public backlash. Marion Zimmer Bradley, a sci-fi author of The Popular Myths of Avalon, shared a publisher with Norman and wrote a book in protest called Warrior Women, in which a female slave fights back against her enslavement.

So, yeah, unsurprisingly, the books were divisive, released during the 1960s and 70s as women fought for equality and pushed back against patriarchy. There was public backlash. Marion Zimmer Bradley, a sci-fi author of The Popular Myths of Avalon, shared a publisher with Norman and wrote a book in protest called Warrior Women, in which a female slave fights back against her enslavement.

Yet, the Gore books resonated with enough readers to sustain Norman's prolific output, roughly one book a year for over two decades. In 1987, the series inspired a Hollywood movie.

Yet, the Gore books resonated with enough readers to sustain Norman's prolific output, roughly one book a year for over two decades. In 1987, the series inspired a Hollywood movie.

It looks campy and was widely panned by critics at the time. But despite dismal box office numbers and reviews, a second gore movie was released a year later. I can't even find box office numbers for that one, so it doesn't seem like it had much of an audience.