Melissa Jeltsin

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.

And it was around this time, in the late 1980s, that Norman was dropped by his publisher, a decision he has said was due to pressure from feminist editors. But he didn't stop writing. In the early 2000s, Norman took his work online, publishing more than a dozen e-books since. The advent of the internet also fostered a devoted subculture of fans.

And it was around this time, in the late 1980s, that Norman was dropped by his publisher, a decision he has said was due to pressure from feminist editors. But he didn't stop writing. In the early 2000s, Norman took his work online, publishing more than a dozen e-books since. The advent of the internet also fostered a devoted subculture of fans.

Gore obsessives gathered in chat rooms to debate everything from traditional sword sizes to slave garments to how best to integrate the social structure of the books into one's life. In other words, how to be a Gorian. Not pretend, not role-playing on Second Life, but how to be a master or a slave in the home, in the bedroom, in life, period.

Gore obsessives gathered in chat rooms to debate everything from traditional sword sizes to slave garments to how best to integrate the social structure of the books into one's life. In other words, how to be a Gorian. Not pretend, not role-playing on Second Life, but how to be a master or a slave in the home, in the bedroom, in life, period.

And today, a niche community of self-identified Gorians still exists. They practice master-slave relationships modeled on the books, keeping Norman's controversial vision alive. And that world? Well, that was Tallinnus.

And today, a niche community of self-identified Gorians still exists. They practice master-slave relationships modeled on the books, keeping Norman's controversial vision alive. And that world? Well, that was Tallinnus.

From iHeart Podcast, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, and this is What Happened to Talena Zar?

From iHeart Podcast, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, and this is What Happened to Talena Zar?

I had hoped to speak to John Norman, author of the Gore series, to learn more about his work and the subculture inspired by the books. But his current publisher told me that Norman, quote, does not want to be interviewed if The Slant is going to be another judgmental feminist attack. He added that Norman is also over 90 years old, and like many that age, can be a little cranky.

I had hoped to speak to John Norman, author of the Gore series, to learn more about his work and the subculture inspired by the books. But his current publisher told me that Norman, quote, does not want to be interviewed if The Slant is going to be another judgmental feminist attack. He added that Norman is also over 90 years old, and like many that age, can be a little cranky.

So instead, I talked to an expert who, despite being a feminist, was surprisingly nonjudgmental.

So instead, I talked to an expert who, despite being a feminist, was surprisingly nonjudgmental.

You know, fiction is an escape. This is Dr. Gloria Bream, a sex therapist and self-described kinkster.

You know, fiction is an escape. This is Dr. Gloria Bream, a sex therapist and self-described kinkster.

Gloria has spent her career as a sex educator trying to reduce the stigma around BDSM, an acronym you've probably heard thrown around that stands for bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism.

Gloria has spent her career as a sex educator trying to reduce the stigma around BDSM, an acronym you've probably heard thrown around that stands for bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism.

Though the Gore books were titillating, Gloria never really connected with them. The strict gender roles depicted in the series felt anachronistic. On Gore, men were in charge. Women followed, listened, and served, often while scantily clad.

Though the Gore books were titillating, Gloria never really connected with them. The strict gender roles depicted in the series felt anachronistic. On Gore, men were in charge. Women followed, listened, and served, often while scantily clad.

Gloria's introduction to gore was brief, didn't leave that much of an impact. But later in life, when she immersed herself in the BDSM community, she learned that some people felt very connected to the books.