Melissa Jeltsin

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.

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.