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Gor #5
Assassin of Gor
Welcome to Gor, a parallel Earth, where social norms are exotic and the way of life is brutal. In the fifth book in the Gorean Series, the deadly assassin Kuurus is intent on a bloody mission of vengeance. His adventure takes him from the caste of the pleasure-slaves, which are rigorously trained in the rules and techniques of sexual ecstasy, to the brutal arenas where humans participate in deadly hand-to-hand combat. He witnesses violence, conflict and uncertainty, as the inhabitants of Counter-Earth are forced to confront their destinies . no matter how exalted or debased. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first book of the Gorean Saga, TARNSMAN OF GOR, E-Reads is proud to release the very first complete publication of all Gor books by John Norman, in both print and ebook editions, including the long-awaited 26th novel in the saga, WITNESS OF GOR. Many of the original Gor books have been out of print for years, but their popularity has endured. Each book of this release has been specially edited by the author and is a definitive text.
409 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
136 people are currently reading
896 people want to read
About the author
John Norman
99 books337 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John Norman, real name John Lange, was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1931. His best known works, the Gor series, currently span 36 books written 1966 (Tarnsman of Gor) to 2021 (Avengers of Gor). Three installments of the Telnarian Histories, plus three other fiction works and a non-fiction paperback. Mr. Norman is married and has three children.
John Norman, real name John Lange, was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1931. His best known works, the Gor series, currently span 36 books written 1966 (Tarnsman of Gor) to 2021 (Avengers of Gor). Three installments of the Telnarian Histories, plus three other fiction works and a non-fiction paperback. Mr. Norman is married and has three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 4, 2022
3,5 estrellas en realidad.
Quinta entrega del mundo de Gor y a mi opinión la mejor de ellas, o al menos la mejor de las que he leído hasta la fecha.
"Asesino de Gor" nos cuenta de su protagonista recurrente, Tarl Cabot, que ésta vez se embarca en una aventura en la ciudad de Ar, disfrazado de Kuurus, un miembro de la casta de los asesinos con el objetivo de descubrir al responsable de planear su muerte meses atrás en su ciudad natal Koroba.
Ésta ha sido una de las pocas novelas de Gor que me ha parecido realmentente disfrutable, sin tener que sufrir por innecesarias muestras de machismo o escenas de esclavitud repetitivas y gratuitas... y es que todo, o casi todo, en esta novela está bien justificado y en correcta función de la trama, por lo que su lectura se hace bastante entretenida. Pese a que, como he escrito en reseñas de libros anteriores, las habilidades de Norman son bastante limitadas.
No obstante, y pese a qué "Asesino de Gor" es autoconclusiva, ésta novela, a diferencia de las demás, no puede disfrutarse del todo si no se han leído las cuatro entregas anteriores... Y esto es debido a lo siguiente:
Del libro 1: Se toma la ciudad de Ar, el tarn y el importante personaje de Marlenus, por lo que si no has leído ésta novela te costará entender su importancia aquí en la trama.
Del libro 2: Se habla del manuscrito entregado por el protagonista a su amigo al final de la novela.
Del libro 3: Aparece y se menciona al nido y por supuesto a los reyes sacerdotes y sus enemigos los Kurii, que tendrán bastante relevancia a lo largo de la novela.
Del libro 4: Aparece Elizabeth y se mencionan, usan o hacen referencias a distintas costumbres, armas y utensilios de los Tushuks (pueblos del carro).
Por lo que como verás si deseas disfrutar a tope de este libro es menester haberse leído las anteriores entregas, o al menos conocer las partes esenciales de ellas.
Pese a todo esto ¿Por qué es que aún así le doy 3,5 Estrellas? La respuesta es sencilla "Asesino de Gor", al igual que sus antecesoras, no llega a estar bien escrita... y me refiero al estilo y desarrollo, entregándonos cortes abruptos y saltándose elementos de la trama sin explicación alguna, cómo cuándo Tarl Cabot decide participar por primera vez en las carreras de tarns, el autor ni se molesta en narrarlo... Por lo demas, incurre en hacer prácticamente invencible a su personaje rompiendo todo atisbo de lógica dentro de la trama, si hay hasta momentos en los que se enfrenta a cien enemigos con tan solo una espada y otro Guerrero en ayuda... y sí, sale victorioso sin siquiera despeinarse. Sin mencionar que tras ello aún le queda energía suficiente para entrar en una carrera de tarns ultra arreglada que por el poder del guión se las apaña para ganar ¡Vamos! ¿Es mucho pedir un poco más de realismo? No mucho, Solo un poco, recordemos que nuestro protagonista era un simple profesor de historia antes de ser transportado a Gor, no un guerrero todopoderoso o atleta de renombre...
Por último la caracterización de personajes es muy pobre, como ejemplo al final de la novela jamas me quedó muy claro quién era Portus, Caprus, Cernus... por el parecido de sus nombres cada vez que aparecian debía volver algunas paginas para recordarlo, pues los tres eran tan planos que resultaba fácil confundirlos.
En fin, una novela que en general me ha parecido bastante entretenida, con trama un tanto detectivesca, pero que nuevamente se ve empañada por sus inconsistencias y las limitadas habilidades literarias de su autor.
¡Si estas dispuesto a mamarte las cuatro novelas anteriores vale bastante la pena!
Quinta entrega del mundo de Gor y a mi opinión la mejor de ellas, o al menos la mejor de las que he leído hasta la fecha.
"Asesino de Gor" nos cuenta de su protagonista recurrente, Tarl Cabot, que ésta vez se embarca en una aventura en la ciudad de Ar, disfrazado de Kuurus, un miembro de la casta de los asesinos con el objetivo de descubrir al responsable de planear su muerte meses atrás en su ciudad natal Koroba.
Ésta ha sido una de las pocas novelas de Gor que me ha parecido realmentente disfrutable, sin tener que sufrir por innecesarias muestras de machismo o escenas de esclavitud repetitivas y gratuitas... y es que todo, o casi todo, en esta novela está bien justificado y en correcta función de la trama, por lo que su lectura se hace bastante entretenida. Pese a que, como he escrito en reseñas de libros anteriores, las habilidades de Norman son bastante limitadas.
No obstante, y pese a qué "Asesino de Gor" es autoconclusiva, ésta novela, a diferencia de las demás, no puede disfrutarse del todo si no se han leído las cuatro entregas anteriores... Y esto es debido a lo siguiente:
Del libro 1: Se toma la ciudad de Ar, el tarn y el importante personaje de Marlenus, por lo que si no has leído ésta novela te costará entender su importancia aquí en la trama.
Del libro 2: Se habla del manuscrito entregado por el protagonista a su amigo al final de la novela.
Del libro 3: Aparece y se menciona al nido y por supuesto a los reyes sacerdotes y sus enemigos los Kurii, que tendrán bastante relevancia a lo largo de la novela.
Del libro 4: Aparece Elizabeth y se mencionan, usan o hacen referencias a distintas costumbres, armas y utensilios de los Tushuks (pueblos del carro).
Por lo que como verás si deseas disfrutar a tope de este libro es menester haberse leído las anteriores entregas, o al menos conocer las partes esenciales de ellas.
Pese a todo esto ¿Por qué es que aún así le doy 3,5 Estrellas? La respuesta es sencilla "Asesino de Gor", al igual que sus antecesoras, no llega a estar bien escrita... y me refiero al estilo y desarrollo, entregándonos cortes abruptos y saltándose elementos de la trama sin explicación alguna, cómo cuándo Tarl Cabot decide participar por primera vez en las carreras de tarns, el autor ni se molesta en narrarlo... Por lo demas, incurre en hacer prácticamente invencible a su personaje rompiendo todo atisbo de lógica dentro de la trama, si hay hasta momentos en los que se enfrenta a cien enemigos con tan solo una espada y otro Guerrero en ayuda... y sí, sale victorioso sin siquiera despeinarse. Sin mencionar que tras ello aún le queda energía suficiente para entrar en una carrera de tarns ultra arreglada que por el poder del guión se las apaña para ganar ¡Vamos! ¿Es mucho pedir un poco más de realismo? No mucho, Solo un poco, recordemos que nuestro protagonista era un simple profesor de historia antes de ser transportado a Gor, no un guerrero todopoderoso o atleta de renombre...
Por último la caracterización de personajes es muy pobre, como ejemplo al final de la novela jamas me quedó muy claro quién era Portus, Caprus, Cernus... por el parecido de sus nombres cada vez que aparecian debía volver algunas paginas para recordarlo, pues los tres eran tan planos que resultaba fácil confundirlos.
En fin, una novela que en general me ha parecido bastante entretenida, con trama un tanto detectivesca, pero que nuevamente se ve empañada por sus inconsistencias y las limitadas habilidades literarias de su autor.
¡Si estas dispuesto a mamarte las cuatro novelas anteriores vale bastante la pena!
September 11, 2014
Uber-warrior Tarl and former slave turned free woman turned slave turned free woman turned slave Elizabeth join forces to find out who killed Tarl's lookalike.
This is one of the better books in the series so far. Tarl doesn't do as much of the "earth women all want to be slave girls" justification in this book, even tho he is off having sex with random women at every turn. I think he's also finally realised that 5 books is too long to wait for his missing woman, and gets on with the mighty task of bonking anything with breasts and a collar.
The plot focuses on the political intrigue in Ar and does a decent job of keeping the reader entertained by alternating between slave training and action. Slavery is so engrained in the story now that it isn't justified as much as in the previous books and actually just becomes part of the world.
Also there are a number of semi-fleshed out female characters in this book and not all are simpering "we love men" types that the previous books had. Of course they all still love Tarl who is now a world class jockey in addition to being the mightiest warrior ever and a great lover.
Come to think of it, Tarl is Superman, just without tights and the Lois Lane fixation.
This is one of the better books in the series so far. Tarl doesn't do as much of the "earth women all want to be slave girls" justification in this book, even tho he is off having sex with random women at every turn. I think he's also finally realised that 5 books is too long to wait for his missing woman, and gets on with the mighty task of bonking anything with breasts and a collar.
The plot focuses on the political intrigue in Ar and does a decent job of keeping the reader entertained by alternating between slave training and action. Slavery is so engrained in the story now that it isn't justified as much as in the previous books and actually just becomes part of the world.
Also there are a number of semi-fleshed out female characters in this book and not all are simpering "we love men" types that the previous books had. Of course they all still love Tarl who is now a world class jockey in addition to being the mightiest warrior ever and a great lover.
Come to think of it, Tarl is Superman, just without tights and the Lois Lane fixation.
January 3, 2014
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
In the fifth installment of John Norman’s Gor series, our favorite ginger, Tarl Cabot, appears to be dead. A mysterious and deadly assassin named Kuurus arises in his wake, traveling to the city of Ar to avenge him. Kuurus is, of course, Tarl Cabot in disguise, because this is classic pulpy sci-fi, and heroes don’t get stabbed in the back and die without a good fight.
The Priest Kings tell Tarl and Vella (the heroine from the last book) about the Others, the Priest Kings’ rival race from outer space that spreads death, war, and destruction in its wake. The Priest Kings’ weakened powers have given the Others an opportunity to infiltrate certain factions on Gor, and Tarl Cabot decides to help save the day by spying on them. Vella goes undercover as a sex slave in the merchant Cernus’ house, where she is in a position to observe him closely. The Others’ technology has allowed Cernus to establish a network on both Gor and Earth, and he has discovered that Earth women are a lucrative investment. Cernus is dangerous and power-hungry, and will stop at nothing to become the Ubar of Ar.
Tarl Cabot is completely out of his depth. It’s interesting to see our hero fall and get outsmarted before finally saving the day. We see that he isn’t perfect and can’t do everything, even though he does play a key role as events unfold. The entire novel resembles a giant game of chess, and Cabot himself is only a pawn in much larger schemes that are beyond his control.
If you’ve made it this far in the series, then the sex slaves probably don’t bother you enough to make you stop reading. There’s a bit more description of the kajirae and their training than in the previous books, but the female characters are also badass and play key roles in saving the world. I’m not easily offended and can enjoy the aesthetic.
Five books in, I’m starting to wonder whether Tarl Cabot will ever find Talena, his Free Companion (the Gorean equivalent of a wife), or whether she’s gone the way of a Bond girl. She’s been missing for a lot of books now, and Tarl Cabot seems to have no hesitation when it comes to fucking around with the sex slaves. Apparently this is what you do on Gor if you are a big muscular hero whose wife is missing, although I suspect Talena will kick his ass when she finds him.
My favorite Gor books are still Tarnsman of Gor and Nomads of Gor, but this volume compares favorably with the others. After five volumes, I’m addicted, and I’ve passed the point of no return.
This is the point where it dawns on me that there are 33 books in the Chronicles of Counter-Earth series. I’ve gone too far, and I think I’m in it for the long haul. From what I’ve read on Goodreads, most people who get invested in the series read up to book seven and stop. Where’s the fun in that? I’m challenging myself to read them all. I’m rather charmed by the Gorean world. I like the curious blend of high tech medicine with low tech war, which creates a society dominated by strength and merit. It’s not the kind of world I’d want to live in, but it’s nice to visit for bouts of escapism.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
In the fifth installment of John Norman’s Gor series, our favorite ginger, Tarl Cabot, appears to be dead. A mysterious and deadly assassin named Kuurus arises in his wake, traveling to the city of Ar to avenge him. Kuurus is, of course, Tarl Cabot in disguise, because this is classic pulpy sci-fi, and heroes don’t get stabbed in the back and die without a good fight.
The Priest Kings tell Tarl and Vella (the heroine from the last book) about the Others, the Priest Kings’ rival race from outer space that spreads death, war, and destruction in its wake. The Priest Kings’ weakened powers have given the Others an opportunity to infiltrate certain factions on Gor, and Tarl Cabot decides to help save the day by spying on them. Vella goes undercover as a sex slave in the merchant Cernus’ house, where she is in a position to observe him closely. The Others’ technology has allowed Cernus to establish a network on both Gor and Earth, and he has discovered that Earth women are a lucrative investment. Cernus is dangerous and power-hungry, and will stop at nothing to become the Ubar of Ar.
Tarl Cabot is completely out of his depth. It’s interesting to see our hero fall and get outsmarted before finally saving the day. We see that he isn’t perfect and can’t do everything, even though he does play a key role as events unfold. The entire novel resembles a giant game of chess, and Cabot himself is only a pawn in much larger schemes that are beyond his control.
If you’ve made it this far in the series, then the sex slaves probably don’t bother you enough to make you stop reading. There’s a bit more description of the kajirae and their training than in the previous books, but the female characters are also badass and play key roles in saving the world. I’m not easily offended and can enjoy the aesthetic.
Five books in, I’m starting to wonder whether Tarl Cabot will ever find Talena, his Free Companion (the Gorean equivalent of a wife), or whether she’s gone the way of a Bond girl. She’s been missing for a lot of books now, and Tarl Cabot seems to have no hesitation when it comes to fucking around with the sex slaves. Apparently this is what you do on Gor if you are a big muscular hero whose wife is missing, although I suspect Talena will kick his ass when she finds him.
My favorite Gor books are still Tarnsman of Gor and Nomads of Gor, but this volume compares favorably with the others. After five volumes, I’m addicted, and I’ve passed the point of no return.
This is the point where it dawns on me that there are 33 books in the Chronicles of Counter-Earth series. I’ve gone too far, and I think I’m in it for the long haul. From what I’ve read on Goodreads, most people who get invested in the series read up to book seven and stop. Where’s the fun in that? I’m challenging myself to read them all. I’m rather charmed by the Gorean world. I like the curious blend of high tech medicine with low tech war, which creates a society dominated by strength and merit. It’s not the kind of world I’d want to live in, but it’s nice to visit for bouts of escapism.
May 5, 2015
Tarl Cabot's been murdered, and the assassin Kuurus has been tasked to wreak vengeance upon those responsible. Carnivorous parakeet racing ensues.
The introduction of the new character, Kuurus, was an extremely interesting twist, and I had hopes he'd bring something new to the world. Alas, very quickly you discover his story doesn't play out as one might hope.
Little goes on in this book beyond a muddled plot involving corruption within the civics of Ar, the art of bird racing, some chess playing, and detailed descriptions on how to subjugate women into becoming proper slaves. Oh, and it touches on the beginning of some kind of uber war between the Priest Kings and a new monster race.
You know, the whole BDSM aspect would deliver a lot more (tee hee) rather than (oh gross) if either side was having any fun with it. But instead, the women are terrified, and to the men, it's become just a job. I keep hoping Norman will introduce a woman capable of standing on her own, but I don't think he shares that agenda.
The introduction of the new character, Kuurus, was an extremely interesting twist, and I had hopes he'd bring something new to the world. Alas, very quickly you discover his story doesn't play out as one might hope.
Little goes on in this book beyond a muddled plot involving corruption within the civics of Ar, the art of bird racing, some chess playing, and detailed descriptions on how to subjugate women into becoming proper slaves. Oh, and it touches on the beginning of some kind of uber war between the Priest Kings and a new monster race.
You know, the whole BDSM aspect would deliver a lot more (tee hee) rather than (oh gross) if either side was having any fun with it. But instead, the women are terrified, and to the men, it's become just a job. I keep hoping Norman will introduce a woman capable of standing on her own, but I don't think he shares that agenda.
April 12, 2015
I have read the entire series, there simply isn't anything else like it; they are decadent and addictive, completely and wholly something everyone should have on their MUST READ list.
Edgar Rice Burroughs BARSOOM series would be a faint comparison, I suppose; but Norman carries his characters to a depth of depravity that is reminiscent of a D/s or BDSM fetish fanatics dream. At the same time, they are not written in a way as to be entirely sexual, he merely casts about components and subtle subtext that one familiar with the lifestyle would of course pick up on, while a "vanilla" person could read right over without ever noticing or being offended.
The worst part of this series is it's highly addictive quality. Not long after I read my first book, I found myself at a Second Hand BookStore in Dallas purchasing a paperbag FULL of the entire series. 20 years later and I still have them! And, I always WILL!
Edgar Rice Burroughs BARSOOM series would be a faint comparison, I suppose; but Norman carries his characters to a depth of depravity that is reminiscent of a D/s or BDSM fetish fanatics dream. At the same time, they are not written in a way as to be entirely sexual, he merely casts about components and subtle subtext that one familiar with the lifestyle would of course pick up on, while a "vanilla" person could read right over without ever noticing or being offended.
The worst part of this series is it's highly addictive quality. Not long after I read my first book, I found myself at a Second Hand BookStore in Dallas purchasing a paperbag FULL of the entire series. 20 years later and I still have them! And, I always WILL!
May 15, 2017
These books are appalling and make me cringe all over, but the story in this one and the last one (Nomads) are actually pretty decent swords and sandals fantasy.
I don't know, I want to give up. But after a couple of months, I can't seem to help myself. I have to see how bad they really are.
I don't know, I want to give up. But after a couple of months, I can't seem to help myself. I have to see how bad they really are.
April 7, 2015
I remember seeing these paperbacks on the shelf back in the day. They had really cool covers but I just wasn't on a fantasy kick at the time. So when I found some used copies I thought, "Here's my 2nd chance."
I read the first one (reviewed on the Two-Fisted Blog) and didn't much care for it. But those in the know said the series really hit its stride with this one, so I gave Norman another chance.
There didn't seem to be as many blatant contrivances in this one, but still, for me, this was a lot like slogging through mud for a week. I was hoping the series would be well-established by this time but Norman still spends a lot of time world-building (well, analyzing the minutiae of the world he built is more accurate).
And I found it dull. Seems not to be much in the way of conflict. The potential for conflict was there, just not exploited. Buried under breakdowns of signature knots, Gorian Chess and slave trade customs on Gor.
I see this book is on a list of erotica. Really? This is what erotica is? This wouldn't even get a PG-13 rating today. That's not a complaint; I'm just really curious about what somebody found so erotic.
I read the first one (reviewed on the Two-Fisted Blog) and didn't much care for it. But those in the know said the series really hit its stride with this one, so I gave Norman another chance.
There didn't seem to be as many blatant contrivances in this one, but still, for me, this was a lot like slogging through mud for a week. I was hoping the series would be well-established by this time but Norman still spends a lot of time world-building (well, analyzing the minutiae of the world he built is more accurate).
And I found it dull. Seems not to be much in the way of conflict. The potential for conflict was there, just not exploited. Buried under breakdowns of signature knots, Gorian Chess and slave trade customs on Gor.
I see this book is on a list of erotica. Really? This is what erotica is? This wouldn't even get a PG-13 rating today. That's not a complaint; I'm just really curious about what somebody found so erotic.
April 3, 2018
Never believe the publisher description! Wow, was it misleading on this one - for the best, I might add.
Another rollicking adventure on Gor, and yet another with several unexpected turns of events. The last book, Norman treated the reader to a detailed olfactory-based language exploration, and in this, we learn of the game. Ah, the game! I didn't get it, but then, I don't get chess or Go or other classic strategy board games - however, I can still enjoy the use of them in a plot narrative.
Also - knots! Haha
I find it interesting how much flak this author has gotten over the years, and yet he creates some wonderful, strong, amazing, and sometimes tragic women characters that really pack a punch.
So enjoyed this book - found myself chuckling, saying "oh no", getting teared up, and fist-pumping "Yeah!". I love having all those experiences in a book!
Another rollicking adventure on Gor, and yet another with several unexpected turns of events. The last book, Norman treated the reader to a detailed olfactory-based language exploration, and in this, we learn of the game. Ah, the game! I didn't get it, but then, I don't get chess or Go or other classic strategy board games - however, I can still enjoy the use of them in a plot narrative.
Also - knots! Haha
I find it interesting how much flak this author has gotten over the years, and yet he creates some wonderful, strong, amazing, and sometimes tragic women characters that really pack a punch.
So enjoyed this book - found myself chuckling, saying "oh no", getting teared up, and fist-pumping "Yeah!". I love having all those experiences in a book!
June 17, 2020
Nach über einem Jahr war es mal wieder Zeit, ein Buch dieser Serie zu lesen.
Am Anfang brauchte ich erwartungsgemäß etwas Zeit, um mich wieder in der Welt (und der Story) einzufinden, doch das dauerte nicht allzu lange.
Die Welt und deren Geschichten erinnert doch stark an die Zeiten des alten Roms und Ägyptens, ausgeschmückt mit einigen SciFi-Fantasy-Elementen.
Inhaltlich: die Tarnrennen und die Gefechte in der Arena waren gut beschrieben, wobei ich etwas schade finde, dass die Ausgänge jedesmal so vorhersehbar sind.
Ein Schmöker, der immer wieder als leichte Unterhaltung zu lesen ist, der aber auch seine Längen hat.
Von mir gibt es daher 3,5 von 5 Sternen.
Am Anfang brauchte ich erwartungsgemäß etwas Zeit, um mich wieder in der Welt (und der Story) einzufinden, doch das dauerte nicht allzu lange.
Die Welt und deren Geschichten erinnert doch stark an die Zeiten des alten Roms und Ägyptens, ausgeschmückt mit einigen SciFi-Fantasy-Elementen.
Inhaltlich: die Tarnrennen und die Gefechte in der Arena waren gut beschrieben, wobei ich etwas schade finde, dass die Ausgänge jedesmal so vorhersehbar sind.
Ein Schmöker, der immer wieder als leichte Unterhaltung zu lesen ist, der aber auch seine Längen hat.
Von mir gibt es daher 3,5 von 5 Sternen.
November 13, 2017
While these books are completely stupid, they are somehow compelling and entertaining. It is a bit like chewing gum for the 5th grade mind.
The plot is infantile, the writing is amateurish, and the characters are one-dimensional. Yet somehow, this train-wreck series of novels just works. I mean, I'm on my 5th one and will likely read the 6th at some point in the future.
The plot is infantile, the writing is amateurish, and the characters are one-dimensional. Yet somehow, this train-wreck series of novels just works. I mean, I'm on my 5th one and will likely read the 6th at some point in the future.
May 7, 2018
The Gor books with the not so subtle bdsm theme are memories from my youth. They are bubblgum, with a heavy dose of dominance and submission thrown in, not for everyone, and probably not appropriate in this day and age, but way better than 50 shades.
May 20, 2007
Swords, sandal, chicks in light bondage, and a hero who always wins the day.
December 24, 2009
I remember liking this one a lot. The story takes place in the city of Ar, which might as well be Rome. There is a lot of political intrigue and spy type stuff in this Gor novel.
July 17, 2014
Read the series ages ago and disliked the whole of it.
January 3, 2017
Well, it was the best book so far but that's not saying very much!
October 10, 2014
*****
Disclaimer:
* this review is full of spoilers, it will cover the story-line, as it is in fact my own way of tracking the progress for future references and research
* you'll find some of my own opinions, but I am not an expert nor claim to be one so you've been warned
*****
Pros
- very good detailed descriptions of the Gor world, people and their rules, traditions, habits, way of life overall
- very good and elaborate philosophical dissertation about the barbarian world of Gor, about the slavery concept, about the man's dominant nature and female's submissive nature, yet with no sex scenes of any kind
- great humor from time to time will spice the charters interactions
Cons
- maybe the fact that Caboot is Superman type, he is always a winner in any battle, or race, or game, sure he's the main protagonist and we should feel good when he wins, because we all love him, but still
- the fact Cabbot states he used to play chess on Earth, blindfolded against 20 players and he was playing and memorizing 20 table games at the same time,once again the Superman concept
Plot:
Setting
Disguise as one of the assassin cast
- Cabot reappears in Koroba, in disguise, with a new identity, posing as one of the assassins cast, being hired to go to Ar to avenge the death of Tarl Cabot that supposedly was killed by another assassin during of little after the Ar siege
- he seems to go with this plan, in accordance with this father, good and close friends from Koroba and with his new slave girl Elizabeth Caldwell from Earth, now, Vela, a slave girl on Gor with Cabot
Infiltration to salvers house in Ar
- Cabot the assassin is in Ar, and after an attempt to be hired by a rich slaver for protection, we learn about that in fact a more powerful slaver house is in Ar, attempting to gain monopoly over the slave trade business in Ar and then maybe in the whole Gor
- but more important we learn that this new slavers house, Sernus, has access to considerable amounts of money and riches that are not quite coming from the slave trade revenue and even more important, they have access to many "barbarian slaves" from the distant cities of Gor, that we in fact suspect are brought from Earth
- as a result - or maybe conform with the plan, we don't quite know yet - Cabot in disguise as an assassin and Vela as a slave girl, infiltrate to the slaver house and settle there to spy and take action when the time is right
On his way to Ar, the beggar and the player
- maybe worth mentioning that on his way to Ar, Cabbot as the assassin, he saves the life of a ugly and disgusting beggar followed by 4 warriors and this will ultimately please his new employer slaver Sernus in Ar and earn him some gold coins
- also, on his way to Ar, Cabot the assassin is watching "the game" similar but more complex and evolved game of strategy having maybe at the core the chess earthy game, between a blind, old, professional player - one who makes his living from wagers and playing against regular goreans and a regular fellow who accepts the challenge of "the game" - when Cabot disappointed by the lack of excitement from the game as it looks the player will allow his opponent to win, Cabot offers the player some gold coins that he will otherwise win maybe in a year of playing, just to prove he, the player, can really win the game even with a great handicap against him - since the stakes are so high now, the incentive motivated the player to play at his true value and with some few magnificent moves, he wins the game - however, after the audience left and the player is with Cabot the assassin only, when the player finds out in fact that the gold coins are from one of the assassins cast, he refuses to get the gold, crying it's "black gold" and as such is cursed and he will not take it
Flashback
Returning the last female egg to Priest kings
- we are taken in a flash back to Cabot and Vela, traveling on a tarn back to Sarda Mountains, to meet Misk and return the egg he finally got from the wagons peoples
- it looks like Cabot in his last trip to Priest kings after returning the egg, finds that there are indeed "others" somewhat equal in power and technology with Priest kings, just a bit less developed just because they have more barbarian instincts to kill and wage wars
- it looks the "others" are at war with Priest kings for more than 20 k years and they've attempted to conquer Earth and Gor, but failed since those are under the Priest kings protection under the so called 5th ring of the solar system
- it looks however the "others" found that Priest kings are weaken after their internal war and the Others are working on infiltrating on Gor and Earth, to work with humans, just to use them as tools and food in the end when they are done with humans in their quest to conquer Priest kings - it looks the others are carnivores in nature and as a result they eat humans - and other creatures - as food
- so, in a noble way Cabot and Vela volunteer themselves to start working with Priest kings against the Others and to their part in stooping the Others
- as a result is revealed the plan we already know some bits about, for Cabot to infiltrate as one of the assassins cast and Vela as a slave girl in the house of Sernus of Ar and learn as much as they can, in order to fight and try to do their part in stooping the Others
Spy mission, at the house of Sernus in Ar, a famous slaver
- infiltrated Cabot as the assassin, is visiting the large compound and we learn about some slave acquisitions, processing, storage and training procedures
- we learn how Sernus is receiving gold, goods, illegal weapons for Gor and girls to be used as barbarian slaves from Earth from a space ship that seems to be no doubt from Others
- we learn about exotic slave girls, breed and kept in captivity all their life, without bieng allowed to learn nothing about men - or woman - not realizing this way they are in fact females, not knowing there are males in the world and as such becoming a high prize slave for a yuba that will use them while they are under shock finding this way, about men and that they have to serve the men
- while in his private room with his slave Vela, he teaches her some knots and a bit of the skill and art of tying knots
- tying knots on Gor we learn is used to secure a capture, a room or a trunk or safe with valuables and same time in a customized manner to identify oneself as the owner and creator-inventor of a complex knot
- Cabot is learning more and more about Sernus house and the slaves girls in the house and how the house is organized, like a small city in fact
- we also learn more about the tarn races in Ar and different factions - somewhat equivalent with the sports teams on earth - and supporters of one the factions competing against each other
- we learn more about the extensive training of all the slave girls in the house of Sernus, with a focus on the Vela, Phyllis and Virginia, barbarian slave girls from Earth
- we learn that in fact much effort, time and resources are involved into their training, from how to walk, to talk, to serve, to dance, to assume some positions, to do pretty much everything with one purpose only, to please men
- we learn about some methods of "brain washing" by repeating for day at the time, in front of the mirrors their new status - as a slave girl - and their new mission, to please men
- we learn that sooner or later the girls will not only obey, but even more, will want to succeeded and excel with their training, so they can be better once sold, in the hope they will be purchased by a wealthy Master and will have a more pleasant life in his house
At the races
- we witness a scene when Cabot and his slave Vela, along with a friend, guard in the Sernus house and the two other salve girls in training, Phyllis and Virginia, they are out at the great tarn races of Ar, as an incentive for the girls, for good behavior and progress with their training
- Phyllis, who was a feminist on Earth is conflicted with her new role as a slave girl and she's attempting an escape when given the chance, unbounded and unleashed, she runs away in the crowd at the races
- of course, because she's only a slave girl in the Gorean world, he has nowhere to go, even worse another man is attempting to capture her, but watching if fact her back, Cabot and his guard friend save her from the stranger and recover her
- the guard, in the care she was with, is not in fact punish her in a cruel way, as one may expect according with the Gorean law, on the contrary, after he proves her she has no place to go, but to stay with her Master, she releases her back into the crowd, under the pretext to buy him some bread and honey, witch she does this time, and returns back with no hesitation
- we learn that a new mysterious faction is created and will compete at the tarn races in Ar, the faction of Ar
- we learn that even if creating and introducing a new faction into the races is a very expensive and risky business, still the new faction - called the Steelears - will race using not as traditionally race tarns, but using war tarns that are much bigger and not so used with the difficult flight track they need to fly during a race
- Cabot sees his war tran from Koroba brought for the race into the stadium preparation area
- Cabot is lead to the preparation area by a friend Mit, tarn keeper, and he receives the Steelers colors and he is invited to race with his tarn as Corintus of Cos, a mysterious hooded rider
- we learn that Cabot hooded to cover his real identity is winning - as usual - even against more experienced riders from more established factions, and slowly buy surely, he's making real progress for the new faction and also a name for his rider personage Corintus of Cos that very few know his real identity
- is not clear yet, not even for Cabot, why is he asked to race for this new faction Steelears, or who is behind this faction, financing the whole operation, all though we suspect important people are behind
- we also find numerous references to one hooded player in the games - similar with the gladiator games on Earth - who is unbeaten in the games, even by very experienced and powerful warriors and who despite his right to slay and kill his victim, he refuses to kill anyone, sparing their lives after defeating them by doing so, earning valuable points with he audience and so with the people or Ar
- like with Corintus of Cos tarn rider, same with the mysterious fighter, no one knows his real identity, however it's worth mentioning that once at the games Cabot saw and recognized in the crowd, dressed as a peasant, the former Yuba of Ar, Malenas, the father of his beloved Thalena, that was left as Yuba of all Yubas once Ar was restored to order after the siege 7 years agao
Sernus becomes Yuba of Ar
- we learn that having great wealth, from the slave trade but also from the undoubted help from the "others", Sernus was also on a mission to earn the title of Yuba of Ar
- he sponsored the games and the races, thus becoming popular with the masses
- he gave 1000 free passes per day, to races and games, to regular people of Ar, so again building and increasing his popularity with the regular people of Ar
- he gave significant loans to the actual Yuba of Ar, and to his dynasty and after a while, at the right time, he started to demand his money back, under the pretext he need it, but since the amounts were significant, the current Yuba couldn't pay back the money as faster as requested, as a result losing his popularity with the regular people of Ar
- Sernus requested and it was approved by the city council to become of the cast of warriors, as he was training and learning weaponry and warfare with tenacity in the past, maybe exactly for this purpose, this way paving his path on becoming Yuba, as only one from a superior cast - like warriors - can become a Yuba
- Sernus is at his core a slaver, thus one of the merchant casts, but even if they are often rich and influential, merchants are not a superior cast according with the Gorean law so that's why Sernus had to elevate his status as a warrior
- he also sent his loyal employees into the city, into taverns, to offer drinks to regular people and to speak of the need to have a new Yuba in Ar and to promote Sernus as a very possible candidate for the Yuba seat
- the current Yuba and his dynasty was discredited by the lack of funds in the treasury and some discrepancies while a financial audit from the city council, he resigned from his position as Yuba of Ar
- Sernus was appointed as the new Yuba as a result of his long and continuous campaign to take over this position
Cabot spy mission to an end
- with Sernus now out of his house to rule Ar in the administrator cylinder, the scribe - spying as well for Priest kings - has more time than before and less supervision, thus he can now copy more secret and significant useful documents, like maps, orders and such and soon will be ready to leave Sernus and report to Proest Kings
- we learn that a plan is formulated to save the three slave girls, Vela, Phyllis and Virginia, by being purchased like any other slave by a Priest Kings agent, then taken to safety and released as free women
- so Cabot is hopeful his mission as a spy in the house of Sernus will end sometimes soon, gaving once regret for now, the fact he didn't quite learned yet who killed the warrior from Fentis that looked like him and hoping in fact will kill Cabot himself
Kajularia - the festival of slaves
- we are introduced to Kajularia a slaves Gorean holiday and festival when the slaves are roaming around catching and capturing mostly free men and forcing them to serve their pleasure, most like a kind of revenge for being slaves one full year until that day
- Cabot is caught on the streets of Ar by a gang of slave girls, along with another warrior ad an tarn keeper
- even if they are bounded with ropes, they all three manage to escape and re-capture the girls in a amusing game that turns out to be in fact pleasant for the girls, even if they are slaves
- after much fun, Cabot returns to Sernus home, and there the fun continues
- in the house, during this holiday, Sernus is determined to humiliate the main slave girl of the house, that is a passion breed slave, that is the main trainer of the new girls, by offering her to be used by most of the men in the house at that moment playing dice, despite the fact that the main Master keeper of the house is deeply in-loved with her
- Cabot sensing the harm, he plays the ruthless assassin card and by simple intimidation claims the girl for himself only unless someone else will challenge him and of course no other man will challenge him for the girl, so he ends up with the girl in her quarter
- there he has no intention to in fact use her, instead learns more about her, how he was breed as a passion slave and how she had only an old doll from her mother that was sold before she was 5 y/o
- he also learns that she once had a son, not knowing the father as she was hooded when mated and her son taken away from her as soon as he was born, not knowing nothing about her child
- to make the time go easier, as per girl request, Cabot is teaching the girl the game - the one similar with chess on Earth, but more complex - and we find that despite she is only a female and a slave, she has a natural talent and great skills with the game that it looks she grasps quite fast
- her lover bust in, attempting to hurt Cabot blinded by jealousy, but as usual, Cabot defends himself well and the girl clears the situation stating that in fact she was saved from the others man by just being with him and doing nothing but talking and playing the game
Cabot is caught and chained
- well it looks like in his surveillance missions around the house of Sernus, Cabot finds in a dark corner underground the prisoners cages - different than the slaves cages - finds a prisoner that turns out to be in fact the real Caprice, the scribe spy, that was supposed to work with him and Vela for the Priest Kings, thus Cabot understands that all this time in fact Sernus knew about their missions, as he had his own scribe
- Cabot is chained, undressed and with no weapons by Sernus and his guards and Sernus explains that is was quite beneficial to keep him in the house, like a prisoner under observation, knowing same time that no other spy will arrive while Cabot was there
Game play for his life
- Sernus is setting up a game - the chess type - as a charade, with a "Hop the fool" playing for Cabot's life and a young beautiful man, who is the champion of all the champions undefeated at the game representing Sernus
- while Hop the fool is brought, same fool that Cabot saved his life in a tavern on his way to Ar, same time the blind player is brought as he is sharing a roof with Hop the fool, since no one else will give him shelter
- we learn that in fact this is how the player lost his eyes and his vision and he was tortureda while ago, by the orders of Sernus who lost the game against him
Plot diagram
sequence of events
Exposition-rising action-climax-falling action-resolution
Flashbacks-foreshadowing-flash-forwards
1. Exposition, settings
- place - on planet Gor, starts in city of koroba, some flashbacks in mounts of S to meet Priest Kings, but mostly in Ar
- time, current time on Earth, but medieval age in Gor
- characters
protagonist Cabot vs. antagonist ""The Ohters" represented by Sernus a slaver of Ar, that will become Yiba of Ar
- main, Cabot, Vela or Elisabeth and Sernus
- secondary, Phyllis and Virginia as barbarian slave girls brought from Earth, in training on Gor, Mit a tarns keeper, a guard and few more
mood,
- Cabot and vela are ready to do their part against "the others" to stop them from taking over Gor and Earth by defeating Priest Kings
- Phyllis, a virgin feminist from Earth is outraged he was taken as a slave girl and she slowly learns it may not be so bad in fact and that maybe she was wrong to promote her feminist ideology on Earth
- Virginia, a virgin timid girl from Earth, a former professor of antique history, is now learning the value of being a real woman and how to please men and she discover herself as in fact willing to be with a man
- Sernus, with great financial help from "the others" is taking over the city if Ar, step by step, first eliminating his competition and enslaving the only remaining salver who was asking cast sanctuary in his house, then elevating himself as a warrior, then taking over the YUba and administrator of Ar position
points of view
- Priest kings are weaken due to recent war among them, but they are recovering slow
- "The others" are working a smooth plan of improving their position and influence on Gor and Earth, supporting key characters in key cities, but just to use them as need it according with their own plans
- natural order of Gor is debated as a philosophical ideology and it is suggested that it was the same on Earth too, witch is not entirely false
2. Rising action
Characters roles, protagonist vs. antagonists, conflict, mood,
- Cabot and Vela, assisted by a scribe sent by Priest Kings spy in the house of Sernus
- Sernus is taking over the city of Ar with the help of "The Others"
- the slave girls from Earth learn that in fact is not so bad to please men after all
- Cabos keeps winning in his tarn races for the new faction of Steelears same way as a mysterious fighter - we suspect it maybe Malenas - keeps winning in the games
3. climax
- point of maxim tension, of greatest action or confrontation
4. Falling action
- conflict outcome
- resulting events
5. Resolution
- final outcome, theme
- story's meaning, bottom line, lessons to learn
- author's purpose (persuade, inform, entertain, teach, etc.)
Disclaimer:
* this review is full of spoilers, it will cover the story-line, as it is in fact my own way of tracking the progress for future references and research
* you'll find some of my own opinions, but I am not an expert nor claim to be one so you've been warned
*****
Pros
- very good detailed descriptions of the Gor world, people and their rules, traditions, habits, way of life overall
- very good and elaborate philosophical dissertation about the barbarian world of Gor, about the slavery concept, about the man's dominant nature and female's submissive nature, yet with no sex scenes of any kind
- great humor from time to time will spice the charters interactions
Cons
- maybe the fact that Caboot is Superman type, he is always a winner in any battle, or race, or game, sure he's the main protagonist and we should feel good when he wins, because we all love him, but still
- the fact Cabbot states he used to play chess on Earth, blindfolded against 20 players and he was playing and memorizing 20 table games at the same time,once again the Superman concept
Plot:
Setting
Disguise as one of the assassin cast
- Cabot reappears in Koroba, in disguise, with a new identity, posing as one of the assassins cast, being hired to go to Ar to avenge the death of Tarl Cabot that supposedly was killed by another assassin during of little after the Ar siege
- he seems to go with this plan, in accordance with this father, good and close friends from Koroba and with his new slave girl Elizabeth Caldwell from Earth, now, Vela, a slave girl on Gor with Cabot
Infiltration to salvers house in Ar
- Cabot the assassin is in Ar, and after an attempt to be hired by a rich slaver for protection, we learn about that in fact a more powerful slaver house is in Ar, attempting to gain monopoly over the slave trade business in Ar and then maybe in the whole Gor
- but more important we learn that this new slavers house, Sernus, has access to considerable amounts of money and riches that are not quite coming from the slave trade revenue and even more important, they have access to many "barbarian slaves" from the distant cities of Gor, that we in fact suspect are brought from Earth
- as a result - or maybe conform with the plan, we don't quite know yet - Cabot in disguise as an assassin and Vela as a slave girl, infiltrate to the slaver house and settle there to spy and take action when the time is right
On his way to Ar, the beggar and the player
- maybe worth mentioning that on his way to Ar, Cabbot as the assassin, he saves the life of a ugly and disgusting beggar followed by 4 warriors and this will ultimately please his new employer slaver Sernus in Ar and earn him some gold coins
- also, on his way to Ar, Cabot the assassin is watching "the game" similar but more complex and evolved game of strategy having maybe at the core the chess earthy game, between a blind, old, professional player - one who makes his living from wagers and playing against regular goreans and a regular fellow who accepts the challenge of "the game" - when Cabot disappointed by the lack of excitement from the game as it looks the player will allow his opponent to win, Cabot offers the player some gold coins that he will otherwise win maybe in a year of playing, just to prove he, the player, can really win the game even with a great handicap against him - since the stakes are so high now, the incentive motivated the player to play at his true value and with some few magnificent moves, he wins the game - however, after the audience left and the player is with Cabot the assassin only, when the player finds out in fact that the gold coins are from one of the assassins cast, he refuses to get the gold, crying it's "black gold" and as such is cursed and he will not take it
Flashback
Returning the last female egg to Priest kings
- we are taken in a flash back to Cabot and Vela, traveling on a tarn back to Sarda Mountains, to meet Misk and return the egg he finally got from the wagons peoples
- it looks like Cabot in his last trip to Priest kings after returning the egg, finds that there are indeed "others" somewhat equal in power and technology with Priest kings, just a bit less developed just because they have more barbarian instincts to kill and wage wars
- it looks the "others" are at war with Priest kings for more than 20 k years and they've attempted to conquer Earth and Gor, but failed since those are under the Priest kings protection under the so called 5th ring of the solar system
- it looks however the "others" found that Priest kings are weaken after their internal war and the Others are working on infiltrating on Gor and Earth, to work with humans, just to use them as tools and food in the end when they are done with humans in their quest to conquer Priest kings - it looks the others are carnivores in nature and as a result they eat humans - and other creatures - as food
- so, in a noble way Cabot and Vela volunteer themselves to start working with Priest kings against the Others and to their part in stooping the Others
- as a result is revealed the plan we already know some bits about, for Cabot to infiltrate as one of the assassins cast and Vela as a slave girl in the house of Sernus of Ar and learn as much as they can, in order to fight and try to do their part in stooping the Others
Spy mission, at the house of Sernus in Ar, a famous slaver
- infiltrated Cabot as the assassin, is visiting the large compound and we learn about some slave acquisitions, processing, storage and training procedures
- we learn how Sernus is receiving gold, goods, illegal weapons for Gor and girls to be used as barbarian slaves from Earth from a space ship that seems to be no doubt from Others
- we learn about exotic slave girls, breed and kept in captivity all their life, without bieng allowed to learn nothing about men - or woman - not realizing this way they are in fact females, not knowing there are males in the world and as such becoming a high prize slave for a yuba that will use them while they are under shock finding this way, about men and that they have to serve the men
- while in his private room with his slave Vela, he teaches her some knots and a bit of the skill and art of tying knots
- tying knots on Gor we learn is used to secure a capture, a room or a trunk or safe with valuables and same time in a customized manner to identify oneself as the owner and creator-inventor of a complex knot
- Cabot is learning more and more about Sernus house and the slaves girls in the house and how the house is organized, like a small city in fact
- we also learn more about the tarn races in Ar and different factions - somewhat equivalent with the sports teams on earth - and supporters of one the factions competing against each other
- we learn more about the extensive training of all the slave girls in the house of Sernus, with a focus on the Vela, Phyllis and Virginia, barbarian slave girls from Earth
- we learn that in fact much effort, time and resources are involved into their training, from how to walk, to talk, to serve, to dance, to assume some positions, to do pretty much everything with one purpose only, to please men
- we learn about some methods of "brain washing" by repeating for day at the time, in front of the mirrors their new status - as a slave girl - and their new mission, to please men
- we learn that sooner or later the girls will not only obey, but even more, will want to succeeded and excel with their training, so they can be better once sold, in the hope they will be purchased by a wealthy Master and will have a more pleasant life in his house
At the races
- we witness a scene when Cabot and his slave Vela, along with a friend, guard in the Sernus house and the two other salve girls in training, Phyllis and Virginia, they are out at the great tarn races of Ar, as an incentive for the girls, for good behavior and progress with their training
- Phyllis, who was a feminist on Earth is conflicted with her new role as a slave girl and she's attempting an escape when given the chance, unbounded and unleashed, she runs away in the crowd at the races
- of course, because she's only a slave girl in the Gorean world, he has nowhere to go, even worse another man is attempting to capture her, but watching if fact her back, Cabot and his guard friend save her from the stranger and recover her
- the guard, in the care she was with, is not in fact punish her in a cruel way, as one may expect according with the Gorean law, on the contrary, after he proves her she has no place to go, but to stay with her Master, she releases her back into the crowd, under the pretext to buy him some bread and honey, witch she does this time, and returns back with no hesitation
- we learn that a new mysterious faction is created and will compete at the tarn races in Ar, the faction of Ar
- we learn that even if creating and introducing a new faction into the races is a very expensive and risky business, still the new faction - called the Steelears - will race using not as traditionally race tarns, but using war tarns that are much bigger and not so used with the difficult flight track they need to fly during a race
- Cabot sees his war tran from Koroba brought for the race into the stadium preparation area
- Cabot is lead to the preparation area by a friend Mit, tarn keeper, and he receives the Steelers colors and he is invited to race with his tarn as Corintus of Cos, a mysterious hooded rider
- we learn that Cabot hooded to cover his real identity is winning - as usual - even against more experienced riders from more established factions, and slowly buy surely, he's making real progress for the new faction and also a name for his rider personage Corintus of Cos that very few know his real identity
- is not clear yet, not even for Cabot, why is he asked to race for this new faction Steelears, or who is behind this faction, financing the whole operation, all though we suspect important people are behind
- we also find numerous references to one hooded player in the games - similar with the gladiator games on Earth - who is unbeaten in the games, even by very experienced and powerful warriors and who despite his right to slay and kill his victim, he refuses to kill anyone, sparing their lives after defeating them by doing so, earning valuable points with he audience and so with the people or Ar
- like with Corintus of Cos tarn rider, same with the mysterious fighter, no one knows his real identity, however it's worth mentioning that once at the games Cabot saw and recognized in the crowd, dressed as a peasant, the former Yuba of Ar, Malenas, the father of his beloved Thalena, that was left as Yuba of all Yubas once Ar was restored to order after the siege 7 years agao
Sernus becomes Yuba of Ar
- we learn that having great wealth, from the slave trade but also from the undoubted help from the "others", Sernus was also on a mission to earn the title of Yuba of Ar
- he sponsored the games and the races, thus becoming popular with the masses
- he gave 1000 free passes per day, to races and games, to regular people of Ar, so again building and increasing his popularity with the regular people of Ar
- he gave significant loans to the actual Yuba of Ar, and to his dynasty and after a while, at the right time, he started to demand his money back, under the pretext he need it, but since the amounts were significant, the current Yuba couldn't pay back the money as faster as requested, as a result losing his popularity with the regular people of Ar
- Sernus requested and it was approved by the city council to become of the cast of warriors, as he was training and learning weaponry and warfare with tenacity in the past, maybe exactly for this purpose, this way paving his path on becoming Yuba, as only one from a superior cast - like warriors - can become a Yuba
- Sernus is at his core a slaver, thus one of the merchant casts, but even if they are often rich and influential, merchants are not a superior cast according with the Gorean law so that's why Sernus had to elevate his status as a warrior
- he also sent his loyal employees into the city, into taverns, to offer drinks to regular people and to speak of the need to have a new Yuba in Ar and to promote Sernus as a very possible candidate for the Yuba seat
- the current Yuba and his dynasty was discredited by the lack of funds in the treasury and some discrepancies while a financial audit from the city council, he resigned from his position as Yuba of Ar
- Sernus was appointed as the new Yuba as a result of his long and continuous campaign to take over this position
Cabot spy mission to an end
- with Sernus now out of his house to rule Ar in the administrator cylinder, the scribe - spying as well for Priest kings - has more time than before and less supervision, thus he can now copy more secret and significant useful documents, like maps, orders and such and soon will be ready to leave Sernus and report to Proest Kings
- we learn that a plan is formulated to save the three slave girls, Vela, Phyllis and Virginia, by being purchased like any other slave by a Priest Kings agent, then taken to safety and released as free women
- so Cabot is hopeful his mission as a spy in the house of Sernus will end sometimes soon, gaving once regret for now, the fact he didn't quite learned yet who killed the warrior from Fentis that looked like him and hoping in fact will kill Cabot himself
Kajularia - the festival of slaves
- we are introduced to Kajularia a slaves Gorean holiday and festival when the slaves are roaming around catching and capturing mostly free men and forcing them to serve their pleasure, most like a kind of revenge for being slaves one full year until that day
- Cabot is caught on the streets of Ar by a gang of slave girls, along with another warrior ad an tarn keeper
- even if they are bounded with ropes, they all three manage to escape and re-capture the girls in a amusing game that turns out to be in fact pleasant for the girls, even if they are slaves
- after much fun, Cabot returns to Sernus home, and there the fun continues
- in the house, during this holiday, Sernus is determined to humiliate the main slave girl of the house, that is a passion breed slave, that is the main trainer of the new girls, by offering her to be used by most of the men in the house at that moment playing dice, despite the fact that the main Master keeper of the house is deeply in-loved with her
- Cabot sensing the harm, he plays the ruthless assassin card and by simple intimidation claims the girl for himself only unless someone else will challenge him and of course no other man will challenge him for the girl, so he ends up with the girl in her quarter
- there he has no intention to in fact use her, instead learns more about her, how he was breed as a passion slave and how she had only an old doll from her mother that was sold before she was 5 y/o
- he also learns that she once had a son, not knowing the father as she was hooded when mated and her son taken away from her as soon as he was born, not knowing nothing about her child
- to make the time go easier, as per girl request, Cabot is teaching the girl the game - the one similar with chess on Earth, but more complex - and we find that despite she is only a female and a slave, she has a natural talent and great skills with the game that it looks she grasps quite fast
- her lover bust in, attempting to hurt Cabot blinded by jealousy, but as usual, Cabot defends himself well and the girl clears the situation stating that in fact she was saved from the others man by just being with him and doing nothing but talking and playing the game
Cabot is caught and chained
- well it looks like in his surveillance missions around the house of Sernus, Cabot finds in a dark corner underground the prisoners cages - different than the slaves cages - finds a prisoner that turns out to be in fact the real Caprice, the scribe spy, that was supposed to work with him and Vela for the Priest Kings, thus Cabot understands that all this time in fact Sernus knew about their missions, as he had his own scribe
- Cabot is chained, undressed and with no weapons by Sernus and his guards and Sernus explains that is was quite beneficial to keep him in the house, like a prisoner under observation, knowing same time that no other spy will arrive while Cabot was there
Game play for his life
- Sernus is setting up a game - the chess type - as a charade, with a "Hop the fool" playing for Cabot's life and a young beautiful man, who is the champion of all the champions undefeated at the game representing Sernus
- while Hop the fool is brought, same fool that Cabot saved his life in a tavern on his way to Ar, same time the blind player is brought as he is sharing a roof with Hop the fool, since no one else will give him shelter
- we learn that in fact this is how the player lost his eyes and his vision and he was tortureda while ago, by the orders of Sernus who lost the game against him
Plot diagram
sequence of events
Exposition-rising action-climax-falling action-resolution
Flashbacks-foreshadowing-flash-forwards
1. Exposition, settings
- place - on planet Gor, starts in city of koroba, some flashbacks in mounts of S to meet Priest Kings, but mostly in Ar
- time, current time on Earth, but medieval age in Gor
- characters
protagonist Cabot vs. antagonist ""The Ohters" represented by Sernus a slaver of Ar, that will become Yiba of Ar
- main, Cabot, Vela or Elisabeth and Sernus
- secondary, Phyllis and Virginia as barbarian slave girls brought from Earth, in training on Gor, Mit a tarns keeper, a guard and few more
mood,
- Cabot and vela are ready to do their part against "the others" to stop them from taking over Gor and Earth by defeating Priest Kings
- Phyllis, a virgin feminist from Earth is outraged he was taken as a slave girl and she slowly learns it may not be so bad in fact and that maybe she was wrong to promote her feminist ideology on Earth
- Virginia, a virgin timid girl from Earth, a former professor of antique history, is now learning the value of being a real woman and how to please men and she discover herself as in fact willing to be with a man
- Sernus, with great financial help from "the others" is taking over the city if Ar, step by step, first eliminating his competition and enslaving the only remaining salver who was asking cast sanctuary in his house, then elevating himself as a warrior, then taking over the YUba and administrator of Ar position
points of view
- Priest kings are weaken due to recent war among them, but they are recovering slow
- "The others" are working a smooth plan of improving their position and influence on Gor and Earth, supporting key characters in key cities, but just to use them as need it according with their own plans
- natural order of Gor is debated as a philosophical ideology and it is suggested that it was the same on Earth too, witch is not entirely false
2. Rising action
Characters roles, protagonist vs. antagonists, conflict, mood,
- Cabot and Vela, assisted by a scribe sent by Priest Kings spy in the house of Sernus
- Sernus is taking over the city of Ar with the help of "The Others"
- the slave girls from Earth learn that in fact is not so bad to please men after all
- Cabos keeps winning in his tarn races for the new faction of Steelears same way as a mysterious fighter - we suspect it maybe Malenas - keeps winning in the games
3. climax
- point of maxim tension, of greatest action or confrontation
4. Falling action
- conflict outcome
- resulting events
5. Resolution
- final outcome, theme
- story's meaning, bottom line, lessons to learn
- author's purpose (persuade, inform, entertain, teach, etc.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2023
Most criticism of John Norman's Gor series centers around the author's almost gleeful depiction of female bondage. Although those criticisms are warranted, in many cases they have subsumed a broader discussion of Norman's writing. More specifically, for readers with whom Norman's gender politics aren't a complete deal-breaker, it's difficult to determine whether the Gor novels are worth your time. Are they fun Sword and Planet adventures that merely happen to include a few objectionable components, or are they third-rate junk that is only remembered because of those same elements? I'd say that the answer depends upon which volume you're talking about. I actually enjoyed each of the first three Gor novels as action-packed pulp, and would recommend those volumes to fans of Sword and Planet fiction. Unfortunately, Norman's (already overlt-descriptive) style drifted toward self-indulgence on Nomads of Gor, and those tendencies blossom into outright tedium beginning with Assassin of Gor. It's the first Gor novel that I struggled to finish, and a work that offers little of interest apart from its detailed world-building.
Assassin of Gor continues the adventures of Tarl Cabot, who is revealed to be the titular assassin a couple chapters in. Cabot now finds himself in the city of Ar, disguised as the assassin Kuurus but actually serving as an agent for the extraterrestrial Priest-Kings. Much of the novel is spent within the House of Cernus- the largest slave house in Ar. The remainder of the work recounts Cabot's various experiences upon the streets of Ar, and among the Roman-styled games that have come to dominate local culture. What you don't have here is a lot of action. In fact, Assassin of Gor is almost entirely consumed by political machinations and detailed accounts of Gorean society, with the narrative only giving way to faster-paced storytelling over its final hundred pages. This more deliberate pace is accentuated by the novel's runtime- despite the fact that the novel is relatively light on plot, this was the first Gor novel to break the 400-page mark.
In nearly every regard, Assassin of Gor is the weakest Gor novel up to this point. Much of the book's first two-thirds is glacially paced, with Norman spending way too much time on details that will bore most readers (detailed discussions of knots, multiple chapters devoted to board games, etc.). Making matters worse is Norman's constant repetition of basic facts. The only conclusion I can draw is that Assassin of Gor was subject to minimal editing, freeing Norman to dwell upon the immersive world-building that was undoubtedly his primary passion. It's interesting to note that some readers still have a (comparatively) high opinion of this volume, and I suspect that's primarily because of all the world-building. Yet no matter your disposition, it's impossible to deny that at least fifty pages of world-building could've been cut, with negligible effect on the core plot.
All of this results in a novel that I considered dropping about half way through. The only things that kept me going were fond memories of the first three Gor novels, as well as an interest in the overriding, Priest-Kings vs. Others plot arc. In particular, even the colorful side characters that carried the slower stretches in Nomads of Gor are less interesting this time around. Luckily, the book's final one-hundred pages deliver just enough of a payoff for it to avoid a one-star rating. Nothing phenomenal here, but a faster-paced procession of action sequences that remind me of why I enjoyed the first three Gor books. It still would've been nice to have seen an extended battle sequence, a la Nomads of Gor, or to have learned a bit more about the Others. I suppose we have to wait for future volumes before receiving a genuinely interesting plot development…
So where does this leave me in regard to the Gor series? In my review for Nomads of Gor, I resolved to give John Norman one more chance to pick up the pacing, and Assassin of Gor abjectly fails in that respect. I guess that means I should give up before I waste even more time with mediocre Sword and Planet storytelling. I may eventually get around to Raiders of Gor, but it won't be anytime soon and I've just removed subsequent Gor novels from my "to read" list.
Assassin of Gor continues the adventures of Tarl Cabot, who is revealed to be the titular assassin a couple chapters in. Cabot now finds himself in the city of Ar, disguised as the assassin Kuurus but actually serving as an agent for the extraterrestrial Priest-Kings. Much of the novel is spent within the House of Cernus- the largest slave house in Ar. The remainder of the work recounts Cabot's various experiences upon the streets of Ar, and among the Roman-styled games that have come to dominate local culture. What you don't have here is a lot of action. In fact, Assassin of Gor is almost entirely consumed by political machinations and detailed accounts of Gorean society, with the narrative only giving way to faster-paced storytelling over its final hundred pages. This more deliberate pace is accentuated by the novel's runtime- despite the fact that the novel is relatively light on plot, this was the first Gor novel to break the 400-page mark.
In nearly every regard, Assassin of Gor is the weakest Gor novel up to this point. Much of the book's first two-thirds is glacially paced, with Norman spending way too much time on details that will bore most readers (detailed discussions of knots, multiple chapters devoted to board games, etc.). Making matters worse is Norman's constant repetition of basic facts. The only conclusion I can draw is that Assassin of Gor was subject to minimal editing, freeing Norman to dwell upon the immersive world-building that was undoubtedly his primary passion. It's interesting to note that some readers still have a (comparatively) high opinion of this volume, and I suspect that's primarily because of all the world-building. Yet no matter your disposition, it's impossible to deny that at least fifty pages of world-building could've been cut, with negligible effect on the core plot.
All of this results in a novel that I considered dropping about half way through. The only things that kept me going were fond memories of the first three Gor novels, as well as an interest in the overriding, Priest-Kings vs. Others plot arc. In particular, even the colorful side characters that carried the slower stretches in Nomads of Gor are less interesting this time around. Luckily, the book's final one-hundred pages deliver just enough of a payoff for it to avoid a one-star rating. Nothing phenomenal here, but a faster-paced procession of action sequences that remind me of why I enjoyed the first three Gor books. It still would've been nice to have seen an extended battle sequence, a la Nomads of Gor, or to have learned a bit more about the Others. I suppose we have to wait for future volumes before receiving a genuinely interesting plot development…
So where does this leave me in regard to the Gor series? In my review for Nomads of Gor, I resolved to give John Norman one more chance to pick up the pacing, and Assassin of Gor abjectly fails in that respect. I guess that means I should give up before I waste even more time with mediocre Sword and Planet storytelling. I may eventually get around to Raiders of Gor, but it won't be anytime soon and I've just removed subsequent Gor novels from my "to read" list.
December 4, 2021
John Norman's Gor series is really unlike any other series I've read. For those of you who are more inclined toward 70s sci-fi (and a little bit of kinkiness) the books are great. However, I found Assassin of Gor to be the weakest in the series thus far. This was particularly disappointing for me considering the previous book, Nomads of Gor, was my favorite in the series.
Like many of the other reviewers, I agree that Norman was a bit too over-zealous with Tarl Cabot's adventures this time. He tried to include too many plot points in too short a book and, as a result, no particular plot point stands out. Things get muddied and by the final climactic battle of the book, I was just sort of waiting for it to be over so that I can move on to the next installment in the series.
The shining stand-out in an otherwise uninteresting book is Elizabeth Cardwell (who has taken the Gorean name Vella). Much of the reason I continued this book was to see what happened to the curious earth woman and to watch her rather bizarre character development. Elizabeth teeters somewhere between compassion for other Earth-born slaves, and a condescension toward them. I was expecting her character development to go one way and Norman threw me for a bit of a loop. I was expecting her to become a better person, more dependent on Tarl, and follow similar routes to those of Tarl's past love interests but she doesn't. Rather, she adopts and rather successfully navigates gorean culture while succumbing to it's tendency to occasionally pit female slaves against one another. While this is not a good thing, it certainly made her character more three dimensional.
The Game is another aspect of this book that I enjoyed. I do however wish that it had been wored into the plot with more subtlety and perhaps more frequently throughout the book rather than just at the end.
TLDR: Too many plot points makes this book boring but its redeeming factors are the character development of Elizabeth Cardwell and the strange Gorean fascination with "space chess"
Like many of the other reviewers, I agree that Norman was a bit too over-zealous with Tarl Cabot's adventures this time. He tried to include too many plot points in too short a book and, as a result, no particular plot point stands out. Things get muddied and by the final climactic battle of the book, I was just sort of waiting for it to be over so that I can move on to the next installment in the series.
The shining stand-out in an otherwise uninteresting book is Elizabeth Cardwell (who has taken the Gorean name Vella). Much of the reason I continued this book was to see what happened to the curious earth woman and to watch her rather bizarre character development. Elizabeth teeters somewhere between compassion for other Earth-born slaves, and a condescension toward them. I was expecting her character development to go one way and Norman threw me for a bit of a loop. I was expecting her to become a better person, more dependent on Tarl, and follow similar routes to those of Tarl's past love interests but she doesn't. Rather, she adopts and rather successfully navigates gorean culture while succumbing to it's tendency to occasionally pit female slaves against one another. While this is not a good thing, it certainly made her character more three dimensional.
The Game is another aspect of this book that I enjoyed. I do however wish that it had been wored into the plot with more subtlety and perhaps more frequently throughout the book rather than just at the end.
TLDR: Too many plot points makes this book boring but its redeeming factors are the character development of Elizabeth Cardwell and the strange Gorean fascination with "space chess"
August 24, 2017
Le moins bon de ceux que j'ai pu lire à ce jour. Il y a encore des rebondissements dans l'intrigue mais sur certains passages l'action est inintéressante (tous ces combats de tarns....). L'auteur commence à tourner à plein régime dans son trip SM et à structurer socialement par le menu le statut d'esclave sur Gor. Le récit entre dans une autre dimension, pas vraiment érotique ni même graveleuse. L'auteur écrit suffisamment bien pour tout faire comprendre sans se complaire dans des descriptions. Le schéma est quand même toujours le même avec des femmes jamais contentes d'être tourmentées (quand même ^^) et qui ont la révélation que finalement elles s'épanouissent dans la soumission. En cela ça manque de subtilité.
June 17, 2021
Assassin of GOR 995 pages. Tarl Cabot is in AR disguised as an Assassin. There are many plots to this story. Many wars with in wars. We meet Tarl Cabot also known as Kuurus the Assassin, also tarn racer Gladius of COS. Elizabeth Caldwell of earth also know as Vella slave girl, and companion to Tarl. We meet many Virginia Kent from earth, Phyllis Robertson also from earth, slaves to the slaver house of Cernus. We meet Relius warrior companion to sweet Virginia, and Ho Sorl, master to slave Phyllis. Sura slave and teacher, and her true love Ho Tu. Mip also know as Melipolus of COS, a tarns keeper and his tarn Green Ubar. Tarl tarn Ubar of the skies!
November 23, 2024
I thought the book was written very well. Norman does a fantastic job in creating the world of Gor. He returned to Ar which I was hoping he would. He told stories about a modified game of chess, he wrote about the story using visions of the Roman colosseum, and the Roman chariot races. There was plenty of battles and in Norman fashion he spoke a lot of power dynamics between men and women. I did however like the Nomads of Gor a little better than the Assassins of Gor. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in swords and planet genre. The warning that I would give is that if you are a feminist or harbor deep feminist views this series is not for you.
September 26, 2017
This is the first Gor book that I didn't completely devour within a day or two. Instead of "Assassin of Gor" it should have been called "Exposition of Gor". Most of this book is taken up with descriptions of various things of Gor. We get huge walls of text about locks, knots, tarn saddles, tarn baskets, tarn racing, games, holidays, months, fighting formations, slave training, slave auctions, and on and on and on. Much of the time, I felt that I was reading an encyclopedia rather than a novel. On top of all of that, almost nothing interesting happens until well past halfway through the novel.
What saves this novel from getting fewer than three stars, however, is the ending. The last few chapters really pick up the pace and are some of the most exciting of any Gor novel thus far.
What saves this novel from getting fewer than three stars, however, is the ending. The last few chapters really pick up the pace and are some of the most exciting of any Gor novel thus far.
September 13, 2018
When John Norman is focusing on the world building, the culture and what's happening these stories are, interesting. But when he deals with dialog, relationship building and plot not so much. This is the worst one I have read. But I'm willing to say this might be just a weak book in the series. There is a lot to take form this one in the kink community. It does have a bunch of rope and knot scenes, women training the other women. Dominance in a no-sexual manor. When it comes to the kink stuff he does know what he is talking about.
January 8, 2023
Possibly the best Gor novel, and rather ambitious in its plot and worldbuilding. The theme of sexual slavery, which was not so central in the first three books, became more so in the fourth and fifth novels, but still this is a very reasonable sword and planet novel, rather than the soft porn the series will become later. Pulp fiction that reads like fantasy, although it's actually science fiction. Quite enjoyable, this one, and the only reason I don't give it five stars is the frequent digressions that make the story slower and longer than it needed to be.
October 8, 2017
Read this in the 70s along with several other Gor novels.
February 21, 2020
Interesting world building. Love classic Sword and Planet.
August 9, 2024
The plot surrounding Hup the Fool was no less than a masterpiece.
September 7, 2022
I wish that Mr. Norman would start to explore more the different castes of these books. The assassin caste seems rather interesting.
Overall deus ex machina ended this book, which wasn't that awful. Still the character growth of Tarl was interesting.
I read these books from the perspective of a younger me, a young man who looks upon the heroes of the story as what the 60s would regard as manly men and how those manly men would wish that women acted like... Like the antithesis of Jane Austin, where the woman are womanly and the men are all act like how women would want them to act like.
I do love Elizabeth in both books!
Overall deus ex machina ended this book, which wasn't that awful. Still the character growth of Tarl was interesting.
I read these books from the perspective of a younger me, a young man who looks upon the heroes of the story as what the 60s would regard as manly men and how those manly men would wish that women acted like... Like the antithesis of Jane Austin, where the woman are womanly and the men are all act like how women would want them to act like.
I do love Elizabeth in both books!
October 18, 2022
Still in service to the Priest-Kings, Tarl Cabot returns to the city of Ar disguised as the assassin Kuurus to track down the individual who killed mistakenly someone who looked like him.
The biggest problem with this book is the gratuitous nature of the slavery domination theme. The book begins well and ends well, but the story disappears during the middle section. To make up for this, we get 100+ pages detailing the processing of a female slave--from capture, through training, to sale. Then during a quite exciting tarn race, Norman segues into a lengthy discussion of how the races are structured before returning to the action. But the ending is still quite good.
What saves this novel from total disaster is that beginning and ending are basically well done and that the character of Hup the Fool is simply great. I rank Hup up there with Keltset the Rock Troll from The Sword of Shannara. But the overall effect of the book is head-scratching to say the least.
This is the low-point of the first 6 Gor novels for me.
The biggest problem with this book is the gratuitous nature of the slavery domination theme. The book begins well and ends well, but the story disappears during the middle section. To make up for this, we get 100+ pages detailing the processing of a female slave--from capture, through training, to sale. Then during a quite exciting tarn race, Norman segues into a lengthy discussion of how the races are structured before returning to the action. But the ending is still quite good.
What saves this novel from total disaster is that beginning and ending are basically well done and that the character of Hup the Fool is simply great. I rank Hup up there with Keltset the Rock Troll from The Sword of Shannara. But the overall effect of the book is head-scratching to say the least.
This is the low-point of the first 6 Gor novels for me.
December 17, 2015
Much like the previous book in this series, Nomads of Gor, this book is mostly full of John Norman's glacially-paced world building, then abruptly shifts into high gear for the last 150 pages or so. Only trouble is, the interesting part of this book isn't nearly as well-written here as it was in Nomads. The big plot twist is obvious and predictable, but I won't spoil it here.
John Norman's views of male-female relations, and in fact of women in general, is beneath comment. All I will say here is that, if you read this book you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about female slavery in Gor in general, and in the city of Ar in particular. Of course, the other books go into this in detail also, but this one seems to spend the most time on it (at least of the Gor books I have read up to now).
This book does introduce the Gorean version of chess. I would have enjoyed a more detailed description of the game and it's moves, but the sections of the book dealing with were among the most interesting. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Tarn racing.
Overall, if you can get past Norman's stone-age views of women and the excruciatingly-detailed digressions of such things as how door locks work on Gor, this is an OK entry in the series, if not quite as good as the two previous volumes.
John Norman's views of male-female relations, and in fact of women in general, is beneath comment. All I will say here is that, if you read this book you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about female slavery in Gor in general, and in the city of Ar in particular. Of course, the other books go into this in detail also, but this one seems to spend the most time on it (at least of the Gor books I have read up to now).
This book does introduce the Gorean version of chess. I would have enjoyed a more detailed description of the game and it's moves, but the sections of the book dealing with were among the most interesting. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Tarn racing.
Overall, if you can get past Norman's stone-age views of women and the excruciatingly-detailed digressions of such things as how door locks work on Gor, this is an OK entry in the series, if not quite as good as the two previous volumes.
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