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Time Slave
Dr. Brenda Hamilton--a Ph.D. mathematician from Cal Tech--is beautiful, though she does not know her true beauty. She is a woman, though she does not know her true womanhood. Deep within herself she is sensual, though her senses have been dulled by this modern world.
Hamilton has come to Africa to work under the brilliant Danish scientist Herjellsen, a man who speaks of reaching the stars. But what does the ancient stone axe lying on his lab table have to do with space travel? Soon, it becomes clear that Herjellsen’s experiment is much larger than Hamilton or Herjellsen or even space travel, itself. It is about correcting a mistake made tens of thousands of years ago in human evolution.
Thrown back in time, Hamilton must be shown her place in a tribe known simply as "the Men," Stone Age hunters who take what they desire and know their true manhood. Will Hamilton survive in this savage land? Will her lover, Tree, teach her what it truly means to be a woman? Can the spark between them put mankind back on its proper path toward the stars?
In TIME SLAVE, author John Norman brings the same keen philosophical acuity and passion for storytelling that enrich his classic Gor novels. Fans of his work will love the fresh take on his theories and the bold adventure that brings them to life.
Hamilton has come to Africa to work under the brilliant Danish scientist Herjellsen, a man who speaks of reaching the stars. But what does the ancient stone axe lying on his lab table have to do with space travel? Soon, it becomes clear that Herjellsen’s experiment is much larger than Hamilton or Herjellsen or even space travel, itself. It is about correcting a mistake made tens of thousands of years ago in human evolution.
Thrown back in time, Hamilton must be shown her place in a tribe known simply as "the Men," Stone Age hunters who take what they desire and know their true manhood. Will Hamilton survive in this savage land? Will her lover, Tree, teach her what it truly means to be a woman? Can the spark between them put mankind back on its proper path toward the stars?
In TIME SLAVE, author John Norman brings the same keen philosophical acuity and passion for storytelling that enrich his classic Gor novels. Fans of his work will love the fresh take on his theories and the bold adventure that brings them to life.
380 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1975
18 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
John Norman
99 books338 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 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 15, 2010
From my blog pulpaweek.blogspot.com
DAW Books, copyright 1975. $1.50 cover price. 380 pages.
Oh man, where to start? This novel is even viler than Norman's Gor series, which is saying quite a bit. I think I will spare you most of my thoughts on this piece of shit and give you a synopsis.
Dr. Brenda Hamilton—mathematician, feminist, bombshell—accepts a job under false pretense from Herjellsen, an octogenarian who definitely fulfills the 'mad scientist' archetype. It isn't until Hamilton has been at Herjellsen's Rhodesian compound for a few weeks that she discovers the madman is actually working on time travel, and that she is both a prisoner and one of the subjects about to be sent back in time.
This all sounds pretty standard, and it is, but right around page 50 is when Norman starts in with his bizarre dom-sub philosophies, so the whole story becomes murky. Before Hamilton can be sent back to the distant past (in the hopes that she will join a group of Cro-mags), her will must be broken by Herjellsen's lackeys until she is deemed ready for the submissive, slave-like existence that awaits her.
Here’s the old crank's explanation to Hamilton before he shoves her into a box for a one-way trip to the Stone Age:
“’You must understand,' said Herjellsen, ‘that if you were transmitted as a modern woman, irritable, sexless, hostile, competitive, hating men, your opportunities or survival might be considerably less.’" (111)
Hamilton’s mission? To turn ancient mankind's eyes to the stars so that space travel hurries along, allowing Herjellsen to partake in exploration of the galaxy, of course! Why Hamilton? Because she was the sexiest virgin they could find on such short notice, plus chaining up learned feminists is apparently the hobby of Herjessen's second in command, Gunther. It only took a few pages for the man to get his results:
"’I'm a prisoner,’ she said. ‘I want to be fucked like a prisoner, used!’” (63)
Time Slave wouldn't be a John Norman book if women didn't revel in their captivity, which brings us to the middle of the book, where things get real. Brenda Hamilton, transported to an unfamiliar time, is naked and running through the forest with a leopard in pursuit when she runs into Tree, a red blooded Cro-Magnon hunter.
At page 143 is the first (of many, very unfortunate) rape scenes in Time Slave. Some go on for pages, none are really necessary. The next 100 pages chronicle Brenda's transformation from a (caricature of) a fully realized woman to a whimpering, sex-obsessed slave. Of course, this being a John Norman novel, she revels in this change and feels that she has finally become a 'true woman':
“For the first time in her life she felt the fantastic sentience of an owned, loving female... She had just begun, under the hands of a primeval hunter, to learn the capacities of her femaleness.” (220)
The most unfortunate aspect of Time Slave is that there are, in fact, portions of the book about Stone Age man that aren't just a vehicle for Norman’s weirdo sexual philosophies, and they are actually pretty good. Plenty of action, along with the intricate detail devoted to each tribe's unique culture, plus some cool flora and fauna (cave bears!) could have been enough for a decent story in themselves.
Regrettably, more than half of this novel is lent to Norman's BDSM leanings, which involves a repetitive, preachy tone because the man is literally trying to convert you.
Time Slave is an interesting example of the sleazy underbelly of 70s SF, but I can't really recommend it on any other level.
DAW Books, copyright 1975. $1.50 cover price. 380 pages.
Oh man, where to start? This novel is even viler than Norman's Gor series, which is saying quite a bit. I think I will spare you most of my thoughts on this piece of shit and give you a synopsis.
Dr. Brenda Hamilton—mathematician, feminist, bombshell—accepts a job under false pretense from Herjellsen, an octogenarian who definitely fulfills the 'mad scientist' archetype. It isn't until Hamilton has been at Herjellsen's Rhodesian compound for a few weeks that she discovers the madman is actually working on time travel, and that she is both a prisoner and one of the subjects about to be sent back in time.
This all sounds pretty standard, and it is, but right around page 50 is when Norman starts in with his bizarre dom-sub philosophies, so the whole story becomes murky. Before Hamilton can be sent back to the distant past (in the hopes that she will join a group of Cro-mags), her will must be broken by Herjellsen's lackeys until she is deemed ready for the submissive, slave-like existence that awaits her.
Here’s the old crank's explanation to Hamilton before he shoves her into a box for a one-way trip to the Stone Age:
“’You must understand,' said Herjellsen, ‘that if you were transmitted as a modern woman, irritable, sexless, hostile, competitive, hating men, your opportunities or survival might be considerably less.’" (111)
Hamilton’s mission? To turn ancient mankind's eyes to the stars so that space travel hurries along, allowing Herjellsen to partake in exploration of the galaxy, of course! Why Hamilton? Because she was the sexiest virgin they could find on such short notice, plus chaining up learned feminists is apparently the hobby of Herjessen's second in command, Gunther. It only took a few pages for the man to get his results:
"’I'm a prisoner,’ she said. ‘I want to be fucked like a prisoner, used!’” (63)
Time Slave wouldn't be a John Norman book if women didn't revel in their captivity, which brings us to the middle of the book, where things get real. Brenda Hamilton, transported to an unfamiliar time, is naked and running through the forest with a leopard in pursuit when she runs into Tree, a red blooded Cro-Magnon hunter.
At page 143 is the first (of many, very unfortunate) rape scenes in Time Slave. Some go on for pages, none are really necessary. The next 100 pages chronicle Brenda's transformation from a (caricature of) a fully realized woman to a whimpering, sex-obsessed slave. Of course, this being a John Norman novel, she revels in this change and feels that she has finally become a 'true woman':
“For the first time in her life she felt the fantastic sentience of an owned, loving female... She had just begun, under the hands of a primeval hunter, to learn the capacities of her femaleness.” (220)
The most unfortunate aspect of Time Slave is that there are, in fact, portions of the book about Stone Age man that aren't just a vehicle for Norman’s weirdo sexual philosophies, and they are actually pretty good. Plenty of action, along with the intricate detail devoted to each tribe's unique culture, plus some cool flora and fauna (cave bears!) could have been enough for a decent story in themselves.
Regrettably, more than half of this novel is lent to Norman's BDSM leanings, which involves a repetitive, preachy tone because the man is literally trying to convert you.
Time Slave is an interesting example of the sleazy underbelly of 70s SF, but I can't really recommend it on any other level.
May 15, 2012
The idea that women are only happy when dominated in repressive relationships with men is repugnant. A boring read.
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 8, 2009
Pretty weak. Some modern humans go back in time to early Cro-Magnon days and find that, guess what, women are slaves and men are masters. Big surprise there.
October 24, 2013
Very repetitive but i like the general concept.
November 12, 2014
Awful, awful book
March 29, 2015
Interesting it took a bit to get going I thought about one chapter to long, setting things up but the over all story was good and introduced a few thoughts on caveman life I had not pondered before.
June 30, 2019
It was like.. so bad that I don't know what to say. It is not kinky or steamy, not romance, not philosophical, just a bunch of people beating each other.
February 25, 2017
The Good:
Excellent storytelling regarding the actual store, great characterization of the different tribes and peoples. Some heart tender moments.
The Bad:
Men are portrayed primarily as evil sex-crazed mongrels and women as spineless, weeping bi+[h's-in-heat. Many phrases are repeated needlessly as if the reader suffered from some degenerative cognitive disease or as if the reader suffered from ADHD. The preaching becomes annoying.
The Questionable:
Frankly it is unrealistic that a woman with a Ph.D. Would behave as Brenda behaves during her captivity in the camp in Rodehesia. A beautiful woman with a doctorate in mathematics would be one of if not the smartest person in the camp because of her highly logical and rational thinking thanks to mathematics. Furthermore, while she might, MIGHT, desire to be dominated by a man. She sure as hell wouldn't want just any random man, especially a jerk like Gunther or a limp noodle like William.
Overall:
My opinion of the book is ambivalent. I do not hate it. I do not love it. I do not like it. I do not dislike it.
The ending was well down however.
Excellent storytelling regarding the actual store, great characterization of the different tribes and peoples. Some heart tender moments.
The Bad:
Men are portrayed primarily as evil sex-crazed mongrels and women as spineless, weeping bi+[h's-in-heat. Many phrases are repeated needlessly as if the reader suffered from some degenerative cognitive disease or as if the reader suffered from ADHD. The preaching becomes annoying.
The Questionable:
Frankly it is unrealistic that a woman with a Ph.D. Would behave as Brenda behaves during her captivity in the camp in Rodehesia. A beautiful woman with a doctorate in mathematics would be one of if not the smartest person in the camp because of her highly logical and rational thinking thanks to mathematics. Furthermore, while she might, MIGHT, desire to be dominated by a man. She sure as hell wouldn't want just any random man, especially a jerk like Gunther or a limp noodle like William.
Overall:
My opinion of the book is ambivalent. I do not hate it. I do not love it. I do not like it. I do not dislike it.
The ending was well down however.
July 23, 2025
The cave man paradox
Do you ever have conversations that try to explain men or women's behavior by comparing traits to, "that how they did it back in the cave men days"? This is the book that lays it all out for us.
Do you ever have conversations that try to explain men or women's behavior by comparing traits to, "that how they did it back in the cave men days"? This is the book that lays it all out for us.
November 23, 2025
2.02
Misogyny?
Feminism?
Combo of both?
Very odd, and not in my wheelhouse at all
Misogyny?
Feminism?
Combo of both?
Very odd, and not in my wheelhouse at all
July 22, 2013
Now this book was unexpected. The underlying philosophical principles and the sociological insights are very interesting. Although I may disagree with them and their application in this story line as being close to reality.
March 18, 2015
The speculation and general story line is interesting, the author is intelligent, I doubt he's had a successful relationship with a female in his entire lifetime, he's a little jaded. But as a SF writer he's got talent.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews