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Gor #21

Mercenaries of Gor

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John Norman's epic Gorean Saga is one of the longest-running and most successful series in the history of fantasy. It is also one of the most controversial. Over the course of more than thirty books produced over a span of six decades, the series has sold millions of copies and built legions of fans unrivaled in their devotion. E-Reads invites you to rediscover this brilliantly imagined world where men are masters and women live to serve their every desire.

MERCENARIES OF GOR
Book 21 of the Gorean Saga

On Gor there are numerous mercenary companies, some larger, some smaller, whose services may be purchased, or bid upon, for given periods of time. The allegiance of these companies is to their pay, and their captains. The forces of Cos and Tyros, powerful maritime ubarates, and their allies, have now beached upon the mainland, and are utilizing the city of Torcodino as a repository for supplies, preparatory to marching on a nigh-undefended and unprepared Ar. Should Ar fall the disinterested tolerances and neutralities, and even the balance of power long sustained between Ar and the great maritime ubarates, things which made possible the existence of the independent companies, will vanish, a development threatening the very existence of the independent companies. But when Cabot arrives in Ar it is a city riven by doubt and dissension, and treason. To whom shall the letters be delivered, and whom can he trust?

Read the entire saga, now with brilliant new cover art specially commissioned by E-Reads.

486 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1985

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537 people want to read

About the author

John Norman

99 books337 followers
Librarian 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.

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5 stars
88 (21%)
4 stars
115 (28%)
3 stars
127 (31%)
2 stars
58 (14%)
1 star
20 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for AmbushPredator.
357 reviews3 followers
April 24, 2014
We've reached Norman's 'war is hell' period, with some really quite harrowing descriptions of the devastation wrought by armies, as Tarl journies to Ar to deliver papers that may well get him killed. We learn a great deal about life for the average citizen too, with some almost Dickensian scenes of the life of the lowest of the low.

And at the end of the book, Tarl is marched off to a rendezvous with the administrator of Ar. And there we leave him, since the next book is yet another hiatus story!
55 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2011
I read this whole series in a marathon session, while stationed in England. The depth and volume of the stories is humbling for any writer and I consider this series very influential in my own approach to writing and world building in general; generic post for all the books in this series as I am finally getting around to recording my reading list in Goodreads.
Profile Image for Charles.
Author 41 books287 followers
May 8, 2009
The title drew me back for this one and I was hoping for a return to glory for the series. Alas, I was disappointed.
18 reviews
January 23, 2016
I don't know why I keep reading these. Norman is a little obsessed with women in bondage...... I bet his wife really keeps him in check.
12 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2022
Really?

Way too many pages/chapters wanted on one or another woman who has been reduced to slavery. Do we really need to read the same crap over and over again? I must have skipped over half the book in order to get back to the actual plot.
Profile Image for Jeff J..
2,918 reviews19 followers
October 28, 2025
#21 in the Gor fantasy series. Excellent world-building despite the BDSM nonsense. Unusual in that it ends on a cliffhanger.
Profile Image for David Mann.
197 reviews
April 5, 2025
The last part of the book is so incredibly slow that time stands still.
Profile Image for Mark.
41 reviews
October 23, 2016
A little bit disappointed

This is my favorite series in the Sci/Fantasy genre, but this one didn't have enough action, more about the women of Gor truely belong submissive, it is well written but I need adventure. This is book 21 of 34 the next book 22 Dancer of Gor will of course be about a Slave Girl, hopefully book 23 will give me what I need. p.s. One section of the story near the end is repeated, only about 10 pages maybe a little more.
583 reviews11 followers
July 18, 2016
This is as politically incorrect as one can get away with, but hey, it's male fantasy.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

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