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42-611: John Frederick Lange Jr. (born June 3, 1931) is an American writer who, as John Norman , has authored the Gor series of science fantasy novels. Norman is also a philosophy professor. Lange was born in Chicago , Illinois, to John Frederick Lange and Almyra D. Lange (née Taylor). He began his academic career in the early 1950s, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 1953, and his Master of Arts degree from

84-509: A Nietzschean view. Although the bondage in his Imaginative Sex guide is directed to sexual practices, the bondage and slavery presented on "Gor" follows along the lines of societal or legal slavery; a common way of life as reflected in ancient Rome and other societies. While the philosophy presented is unquestionably that of male dominance, male characters are themselves occasionally enslaved by powerful females. In an interview with Polygraff magazine, Norman stated that he believes that it

126-471: A 67 percent sell-through . The second, The Captain , had a 91 percent sell-through, which is the sort of thing that would make Stephen King rush over to shake your hand... Brian Thomsen, my Warner editor for the Telnarian series... was replaced by an editor from one of the blacklisting presses, one that explicitly informed my agent they would not consider anything by John Norman. That new editor canceled

168-555: A gathered cabal pledged to secrecy. It is an understanding that a certain individual is to be ostracized, excluded, methodologically overlooked or such. Starting in 2001, John Norman's books were published by E-Reads as ebooks and print copies. According to their website, "they are among E-Reads' biggest sellers". Open Road Integrated Media acquired E-Reads in 2014. Two films have been made, Gor in 1987 and Outlaw of Gor in 1989 (also known as Outlaw ). While not officially connected to John Norman's work, Fencer of Minerva

210-511: A protagonist other than Tarl Cabot). In an interview with the speculative fiction anthology Polygraff , John Norman spoke at length about the creation of the Gor universe and his influences. The Counter-Earth , or Antichthon , is from Greek cosmology. Speculation on such a world, you see, is ancient. One of the premises of the Gorean series is that a race of aliens, whom we might speak of as

252-743: A separate science fiction series, the Telnarian Histories , plus three other fiction works, five non-fiction works, and a collection of thirty short stories. Norman has said that the three major influences on his work are Homer , Freud , and Nietzsche . According to Norman, his Gor books are science fiction or adventure fantasy works which are also "intellectual, philosophical, and psychological novels". His fiction depicts fantastic worlds where male-dominated bondage relationships are natural and widely practiced and respected culturally, whereas characteristics of modern society are criticized and philosophical themes are explored, especially from

294-410: A virtual product were exchanged into "developer tokens," also known as "dev tokens." The purchase transferred the promo-credits into developer tokens but netted a single developer token per purchase when promo-credits were used regardless of the price of the product purchased. In early 2021, the developers of the game made it possible for players to gift credits, hinting of a possible business addition to

336-419: Is a Japanese animated series containing many of the elements and ideas discussed in Gorean philosophy. During the mid-1990s, an attempt was made to publish an authorized graphic novel adaptation of the Gor series under Vision Entertainment . The project collapsed under a combination of financial issues and the nature of the imagery, which violated Canadian law , where the printer was located. A Gor region

378-509: Is a long-running series of adventure science fantasy novels, starting in December 1966 with Tarnsman of Gor . The series was put on hold after its twenty-fifth installment, Magicians of Gor , in 1988, when DAW refused to publish its successor, Witness of Gor . After several unsuccessful attempts to find a trade publishing outlet, the series was brought back into print in 2001 with the publication of Witness of Gor . Norman has also produced

420-606: Is narrated by an unknown Kur, but features Tarl Cabot. Book 30 and parts of 32 are narrated by three Gorean men: a mariner, a scribe and a merchant/slaver. The series features several sentient alien races. The most important to the books are the insectoid Priest-Kings and the huge, sharp-clawed, predatory Kurii, both spacefarers from foreign star systems. The Priest-Kings rule Gor as disinterested custodians, leaving humans to their own affairs as long as they abide by certain restrictions on technology. The Kurii are an aggressive, invasive race with advanced technology (but less so than that of

462-461: Is not Gorean. If something is not beautiful, it is not Gorean." His non-fiction works cover philosophy , ethics and historiography . A fandom based on his Gor novels, known as the Gorean subculture , has developed without Lange's direct involvement. Scholars have discussed the way that Gorean subculture groups on media such as IMVU , Second Life , and Internet Relay Chat have influenced

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504-408: Is obvious that all societies are based on dominance and hierarchy. Despite his books being associated with BDSM , Norman is openly critical of the community. In a 2011 interview with Gizmodo , he stated, "I dissociate myself from BDSM, at least as I understand it. I may, of course, misunderstand it. I wonder if one would settle merely for 'real-life Gorean slavery', because, as I understand it, BDSM

546-494: The Gor novels should be placed on the top shelves of bookstores, saying, "I’m not for censorship but I am for strategies which marginalize stuff that works to objectify women and suggests women enjoy being beaten." A fandom has developed based on the series. Gorean subculture developed independently of Norman's involvement, particularly starting as a fan network after the publishing houses ceased printing new paperback editions of

588-409: The University of Southern California in 1957. Lange married Bernice L. Green on January 14, 1956 while he was still a student at USC. The couple have three children: John, David, and Jennifer. Lange earned his PhD in 1963 from Princeton University . His dissertation was named: "In defence of ethical naturalism: an examination of certain aspects of naturalistic fallacy, with particular attention to

630-418: The "northern civilized cities of known Gor" (which resemble ancient Greco-Roman city-states in many respects), and a widely spoken lingua franca in many other areas. Most of the novels in the series are action and sexual adventures, with many of the military engagements borrowing liberally from historic ones, such as the trireme battles of ancient Greece and the castle sieges of medieval Europe. Ar,

672-431: The 1990s, the Gorean subculture has become attractive to a number of male teenagers through role-playing in chat rooms. The teenage role-playing Goreans who concealed many of their personal aspects such as age or lack of experience, thanks to anonymity, managed to appeal to a considerable number of married and middle-aged women as kajirae in role-playing contexts. Such notoriety caused by this profile and related practices in

714-603: The Gorean culture and gender roles in their daily lives and some followers of an unofficial splinter group known as Kaotians who adhered to this approach were prosecuted for leading coercive sex cults. As opposed to literalists, the role players, divided into real-life sexual roleplayers (engaged or not engaged in BDSM practices) and online role-playing gamers (present particularly in Second Life ) are not necessarily committed to Gorean philosophy and ideals. Starting from

756-523: The Priest-Kings) who wish to colonize both Gor and Earth. The power of the Priest-Kings is diminished after the "Nest War" described in the third book and the Priest-Kings and Kurii struggle against each other via their respective human agents and spies. Early entries in the series were plot-driven space opera adventures, but later entries grew more philosophical and sexual. Many subplots run

798-461: The Priest-Kings, have a technology at their disposal compared to which ours would be something like that in the Bronze Age. I think, pretty clearly, the three major influences on my work are Homer , Freud , and Nietzsche . Interestingly, however obvious this influence might be, few, if any, critics, commentators, or such, have called attention to it. In the same interview, he said "one of

840-736: The community's diverse nature, continue. BDSM writer Michael Makai nevertheless asserts that Gorean fiction may be found responsible for shaping or otherwise popularizing many of today's established BDSM protocols and tenets. IMVU IMVU ( / ˈ ɪ m v j uː / , stylized as imvu ) is an online virtual world and social networking site. IMVU was founded in 2004 and was originally backed by venture investors Menlo Ventures , AllegisCyber Capital, Justin Greene, Bridgescale Partners, and Best Buy Capital. IMVU members use 3D avatars to meet new people, chat, create, and play games. In 2014, IMVU had approximately six million active players, and had

882-461: The course of several books and tie back to the main plot in later books. Some of these plots begin in the first book, but most are underway in the first 10 books. DAW Books , which published the Gor series from the 8th volume ( Hunters of Gor ) through the 25th volume ( Magicians of Gor ), subsequently decided to cease publication of the books, citing low sales; Norman attributes the decision to feminist influences, saying in 1996: Tarnsman of Gor

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924-479: The development of online role-playing and even the MMORPG genre. Gor The series has been variously referred to by publishers with several names, including The Chronicles of Counter-Earth ( Ballantine Books ), The Saga of Tarl Cabot ( DAW Books ), Gorean Cycle ( Tandem Books ), Gorean Chronicles (Masquerade Books), Gorean Saga (Open Road Media) and The Counter-Earth Saga (DAW Books, for novels with

966-467: The equivalents of Roman , Greek , Native American , Viking , Inuit and other cultures. In the novels, these various population groups are transplants from Earth brought there by spacecraft through the behind-the-scenes rulers of Gor, the Priest-Kings, an extraterrestrial species of insectoid appearance. The Gorean humans are permitted advanced architectural, agricultural and medical skills (including life extension), but are forced to remain primitive in

1008-411: The fields of transportation, communication and weaponry (at approximately the level of Classical Mediterranean civilization) due to restrictions on technology imposed by the Priest-Kings. The most advanced form of transportation is the riding of large predatory birds called tarns by masterful men known as tarnsmen . The limitation of technology is imposed to ensure the safety of both the Priest-Kings and

1050-799: The first few books, when the stories of the books begin to be structured along a loose story arc involving the struggles of the city-state of Ar and the island of Cos to control the Vosk river area, as well as the struggles at a higher level between the non-human Priest-Kings and the Kurii (another alien race) to control Gor and Earth. Most of the books are narrated by transplanted British professor Tarl Cabot, master swordsman, as he engages in adventures involving Priest-Kings, Kurii, and humans. Books 7, 11, 19, 22, 26, 27, 31, 34 and parts of 32 are narrated by abducted Earth women who are made into slaves. Books 14, 15, and 16 are narrated by male abductee Jason Marshall. Book 28

1092-617: The game's daily spin, where a player can win either an item or an amount of credits. Promotional credits, abbreviated to “predits,” were a second form of currency distributed to members by IMVU and could be obtained by participating in various "Partner" promotions and a few activities that IMVU provides. With relation to a standard free or full member, promo-credits were similar to standard credits. A given number of credits equates, promo-credits could not be used to purchase items as gifts for other members and may not be traded back to an IMVU re-seller for actual currency. Promo-credits used to purchase

1134-554: The largest virtual goods catalog of more than 6 million items as of 2011. The business was previously located in Mountain View, California . It was known as one of the leading practitioners of the lean startup approach. The company name was neither an acronym nor an initialism . IMVU co-founder Eric Ries described the accidental process by which the company acquired its meaningless name, and stated "It's not an acronym; it doesn't stand for anything", though he did note

1176-546: The largest city in known Gor, has resemblances to the ancient city of Rome , and its land empire is opposed by the sea-power of the island of Cos. The series is an overlapping of planetary romance and sword and planet . The first book, Tarnsman of Gor , opens with scenes reminiscent of scenes in the first book of the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs ; both feature the protagonist narrating his adventures after being transported to another world. These parallels end after

1218-426: The latter often in positions of slavery. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy has stated that the first several books are "passable exercises" of Edgar Rice Burroughs -style fiction while "later volumes degenerate into extremely sexist, sadomasochistic pornography involving the ritual humiliation of women, and as a result have caused widespread offence". Science fiction/fantasy author Michael Moorcock has suggested that

1260-399: The logic of an open question argument". Lange summed it up in an interview by saying "if one cannot make sense of morality within some sort of satisfying, natural context, then one is likely to end up with no morality, which is less than societally reassuring, or is likely to end up with a competitive plethora of moralities in which ninety-nine percent of the world's population is convinced that

1302-628: The name was originally used because the IM aspect invoked instant messaging , something the company wanted to be associated with. IMVU contains its own economy with a currency system based on IMVU " credits " and "promo credits." A third form of currency also existed for creators, known as "developer tokens," which were earned when a user purchases an item with "promo-credits." Credits could be purchased online using actual currency directly from IMVU. Credits can also be attained through IMVU gift cards available from retail outlets, as well as completing surveys and

John Norman - Misplaced Pages Continue

1344-496: The novels. Fans allege that due to the controversy and pressure from feminist circles, the Gor books went out of print in the late 1980s (trade paperback and e-book sequel novels were subsequently published from 2001 to 2016). It does not have a uniform following but encompasses different groups of varying views and practices. The Gorean subculture particularly focuses on the master-and-slave dynamic in sexual relationships and associated forms of female submission as portrayed in

1386-433: The novels. Therefore, although they are estimated to comprise less than 5% of the total female population on Gor, training and keeping a female slave (often known as a kajira ) is central to Gorean subculture. Formal slave training, slave positions, and commands, as well as slave attire and beautification, are practices central to the Gorean subculture. Literalists, otherwise known as lifestylers, incorporate elements from

1428-487: The other indigenous and transplanted beings on Gor, who would otherwise possibly come to harm due to the humans' belligerent tendencies. The planet Gor has lower gravity than the Earth (which allows for the existence of large flying creatures and tall towers connected by aerial bridges in the cities) and would have an even lower gravity if not for the technology of the Priest-Kings. The known geography of Gor consists mainly of

1470-466: The other ninety-nine percent is unclean, stupid, uninformed, vicious, depraved, in need of coercive correction, and such. That too, seems less than reassuring." He was a professor at Queens College of the City University of New York before retirement. Norman's fiction attained popularity in the 1970s and early 1980s with an estimated 6 to 12 million copies sold. John Norman's Gorean Saga

1512-552: The pleasures of writing science fiction is the development of, and characterization of, alien life forms". Gor is described as a habitable planet in the Solar System that shares the same orbit as Earth , but it is linearly opposed to Earth and consequently always hidden by the Sun , making direct observation of it from Earth impossible. The flora, fauna and customs of Gor are intricately detailed. Norman populates his planet with

1554-447: The series despite its success and without waiting to see how the third book, The King , would do. That way things are made nicely clear... Unfortunately for me, only about seven or eight publishing houses maintain a mass-market paperback line in science fiction and fantasy; this small, closely-knit group effectively controls the market. With such a group, a blacklist need not be an explicit, formal written or oral agreement subscribed to by

1596-473: The use of symbolic substitutes, such as the sound of claps as a substitute for whippings and other physical punishments. Patrick Califia asserts that Norman was critical of the psychological and physical harm that non-stop BDSM slavery and corporal punishment might inflict. However, such views of Norman are not part of the Gorean canon and debate on Gorean practices' relationship to BDSM, focusing on aspects such as Total Power Exchange and further complicated by

1638-533: The virtual Gorean community succeeded in creating disdain among both feminists and the BDSM community. Nevertheless, scholars have discussed the way that Gorean subculture groups on media such as Second Life and Internet Relay Chat have influenced the development of online role-playing and even the MMORPG genre. Norman's non-fictional sex manual Imaginative Sex presents a series of elaborate fantasy scenarios to be acted out in isolated scenes. He also recommends

1680-574: The western seaboard of a continent that runs from the Arctic in the north to south of the equator, with the Thassa ocean to the west, and the Voltai mountain range forming an eastern boundary at many latitudes. There are also offshore islands in the ocean and some relatively sparsely settled plains to the east of the Voltai. The word "Gor" itself means "home stone" in the Gorean language, the native language of

1722-614: Was established in the virtual world of Second Life in 2005, where users roleplay as characters based on the novels. In it, characters interact in standard Middle Age scenarios, combat, and sexual situations. By mid-2024, many more regions had been added, and there is a body of fans who continue to roleplay in the Gorean settings. The Gor novels have inspired short fan fiction parodies freely available online , including "Houseplants of Gor" and "Gay, Bejeweled, Nazi Bikers of Gor". The Gor novels have been criticized for their focus on relationships between dominant men and submissive women ,

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1764-519: Was published in late 1966. It has been reprinted 22 times... I have recently signed contracts for fresh French and German sales, and have recently been published for the first time in Czechoslovakia. There have been recent Spanish and Italian sales. There's no evidence that my books no longer sell... After DAW refused to buy any more Gor books, I sold a three-part Telnarian series to Brian Thomsen of Warner Books. The first book, The Chieftain , had

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