Product Description
This is the third installment of John Norman's popular and controversial Gor series. Tarl Cabot is the intrepid tarnsman of the planet Gor, a harsh society with a rigid caste system that personifies the most brutal form of social Darwinism. In this volume, Tarl must search for the truth behind the disappearance of his beautiful wife, Talena. Have the ruthless priest-kings destroyed her? Tarl vows to find the answer for himself, journeying to the mountain stronghold of the kings, knowing full well that no one who has dared approach the priest-kings has ever returned alive.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Into The Sardar
Tarl Cabot, enraged at the Priest-Kings for destroying his city Ko-Ro-Ba (In Outlaw of Gor), finaly reaches the Sardar mountains. There he is introduced first hand to those powerful and terrible rulers of Gor. But while meeting them he finds himself in the middle of a brewing civil war between the Priest-Kings themselves. He befriends Misk, and along with other Priest-Kings and slaves is able to defeat the enemy Priest-Kings while restoring the honor of his city at the same time.

While not the best of Norman's early books, Priest-Kings of Gor is still head and shoulders above any book written after (Book #18) Blood Brothers of Gor. I liked the storyline and the haughty and tenacious Vika got my blood boiling! I both loved and hated her. Norman created great characters in this book.

I reccomend this book to new readers of the series. However, I suggest readers start from the beginning of the series so as to better understand what has occured to that point. Indeed, Outlaw of Gor (Book #2) is a direct prequel to Priest Kings.

If you like Sword & Planet styled Science-Fantasy you will not be disappointed in these early Gor books.

A. Nathaniel Wallace, Jr.

The best one so far...
Other than one chapter, this book was great.Very hard to put down.It's got everything a good sci-fi should have.The creation of the Priest-kings is Norman's best work.Incredible detail makes them believeable.The only chapter that went on too long was Tarl putting Vika in safe keeping (I think Chap 26) in the plastic cage.other than that chapter, the book was darn near perfect.

His writing is MUCH better than the first book.There's a lot going on in this book so you find yourself reading as fast as possible to see what happens.Take your time, read it slowly, and enjoy some of the best science fiction I've ever read.

The Priest-Kings of Gor
I thought the book was good as it provided additional information on Tarl Cabot's background and history, and about the Priest-Kings, but at times it went into a bit too much technical detail.

I enjoyed reading it as I want to follow the continuing adventures of Tarl on Gor. I liked the end as it sets up the story for then next novel, "The Nomads of Gor."

Priest-Kings of Gor
This is the best writing Norman has done so far in the Gorean series.

I find the dwelling on female slavery tiring. Every female is to die for, everyone of them learns to just love being his slave.

This book had enough action to keep me interested. Hopefully he is growing as a writer as the series progresses.

Among gods and kings
A wonderful look at the disconnect between worship and the actualities of a god or gods that we can not know.

Tarl Cabot enters the Sardar Mountains, the legendary home of the Priest Kings of Gor, seeking answers to his questions and eventually revenge. But the reality he faces is much different than he expects as he finds that there may be a larger part for him to play in this world of gods.

This book is the stand out of the first three books in the Gorean Saga, and it sends Tarl Cabot on an unexpected quest with twists and turns to excite the fantasy reader seeking not only something different from dragons and fairies, but a compelling look at how we are ourselves trapped by our own preconceptions concerning religion and its purpose, and the regard a god might have for us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

High Desert Adventure
Without a doubt this book is a thrilling masterpiece. One of the best of John Norman's series. I've read the book thrice and all I can say is--Wow! I can't stress enough how imaginative John Norman was in extending the scope and size of his world. Tor had been alluded to in books past, but the scope and size of the Tahari itself was never guessed at. Norman could have based several more adventures there if he had so chosen.

Cabot's willpower to survive the march to Klima is astounding! I can only be in awe of the character's manhood. The determination he had to live is mindboggling. Even when offered the chance for a quick death by Ibn Saran, Tarl declines, determined to have his revenge on the perfidious Vella! He is indomitable!

A. Nathaniel Wallace, Jr.

A desert adventure
Though this is one ofthe later books, where Tarl has become a true Gorean male, with all the unfortunate philosophy associated with it, I found this book brought the desert region to life with keen detail and clever protagonists.

The desert men, based on perhaps 6th century Saudi Arabia were clever and subtle. The desert and it's dangers were brought especially to life. I don't think Tarl has gone through so much as in this book with the march to Klima and the trek across the desert with the Kur later. Simply amazing survival.

The Kur's were brought to life well, and Tarl impresses his admiration of the intelligent brave beasts on us. It was interesting to see the Kur have various factions much like the Priest kings did in the third book.

I even enjoyed the small haggling bit, where both Tarl and Suleiman haggle well, then Tarl gives up his advantage to give a lower pricein thanks for the hospitality and then Suleiman offers an even higher price to demonstrate his generosity.

As for side characters, Hassan (and Samos) were admirable as well as Ibn Saran and the unnamed good Kur. The females were less fortunate. The one free woman turned out to be nothing more than a puppet, and when she was allowed to demonstrate her skill with the scimitar it was of course against Tarl himself, perhaps the best swordsman on the entire planet. The rest were slaves that loved it as usual.

Saudi Arabia a la Gor
In the previous volume (Marauders of Gor) Tarl Cabot romped with pseudo-Vikings. In this one it's pseudo-Bedouins. Samos of Port Kar, agent of Priest-Kings, receives three messages under mysterious circumstances...beware of the steel tower; beware of Abdul; and surrender Gor...and off goes T.C. to the burning sands of the Tahari Desert to investigate. Along the way he encounters assassins, slave girls, treachery, slave girls, an invisible monster, slave girls, a desert bandit, slave girls, an old friend/enemy who IS a slave girl...you get the idea. As in Hunters of Gor, the author takes time out to spend 2-3 pages expounding on his sexual theories. It's hard to take them seriously, especially since they are not consistent. For example, Norman says that true slave girls revel in their domination by men and would not have it any other way. But a girl who asks to be freed reveals herself to be a true slave. Hunh? The Gorean ethic didn't seem to bother me as much in this book as it did in previous volumes, probably because domination of women, slavery, and harsh punishment are an integral part of the culture this story is based upon. (Alternatively, the previous books may have inured me to it but I don't think so.) Some of the previous books (most notably Assassins of Gor and Hunters of Gor) have had scenes so outrageously over the top as to cause the reader to guffaw. There were none in this book that compare although Cabot's inhuman stamina, good luck, and fighting ability do stretch credulity a bit. There are a few other minor flaws (such as asking the reader to believe that a massive 20 foot monster could survive in an environment that is described as chronically food-poor) and one gaping hole in the plot: early in the book Tarl is framed for a crime and sentenced to a life of hard labor in the salt pits of Klima. However, there is tribal warfare brewing between the Kavars and the Aretai so the villain that framed him becomes afraid that the march to Klima will be attacked during the fighting allowing Cabot to escape. He decides to bust him out of prison then kill him as an escaping criminal. Needless to say, Tarl makes good his escape despite the bad guys. (Why the villain didn't just kill him while he was helplessly chained to the cell wall isn't clear.) Later on the same villain captures him and the same war is still brewing but this time he DOES send Cabot on the march to Klima. Hunh? Well, I didn't read this book to be edified and I didn't read it for a dose of reality. I read it to be entertained. Ultimately, what counts in a book like this is how much fun it is to read and on that score it was quite good. It makes me wish that their were more gradations in Amazon's rating scale. I reserves 1 star for a book that is either unreadable or that made me mad that I wasted my time reading it. 5 stars I reserve for books that are near perfect for their genre. (Nomads of Gor got 5 stars.) This book is better than Hunters of Gor (3 stars) but not quite as good as Raiders of Gor or Priest-Kings of Gor (4 stars). I'd like to give it three-and-a-half stars but can't. It's closer to 4 than to 3 stars, so I gave it 4.

the fun never ends
John Norman did again! I first read this one around 1977 and found it great reading then, and have reread more than a few times since. It is right up there with his best Tarnsman of Gor which I hope is onedayreprinted. It is a different way viewing life where men are more manly,open, and honest and women are more... well you have to read it tounderstand and J N's GOREAN stories have inspired its own undergroundmovement in real life. With more than a few internet sites

gor. hmmm
john norman needs help. he has obviously long-sheltered a fondness for the use of 'binding fibre' on helpelss women. the climax of the sex scenes , basically , was tying them up. i wait his next publication with baitedbreath.. and a forlorn hope of no rope. ... Read more

Product Description
With 53 Detailed Scenarios for Sensual Fantasies and a Revolutionary New Guide to Male-Female Relations.In 1974, the author of the controversial and popular Gor novels revealed his vision for an exciting, fulfilling sex life for all. Imaginative Sex outlines John Norman's philosophy on relations between the sexes. In the first nine chapters, from "Imaginative Sex: The New Sexual Revolution", through "Love, Hunters and Evolution," "Marriage, Sex and Normality," "Sex and the Brain," "Marriage and the Ventilation of Emotions," "Privacy," "Disease," "Requirements for Imaginative Sex," and "Imaginative Techniques" Norman details and develops his theories and ideas about sex in the modern age and in the tenth chapter, "Sensuous Fantasies: Recoipes for Pleasure" he presents fifty-three scenarios designed to reintroduce fantasy and intimacy to the bedroom. Examples include The Aphrodisiac Fantasy; The Rites-of-Submission Fantasy;The Lady Fantasy; The I-Am-His-Slave-Girl Fantasy; The Safari Fantasy and The Blindfolded-Lovers Fantasy as well as many other sensuous suggestions, detailed for the enjoyment of all truly adult readers. Find out what really lies behind the philosophy of Gor, and the ways in which role playing can spice up any love life. The book ends with an Epilogue and a set oif Appendices that cover these important topics: Garments, Ties, Apparel in Fantasy, Notes on How to Buy a Slace Girl and Notes on Investments, Documents and Conception. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Fantasy vs Reality
In reading the 7 reviews above, I find it amusing that some have trouble separating their fantasy life from their real life.This book is about enhancing one's sexual experiences with a rich imaginative fantasy life.Some, mired in and comfortable with routine and sameness, will find John Norman's mostly male dominated fantasies uncomfortable even offensive.But whether you wish to admit it about yourself or not, all of us, regardless of gender have both dominant and submissive facets of the whole personage that is YOU.John Norman, despite the male dominated Gor series, credibly delves into both of those facets of himself, in that series and in this book.

Enjoyment of this type exploration of one's self requires: the ability of introspection, courage to experiment, inate curousity, and a well developed imagination.I enjoy reading John Norman as an escape from the types of "slavery modern society inflicts" on all of us. (a little of Norman's premise).

If more explanation than that is necessary, you will never understand.Don't buy the book.
If curious, buy it.Enough said.

Now if only my husband would read it.
I detracted one star for it being written mainly for and towards men. Other than that, I really dig this book. I love the ideas. I guess I really did need someone to spell out fantasies to roleplay one by one for me. Also, I like his writing style and point of view. Being a woman, I'd rather be littler, softer and easier to catch.

So..if that's not your thing...beware.

the views are rubbish the actual acts are ok
If all women were meant to serve multiple men as slaves.... why is there a near perfect ratio of 1:1 male to female?

And if women are naturally submissive then why are there feminists?

I seriously think that men are the last people who should be deciding whether or not us women are submissive or not.

Logically its in the mind of the women herself...you can't say with your lack of psychological study that you actually know what your talking about

Incredibly disagree with the FBRobertson "fbrobertson2" guy...it just seems as if his interpretation of the bible is for his own means...so that it puts him somehow at the top of the social ladder a non-homosexual man.... a coincidence that he agree with this so called 'philosophy?'?

In my opinion (which I am so gracious to write as opposed to stating it as a definite fact as others) this book is not 'bad.' the idea that's all women are submissive deep down...is rubbish and isn't backed my much evidence.


However if you can ignore all the illegitimate rubbish throughout the book and simple focus on the actually sexual acts, then you are presented with a fair few ideas that, providing both partners agree, may provide some sexual enjoyment. :)


Peace :)

Its not really that bad of a book...
First of all, yes the book contains Dominance and submission fantasies to explore with your love.Saying this, to those who are dismayed by the book and its explorations...if you dont like that kind of stuff?Why the heck did you buy the book?If you are a vanilla or just afraid of showing yourself as a true Man and a True woman...whether a woman who is considered as a Free Woman or a slave...then dont buy the book!

Saying that, I myself have loved this book from the beginning.I am a huge fan of the Gor novels and their philosophy toward life and relationships.Unlike the politically correct or the feminist fools, I am proud to be a MAN.I am as a Man a Master of myself my relationships and my fate.A woman is a natural submissive, unlike those females who think and strive to be men...only to fail at being what they are genetically and psychologically.Not that I am sexist, I am a realist and I am an "actualist", that being, someone who understands what is actual about the Male/female dichotomy.

If you want a realistic book that talks plainly and truthfully about being a Man and a woman, unlike your John Grays or Phillip McWhatever his name is...then get this book and BE A MAN!

John Norman is obsessed.
John Norman is obviously whipped.Why the heck else would he write a supposed "spice-up-your-love-life" book--and make it sound just like the Gor series?

Seriously, though, not only is the poor guy obsessedwith the entire maledom/femsub thing--which is exactly why I suspect thathe's "whipped--he thinks that *everyone's* fantasies involvebondage--which simply isn't so. ... Read more

Product Description
In this seventh book in the Gorean Series, beautiful and headstrong Elinor Brinton of Earth finds herself thrust into the savage world of Counter-Earth, also known as Gor. Brinton must relinquish her earthly position as a beautiful, wealthy and powerful woman when she finds herself a part of the harsh Gorean society. She is powerless as a female pleasure slave in the camp of Targo the slave-merchant. Forced to learn the arts of providing pleasure to any man who buys her, Elinor is determined to escape. Nevertheless, she is sold for a high price, and her master is determined to get his money's worth. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Better than I thought it would be
Well,first off, there are no detalied sex descriptions in this book or any of the previous books I've read to date.The description of sex ends at "..as we lay back on the furs".Thanks God or I wouldn't read these books.I'm in it for the action/adventure on this "other" world.

The first half of the book is mostly boring.I grew tired of Elinor's constant flip flopping on who she hated or loved.Also, the reasons for female slavery on Gor grow tiresome.

However, a lot is revealed in the book including more info on the "Others" and what happened to Talena, his free companion from book on and the daughter of Marlenus, Ubar of Ar.We also get our first introduction to the savage Kurii beasts and the introduction of Rask of Treve.

I don't believe this book should be skipped.You may find yourself skimming through Gorean Slave Culture but I say that's better than skimming.The last 1/3 of this book is as good as any.It's just suffering through the first 2/3 that becomes the struggle.

Not my type of fiction.
I haven't read it. Based on reading another book in the series, I probably won't read it. The writer is hateful toward women, and writes long demeaning sex scenes where the woman is called an "animal" and Gorean men are glorius.

Captive of Gor
For a fan of the fighting, almost-heroic exploits of Tarl Cabot; of some of the more memorable characters in the series that I have encountered, and for the good, interwoven story lines, I have to admit that next to "Nomads" and "Assassin" I found this book highly enjoyable.

I found myself fascinated by life as a slave from a girl's perspective, an Earth girl at that, a barbarian. I was intrigued by what I call an inner struggle with Elinor's transition from free Earth girl to enslaved Gorean female. Her longing to return to Earth, to be free, and her adamant and defiant attitude towards slavery conflicted greatly and constantly with her ever-growing desire to be enslaved by a strong warrior, to be collared and, to serve a master made for great reading.

This has become one of my favorite books in the series.

As usual, the greater story of Tarl Cabot is included although the story does not revolve around him and his adventures this time. Some questions the reader might have from the previous books are answered.

I strongly recommend this book for fans of John Norman and the Gor series.

Captive of Gor. Review
The `captive' of the title is Elinor Brinton, a poor little rich girl, whose loveless childhood has made herbothmisanthropic and misogynistic. Despite her unfortunate childhood,her self-regard is huge: she considers herself brilliant and the rest of humanity more or less witless. Although psychologically repugnant,she isbeautiful enough, physically, to attract the attention of white slavers who abducther and take her to the planet, Gor, where women ofherbeauty are likely to be made sex slaves and sold to the highest bidder. This fate falls to Elinor: under the threat of the lash or worse she is trained to be submissive to the dominantmen who purchase and dominate her. She learns, perhaps paradoxically that being beaten by a man is an expression of his regard and comes to believe that the chains in which she is kept and the constant humiliations to which she is subject are no more than the biological due owed to the sexual dimorphism of human beings, the enslavement of the physically weaker sex being held up as the ideal for managing a human society. Eventually Elinor comes to understand how loathsome her behaviour once was and how much more decent a person the regime ofhumiliation and punishment has made of her. She falls in love withthe excessivelyalphamale who has captured and tortured her. Although subject to some strange neoligisms invention of the author's the novel is beautifully written and, as one might expect from the pen of a professor of Philosophy, the `politically incorrect' philosophical underpinnings carry surprising conviction. A book to calculated to make the repressed male of Earth smile wryly and the frigid Earth femaleshrug with resignation. I imagine man-hating feminists who are able to find their way past the cover design would read itwith self-righteous indignation.

a charming excursion into Gorean reality
It seems to be a popular opinion that the Gor series went off the rails with this volume. As is almost always the case, popular opinion is dead wrong.

Stylistically, Norman becomes more compact and more repetitious beginning here, but in fact it only reads even better and faster than his previous work. While Norman's prose is surely not at the extremely high literary level of an Eddison or Dunsany, he is, after all, a professor of philosophy, and writes far better than 90 percent of genre writers.

Speaking of philosophy: there are no "lectures" in this book. Norman's philosophy, which is best described as Nietzschean or even Eddisonian (I again refer to E.R. Eddison, for those not familiar with the great pioneer of this genre), is expressed, by its very nature, in action and deeds of derring-do, not in dry speechifying. And there is plenty of that action here, as in the previous volumes in the Gorean canon. The use of a female protagonist keeps the series fresh; it does not diminish from its relentlessly masculine orientation.

As I have explored his work in greater detail, Norman has slowly crept up my list of great science fantasy writers. His courage, originality and depth of insight into human nature, the ability to see man as he really is, are almost unequalled in postwar fiction of any genre. This last quality alone qualifies him as one of the very few true greats, along with Jack Vance, Frank Herbert, H.P. Lovecraft, R. E. Howard and even Eddison himself. And, of course, the insight he possesses and the truths he tells, so far from the P.C. egalitarianism of today, is exactly why his works are supressed and deliberately distorted by the mass-minded arbiters of taste. My advice: get all his books. They are strong medicine for the disease of the modern world, and there is nothing else like them. (And if you can, get the edition of Captive of Gor with the Boris cover, for it is one of his best). ... Read more

Product Description
The party of treason in Ar is triumphant. After the disaster of the delta campaign Ar is substantially defenseless. The forces of Cos, and her allies, are welcomed into the city as liberators. Ar's Station, which held out so valiantly against superior forces in the north, is denounced as traitorous. Veterans of the delta campaign are despised and ridiculed. Patriotism and manhood are denigrated. Ar's walls are being dismantled willingly by her own citizens to the music of flute girls. Lawlessness and propaganda are rampant. Marlenus, the great ubar, who might have organized and led a resistance, who might have rallied the city, is presumed dead, somewhere in the Voltai mountains. The Home Stone of Ar's Station is displayed in Ar as an object of contempt. Marcus, of Ar's Station, wishes to regain the Home Stone of his beloved city, for no city can die whose Home Stone survives. Cabot is concerned with a warrior's vengeance upon sedition and treachery, and, in particular, with meeting one who stands high amongst the conspirators, a beautiful woman now enthroned as ubara, whose name is Talena. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What happens when a story lines grinds sadly to a close?
I am writing this review after having read the sequel, "Witness of Gor". The sequel actually revives for me the story line that seems to peter out in "Magicians of Gor". The previous novels all lead up to this one, the tragic suborning of the greatest city on Gor--"glorious Ar"--by the treacherous opponents of Marlenus of Ar, in collusion with the forces of the island nations, Tyros and Cos. Thus, one is expecting something of an epic conclusion. Only one does not get it. The story drags through the sordid occupation of the once great city by her ancestral enemies. It details the treachery of Marlenus' cast-off daughter (and one-time free companion of Tarl Cabot) Talena, the rewriting of history by Tyros and Cos to depict the heroic defense of Ar's Port city-Ar's Station-by its garrison as cowardly and derelict, and the rejection of Ar's citizens of her own glorious heritage.

The only really bright points in this story are 1) the efforts of Cabot and another defender of Ar's Station to recover that city's home stone from its place of ignominy in Ar, where citizens spit upon it regularly, 2) Cabot's formation of "The Delta Brigade", a band of veterans of the disastrous Delta expedition as a resistance force, and 3) Cabot's determination to subjugate the treacherous Talena to his own masculine will once more-as an act of abduction and rape in reprisal for the contempt she had shown him earlier, when he lay paralyzed from the stroke of a poisoned weapon, and for her treason to her home stone and her father-Ar's greatest Ubar.

Yet even these three elements could barely save the book's virtues for me. Having been dragged breathlessly through every one of the previous 24 Gor novels, I found myself struggling, wading, and forcing myself through the final third of this one. Norman's naturalistic philosophy of male dominance and female submission became too much the center of the story, or the subject of wide-ranging discourses, even though, by this time, all of us devoteés of Norman's works are as fully apprised of this culture as we can be. And we have either bought into it or not.I was thus somewhat disappointed.

Still, ANY Gor book is better than none, and "Magicians of Gor" does paint a critical chapter in the history of Gor. Its sequel lets us know, moreover, that we may want to go back and reread this one, and tells us, finally, that the author has not abandoned the task of completing the series.

A mighty conclusion to the chronicles!
With the capital city of Ar under the sway of the beautifultraitress Talena, a ruler placed in power by the Cosian invaders, TarlCabot and the Delta Brigade, the members of the underground force sworn to defeat Cos, must call upon the unique talents of master magician Boots Tarsk-Bit to recapture the precious Home Stone of vanquished Ar's Station. .... In MAGICIANS OF GOR, Tarl Cabot and his allies must work a unique magic with illusions and swordblades to root out the treachery at the heart of a mighty empire. Must read for Gorean enthusiasts! ... Read more

Product Description
This is the age of the Telnarians. Their vast, corrupt empire spans galaxies, ruling by terror, slavery, and the lash. But, their corruption and brutality could spell their downfall for, on a thousand worlds of swords and science, the savage souls of true men will not be forever chained. A heroic tide is rising-and one warrior is born to lead the barbarian horde.A peasant is sent to the arena, fodder for the carnage...but before the horrified gaze of noble ladies , the warrior named Dog slaughters headsmen, hunters, and beasts to win freedom as a full-fledged gladiator. Then, deep-space rebels attack an Empire ship where Dog performs combat killings for the amusement of the passengers-and the gladiator becomes a rebel. Now, a beautiful officer of the court finds her life depends on the mercy of Dog-the man she ordered put to death! ... Read more

Product Description
"Long ago in their intraspecific conflicts a violent, technologically sophisticated life form, the Kurii, destroyed their native world. They now seek another. Between Earth and Gor, or the Counterearth, and the power of the imperialistic, predatory Kurii, now ensconced in the "Steel Worlds," a number of satellite colonies concealed amongst the debris of the asteroid belt, stands only the defensive might of the Priest-Kings of Gor. Tarl Cabot, once of Bristol, England, laboring in behalf of the Priest-Kings, once managed to foil a Kur attempt to set the stage for an invasion of Gor. In that venture he encountered a worthy foe, the redoubtable Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, now fallen from favor in the Steel Worlds. The Kurii, unforgiving and relentless, have sent a death squad to Gor seeking Zarendargar. They seek the assistance of Cabot in this enterprise, but he declines to be of service. A decorated piece of hide, bearing strange symbols, tells a story, which may or may not be true. It suggests that Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, whom Cabot believed dead, may yet live. The death squad will seek Zarendargar, but, so, too, will Cabot, to warn him, for once, long ago, and faraway, in the polar north of Gor, each with the other had shared drink, a gesture of warriors, a cup lifted amongst foes. But to pursue this mission Cabot must enter and traverse the Barrens, the vast Eastern prairies of the primary Gorean continent, lands contested by tribes of warring savages, lands forbidden to strangers. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first of two
If you like the John Norman "Gor" books, then you willappreciate Savages of Gor and the story climaxing Blood Brothers of Gor. In this particular tale our hero goes to the land of the Red Savages.Asection of Gor totally closed to whitemen, with the exception of a handfulof traders.Experience the redman's heritage first hand, and you will cometo understand what the term, "noble indian" really means.Asusual John Norman does an excellent job with the detail and the characters. If you enjoy his writing style then this is a couple of books you'lldefinetly not want to hurry through.thanks ... Read more

Product Description
The games of Gor are diverse, as are their players. There are the games of planetary politics, in which worlds are contested. And those of cities and ubarates, of ponderous cavalries and fleets of lateen-rigged ships. And smaller games, bloody games, played on a square of sand, in which the counters and pieces are edged weapons. And, too, there is Kaissa, common on Gor, played with pieces of wood, on a board of a hundred squares. One might think little would depend on the outcomes of such a benign recreation, but one could be wrong. The major land power in the northern latitudes of known Gor has long been the imperium of mighty Ar. Against her hegemonies on the continent, plans by her major enemies, the maritime ubarates of Cos and Tyros, have been carefully drawn, projectively to involve attack from without and subversion from within. Cabot, once of Earth, is drawn into these intrigues. A foiled plot laid against his life leads him to the port city of Brundisium, where he obtains not only satisfaction, but keys to enciphered documents germane to the machinations of Cos and Tyros. These should be delivered to Ar.But the armada of the maritime ubarates is already entering the collaborating port of Brundisium. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not the best or the worst.
Players of Gor is neither the best not the worst of the Gor series. While it has an excess of dialog about woman slavery, it does have its good moments.There ample action and humor.

good book underneath
This one had alot of thatfemale slave philosophy. It was perhaps most annoyingly shown in the cheappredictable plays the Players held, where every single free woman was either a slave in disguise or ended up as one, and of course deep down wanted to be one anyway. The wiping of fingers in slave girl's hair was particulary vile.

Having said that, this book was still a valuable Tarl Cabot book that continued the story line and had many good parts that warranted the overall 5 stars.

For one it starts out with the oddest mystery. The Priest kings want Tarl dead. What this means we don't know certainly it might mean that Misk, Tarl's loyal brave and modest Priest king friend is dead and there was change in regime. Or perhaps it's another Kurii trick.

Either way Tarl ends up fleeing Port Kar and going incognito a while. Without giving away the details he ends up investigating a strange city with the help of some Players (actors/musician/Kaissa players) caste of Gor. It seems as if a Kur is being held there. We later find out this Kur's true story and the Cos/Tyros plot to finally conquer Ar begins.

The side characters are particulary good in this Gor novel. Scormus of Ar and Boots and the actor that plays the General of Ar at the end are great. Boots when he is not sprouting slave dogma is probably one of the funniest characters Norman has created in the cycle.

Just plain excelent
Another excelent edition to an excelent series.It has more of a comedic edge then the other novles in this series.It's a nice change. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book is concluded the adventure which began in the 17th book in the Gorean series, Savages of Gor.Half-Ear, or Zarendargar, a Kur general fallen from favor in the Steel Worlds, now sought by a death squad of his savage compeers, has determined to lure his pursuers into the Barrens, the vast prairies to the east of known Gor, populated by warring tribes known to Goreans as the Red Savages. He has arranged matters in such a way that he will be abetted in his stand against the death squad, and its human allies, by a human ally of his own, his former foe, Tarl Cabot. The ancestors of the Red Savages, as those of many other Goreans, were brought to Gor long ago in Voyages of Acquisition by the Priest-Kings. The Red Savages were settled in an area not unlike that of their former home, a sweeping, almost endless grassland, where they tend to continue their former ways of life, and war. The various tribes have in common a tradition, or myth, called the Memory. And in virtue of this tradition, myth or memory, they entertain an inveterate hostility to lighter-skinned races. Cabot makes his way into this land, and amongst these tribes, in his quest for Zarendargar, he encounters enemies and perils, conflicts and hatreds, and, ultimately, friends. And meets once more the dreadful Zarendargar. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Blood Brothers od Gor
The adventure holds your interest and I found I could not put it down until I finished it.

the second of two
This book finishes up the saga of Tarl Cabot amongst the Red Savages.*note* it is strongly recommended that "Savages of Gor" be read before "Blood Brothers".This tale starts with our hero deep in the Barrens, lands of the Red Savages and once again John Norman does a wonderful job of setting the local and discribing the participants.Like in "Savages" I'm struck by the majesty and pride inherent in the characters.Events unfold, this time to a climatic conclusion, and it's only through the presence of Tarl Cabot, who plays a pivital role, that matters turn out the way they do.On a par with "Nomads", "Raiders" and "Hunters".thanks

the second of two
This book finishes up the saga of Tarl Cabot amongst the Red Savages.*note* it is strongly recommended that "Savages of Gor" be read before "Blood Brothers".This tale starts with our hero deep in the Barrens, lands of the Red Savages, and once again John Norman does a wonderful job of setting the local and discribing the participants.Like in "Savages" I'm struck by the majesty and pride inherent in the characters.Events unfold, this time to a climatic conclusion, and it's only through the presence of Tarl Cabot, who plays a pivital role, that matters turn out the way they do.On a par with "Nomads", "Raiders" and "Hunters".thanks

Norman gets back to his best
With Blood Brothers the series returns (albeit briefly) to something like the quality of the first few. Basically it seems that fans of Gor either like the first 12 or so books (maybe excluding Captive #7) because theylike the wonderful descriptive writing, the clever plotting and the generalexcitement of the series; or they like the later books that focus much moreon the SM motif. Blood Brothers is clearly one of the former and well worthreading if you have wearied of Norman's sexual fantasies and are keen toget back to the Tarl Cabot saga. ... Read more

Product Description
This book describes the physical microenvironment of living organisms. It presents a simplified discussion of heat and mass transfer models and applies them to exchange processes between organisms and their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on teaching the student how to calculate actual transfer rates, rather than just studying the principles involved. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate many of the principles, and problems are included at the end of each chapter to help the student develop skills in using the equations and to gain an understanding of modern environmental biophysics. The book is an engineering approach to environmental biology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An excellent introductory text or quick reference
Campbell's text is a classic. It stands up as well today as when it was first published. The book provides a thoughtful and clear introduction to biophysics and its many practical applications. While this book may not have the depth of information on specific topics as some others, it provides a thorough foundation for those interested in the field and is an the perfect springboard to more advanced text. It is also and excellent quick reference for those who study land-atmosphere processes on a daily basis. It is replete with the equations and tables of physical parameters that are commonly used and give clear instructions on their proper application. I would strongly recommend this book as a classic in the field.

A dense book for a complex topic
Campbell is thorough in his approach to biophysical analysis of multiple environmental scenarios.As a text book, it is fairly dense and provides hints on how to solve specific problems throughout the text.However, finding those hints is sometimes fairly tricky.The equations presented are the latest version of the equations, but some may produce skewed answers in extreme condtions.Living in interior Alaska, some of Campbell's formulas and tables just don't cut it for winter and high-latitude conditions.All in all a solid book though, despite it's initial density and sometimes insufficient clarity.

excellent and unique update in the subject
This text is an excellent companion for anybody dealing with transfers of energy and water in the biosphere, particularly at the plant-canopy level. Badly needed since the only comparable textbook is Monteith & Unsworth- a little outdated and more physically based than this one, which is morebio-oriented and includes current remote sensing use. Excellent reference,and well organized course textbook. There are some mistakes but I know of asecond edition appearing this year which will correct them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

More Norman Drivil
TIME SLAVE

Time slave by John Norman is just like all of his books that I've read.The Man and woman is an animal premise,woman just wants to be dominated by the strongest man.In my opinion this is geared for boys going through or maybe pre- puberty.

Recommended for adolescent or older boys just going through puberty.


GunnerSeptember 2007

More Darwinian philosophy, with major movie quality at that!
As a devotee of John Norman' Gor series, I found Time Slave, a non-Gor story refreshing.Not only does the last available story of Gor, Magicians of Gor, become pretty slow, one wonders how much more the central character, Tarl Cabot, can do in this land, with the fall of glorious Ar and the untimely death of its Ubar. Moreover, the massive and extensive detours into discussions of male dominance and female submission have grown ever more cumbersome. In fact, one has already internalized these values if one has gotten this far in the series, and so these are now really unnecessary. The committed reader of Gor understands this philosophic context.

Against this backdrop, Time Slave offers a fresh, new venue for Norman to present the degradation of human dignity in the grey web of modern, sterile Western civilization, where men are emasculated and women have lost their femininity. In Time Slave, the brilliant and driven Danish scientist, Herjellsen, lures his colleague, the beautiful mathematician, Dr. Hamilton from Cal Tech, to work on a project in Africa. This project is the construction of a time machine, and Herjellsen's secret purpose is to send someone back in time to "rectify a mistake" in man's genetic heritage. This person, it turns out, is Dr. Hamilton. There, stripped and kept in a cell in the bush, tormented and threatened with sexual assault by Gunther, Herjellsen's German assistant, she is finally sent back to the Cro-Magnon period without any real knowledge of her goal.

There she is captured by a tall hunter from a Tribe called simply "the Men", who are a hunter-gatherer group competing with (and struggling against) other groups such as primitive herdsmen, and the contemptible "weasel people". Hamilton's adjustment to life in the camp, and the shock of her lowly status, take a toll on her modern pretensions. Nonetheless, Tree, the hunter who captured her in the first place, works to make Hamilton into a real woman, in touch with her senses, and alive to the strong sensuality that flows within her being. Indeed, it is through her subjugation to the men of the Tribe, and especially through the efforts of her lover, Tree, that Hamilton recovers her true sense of womanhood, and becomes a full-fledged woman of "the Men" and a member of the Tribe.

Tree, however, is only able to accomplish the breaking of Hamilton's civilized rigidity with the advice of the tribal matriarch, Old Woman, who is in charge of the fire and the women's chores in the camp, and who acts as a repository for tribal wisdom. Thus, she tells Tree, who is puzzled over Hamilton's inability to have an orgasm, "Every woman can be made to kick".

The child eventually born to this love union, true to the state of nature, is to be the one who redresses the false genetic turn humanity allegedly took so long ago. Frankly, I think the logic of the story would be better reversed, with humanity being renewed by going back to get Cro-Magnon stock to re-strengthen the degraded modern gene pool, rather than a renewal through the injection of the genes of a modern woman into that world 50 thousand years ago.

Despite what I thus perceive as a flaw in logic, Time Slave forces the reader to think about what has become of the strong genes of hunter-gatherer groups that survived and even prospered to propagate the race in that world of pre-civilization. Moreover, this new setting gives Norman a chance to raise the issue of a "natural philosophy" afresh, and with new elements. For instance, Time Slave has as a major undercurrent, man's need to explore, to transcend his current reality, and ultimately to reach to the stars. Thus, Norman has one character in the tribe, Drawer, who creates cave paintings, and another who gazes at the stars. Indeed, Herjellsen instructs Hamilton to turn the ancient men toward the stars as he sends her into the unknown.

In this sense, the book is prophetic. Today's soft, Western world is too busy creating the socialist caretaker state to invest the time and energy necessary for space travel. Instead, we promulgate a system that rewards and supports those least genetically capable of survival in the natural realm (those who comprise the welfare class) while withdrawing support from the adventurous who reflect our true ancestry and with whom the future of humanity lies. Norman depicts modern humanity as torn between the proponents of security, who would stifle and shut off the risk-taking necessary for our long-term survival as a species, and those few bold persons who retain within their make-up the heritage of hunters, adventurers, explorers, and Masters (there's that old Gorean word again!).

Today, public funding of NASA projects is increasingly doubtful, more and more persons cry for intensive socialization, strong aggressive and even defensive behaviors are being "trained" out of American males through the public school systems, with their "zero-tolerance" policies and enforced administration of drugs such as Ridalin to settle boys down. In such an era, Time Slave is a must-read for the man and woman who do not want to be lost in this world of insipid and meaningless routine, where conformity to idiotic, commercial-generated norms and the pursuit of existence for its own sake have replaced the struggle to survive and remain strong. I thus recommend this book to everyone who shares Norman's prescient insight into the pathology of modern civilization, and into the fading but still present virtue of our natural genetic heritage.

Switch off the world, sit back and enjoy....
Take one very old myth. Stir in a partisan viewpoint or two. Pointedly ignore the effect it will have on those who read it only to whip up pre-existing outrage. Thoroughly entertain your appreciativefans.....

OK... Let's face it; this guy is a pretty crummy writer. Evenso, I have read every one of his novels.... several times!

So who saysyou have to be a good writer to be a good story teller!

An interesting, but flawed, novel...
Another reviewer was convinced that this was a tongue-in-cheek swipe at humorless feminists, and also felt it could not be filmed as anything other than a comedy. I totally disagree. The body of work that Norman has produced over many, many years is all in this same vein, so this is not aone-shot deal, and he started writing this type of stuff before feministswere a common feature of our culture. I also think that a director on thelevel of Roman Polanski could film it quite effectively as somethingdefinitely not comedic! That said, however, I found it a tough read, eventhough I am in agreement with many of it's premises. Norman's style isstrange, idiosyncratic, and quite cumbersome. One often finds whole chunksof descriptive detail re-occuring at different places in the book,verbatim, and his use of punctuation is...strange, to say the least. Itwas, and was obviously intended to be, mildly erotic. It's a fantasy thatexpresses a qausi-scientific framework for the male chauvinist the lurkswithin many men, and as such, could have been written in a lighter, lesscumbersome, more accessible style. ... Read more

Product Description
Ray Downey wrote the first edition of The Rescue Company in the early 1990s. Building on DowneyÂ’s legacy, John Norman has written Fire Department Special Operations to take into consideration the earth-shattering events, funding increases, research advances, expanded capabilities, and changes in regulations and standards that have widened the knowledge gap since the publication of Chief DowneyÂ’s book.



Fire Department Special Operations is an excellent guide for agencies and individuals in establishing, staffing, operating, and maintaining heavy rescue units in the many forms they may take. It is also an ideal training resource for the officers and individuals assigned the duties that a rescue firefighter must accomplish.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Heavy Rescue must
If you ride a rescue company this book is a must read. If you do not have any interest in this book you should not be on a rescue Company. I have been on a rescue company for 20 years and I was able to pick up a lot of useful information.

clear thinking, clear writing
The author has a real gift for writing.He is a clear writer because he understands how people think.A real joy to read.

New Bible of Spec Ops
As a small department starting a Spec Ops Unit we have been able to use alot of the information to get a stepping off point. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

somebody get the number of that truck
E.H. Norman's seminal work, , is now available in other places, but when John W. Dower issued this volume, Norman's work was difficult to find in print, and so this collection was as welcome as it was valuable, especially for rising PhD hopefuls who wanted to read Norman but had trouble getting their hands on his stuff.In the end, though, it was Dower's long introductory essay that really caught everyone's attention, with its discussion of Norman's adventures in McCarthy's red scare America, and its innuendoes about other prominent Asia scholars.It set off a flurry of reviews in the scholarly journals, reviews noteworthy for their vituperative attacks on Norman's scholarship, more than for their implied criticisms of a young colleague who would presume to dignify Norman's scholarly accomplishments by editing a reissue of his work.Now at the other end of a long and distinguished career as scholar and teacher, Dower can look back on this volume as an achievement that still merits careful attention, not only by students of Japanese history, but equally by anyone interested in the politics of scholarship.Likewise, anyone interested in the historiography of modern Japan needs to come to grips not only with Norman's work but also with the political controversies that came to surround it as a result of American Cold War culture.

Origins of the Modern Japanese State
Before his premature death in 1957, the Canadian scholar-diplomat E. Herbert Norman had established himself as the pre-eminent Western interpreter of early modern and modern Japan. This present edition includes the classic Japan's Emergence as a Modern State. It also introduces materials by Norman never before made widely available in the West, including an essay on the role of the historian and chapters from an unpublished book, Feudal Background of Japanese Politics.
--- from book's back cover. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the age of the Telnarians. Their vast, corrupt empire spans galaxies, ruling by terror, slavery, and the lash. But, their corruption and brutality could spell their downfall for, on a thousand worlds of swords and science, the savage souls of true men will not be forever chained. A heroic tide is rising-and one warrior is born to lead the barbarian horde.To recruit his legion of space barbarians, the giant gladiator Otto must win their fierce loyalty, world by world, in lethal combat against monsters, men, aliens, and the beautiful, murderous slaves-while Imperial conspirators plot Otto's assassination, and an evil warlord's brutal army prepares to unleash genocidal horror across the stars. ... Read more

Product Description
A brand new collection from Norman Partridge!This volume gathers several previously uncollected stories togetherwith some new works. The Man With the Barbed-Wire Fists contains 24 stories that span the length of Partridge’s writing career.It also feature an 8,500 word introduction,as well as a complete bibliography. This career retrospective collection is sure to appeal to both fans of Partridge’s novels(Saguaro Riptide, The Ten-Ounce Siesta, Slippin Into Darkness), as well as new readers, who may not familiar with his distinctive voice, and gripping style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Incredible.
One of the best short story collections I've ever read. Partrige, who usually gets unfairly overlooked because he is lumped under "Horror", is one of the best writers that genre has ever seen. His prose and dialect far outweigh anything that Stephen King has ever put down on paper and the brutality and penchant for glorious violance will appeal to mainstream readers of say, Chuck Palahniuk. I just thoroughly enjoyed this book and was upset when it ended. I will never trade it. It sits on my shelf waiting to be re-read in a few years. the introduction alone is worth the price of the book and gives glimpses that Partridge could write humor just as good as "horror" if he wanted too

A MASTER OF TWISTED FICTION
I just finished TMWTBWF and I'm completely amazed. Norm twists reality in a very personal way and shows to his readers how much an inventive writer he can be. Melding noirish language, lots of references to pop culture ( golden age hollywood, Drive-in movies, Spagetthi Western and 50's and 60's culture in general etc ), strong literary metaphors ( some passages borders on prose poetry ) in stories that are at the same time disturbing, blackly humorours, poignant,stupendously entertaining and original.
Mr Partridge has a special knack to tackle famililar themes ( Frankenstein, Vampires, Werewolves ) and gives entirely new twists, he always takes his stories to such unexpected directions so that the reader never knows what expect from them.

Norman Partridge is a truly one-of-kind and a HELL OF A WRITER.

1 * Seeing Past the Corners
23 * Red Right Hand ======================== ***1/2
47 * Coyotes =============================== ***1/2
67 * Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu ========= *****
87 * The Man with the Barbed-Wire Fists ==== ****1/2
99 * The Pack ============================== ***1/2
117 * Blood Money ========================== ****1/2
141 * Last Kiss ============================ ****
153 * Blackbirds =========================== -
167 * Wrong Turn =========================== ****
183 * Spyder =============================== ****1/2
199 * In Beauty, Like the Night ============ ***
219 * Minutes ============================== **
227 * Where the Woodbine Twineth =========== ****
235 * Mr. Fox ============================== *****
255 * The Hollow Man ======================= -
263 * Return of the Shroud =================
287 * Tombstone Moon ======================== ****
297 * The Mojave Two-Step =================== ****
311 * ¡Cuidado! ============================= ****
323 * Carne Muerta ========================== ***1/2
335 * Bucket of Blood ======================= ***1/2
353 * Undead Origami ========================
375 * Harvest ================================ ****1/2
385 * The Bars on Satan's Jailhouse ========== *****
417 * Bibliography

The Man With the Remarkable Talent
Norman Partridge has been doing some of the best work in horror over the past decade.A fan favorite, he also draws high praise from critics and peers, and his work is frequently included in various "Year's Best" collections.In fact, of the twenty-four stories included in The Man With the Barbed Wire Fists, four, "Blackbirds," "Bucket of Blood," "Harvest," and "The Bars on Satan's Jailhouse," found places in such volumes (The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 11 & 12, and The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 6 & 7, respectively).

What stands out in this collection is Partridge's consummate professionalism, particularly his ability to give familiar archetypes a new twist.Thus, he does intriguing work even when constrained by the boundaries of theme anthologies.This is especially evident in the title story (Partridge's take on the Frankenstein mythology), and in tales like "Undead Origami" (featuring Howard Hughes as a vampire), "Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu" (a deconstruction of and epilogue to Stoker's Dracula),"In Beauty, Like the Night (where he uses zombies to make a point about the porno industry), and "The Pack" (a clever mixture of werewolves, bikers, and Mayberry).

Another talent on display is Partridge's ability to grab his audience's attention from the first sentence. Witness this, from "Red Right Hand":

"Claire held the gun in her left hand, the blood in her right."

This, from "Coyotes":

"I was out past the dump, digging a grave for the coyote, when I spotted the van with the naked Mexican chained to the bumper heading my way."

Finally, this, from "Tombstone Moon":

"Black entered the cemetery shack and tossed the severed ear onto the desk, between a can of Brown Derby and a salami sandwich missing a bite."

Not everything in the Partridge universe is this straightforward, however.Tales like "Blood Money," `Wrong Turn," Minutes," "Where the Woodbine Twineth," and"Mr. Fox" are less accessible, more exercises in style than in linear storytelling.Their often surreal qualities require more work on the part of the reader, an investment of time and effort that is ultimately rewarding.

Despite the obvious craftsmanship behind his work, there is nothing self-conscious or mannered about Norman Partridge's writing.There's an urgency about almost everything he writes, as if, to quote Peter Straub, Partridge is writing "as though his life depends on the words he sets down on the page."This urgency has served him well thus far (pick up previous collections, Mr. Fox and Other Feral Tales and Bad Intentions for further proof), and, by all indications, should exert a positive influence on his work for years to come.

You love this guy
Hey, it's Norman Partridge. What else you need to know? If you've ever read so much as one story by this guy then you know how great and original a storyteller he is. Buy this sucker now. Norman needs your money and attention.

Hit Low and Hard then don't look back
Once in awhile a new collection of stories by a single author comes along that grabs the reader and forces him to take notice. Karl Wagner's posthamous "Exorisms and Ecstasies" was one and Harlan Ellison's "Love ain't nothing but sex mispelled" was another. Norman Partridge comes along and takes us for a spin along a gravel track with motor's spiting fire and both carbs blazing. This is a major contender for a World Fantasy Award, produced by Night Shade Books with a real cloth binding, a killer cover painting and an attention do detail that will leave you breathless. This collection offers 24 stories from Partridge that turned this reader into an instant fan. Be warned, if your idea of literature is a safe escape from the mundane world, don't get this book. Nothing is safe about it, it will grab you, hit you low and hard - but you won't look back and nothing will ever be safe again. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the leading figurative painters of his generation, Currin's influences range from Italian and Northern Renaissance paintings to popular illustrations from the mid-20th century. Whether portraits of older women, buxom girls, nudes with elongated bodies, or group scenes of domestic life, his works are characterized by baroque gestures, loose brushstrokes, unorthodox palettes, and detailed backgrounds that startle the viewer into a reconsideration of the tradition of painting. His "old master" techniques and individual style have earned him accolades from critics and collectors worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

skilful trickery
John Currins kunsthistorische bagage voert via Van Gogh en Velazquez verder terug naar schilders als Grünewald, Dürer, Baldung Grien, Botticelli en Cranach. Duidelijk is zijn verwantschap met begin 16de-eeuwse Italiaanse Manieristen als Paramagianno, die net als hijzelf ideale lichaamshoudingen of gezichtsuitdrukkingen elegant overdrijven. Maar Currin gaat nog verder. Hij parodieert en combineert vrouwelijke schoonheidsidealen van uiteenlopende eeuwen. Zo waren de kronkelende uitgerekte vrouwenlichamen met name populair in het Manierisme. En het was tijdens de Barok dat de Vlaming Rubens graag vlezige vrouwen met pronte buik- en bilpartijen schilderde. Naast die invloeden zie je bij Currin veel terug van de anekdotische, even perfecte als gelikt aandoende tijdschrift-illustraties van de Amerikaan Norman Rockwell, die actief was rond 1955. Wat Currin typisch `neo-nu' maakt, is zijn interesse voor cartoons en oude toneel-, reclame- of pornofoto's, die vaak het uitgangspunt vormen voor zijn portretten. Op die afbeeldingen kijken de mensen vaak net zo wezenloos als de personages als op zijn schilderijen.`Ik vind het grappig om zo'n gezichtsuitdrukking nog net geloofwaardig te houden,' zei Currin daarover.

Omdat zijn werk niet conceptueel maar juist weer wel`vrouwonvriendelijk-seksistisch' was, verketterden zowel de kunstkritiek als de cultureel-correcten Currins hyperrealisme.
Hoe hypocriet of kortzichtig is dat? Want intussen laten westerse vrouwen steeds vaker hun borsten vergroten - en mannen blijken daar maar weinig bezwaar tegen te hebben. Dus zo wezensvreemd is Currins werk dus toch ook weer niet. En inderdaad, de gegoede burgerklasse, met wie hij in zijn schilderijen zo graag de spot drijft, viel dan ook als een blok voor zijn werk. Gemiddeld doet een Currin-doek zo'n 200.000 euro. Dat is te duur om het in Nederland zelfs alleen maar te kunnen exposeren. Om Currins werk in het echt te zien moeten we dus naar New York, Tokio of Londen.
De kunstkritiek draaide na verloop van tijd enigszins bij. Want Currin bedient zich weliswaar van voorspelbare trucjes, maar die dwingen door hun technische vakmanschap wel groot respect af. En het op neo-achtige wijze combineren van cultuurhistorische ideaalbeelden levert bizarre portretten op, die het niveau van schuine moppen verre overtreffen.
Als Currin zich inhoudt zie je zijn meesterhand nog beter. Bij een teer houtskool portret van Rachel tonen zowel zijn krullerige `handschrift' als de witte `ophogingen' hem als neo-evenknie van Rubens of de 18de-eeuwse Boucher en Fragonard. Deze twee Franse kunstenaars maakten in hun tijd trouwens ook schalkse genrestukken, werken waar we nu mild om glimlachen.
Currin intussen wil nog brutaler worden. `Juist omdat ik nu niet langer over zulke vrouwen hoef te fantaseren, kan ik mij permitteren ze nog seksistischer af te beelden.'

All Aspects of John Currin
John Currin's name is one that is frequently mentioned when conversations about figurative art today arise.He made his name with his well crafted paintings of buxom women - near distortions of chesty gals that made many viewers think about Pop Art.Some critics considered these quasi-comic book images as illustration for the voyeur and that idea about Currin's art is difficult to shed.Until books such as this magnificent volume produced by Rizzoli!

In this volume that spans John Currin's career we are introduced to his early works of still lifes and head portraits and then the book proceeds into the realm of his famous semi-nude female tropes and the question arises: are these women a subtle mockery of the female form or are they a celebration of sensual, at times shallow, beauties delivered to the hungry eye of the male viewer?The authors of the essays provide fine insights as to the 'Rake's Progress' and lead the viewer through the very sensitive domestic views of both male couples and male/female couples while continuing to offer the facial portraits of women and men that make the viewer alter perception of just how fine a painter Currin is.John Currin may jolt the eye now and then but he also proves to be one of the more sensitive examiners of our current lifestyle.This book is a well designed, generous compendium of the work of the at times misunderstood painter John Currin.It will set the art history dialogue straight.Grady Harp, November 09

The best of John Currin
This book is beautiful and comprehensive. There are many images of his in it that I hadn't seen before, and I really like that it shows studies, drawings, and influential material for his paintings.

beautiful book
really enjoyed the book. great reproductions and lots of insight into the artist's thought processes.

The Fantastic Awkward Nature of Existence
The first time I saw some paintings by John Currin they appealed to me right away. I did not need a second look or to hear some long winded explination like from art school about why I should appreciate them. The simple fact is they connected to me and I picked up my first book on him.

He is an excellent painter but that is just incidental to his work. There are a lot of excellent painters in this world but skill alone does nothing for art. An artist has to have something to communicate, something to show beyond his talent as a painter or draftsman. John Currin definitely has something to show. He paints mostly women but that too I feel is mostly incidental. Men as a rule of thumb love to paint women. It's a tremendous lure to paint that which we find so beautiful.

To me, I love his work because with no more than a simple pose, or a well painted women with a heavily modeled pasty face, he is able to communicate the awkward nature of day to day life. Figures with uncomfortable inner thoughts and feelings show overly affected smiles or looks. Stamford After Brunch, Park City Girl, The Activists, and Brown Lady all have this feel to them. Something is lurking in the inner psyches of these people. Women they may be, but people they surly are and something is a bit off below the surface of their lives. The masks that we all put on are communicated with the actual heavily modeled pasty made up faces of some of the women.

There is also a restless longing in many of his paintings. Paintings such as: Lovers 1993, Lovers in the Country 1993, Portrait 1993, and The Never Ending Story. These paintings seem to show that something is missing from the lives of the men. In a few of them a woman is present but she seems to be there for her man, perhaps to help aid him in what ever way she can. The man in each case appears like some kind of bizarre perversion of Abe Lincoln meets Uncle Sam meets Colonel Sanders with some Mr. Rogers thrown in. These paintings, to me, have a very distinct American feel to them. All 4 paintings have clouds and appear to be set in large open spaces where the man is gazing far and wide while he thinks about what it is exactly that is missing from his life or his country. The men and women in the paintings may in fact be metaphors for America itself, looking lost like some odd flustered older man but with all the help and appreciation of a young mistress by his side.

Currin is most definitely pointing out what he likes and does not like about this world often in the same painting. Things are not clear cut black and white, good or bad, it's messier than that and more complicated.

Day to day life as a human is complicated. We all have these powerful brains and they ceaselessly function and generate thoughts and communicate ideas, impulses and urges almost all the time. I personally find life to often be quite awkward for people in general. Adulthood is mostly a veiled childhood where we think way too much about what others are doing, thinking, and how they are acting. many facades go up and come down. People see others and desire what they have, the spouce someone has, or their house, possessions, situation and the like. All the while we are bizarre animals with all sorts of odd functions that also function ceaselesslybeyond our control. All the while we have the urge to sleep, eat, fornicate, and all this while we try and do better for ourselves and appear as normal as possible within the confines of what ever community we find ourselves in. For me John Currin's paintings show this day to day struggle we all have with the awkward nature of existence and the strains that having a large brain in a complex world put on a person with urges, and longings that often happen in direct contradiction to what is expected of one in this world, country, town, street, or home. Also there is the deeper thoughts that we mostly as a society tend to uncomfortably ignore. Where did we come from? Where did the universe come from? Why does anything exist at all? These thoughts are ones that as animals we are privileged to have. Still they have boggled man for ever and humans at home who are not great thinkers can contemplate this too. We all carry these unanswered questions around with us all the time. We may not know it but we carry a bit of fear with us as a result of these unanswered questions about existence and the universe every day. They are deep in the back of our minds. I sense this in some of Currin's paintings.

All this just scratches the surface of what I get from his paintings. Some of them are just beautiful portraits in their own rights and need not be viewed as more than that.

He is definitely one of the few great contemporary American painters alive today and he has his brush on the pulse of the odd facade that is exhibited with the awkward doppelgänger that is writhing just below the phony surface of this country. ... Read more

Product Description
Cities, even private individuals, may from time to time hire soldiers. either to supplement their indigenous forces, or to conduct particular ventures, perhaps of reprisal, perhaps even of acquisition. 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. In a surprise attack a mercenary captain, Dietrich of Tarnburg, seizes Torcodino, intending to forestall the imminent march against Ar until she has time to arm and defend herself. Cabot, en route to Ar, has inadvertently been trapped in Torcodino when it was seized by Dietrich. He agrees to carry secret and urgent letters for Dietrich, now besieged in Torcodino, to the administration of Ar. Ar must act. 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? 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The 21st Chronicle of Gor & still a wonderful read! :)
Why did John Normans books ever go out of print?War on Gor is a rousing and fearful affair---and when the armada of Cos landed and began its sweeping arch against the mighty city of Ar, Tarl Cabot was swept up intheir drive. Outcast from Port Kar, rejected by the Priest Kings, Tarlfought now for his own redemption. With comrades at his side, barbarianwarriors and daring women, free and slave, his plans went forward---untilthe mercenaries of Dietrich of Tarnburg disrupted the struggle as amysterious third force. MERCENARIES OF GOR brings into action all the magicand conflict of that counter-Earth, as Tarl became the center of intrigueand treachery in the city of his greatest enemies. Definetely worth tryingto get your hands on. :) ... Read more

Product Description
In the continental war matters proceed apace, to the advantage of Cos. Cabot, and his friend, Marcus, of Ar's Station, who have been spying for Ar in the Cosian encampments, now seek the long-inert forces of Ar, to report acquired intelligence to their commander, Saphronicus, who proves to be of the treasonous party of Ar. Cabot and Marcus are placed under arrest, as spies. Primary forces of Ar, largely inactive in recent months, are now to pursue Cosian forces withdrawing from Ar's Station, through the vast Vosk delta to the sea. The Cosian forces, however, have avoided the delta and the delta campaign is a ruse to decimate the armed might of Ar, to use as a weapon the marshes and swamps of the delta itself, their treacherous, trackless wildernesses and wastes, the quicksand, the insects, the serpents and reptiles, the local populations, to deliver a final decisive blow to what was once the unchallenged splendor and power of Gor's finest infantry. Cabot and Marcus, separated, are sentenced as work prisoners to accompany the forces of Ar as they enter the delta with the expectation of soon overtaking and crushing the withdrawing contingents of the ubarate of Cos. They are thus first-hand witnesses of the tragedies and hazards, the terrors and miseries, of the ill-fated delta campaign. Should they survive the delta both will turn their eyes toward Ar, the seat of treachery. As warriors each will have his business in that place. 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great quality
Book arrived within time frame specified.It is in awesome condition.Would do business with this person again:)

The War between Cos & Ar continues impressively
As treachery and betrayal become the prime weapons in the warbetween Ar and Cos, Tarl Cabot is trapped in the siege of Ar'sStation. ... In Vagabonds Of Gor, Tarl Cabot faces perhaps his greatest challenge of all, as he is caught up in the myriad dangers and intrigue of two mighty powers at war! ... Read more