John Norman's Gor - Tales of Counter Earth

[Bridgetsdad]

I think that, based upon MGP's treatment of Conan and Lankhmar, that MGP should give serious consideration to doing a RPG based upon John Norman's World of Gor.

Though the books (all 25 books!) are currently out of print - it is easy enough to grab them at www.bn.com (used book section) or Amazon or Ebay. I was introduced to the books years ago and found them quite good. I have given serious consideration to using Runequest as the system to my own Gor campaign - if I ever finish my Conan game.

Just a thought. I would think that anyone who was a fan of REH Conan would just jump at Gor!

 

[Poi]

NO!

I read the first few.

Does Mongoose need a license for a fantasy f@@k-fest?

 

[Bridgetsdad]

NO!

I read the first few.

Does Mongoose need a license for a fantasy f@@k-fest?

If that is your viewpoint it clearly indicates an immature mind. Yes there are some adult situations in the books - but no more than in other classics by Edgar Rice Borroughs or Robert E Howard or Lin Carter - or even modern writers such as Robert Jordan (his Conan books).

I know that there are some adult themed issues in Elric and Hawkmoon and yet those are published (like Conan).

The Gor books contain a beautifully detailed world with peoples, places and monsters of all types to fire up the imagination of its readers. Unless you are one of those readers who is only looking for the "naughty" parts.

Unfortunately Poi is just not mature enough to realize it.

 

[Poi]

Where do you get off commenting on my maturity?

I am 38, and I have read a few of these dreadful novels.

Elric, Hawkmoon and Conan do not go anywhere near the fantasy pornography describe in Gor.

The world described may be wonderful, but the uses to which which John Norman puts it is not a suitable subject for roleplaying, unless it's the variety between consenting adults in the privacy of their own homes.

 

[Robin]

Yes there are some adult situations in the books...

Hmmm. How did that line go, now? "She felt degraded and humiliated... and yet stangely excited..."

I'm guessing that you're rather charmingly unaware of the long-established reputation of the Gor novels and John Norman's rather worrying philosophies regarding the domination and control of women.

That said, I understand it's not so prevalent in the earlier books, which are pretty standard sword and sorcery in the Burroughs tradition.

Regards

Robin

 

[andakitty]

It's like Moorcock, in that the later books have a different feel than the first ones. The first three books are pretty standard but good swords and sorcery...or is it science?...stories that would be a great setting for MRQ, similar in feel to Hawkmoon, probably. The later books I too have heard push the limits with too much bondage and s&m type 'fantasy'. Tarnsman, Outlaw, and Priest-Kings are great, though.

 

[klingsor]

I was a teenager when I read my first (and last) Gor novel. Even then I was able to figure out that it was not a good book in any sense of the word.
I could not recommend them for anything other than recycling.

 

[Bridgetsdad]

A sincere apology to POI.

I must have been in a awful mood and my comments were uncalled for.

I happened to chat with a friend of mine last night (who lives in Ann Arbor MI) and I mentioned that I was re-reading the Gor novels (thought I am only up to No 4 at this time) and he made a similar comment that the books tended to get a tad erotic as the series went on. This prompted me to start pulling books out of the box I had them in and flip through some pages and though not pornographic per se - was a bit more adultly (is that a word?) suited than most RPG's would like.

It has been over 15 years since I read a Gor book (I am 38 as well POI) so my memory was a tad foggy (happens with age).

Though I think the setting would make an excellent roleplaying setting - the S&M stuff may be a tad much for many gaming groups.

With that said - I again appologise to POI and hope all all will be forgiven

Todd

 

[DM]

Excellent source material for LARPing though

I wonder if there will be a Gor re-enactment group at Salute next year?

 

[Poi]

Hi Todd

Many thanks for this. Apology accepted, all is forgiven.

Excellent source material for LARPing though

I wonder if there will be a Gor re-enactment group at Salute next year?

We can but hope! ROFLMAO

 

[rozark69]

I for one think Gor and excellent setting for an rpg. yes it has an adult theme to it but as the buyiners of the book or erotic fantasy show there is a market for it. I can take a book and use the parts I like and ignore the rest. so if people didnt want to use the Gorean use of slavery they dont have to.

But it offers an avenue for a adult market that is out there, to those that did not agree with the books fair enough but there are those that do. The slavery part for me would be encluded as would the Castes of different stations of peoples standing in life. What an alien world to introduce new comers to? totally different and i stress not for sale to minors.

Plus it does fit the themes of Conan and so on.

As appaling as slavery is there are those who willingly practice it. vanilla sex just does not cut it anymore for these people. but as an rpg it could be a very interesting thing.

 

[Poi]

vanilla sex

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, ice cream. Most..... stimulating.

 

[Finarvyn]

I for one think Gor and excellent setting for an rpg. yes it has an adult theme to it but as the buyiners of the book or erotic fantasy show there is a market for it. I can take a book and use the parts I like and ignore the rest. so if people didnt want to use the Gorean use of slavery they dont have to.

I read most of the Gor books a couple decades ago, and in general I agree with the sentiment that Gor as written has some aspects that would make it a poor campaign setting. However, I would think that a clever game designer and editor could create an excellent Gor RPG setting book that would emphasize the setting and de-emphasize the sexual part.

Slavery is a big part of many campaign settings, including Conan. The difference is that in general slaves were mostly ignored in Conan, whereas John Norman spent a lot of time detailing Tarl Cabot's emotional experience as a slave and how it changed him. Also, the slavery on Gor is gender-related which tends to be problematic although one can point to numerous real-world eras where women had significant disadvantages in society compared to men.

I suspect that if a publisher could edit out the extreme parts of the Gor books (and some of the long-winded description where Norman spends paragraphs discussing some desert bird seen in passing or whatever) that these books could be quite popular among mainstream S&S fans.

I suppose that there are purist Gor fans who would insist that all adult themes would have to be maintained in order to get a "true" camapign setting, but I think that if an author would focus on the other aspects of the world it could be a great setting.

 

[Garet]

I was told to read the first six books of the Gor series. Thats what i did, never read any of the others. I thought Nomads of Gor was a good read. I use to have it, but it disappeared over many moves.

 

[Strom]

I read the Gor series - like the first 5-6 books - and remember liking the first 3 books enough to read more. I had no idea there were sop many other Gor books. Well, in September Dark Horse is releasing the Gor Omnibus of the first 3 Gor books at an affordable price:

http://www.comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid=161&itemid=9940

• With twenty-six books in the Gor series, there are millions of copies in print, with a global audience that reaches across all age groups and demographics.

I agree the world of Gor would make a good RPG setting but not one I would buy.

 

[DM]

As an aside, does anyone remember the "Gor" movie starring Oliver Reed?

 

[Gentleman John]

You mean "starring Oliver Reed's backside", don't you? When I watched it, I was reminded of the old Spitting Image spoof on the Protect and Survive films: "In the ecent of Oliver Reed deciding to have a bonk tonight ..."

 

[Osentalka]

Hello

i have read the first 25 GOR novels (haven´t got my hand on no. 26 or the unpublished 27th one).

And i agree that the setting would make an excellent gaming background.
I don´t know if the americans and brits would be happy with all the sex, orgies and so on. But come on: its a FANTASY world, and the rest of the europeans that are not so conservative on these things might like it.

Call me a bad, bad boy, but i see nothing bad in these novels, as they are just Fantasy!


Cheers

Osentalka

 

[Poi]

Don't get me wrong, I have no moral objection to the novels, and most of the background would make for a great RPG setting, but would you really want to roleplay one of John Norman's scenes with anyone other than your significant other?

 

[DM]

I imagine a few readers will be "claiming the fifth" on that one