This blog, as the title entails, will contain, from time to time, musings by one named Talender. Yes, named after the small delicate yellow flower so common on Gor. One does not need to know what ones name in the context of Earth really is, but just know that this girl is most fond of those manuscripts and has been reading them since she was no more than a young girl of fourteen. Perhaps to young, you say, given how they are written now? Ah, but back then they weren't as you may know them today. This girl grew fond of the one called Tarl Cabot later named Bosk of Port Kar. Was enthralled by a world filled with saddle birds called Tarns, tharlarions, urts, tarsks, tabuks, osts and the various other animals mentioned between the pages of this wonderful series. It's a wild world, so unlike Earth, beautiful and savage. With cities filled with cylinders and high bridges. Cities with names such as Ar, Ko-ro-ba, Treve, Venna, and Port Kar and with characters brought vividly to life by one John Norman. The novels entranced this girl and many a night she lay curled avidly reading about Tarl Cabot's exploits on this savage world where guns and modern weapons were forbidden technology.
But there is the enslavement of women, one might protest. And to that I say so? Was not that the case many centuries ago? It was natural for a more dominate society to conquer and enslave another, both men and women. It is just that on Gor the women, for the most part, are the ones enslaved. Perhaps the author goes on and on a bit much in regards to this issue but if one can get around that fact and ignore it, (it doesn't do to skip over this part of the novels due to the fact one might miss an important fact pertaining to what is happening to the character that might be later mentioned) the novels are still very interesting and one might add exciting. This girl finds she is still entralled by the planet Gor and all it entails...including the Master/slave scenario. Does this girl want to live as a slave? No, but that doesn't mean she cannot read about it and think about a strong man such as Tarl Cabot and being at his feet. Does this girl wish to be beaten? No, of course not nor does it mean she enjoys reading about a woman being beaten with a whip for whatever reason, but one must understand, it is a book, a novel, not reality. It is a different society that came from the
fertile imagination of the author. These novels were mainly geared for the male of Earth's society and some how, this girl thinks a wife got a hold of one of the books and began to think her husband, or boyfriend wanted her to be as the women in the novels. My question is this: Why is it okay for a female to read about a big strong man sweeping her off her feet, and wrong for a man to read about a woman being at his feet? This girl feels that it is a double standard. Surely the male of the species should be allowed his fantasies? His dream female. Romantic novels that the woman reads are riddled with strong males who, taking a fancy to the female character, kidnap them and force them into marriage. She fights her feelings for said ''brute" but in the end falls in love with him. I challenge any Earth female to find one romantic novel where the male hero is a "whimp".
Am I the only one who has noticed that these novels, upon occassion, are romances as well? Take for example the characters of Ellen, Mirus and Selius in Prize of Gor. Mirus enslaves Ellen, his former Professor, and brings her to Gor. Through a series of adventures she ends up with Selius who took a fancy to her while she was the slave of his employer. (Selius is a tarnster) Like all women who find men attractive, she flirts with him, teasing and taunting him, knowing that without his employers permission he can't touch her. So it comes to pass that Selius purchases her at (gasp of horror) a slave auction. Now he owns her, but through the story, if one reads between the lines, one realizes that he cares for said slave girl. Loves her even. He's Gorean and they aren't supposed to love their slave or perhaps one should say admit to loving their slave. She loves him in return, and is even prepared (against his wishes naturally) to give her life to save his. Mirus on the other hand, an Earth man who somehow, (and this girl would like to know the backstory on this) came to Gor, finds Ellen even more attractive than when he first knew her because she's "found herself". Yes it is in the context of being a slave, but as I've stated, they are JUST stories and one must see them and accept them as such. He doesn't love her but is fasinated by the fact that she is even more female than when he first kidnapped her. One might say that there is a love triangle happening. So the male of the species can enjoy a good romance too, but not necessarily in the same context that a women would. One is dealing with a whole nother mind set when it comes to what a man might like to read. This girl doubts a man will admit to reading a love story, rather he would admit to reading an adventure but never a love story.
So in this girls way of thinking, these novels are romances (as well as adventures) geared toward men rather than women. I've already stated what attracted me to the manuscripts in the first place. In the beginning they were an adventure story along the lines of John Carter of Mars. They still are and despite the Master/slave aspects of the books, this girl still enjoys reading about the planet and it's hero Tarl Cabot. This girl is pleased that the author is writing them again. She is also pleased that he has such a large following.
Well, looking back upon my lengthy musing it perhaps is time for this girl to find a quiet place to curl up and finish reading Prize of Gor. It is this girls hope that you not be offended by what she has written. It is also this girls hope that you will visit again to see what other thoughts might be in this girls mind regarding the subject covered. If it pleases you I will even write my thoughts about the manuscript I am reading. It has been many years since I read Cabot's adventures so I hope to read them again from the beginning soon and perhaps share my opinion of them through this blog.
I wish you well...
Talender
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