Gor

Gor is the setting for an extended series of sword and planet novels by author and philosophy professor John Norman.
Some tropes of this fandom are Lost Colony and Slavefic.
Norman's critics denounce the Gor novels as poorly written, misogynistic trash. One writer said that Norman was "the most reviled author in the history of fantasy fiction." Stan Nicholls, St. James Guide To Fantasy Writers (1995) 
In 1988, 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. In 1996, the author cited the reason as he was on a blacklist of authors disliked by feminists.
In 2001, Norman was excluded from Worldcon programming and in response, wrote an open letter, see it at Locus.
==Fandom: Gorean Subculture==
See Gorean subculture on Wikipedia.
Gorean subculture developed independent of Norman's involvement, particularly starting as a fan network after the Gor books went out of print in the late 1980s.John Norman the Libertarian It does not have a uniform following but encompasses different groups of varying views and practices.
	
Gorean subculture particularly focuses on the master-slave dynamic in sexual relationships and associated forms of female submission as portrayed in the novels. Therefore, although they are estimated to compose less than 5% of the total female population on Gor, The Thousands Theory 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 in Gorean subculture.
	
Literalists, otherwise known as lifestylers, incorporate elements from the Gorean culture and gender roles in their daily livesThe Gorean Lifestyle and some adherents of this approach were prosecuted for leading coercive sex cults.Behind Gor, a 'slave master' subculture of sexual deviance 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)Gorean roleplay in Second Life are not necessarily committed to Gorean philosophy and ideals.
==Fanworks Inspired by "Gor"==
* Free Amazons of Ghor (a Darkover skit): "[It was] a musical comedy written in 1979 by Randall Garrett, a science fiction writer and close friend of MZB, and Vicki Ann Heyrdon, his wife, also a writer. At the time, MZB and John Norman were DAW's two best-selling authors, so the premise of the play is that their fictionalized alter egos, Ms. Bee and Norman Gorman, agree to collaborate on a book, to 'rope in both your fans.' "Both our fans? Are you implying that we have only one fan each?" Randall wrote the words, and Vicki wrote the music. It was performed at one of the early Darkover Grand Council Meetings on the east coast as well was several Fantasy Worlds Festivals in California." from Darkover Newsletter #61 
* Nowhere on Gor by Nancy Baker and Julie Lewis in Timeframe #2 (1980)
* The Brothel by Gayle F (1981)
* Blood and Gor by Brother Anthony Pryor in Cheap Treks #3 (1983) 
* "CI5 Agent of Gor," (1990 Pros story printed in Short Circuit #3 by Susan Douglass
* HOUSEPLANTS OF GOR - a parody story about houseplants submitting to being watered rather than women to sex
*Lightning from a clear sky by systlin - This fic, and the writer's discussions about it on Tumblr, lead to an influx of other hatefic.
*The Mother of Abominations and the Conquest of Ar - Gor hatefic by Natalie Ironside, who recs systlin in the foreword. (2022)
*The Power to Manipulate Belief by JulisCaesar - Another Gor hatefic, starring Jaina Proudmoore and Sylvanas Windrunner from World of Warcraft. (2023)
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==Meta/Further Reading==
* Chain gang: Fans of John Norman's novels about the planet Gor create virtual and real-life worlds in which women are slaves. by Julia Gracen (May 2000)
* John Norman - Libertarian (February 3, 2012)
==References==
Category:Books & Literature