Dancer of Gor: Gor: Book Twenty Two
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Product Description
Doreen Williamson is a quiet, shy librarian on Earth. As many other young women she is distrustful of her attractions, frightened of men, introverted in manner and sexually inhibited. She lives in a quiet, lonely, dissatisfying, sheltered, frustrated desperation, distant from her true self, her nature denied, her only friends books and her secret thoughts. In the realization and enactment of a profound fantasy, after acute self-conflict, she dares to study dancing, a form of dance in which she is at last free to move her body as a female, a form of dance in which she may revel in her beauty and womanhood, a form of dance historically commanded by masters of selected, suitable slaves, belly dance. Thusly may she fantasize her longed-for desirability. This is, of course, her delicious, shameful secret, one which must be concealed from all, one which must be forever carefully guarded. Unbeknownst to herself, however, she has independently come to the attention of skilled assessors of women, of Gorean slavers. While secretly practicing in the library after hours she is surprised by three men. She must then dance, for the first time, before men. For the first, time, too, she discovers her own desirability, and that she is such as may be well bid upon. She will be taken to the beautiful, perilous world of Gor, there, in a collar, to learn her womanhood, and there, at last, to beautifully and profoundly find and fulfill herself. 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.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had been waiting to get hold of this book for so long. When I finally found a copy it was one of the most expensive books I had ever bought (due to the limited publishing run and huge demand for it), but it was worth it. It does not focus on Tarl or Jason as many of the other books in the series have, instead it introduces a new character, Doreen. It charts how she arrives on gor and how she learns her fate (I don't want to give too much away as I wouldn't want to reduce your reading pleasure). As with all of the gor series it is superbly written and draws you into the story from the first chapter. The descriptions give the reader a vivid picture of the surrounding and events without becoming dull. You feel for Doreen and are thrilled and scared when she is. By the final chapters my heart was pounding and I couldn't put the book down as I had to know what happened. As with many of John Norman's books I felt a kind of elation mixed with sadness when a read the last words. Happy as the book was so good, but sad as I knew if I read it again it would never be the same as I knew what happened. However I have read it many times since and have savoured every word. An excellent read, just don't read it if you have other stuff to do as you won't be able to put it down.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There was a period in English language - and especially American - popular culture when it was impossible to write explicitly about sex. But people still wanted to read - and write - sexy books. John Norman solved this dilemma by writing about a culture of male warriors and female slaves, and in doing so wrote books which have enormous influence in the less intellectual end of the BDSM community. There's a group of people - not small - who treat these books as holy texts, and more, as manuals for life.
So I read this one as much out of sociological as out of literary interest. Why had they been so influential?
Let's start by saying I expected it to be trash, and it isn't trash. Norman has an annoying habit of using repetition as a rhetorical device, and there are places where the text could benefit from more vigorous editing, but on the whole Norman writes clearly and well; persuasively, even. And although all the punches are signalled well in advance, there's a sense of plot which is normally missing from commercial erotica.
I also expected to find very much a male fantasy, and again, I didn't. This particular book is presented from the point of view of a female first person narrator, but it's clear that Norman has a good understanding of and sympathy with female psychology, and there is a lot of female fantasy here. This will be a compelling read for some women, and a slightly squeamish but interesting read for many others.
In the narrative, the narrator (kidnapped from Earth, naturally) is initially a virgin, in a privileged but largely powerless role within Gorean society. Her city loses a war, and, after some adventures, she is captured.
The first man who rapes her is not violent. But he is, contrary to my expectation, not a handsome virile warrior either, but instead a merchant, presented as slimy and deceitful. This is another of the areas where the story is more subtle and more complex than I expected. Of course (given its provenance) the story jumps somewhat awkwardly from the point where rape is inevitable to its aftermath. Again, contrary to my expectation of the story, the first rape is not an ecstatic experience (although it's also not a traumatic experience).
This is (of course) the first of a series of rapes, as the narrator is captured again, formally enslaved, sold, and sold again. Obviously - this is commercial, escapist fiction, after all - she ends up slave to the man who had been her bodyguard in the early part of the book, to whom she is strongly attracted. But she remains explicitly a slave, unable to make any sexual choice of her own, used at her master's whim.
For me the biggest fault in the narrative is this. The narrator never hates what is done to her, by any of her rapists. She doesn't always positively enjoy the rape, but does enjoy the submission and the powerlessness. This I find credible - I know women who enjoy submission and powerlessness, to an extreme degree. But I find the lack of a negative reaction - fear, trauma, despair - to some of the incidents not credible, and I think the narrative would be stronger (and the polemic points Norman is making more persuasive) if he did explore this more realistically.
I'd assumed that Norman was just writing commercial fiction - stuff that would sell. But clearly he has a mission: clearly he believes that society would be happier if women were submissive and men dominant. Some of the time, he is preaching. The book would be made a lot stronger - and a lot more persuasive - if that preaching were cut out fairly ruthlessly. And there are are a lot of places where the text would benefit from being tightened up. But this is more than simply a masturbatory fantasy for immature men. It's actually an interesting read.
So I read this one as much out of sociological as out of literary interest. Why had they been so influential?
Let's start by saying I expected it to be trash, and it isn't trash. Norman has an annoying habit of using repetition as a rhetorical device, and there are places where the text could benefit from more vigorous editing, but on the whole Norman writes clearly and well; persuasively, even. And although all the punches are signalled well in advance, there's a sense of plot which is normally missing from commercial erotica.
I also expected to find very much a male fantasy, and again, I didn't. This particular book is presented from the point of view of a female first person narrator, but it's clear that Norman has a good understanding of and sympathy with female psychology, and there is a lot of female fantasy here. This will be a compelling read for some women, and a slightly squeamish but interesting read for many others.
In the narrative, the narrator (kidnapped from Earth, naturally) is initially a virgin, in a privileged but largely powerless role within Gorean society. Her city loses a war, and, after some adventures, she is captured.
The first man who rapes her is not violent. But he is, contrary to my expectation, not a handsome virile warrior either, but instead a merchant, presented as slimy and deceitful. This is another of the areas where the story is more subtle and more complex than I expected. Of course (given its provenance) the story jumps somewhat awkwardly from the point where rape is inevitable to its aftermath. Again, contrary to my expectation of the story, the first rape is not an ecstatic experience (although it's also not a traumatic experience).
This is (of course) the first of a series of rapes, as the narrator is captured again, formally enslaved, sold, and sold again. Obviously - this is commercial, escapist fiction, after all - she ends up slave to the man who had been her bodyguard in the early part of the book, to whom she is strongly attracted. But she remains explicitly a slave, unable to make any sexual choice of her own, used at her master's whim.
For me the biggest fault in the narrative is this. The narrator never hates what is done to her, by any of her rapists. She doesn't always positively enjoy the rape, but does enjoy the submission and the powerlessness. This I find credible - I know women who enjoy submission and powerlessness, to an extreme degree. But I find the lack of a negative reaction - fear, trauma, despair - to some of the incidents not credible, and I think the narrative would be stronger (and the polemic points Norman is making more persuasive) if he did explore this more realistically.
I'd assumed that Norman was just writing commercial fiction - stuff that would sell. But clearly he has a mission: clearly he believes that society would be happier if women were submissive and men dominant. Some of the time, he is preaching. The book would be made a lot stronger - and a lot more persuasive - if that preaching were cut out fairly ruthlessly. And there are are a lot of places where the text would benefit from being tightened up. But this is more than simply a masturbatory fantasy for immature men. It's actually an interesting read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
28 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Back on form
12 Oct 1999
Format:Paperback
John Norman fell down with players of Gor which while godd was not great I have read all 26 books and found that there is a 27 out but not in print and unobtainable????
Dancer centers around the story of a young lithe librarian of Earth who is brought to gor by Kurii Slavers. The start of the book follows her search for truth and capture on Earth by Teibar of Ar.
On her arrival on Gor she is sold to a paga tavern and the owner finds her of interest as a dancer for his customers. She makes friends and enemies and through the work of a jealous rival is stolen and travel across Gor constantly chased and captured til finally she meets Teibar once again and realises that she has loved him from the moment she met him on Earth.
A love story, a bondage treatise, A great adventure as with all Gor books They cover many areas and as with all Gor books should be taken as what they are Fiction, Science fantasy.
This is one of the best in the series and recaptures the Mood of the earliest books perfectly. Ten out of ten (10/10)
22 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Worst book I have ever read. Seriously.
18 Nov 2009
Format:Paperback
This was the first Gor book I read, because I heard it had belly dancing in it. After forcing myself to finish it, I can honestly say it is the most poorly written book I have ever read. John Norman has the most annoying writing style I have ever seen. He somehow manages to fill an entire book with words that don't seem to say anything. He likes to drag out his sentences by adding extra words that don't need to be there such as "to, therefor, also..." and he seems to think that run on sentences will make him sound smarter.
Poor writing aside, his characters have as much depth as a sheet tray. The main character is supposed to be smart, but I don't recall one smart thing she did in the entire book. Apparently we are supposed to believe she is smart because people are always telling her she is. Mind you, the people telling her this are men who are her Masters and consider a "smart" woman to be one who obeys them at all times. The other characters are no better. The men are all sexist, controlling pigs who only care about war, drinking and reminding slave girls they are slaves (see dialogue example below). We are told that these Gorean men are somehow better than our Earth men, but I didn't see one example of a man who was in the least bit admirable either for his charm, intelligence, or any other characteristic aside from his ability to boss around naked women.
Which brings me to another point. Yes, this book is about women being slaves to men. I get that. It's not the pinnacle of feminist ideals. I could appreciate if it was the fantasy, sexy fun I figured it would be. Instead it's filled with pages full of Norman's own insistence that "modern women" are somehow denying their true femininity by not enslaving themselves to men. Norman *constantly* bashes feminism. If I had a nickel for every time a slave said or thought something about how they love to be a slave, how they were meant to be a slave, how they were now fully "aware" of their femaleness, how badly Earth women are
missing out, etc. I would be rich. Instead of feeling like I am taken to another world where things are different, I feel like I am reading a book that is the authors soap box for his anti-feminist views and his sexual fantasy land (despite the fact he conveniently skips describing the sex scenes and spends all his time detailing how the women are chained instead). Not to mention the fact this idea is incredibly flawed. The main character is chosen to be a slave because the person who went to Earth and picked her out tested her by telling her to do things and seeing if she would comply, even though she didn't know this man or have any reason to do what he said. How many women would really do this? She was basically culled from the flock! But we are told that, deep down inside, all women are like this. It's so far off the mark it's completely unbelievable. I find myself wishing Norman had instead chosen to make her fully resist being a slave and showed her growth as a character despite this drastic change in her life. But no, she's pretty much a slave before she's ever selected. There is no growth, no struggle. She takes to her slavery like a fish in water. What is this book about again?
The dialogue is atrocious. It's full of pointless conversations such as:
Master: You are chained
Slave: Yes, Master
Master: You enjoy being chained
Slave: Yes, Master. I am a slave!
Master: You enjoy being a slave
Slave: Yes, Master!
Followed by the slave begging for sex, although what she's all hot and bothered about remains to be seen.
The plot is weak, weak, weak. At one point Norman actually switches a main character out for another and doesn't seem to notice his error. Where is the editor of this book?? He also likes to constantly not tell you what is going on or what happened between the last chapter you finished and the next chapter you just started. He seems to think this is suspenseful when in fact it's just plain annoying.
To give you an idea of what you would be reading, here is my own impersonation of John Norman's writing "style" which I have been told men many "Goreans" is a sad, yet accurate impersonation:
"Or instead of self mutilation I could just read another John Norman book. Too, therefore, also I might read something, on occasion, which might sometimes go like this, whoever the reader, when reading a John Norman book, as well. I might also, when reading a John Norman book, find, that also, I might shoot myself in the head, sometimes to avoid further reading which might, in time, drive me insane from frustration which, is brought about by the reading of John Norman, and I would be well shot in the head, if done by a true Gorean Master, who are well versed in such things as the shooting of women, and would not miss. How lucky I would be to have such a master! Truly, I would be shot well, for I would be only a slave, and how grateful I would be, for I would be shot well."
Poor writing aside, his characters have as much depth as a sheet tray. The main character is supposed to be smart, but I don't recall one smart thing she did in the entire book. Apparently we are supposed to believe she is smart because people are always telling her she is. Mind you, the people telling her this are men who are her Masters and consider a "smart" woman to be one who obeys them at all times. The other characters are no better. The men are all sexist, controlling pigs who only care about war, drinking and reminding slave girls they are slaves (see dialogue example below). We are told that these Gorean men are somehow better than our Earth men, but I didn't see one example of a man who was in the least bit admirable either for his charm, intelligence, or any other characteristic aside from his ability to boss around naked women.
Which brings me to another point. Yes, this book is about women being slaves to men. I get that. It's not the pinnacle of feminist ideals. I could appreciate if it was the fantasy, sexy fun I figured it would be. Instead it's filled with pages full of Norman's own insistence that "modern women" are somehow denying their true femininity by not enslaving themselves to men. Norman *constantly* bashes feminism. If I had a nickel for every time a slave said or thought something about how they love to be a slave, how they were meant to be a slave, how they were now fully "aware" of their femaleness, how badly Earth women are
missing out, etc. I would be rich. Instead of feeling like I am taken to another world where things are different, I feel like I am reading a book that is the authors soap box for his anti-feminist views and his sexual fantasy land (despite the fact he conveniently skips describing the sex scenes and spends all his time detailing how the women are chained instead). Not to mention the fact this idea is incredibly flawed. The main character is chosen to be a slave because the person who went to Earth and picked her out tested her by telling her to do things and seeing if she would comply, even though she didn't know this man or have any reason to do what he said. How many women would really do this? She was basically culled from the flock! But we are told that, deep down inside, all women are like this. It's so far off the mark it's completely unbelievable. I find myself wishing Norman had instead chosen to make her fully resist being a slave and showed her growth as a character despite this drastic change in her life. But no, she's pretty much a slave before she's ever selected. There is no growth, no struggle. She takes to her slavery like a fish in water. What is this book about again?
The dialogue is atrocious. It's full of pointless conversations such as:
Master: You are chained
Slave: Yes, Master
Master: You enjoy being chained
Slave: Yes, Master. I am a slave!
Master: You enjoy being a slave
Slave: Yes, Master!
Followed by the slave begging for sex, although what she's all hot and bothered about remains to be seen.
The plot is weak, weak, weak. At one point Norman actually switches a main character out for another and doesn't seem to notice his error. Where is the editor of this book?? He also likes to constantly not tell you what is going on or what happened between the last chapter you finished and the next chapter you just started. He seems to think this is suspenseful when in fact it's just plain annoying.
To give you an idea of what you would be reading, here is my own impersonation of John Norman's writing "style" which I have been told men many "Goreans" is a sad, yet accurate impersonation:
"Or instead of self mutilation I could just read another John Norman book. Too, therefore, also I might read something, on occasion, which might sometimes go like this, whoever the reader, when reading a John Norman book, as well. I might also, when reading a John Norman book, find, that also, I might shoot myself in the head, sometimes to avoid further reading which might, in time, drive me insane from frustration which, is brought about by the reading of John Norman, and I would be well shot in the head, if done by a true Gorean Master, who are well versed in such things as the shooting of women, and would not miss. How lucky I would be to have such a master! Truly, I would be shot well, for I would be only a slave, and how grateful I would be, for I would be shot well."
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Annoying
6 Jun 2010
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I did not like the unnecessary page details. For example in the opening, we read page after page after page of the main character looking at herself in the mirror dicussing- not discussing but thinking about how she feels. I understand building the main character is important, but ramblings like this was so bad, I kept pressing next page, next page too skip ahead. The author also repeats the same lines, "I was chained and afraid because I was chained. It was the chain that made me afraid because I was a slave- chained." Need I say broken record? How chained can one be? Or, just when you think the character has gotten beyond some major emotional or mental feat- the very issue will come up again to be repeated word for word again. I found myself rolling my eyes about thinking, 'She is chained once more." She was chained throughout the whole book, imagine hearing this line over and over again. Yes the author wants to immerse the reader into the story and help bring understanding that Gorean slavery was a major difference than Earth slavery, but it does not have to be done in this way.
I personally, don't believe this book was written by Norman. The writing style was very different it felt as if the writing and tone was a bit modern for this Gorean planet. I read Captive of Gor, Kajira of Gor, and Slavegirl of Gor, and all written from the time and perspective of the planet the women were on. Not Dancer of Gor, poor Doreen might have been with earthly men who staged a planet called Gor. This is exactly how I felt this book read, like a play by totally different characters and concept.
I was given a piece of fake material and told to believe this was something genunine. So I eventually became annoyed with the characters. The description of Doreen's experience while interesting didn't seem authentic. I found Doreen a little likable, but the author focused so much on her negativity- I had to stop reading book several times and force myself to try to gain some new respect for the character and the author. This is suppose to be a character who is quite differet than most Earth women- a woman who wants no desires wait- NEEDS to be captured and made a slave, she longs for it, but it seems the author wants to make the reader run around and suffer though pages of details, experiences, and through things that did not seem realistic for the main character. For example, Doreen is about to be sold, she comes to the realization that she is about to be sold, and is taking through slave paces, suddenly out of no where she becomes frigid. I was like huh? What is happening? This is a woman in which the author built the character to be more submissive and more ready for her experiences on Gor than any other character in his books. But right at the moment of compliance the author gives Doreen a fake insecurity that is never explained. Everyone in the book wonders what is wrong with her? I was wondering the same thing too. Simply unrealistic.
I tend to agree with one reviewer who doesn't understand why Doreen is begging for slave sex. She is always frightened and scared, why would she? Some would say, I don't understand the Gorean Lifestyle enough to see that she is having all these conflicts within herself. But her conflict does not match the kind of woman the author portrayed her to be. I felt so for Doreen- would have been better off dancing on earth.
Norman or whomever wrote this, is so focused on slavery and manacles, hoods, and chains, whips, and sex- the author forgets that there has to be fairness in the writing. If you write your character one way don't try to change them in the middle of the book- it won't work. At least it didn't for me.
I personally, don't believe this book was written by Norman. The writing style was very different it felt as if the writing and tone was a bit modern for this Gorean planet. I read Captive of Gor, Kajira of Gor, and Slavegirl of Gor, and all written from the time and perspective of the planet the women were on. Not Dancer of Gor, poor Doreen might have been with earthly men who staged a planet called Gor. This is exactly how I felt this book read, like a play by totally different characters and concept.
I was given a piece of fake material and told to believe this was something genunine. So I eventually became annoyed with the characters. The description of Doreen's experience while interesting didn't seem authentic. I found Doreen a little likable, but the author focused so much on her negativity- I had to stop reading book several times and force myself to try to gain some new respect for the character and the author. This is suppose to be a character who is quite differet than most Earth women- a woman who wants no desires wait- NEEDS to be captured and made a slave, she longs for it, but it seems the author wants to make the reader run around and suffer though pages of details, experiences, and through things that did not seem realistic for the main character. For example, Doreen is about to be sold, she comes to the realization that she is about to be sold, and is taking through slave paces, suddenly out of no where she becomes frigid. I was like huh? What is happening? This is a woman in which the author built the character to be more submissive and more ready for her experiences on Gor than any other character in his books. But right at the moment of compliance the author gives Doreen a fake insecurity that is never explained. Everyone in the book wonders what is wrong with her? I was wondering the same thing too. Simply unrealistic.
I tend to agree with one reviewer who doesn't understand why Doreen is begging for slave sex. She is always frightened and scared, why would she? Some would say, I don't understand the Gorean Lifestyle enough to see that she is having all these conflicts within herself. But her conflict does not match the kind of woman the author portrayed her to be. I felt so for Doreen- would have been better off dancing on earth.
Norman or whomever wrote this, is so focused on slavery and manacles, hoods, and chains, whips, and sex- the author forgets that there has to be fairness in the writing. If you write your character one way don't try to change them in the middle of the book- it won't work. At least it didn't for me.
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