John Norman, also known as John Frederick Lange Jr. [Edit]
John Norman is an American writer. Born John Frederick Lange Jr. on June 3, 1931, he is the author of the Gor series of science fantasy novels, as well as a philosophy professor. BDSM writer Michael Makai asserts that Gorean fiction is responsible for shaping or otherwise popularizing many of today’s established BDSM protocols and tenets.
Lange has also-written the BDSM-themed nonfiction book Imaginative Sex (first published in 1974).
Gor Series
- Tarnsman of Gor (1966)
- Outlaw of Gor (1967)
- Priest-Kings of Gor (1968)
- Nomads of Gor (1969)
- Assassin of Gor (1970)
- Raiders of Gor (1971)
- Captive of Gor (1972)
- Hunters of Gor (1974)
- Marauders of Gor (1975)
- Tribesmen of Gor (1976)
- Slave Girl of Gor (1977)
- Beasts of Gor (1978)
- Explorers of Gor (1979)
- Fighting Slave of Gor (1980)
- Rogue of Gor (1981)
- Guardsman of Gor (1981)
- Savages of Gor (1982)
- Blood Brothers of Gor (1982)
- Kajira of Gor (1983)
- Players of Gor (1984)
- Mercenaries of Gor (1985)
- Dancer of Gor (1985)
- Renegades of Gor (1986)
- Vagabonds of Gor (1987)
- Magicians of Gor (1988)
- Witness of Gor (2001)
- Prize of Gor (2008)
- Kur of Gor (2009)
- Swordsmen of Gor (2010)
- Mariners of Gor (2011)
- Conspirators of Gor (2012)
- Smugglers of Gor (Oct. 2012)
- Rebels of Gor (Oct. 2013)
- Plunder of Gor (August 2016)
- Quarry of Gor (June 2019)
- Avengers of Gor (May 25, 2021)
A BDSM-related fandom based on the Gor novels, known as the Gorean subculture, has developed without Lange’s direct involvement.
Gorean subculture particularly focuses on the master-and-slave dynamic in sexual relationships and associated forms of female submission as portrayed in the novels. Therefore, although they are estimated to comprise less than 5% of the total female population on Gor, 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 to the Gorean subculture.
Some in the Gorean subculture are online role players and do not engage in any non-online BDSM practices.
Some followers of an unofficial Gorean splinter group known as Kaotians were prosecuted for leading coercive sex cults, though this was condemned by other Goreans.
Imaginative Sex
This book, first published in 1974, includes a list of male-dominant/female-submissive heterosexual BDSM sexual fantasy scenarios, and suggested guidelines as to how a couple can act them out in order to improve their sex life.
The book was later republished in 1997 by Rhinoceros Books, a division of the adult book publishing company Masquerade Books, with a new foreword by Pat Califia. According to Califia, the original 1974 edition of the book “was one of the first above-ground nonfiction books to offer a rationalization for dominant/submissive role-playing and some instructions about how to do it”. However, the book does not use the terminology which later became common in BDSM circles, as Califia states, “for the very simple reason that the jargon and conventions we take for granted had not been created when he wrote the book”.