The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Surreal; There's a bit of Freak in all of us

Very briefly, a bit of a disappointment

Read this as soon as you can; it's SO fine

Chill out

Best 1st novel since "Ghostwritten"

The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel
Steven Sherrill
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Visits from the Drowned Girl: A Novel

White Teeth: A Novel

American Gods

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

ASIN: 0312308922

Book Description

Five thousand years out of the Labyrinth, the Minotaur finds himself in the American South, living in a trailer park and working as a line cook at a steakhouse. No longer a devourer of human flesh, the Minotaur is a socially inept, lonely creature with very human needs. But over a two-week period, as his life dissolves into chaos, this broken and alienated immortal awakens to the possibility for happiness and to the capacity for love.

Customer Reviews:

Surreal; There's a bit of Freak in all of us.......2007-06-12

This was a most intriguing book - I would go so far as to say it could easily become a classic of modern surreal literature. The Minotaur survives to this day, where he is a cook in a restaurant somewhere in North Carolina. Other immortals live and work among the mortals, such as Laurel, who is met during a trip to Florida taken by M and his landlord Sweeney. Interestingly, it seems that while people are occasionally taken aback by the Minotaur's appearance, no one seems terribly surprised by his presence.

I felt that, to me, this work spoke to the fact that there is within all of us a little bit of the freak that causes us to feel outcast and alone; this allows us to empathize with M. He lives very much in the "now" and has tended to forget much of his past and this is shown - among other ways - by the use of present tense in the narrative. M's search for love and acceptance is heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time.

Definitely an interesting bit of literature for anyone who is looking to broaden their horizons a bit.

Very briefly, a bit of a disappointment.......2005-07-19

I was fascinated by the premise of this novel but felt that it wasted many opportunities, passing over what struck me as fascinating narrative sidelines (the other survivors of the mythological world who cross the Minotaur's path) with an odd incuriosity. Sherrill does a fine job of building a vivid picture of the world in which the Minotaur lives - it's just a pity that what happens in it isn't terribly interesting. In a similar vein (mythological beings living in the modern world) I preferred Neil Gaiman's American Gods, which is less of a literary novel but considerably more sympathetic and entertaining.

Read this as soon as you can; it's SO fine.......2005-02-24

I say often that I'm not big on magic realism but if it all could be as Sherrill's fabulous novel, I'd happily snuggle up with the category until kingdom come. In any case, this novel consumed me entirely on more levels than I can count. There really aren't any cardboard characters here, even the minor players are drawn well (maybe two exceptions). Required reading for those who enjoy mythology, have a restaurant fiction fetish or a southern novel fixation and just anyone at all loves a really good book. Finest kind of reading; miss this one and be so sorry.

Chill out.......2005-01-29

I'm not a big English-writing-jargon-blahblahblah kind of guy, so statements like, "the over characterization of the mid-plot, doesn't even fit in with his standard style of the Victorian age." Whatever. I'm here to say that if you are looking for a fun book that is quick to read, buy this book. I liked it a lot. It made me smile. And I hate smiling.

Best 1st novel since "Ghostwritten".......2005-01-06

I didn't pick up this book the first time I saw it because I assumed it would have a one-joke plot; my wife read it first and persuaded me to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the finest contemporary novels I've read in years.
Sherrill never loses compassion for his protagonist despite his gleeful mastery of the Southern grotesque style--rather like Flannery O'Connor, come to think of it. The minotaur, known simply as "M" to his friends (shades of Kafka?), is more humane than some of the humans, good-natured, fallible, groping toward connection with the strange and numerous race of homo sapiens around him. His efforts, missteps, failures and yearnings echo those of every Outsider in literature and life.
Are we not all half-human, half-beast, struggling to make our thick tongues give voice to our deepest beliefs and longings?
I laughed, I cried, I passed it on to a friend.

Book Description

Follow Lois McMaster Bujold, one of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, to a land threatened by treacherous war and beset by demons -- as a royal dowager, released from the curse of madness and manipulated by an untrustworthy god, is plunged into a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Download Description

'E-Book Extras: ONE: The Keys to Chalion: A Dictionary of People, Places, and Things; TWO: Chalion Miscellany. It's been three years since the curse was lifted, but Ista dy Baocia, Dowager Royina of Chalion, holds a dark secret: she was responsible for the destruction of Chalion years ago. When her kingdom is threatened once again, Ista must defend her homeland, and her soul. One of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold transports us once more to a dark and troubled land and embroils us in a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm.

Customer Reviews:

"Once, I was a saint.".......2007-09-04

Earlier on Amazon, I had reviewed the first book in this series: The Curse of Chalion. I had given it a reasonably good review, three or four stars, I believe. I had rarely had such a nasty reaction to a review as the response I had to that one. Beware of giving Bujold a lukewarm reception. I had made the mistake of noting that I had read some of her other work and really disliked it-- earning me several nasty emails from rabid fans.

I still stand by all that. I heartily dislike her earlier work. I thought The Curse of Chalion was okay. I think that Paladin of Souls is really pretty good. Ista is the best Bujold character that I have read so far, and she carries the book. I'm still not sure that the book ever escapes triteness with the plotting. Luckily, the characters were good enough that I really didn't care. I'm not sure that I would have awarded it the Hugo, but it is clearly a cut above the much of the fantasy fiction out there.

So am I going to enjoy The Hallowed Hunt or not? Someone care to explain to me in the comments why she has such a following?

A bitter, god-distrusting woman's journey to her identity and...love.......2007-03-16

~~~SOME MILD SPOILERS for first novel and, perhaps, this one, depending what you consider a spoiler. Be warned~~~

Well, I was so totally delighted with THE CURSE OF CHALION , that I plunged immediately into the sequel, PALADIN OF SOULS, .

This novel picks up three years after the grand and happy conclusion of the first. Here, the Provincara who first sheltered Cazaril (the hero from CHALION) is dead, and Ista--she generally thought driven mad by her sorrows, but whom wise and deep-seeing Cazaril came to understand was one of the specially-sighted, a once-saint of the Mother goddess--remains feeling more trapped than ever in the fortress under the care of the kindly, but overprotective dy Ferrej and her own powerful brother.

She is still much angry with the gods for her sufferings and their meddlings-to her sense, poorly done and mostly ineffectual--in her life. She yearns, desperately, for escape. And so she does, under pretense of a pilgrimage to plead the gods at various holy sites for the boon of a male heir for her daughter and her husband, the rulers of Chalion-Ibra.

But the gods are not done with their reluctant and bitter saint, and the pilgrimage turns into an unexpected and harrowing journey into the demon-infested and tragedy-haunted northlands, where Ista must choose to truly be a saint and work with the gods or remain in defiance and turn her back on a great need in her land.

The choice will make or unmake her.

McMaster Bujold builds slowly, as she did with THE CURSE OF CHALION, but once the key characters are involved--first dy Cabon, the portly and dream-touched divine of the Bastard's order; then the amiable and heroic dy Gura twins from the first book; and the sexually magnetic and magnificent leader Arhys, lord of Porifors, who lives with an uncanny situation and wounds from the past and present; and his stricken brother Illvin, who haunts Ista's dreams and is haunted in dreams by Ista; the spunky female courier Liss; the beautiful marchess Cattilara, obessed and loyal wife of Arhys-- and once the most dreadful conflicts emerge, the pace quickens and much action ensues.

Will Ista find redemption, and will she become an instrument of salvation in doing so? Or is the dark conspiracy too much for a memory-haunted and shame-burdened royina (dowager queen).

As in CHALION, the spiritually focused and dramatic climax is a beautiful and wondrous thing to read and experience.

I still think that I prefer CHALION by a few hairs. I found the repeated capture and rescues in PALADIN a bit tiresome as we neared the grand conclusion. But the characters are sympathetic and flawed, and it is a pleasure to see them face huge obstacles. As in CHALION, there is a lovely romance we root for and heroic men and women who change the world into a better place by just doing what they can according to their abilities as the need arises, and sometimes, even doing what they think they can't, stepping out in faith or hope or love or for honor.

The medieval Spanish/Portuguese echoes are strong here as in the first novel, and the villain is more gruesome. A curse of a different sort becomes the focus for humans and gods. Here, the Bastard god is at work, even as the Daughter goddess was focal in the spiritual action of the first book; and he is absolutely fascinating and quite a tease. The Father god, barely present in the first novel, gets a beautiful scene of his own, one that will resonate with Christians.

The climactic battle sequences are very strong, quite moving, and rivetting, as this is no conventional warfare. I won't divulge any details, because plot points would be ruined, but LMB certainly opened the conduit of creativity to come up with this powerful endgame. I wept, more than once.

This novel won the Hugo award, and it's certainly another fine offering from the very talented LMB. I look forward to delving into THE HALLOWED HUNT, even with the reviews not so glowing for the third in the CHALION series.

Highly RECOMMENDED

Good but not great.......2007-01-23

After the brilliant "Curse of Chalion" I was expecting great things - but this book doesn't perform. Although still quite good, this novel drops back closer to LMB's usual standard.

Lady Ista (a bit character from the first book) goes on a pilgrimage in order to find herself, and finds adventure, trouble and romance. Unfortunately, it's not the Ista we met last time.

In "Curse", Ista was a sad, tormented victim of the evil curse, alone amidst her oblivious family, yet still possessed of a dark and wry wit. In "Paladin", Ista is reduced to a stock character, a 'plucky heroine' type caricature.

None of the other characters did much better, with the dy Gura brothers - here with a larger role - oddly less rounded than in "Curse", where they were only background characters. Liss, Ista's courier lady-in-waiting, had potential, but was never really developed.

The addition of a new magic system, demon magic, didn't help. It seemed a bit contrived, especially since there wasn't even a mention of such powers in the first book.

This book is worth reading if you liked the first book, or if you like romantic fantasy, but I consider it to be only average.

Excellent Fantasy novel with a spiritual bend.......2007-01-20

This is a fantasy novel that covers road trip book, growing up and spirituality.
The fantasy world is European history based, vividly described and makes for a great backdrop for what is a road trip book as the main character of the book, Ista goes about discovering her capabilities and connections.
I found the story flow is quite gripping and had lots of twists and turns to make it right there in my list with other good recent fantasy books such as American Gods.

There is no need to read the first book (The Curse of Chalion) in the series before this one and I would suggest not it as this is the best in the series and carries itself well.

Well written and exciting un-sequel to `Curse of Chalion' .......2007-01-02

I was beginning to get worried...

Of late, the principle character of Lois McMaster Bujold's space opera adventures, Miles Vorkosigan was getting older, settling down and having kids. In the last several novels he was becoming domesticated and sedentary compared to his action-packed youthful exploits with the Dendarii Mercenaries. Moving in diplomatic circles, Miles is doing more detecting than adventuring. I miss Admiral Naismith.

I'm glad Lois ventured back into the fantasy genre with `Curse of Chalion', where she has created a fantasy universe every bit as rich and tactile as Miles' Barryaran Empire.

In a well written and exciting un-sequel to that good story, Lois follows the Dowager Royina Ista, (Iselle's mother) on a holy pilgrimage away from her Castle into a new adventure not unlike one that Miles would experience.

In CofC, Ista was a shadow character, lonely in her misfortune and her madness. But in `Palladin', Ista`s character takes on new life, facing challenges heroically that her CofC character was never capable of.

Ista and her traveling retinue, the brothers dyGura, Ferda and Foix (from CofC), Friar Tuck-like cleric dyCabon, and a new strong young heroine named Liss, meet with considerable bad fortune and interesting events along her pilgrimage. Ista also gets an opportunity for romance, although at first it appears quite remote.

Along the way, they meet with signs of necromancy and demon-mongering, and a dose of Roknari invaders. Throw in some chivalrous new characters, and the usual handful of Bujold plot twists and unexpected events, and we wind up with quite a satisfying novel, even more interesting than its predecessor and comparable to a good Miles Vorkosigan space opera adventure.

Average customer rating:

Paladin Of Souls
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: MP3 CD

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction & Fantasy | MP3 CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786182636

Average customer rating:

Paladin Of Souls
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Paladin of Souls
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Paladin of Souls (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

Average customer rating:

Paladin of Souls (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

Manufacturer: Audiofy/Blackstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Cards
ASIN: 159912565X

Product Description

This Audiofy audiobook chip packs Kate Reading's full 16.5 hour reading of "Paladin of Souls" on a tiny memory card. A single Audiofy audiobook chip, hardly larger than a stamp, holds a complete digital audiobook, and saves the last listening position automatically, unlike CDs. With an SD memory card slot or low-cost adapter - like those for digital cameras - this Audiofy audiobook chip can be played on Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh desktop computers or laptops (Microsoft Windows XP/2000/Me/98, or Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above) or transferred to Apple iPod media players. Audiobook chips also move seamlessly to most Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld PDAs with SD expansion slots, as well as Treo and Windows Mobile "smartphones" (Palm OS 5.2 or Windows Mobile 2002 and above)... Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle of Valenda. Her newfound freedom is costly, bittersweet with memories, regrets, and guilty secrets-for she knows the truth of what brought her land to the brink of destruction. And now the road-escape-beckons....A simple pilgrimage, perhaps. Quite fitting for the Dowager Royina of Chalion.

Average customer rating:

The Hallowed Hunt (Unabridged)
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000P6R51Q

Paladin De Almas/ Paladin of Souls (Fantasia)

Average customer rating:

Paladin De Almas/ Paladin of Souls (Fantasia)
Lois McMaster Bujold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Paladin of Souls (Unabridged)
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0008KLPII

Average customer rating:

Paladin Of Souls
Lois Mcmaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8PFTY

Average customer rating:

Paladin of Souls 1ST Edition Signed
Lois Mcamast Bujold
Manufacturer: AVON BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q3T0VG

Average customer rating:
Raiders of Gor (Gor Ser.)
John Norman
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Tarnsman Of Gor

Savages of Gor

Hunters of Gor

ASIN: 0345251849

Average customer rating:

there but ....

CITY OF THE DAMNED

Early books are the best in Gor series

Surprising turning point in Norman's Gor series.

from a Kajira's point of view

Raiders of Gor
John Norman
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Hunters of Gor

Nomads of Gor

Marauders of Gor

Fighting Slave of Gor

Tribesmen of Gor

ASIN: 0345295382
Release Date: 1980-10-12

Book Description

Tarl Cabot, Norman's heroic Gorean Tarnsman, descends into the depths of Port Karthe darkest, most degenerate port city of the Counter-Earth. There, among pirates, cutthroats and brigands, Cabot learns the ways of Kar, whose residents are renowned for the iron grip in which they hold their voluptuous slaves.

Customer Reviews:

there but ...........2004-11-10

Honour, once lost, can never be regained, only recollected .... Yes, there but for the grace of God go I.
This 6th book in the series remains my favourite, after all these years, as it is the pivot on which the whole series turned. Or would have if John Norman had not lost his way in the detail of Gor's wonderful and fantastic backdrop. But I digress, them great invincible warrior, falls from grace and redisovers his humanity. And a new strength is born in him as he understands his own weakness, and theose of his enemies and allies.

CITY OF THE DAMNED.......2004-07-06

Tarl Cabot was a warrior of Gor--the world that earth could never see. Normally he was a proud and mighty warrior, but now he was bound for Port Kar, the only city with no home stone to give it a heart. It was a city of reavers and looters...of outcasts without allegiance. Merchants and pirates stalked its quays beside the beautiful Sea of Thassa. Tarl Cabot was headed for the sinkhole of the planet, a teeming den of iniquity. And that was no place for an honest warrior from Ko-ro-ba. But he was no longer Tarl Cabot, the warrior. Now he was only Bosk...a miserable slave.

Early books are the best in Gor series.......2003-07-17

I read the Gor series as a boy in the 70's and early 80's. IMHO the series is most appealing to teenage boys. I recently pulled "Assassins of Gor" off the shelf one night while bored, and re-read it. I was shocked that there was no real sex, and only a handful of pages of philosophy and psychology that I had to skip over. The book was really excellent, although in a straight forward, uncomplicated sort of way. These are escapist novels, richly detailed, which immerse you in an exotic world, not real thinkers. My enduring memories were of the later books in the series, which were almost unreadable because whole chapters were devoted to philosophy and psychology.
I am not offended by the idea that it is natural and enjoyable for women to be submissive to men. Although I recognize it as wish fulfillment fantasy, still I consider it harmless, especially in such an obviously fictitious setting. I even found it mildly interesting the first time it was mentioned. It is the umpteenth repetition that I find boring. I just turn those pages, skipping ahead to the next action sequence. Speaking of wish fulfillment, I wish someone would edit the series, and re-publish it without these parts. Maybe Eric Flint could do it? He likes to edit, according to his afterword to "1633" and he's good at it. Of course, if you take the sex out of Gor you get Barsoom, and that story has already been written.

I looked on Amazon to see if there was anything new going on with the series, and there was. It is being reprinted, starting at the beginning, and at least 2 new books seem to be published, or at least in the works. I was disappointed though that Amazon didn't have the whole series listed under one easy to find heading. I guess there are, after all, millions of books and only so many Amazon employees. So I'm listing the series, in order, along with some brief info. Some of these books I haven't read, as noted.

1.) Tarnsman of Gor - 1966. Earthman, Tarl Cabot, goes to another planet, hidden on the opposite side of our sun, and becomes a master swordsman and Warrior. This is the book that is most like "Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, which I highly recommend. Note - the 1966 copyright is held by John Lange, the author's real name.

2.) Outlaw... - 1967. Tarl Cabot returns to Gor, to find he's been outlawed.

3.) Priest-Kings... - 1968. Tarl Cabot goes to lair of Priest-Kings to clear his name.

4.) Nomads... - 1969. Tarl Cabot goes to Southern Plains, and meets Mongol type nomads.

5.) Assassin... - 1970. Tarl Cabot returns to Ar, greatest city-state on Gor. Note - this is the first copy I have by Del Rey books, and it has cover art by Boris. I may not like reading about the Gorean philosophy on sexual roles for men and women, but I can't get enough of Boris' artwork depicting it.

6.) Raiders... - 1971. Tarl Cabot goes to Port Kar, pirate capitol of scum and villainy, and learns the meaning of shame. More Boris art on the cover of the Del Rey edition.

7.) Captive... - 1972. A new character, Elinor Brinton, is captured on Earth and becomes a slave girl on Gor. The first time this is done, it may be slightly creative and a little interesting, but it is a radical departure from the earlier books and I consider it to be the beginning of the end. At least Tarl Cabot has a few pages at the end, to tie this book into the rest of the series. This is also the last book published by Ballantine books, which I think is significant in the content and direction of the rest of the series.

8.) Hunters... - 1974. Tarl Cabot goes to the Northern Forest and meets amazon type women. This seems to be the first time there was a break in John Norman's writing, undoubtedly related to his switch to Daw books as a publisher.

9.) Marauders... - 1975. Tarl Cabot goes to the land of the Norsemen and meets Viking type Marauders.

10.) Tribesmen... - 1976. Tarl Cabot goes to the Tahari desert.

11.) Slave Girl... - 1977. Earth girl Judy Thornton enslaved on Gor. Again. No Tarl Cabot at all.

12.) Beasts... - 1978. Tarl Cabot goes to the Arctic ice pack and meets Eskimo type people.

13.) Explorers... - 1979. Tarl Cabot goes to the equatorial rain forests.

14.) Fighting Slave... - 1980. Earthman Jason Marshall is enslaved and forced to fight in a pit on Gor.

15.) Rogue... - 1981. Jason Marshall wanders free on Gor.

16.) Guardsman... - 1981. Jason Marshall earns a homeland.

17.) Savages... - 1982. Tarl Cabot goes to the great plains and meets American Indian type savages. Note - If you like this, John Norman also wrote "Ghost Dance" in 1970, a similar type story about real American Indians. I'm impressed that he kept the writing schedule he did on the Gor novels, and still wrote other books on the side. He also wrote "Time Slave" in 1975.

18.) Blood Brothers... - 1982. Savages and Blood Brothers are a two-part set. Just recently read this conclusion to Savages. Brings closure to Ubar of the Skies.

19.) Kajira... - unread. Another Slave girl story.

20.) Players... - 1984. Tarl Cabot joins the Carnival. Cos goes to war with Ar.

21.) Mercenaries... - 1985. Tarl Cabot returns to Ar again to try to save it.

22.) Dancer... - unread. Another Slave Girl novel? This is where I stopped even looking in the bookstore.

23.) Vagabonds... - unread.

24.) Magicians... - 1988, unread.

25.) Witness... - 2002, unread. I read on amazon that this is a story about Marlenus with amnesia, told by a slave girl.

26.) Prize... - unread. This is not yet published.

Surprising turning point in Norman's Gor series........2002-11-20

Raiders of Gor is one of the best books of Norman's Gor series (right along with Magicians of Gor).

First of all it features all the expected ingredients of a Gor novel: A lot of bondage situations and non-consensual sex amidst the typical Gor-like setting with adamantine warriors dominating their submissive female slaves. Plus an elaborately carved fantasy world with unique flora, fauna and complex human (and non-human) societies.

But as a welcomed change, our hero Tarl Cabot doesn't wander through this world like the invincible and unaffectable symbol of virtue, law and order he had become in the first 5 books of this series. Instead we discover a darker side of our ideal warrior that Norman exploits to create an intelligent story of downfall and rise-back to power. For the first time I found myself really rooting for Tarl as he first succeeds in establishing himself as a competent swordsman in the anarchic pirate city of Port Kar, to finally become the savior of his newly chosen hometown, when he wards off a large-scale attack on Port Kar by rival seaports.

The only reason that kept me from giving Raiders even 5 stars was the usual exaggeration of Tarl's achievements, like defeating a small armada of war barges with just a longbow and a huge quiver of arrows. Or the flight with his warbird across miles of open sea through a severe thunderstorm. But those minor flaws aren't too crucial to spoil the fun, and whatever you can say of Norman's idiosyncratic and maybe sexist fantasy setting, Raiders of Gor is one exciting fantasy book featuring strife, passion and a fallen hero set to become a morally stained yet emotionally matured elite warrior in a wild and dangerous archaic world.

from a Kajira's point of view.......2002-07-18

I read this book because a man wanted me to understand his fantasy of women. Of all the Gor books, this particular one is the most fun becuase Tarl becomes a man of Port Kar. Port Kar is the center of evil in this world. He was forced to sacrifice his dignity and his freedom, and once freedom was regained, he no longer felt compelled to do what is good and right but to do what suits him. I am a women and I didn't find their treatment of women appalling. In fact, I relished the idea of being a good woman and have since tried harder than ever to be a good Kajira for the man who wanted me to read Raiders. I have been enslaved by Jakob and by Gor. I have been marked with a K. I am happy living in my own private Gor fantasy, although most people would never go that far. I would highly reccomend at least reading Raiders, and the other Gor books, and perhaps incorporating it into a little role playing in the bedroom.

Raiders of GOR (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth, Volume 6)

Average customer rating:

Norman's prose
Tarnsman Tarl Cabot becomes Captain Bosk of Port Kar

Raiders of GOR (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth, Volume 6)

Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0345272005

Product Description

From the Epic GOR series

Customer Reviews:

Norman's prose.......2007-08-23

I agree with Lawrance. The early books in the Gor series are magnificent, if one is fond of Edgar Rice Bouroughs-style fantasy fiction. The tone of the writing is very Latinate or archaic (no expert I), with lots of repetition and restatement that reminds me of the Odyssey and the Iliad. Epic-ish. John Norman had to have studied Latin or something very seriously, to be able to write like that. An example:

"Was not honor a sham, loyalty and courage a deceit, an illusion of the ignorant, a dream of fools?

Was not the only wise man he who observed carefully and when he might took what he could? The determinants of the wise man could not be such phantoms.

There was only gold and power and the bodies of women, and steel.

I was a strong man.

I was such that might make a place for himself in a city such as Port Kar."

I don't know how to say it, but there is a lilting seaward sway to his prose that is hypnotic, at least to teenage boys.

Beware, however, if you get into the series too much. A big part of Norman's world view holds that women are natural-born slaves, at least on Gor, and after the first eight or ten books they turn into monomaniacal rants about that, which is a bunch of dog poot, as anyone with a lick of sense knows. Wishful thinking on his part, I imagine.

I would rate Raiders of Gor as the best of the bunch, if only because it's when Tarl Cabot finds out he's a natural-born slave too, at least on his off days.

Tarnsman Tarl Cabot becomes Captain Bosk of Port Kar.......2005-10-08

After what everybody seems to consider his most popular Gor novel, "Nomads of Gor," and what I think is clearly his magnum opus, "Assassin of Gor," John Norman has Tarl Cabot head off in a new direction in this 6th volume of the Counter-Earth series. I think "Raiders of Gor" is a notch below those two, on a level with "Priest-Kings of Gor," which is certainly a comparable novel from the series since it also redefined Tarl Cabot's role on Gor. From being the agent of the Priest-Kings, Cabot now begins to be a foe of the Others, not so much out of allegiance to the creatures that brought him to Gor, but because the Others want to conquer Counter-Earth.

We have heard mention of Port Kar in the earlier Gor books and now Tarl Cabot is visiting the city that is considered the cesspool of Gor. The city is so decadent that it has no Home-Stone and power in Port Kar belongs to those strong enough to take it. However, while on his way to Port Kar, on a mission in service to the Priest-Kings, Tarl Cabot has an experience, which necessarily transforms him from the Tarnsman of Ko-ro-ba into Bosk, captain of Port Kar. He is not the man he was, and one of the consequences of this change is that Bosk is not inclined to serve the will of the Priest-Kings in their battle with the Others. But even in Port Kar, the coming war for the control of Counter-Earth is part of the power politics of the Council of Captains.

"Raiders" focuses much more on the Tarl/Bosk character at the expense of some of the wonderful supporting characters Norman had created in the previous couple of novels, although there are a few (e.g., the slave-boy Fish). But whatever faults the rest of the novel might have for fans of the series, the sequence in which Bosk decides to stay and fight for Port Kar is one of the dramatic highpoints of the series. This is followed by a big sea battle that represents a major change from the more intimate battles that Cabot has fought in previous novels. Norman is trying to make things bigger, but that does not necessarily translate into them being better.

"Raiders of Gor," at least for me, was the last really decent John Norman novel for a long time ("Marauders of Gor" was the next one that was up to this level). After this point what is usually described as the Gorean Philosophy becomes more dominant than the adventures of Tarl Cabot in Norman's writings. It is perhaps telling that out of print copies of his novels "Slave Girl of Gor" and "Kajira of Gor" go for more than "Nomads of Gor" and "Assassin of Gor." For those who grew up on the Martian novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs I would still recommend reading the first five novels of Norman's Gor series for sure, and if you like it enough to keep going you can certainly try this one. Just be forewarned that if you interest is adventure rather than the sexual dominance of women by men, your interest will wane significantly as your progress further in the series.

Average customer rating:

Raiders of Gor
John Norman
Manufacturer: Universal
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

Raiders of Gor

Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0345224477

GOR SERIES: Tarnsman; Outlaw; Priest Kings; Nomads; Assassin; Raiders; Captive; Hunters; Marauders; Tribesmen

Average customer rating:

GOR SERIES: Tarnsman; Outlaw; Priest Kings; Nomads; Assassin; Raiders; Captive; Hunters; Marauders; Tribesmen
John (pen name of John Lange Jr.) Norman
Manufacturer: Del Rey - Ballantine Books; Daw Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PBQYAE

Average customer rating:

Raiders of GOR
John Norman
Manufacturer: Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q8V9QA

Average customer rating:

Raiders of Gor
John Norman
Manufacturer: Ballatine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000UHK12A

Average customer rating:

Raiders of Gor
John Norman
Manufacturer: Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PAYQB4

Average customer rating:

Raiders Of Gor Volume VI
John Norman
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000JFLR6M

Average customer rating:

A powerful tale of a magical journey

spell check

Separate Reality - Altered States

Toltecs of the New Millennium
Victor Sanchez
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Shamanism | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Spiritualism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Teachings of Don Carlos: Practical Applications of the Works of Carlos Castaneda

The Toltec Path of Recapitulation: Healing Your Past to Free Your Soul

The Toltec Oracle

The Gospel of the Toltecs: The Life and Teachings of Quetzalcoatl

On the Toltec Path: A Practical Guide to the Teachings of don Juan Matus, Carlos Castaneda, and Other Toltec Seers

ASIN: 1879181355
Release Date: 1996-06-01

Amazon.com

Having lived among Mesoamerican Indians for 15 years, the anthropologist Victor Sanchez informs his readers that Toltecs do not believe in their gods but perceive them directly. Sanchez identifies these natives as living descendants of the famous Toltec sages of Pre-Columbian times and, noting that their "separate reality" cannot be understood unless directly experienced, he takes us into their world, introducing their rituals and beliefs, which, incredibly, seem to substantiate much of Carlos Castaneda's depiction of Indian spirituality. In their profound communion with nature, the living Toltecs have much to teach the urban spiritual warrior.

Book Description

Victor Sanchez offers us a rare glimpse into the life and practice of Toltec spiritual warriors. Tracing their lineage to a time before the Aztec, the Toltec recognize Earth as a living being, share a profound communion with their land, and demonstrate unusual powers of perception.

Sanchez describes the Toltec tradition living on in the practice of contemporary indigenous people of Mexico, and explains how this wisdom is available to sincere readers. Learn how their indigenous survival skills at the dawn of a new millennium encourage our renewed commitment to a better way of life, in harmony with spirit and nature.

Customer Reviews:

A powerful tale of a magical journey.......2004-10-09

If you are new to the writings of Victor Sanchez, then this is an ideal place to start.

Although the second book by Victor, following on from The Teachings of Don Carlos, it gives background and spirit to where Victor experienced and learned what he teaches, and therefore this provides an ideal starting place where you can get a sense of the mood and ethos behind the techniques and tools of the first book.

While the largest portion of the book is Victor's personal story of journeying to Humun' Kulluaby and the ascent of and ritual on La' Unarre, there are many insights and a couple of related conversations and stories regarding various things including the views of the Wirrarika on missionaries who have tried to "convert" and "save" them, through to some views "anti-anthropology" and explanations of what indigenous cultures, such as the Wirrarika, actually believe regarding multiple Gods and the Great Spirit.

The comments Victor makes about Western culture "putting ourselves at the center of everything" and viewing the "worship of nature" as primitive are I feel important concepts to reflect on (for those of us with a Western heritage) as it is indeed arrogance of this kind which I believe is a limiting factor for us in our own personal evolution.

A fragment of a conversation between Victor and a Wirrarika marakame relating a conversation he had with a pastor who insisted that the tales of Christ and the bible 'made sense' compared with the very organic beliefs of the Indians, to me sums up their wisdom. "But nobody tells me about Tatei Urianaka (the Earth), I see her every day! And every day I receive her fruits, corn, water, and beans. I can touch, walk, and live on her! And Tau (the Sun). Daily I receive his heat and his nierika (light, knowledge, vision, teaching). I don't have to do anything but look up and there he is." This, to me, is the beauty of a system which embraces the natural world (rather than 'separating' it). Learning is direct and experiential, through observation and interaction.

Overall this is a powerful and moving tale of a magical journey. Reading of Victor Sanchez's experiences provides inspiration for anyone who truly wants to discover and follow their own magical path.

spell check.......2001-01-03

Pre-Colombian with an o not u

Separate Reality - Altered States.......1998-08-23

For many of us looking for answers that doctrined religions cannot quite give us, Victor Sanchez has exposed a world where faith meets reality. Through his own research and paticipation, Sanchez experiences a spiritual domain that continues to exist admist the colonization and materialism now precedent around the world. Not restricted to boundaries of religion, Sanchez takes the reader through first hand understanding of what is possible when your allow and train your mind to believe in "separate realities." In a Carlos Casteneda like approach, Sanchez writes of his experiences with a group of Native Americans in rural Mexico, who have sustained their belief system and way of life before and after Spanish colonzation. Sanchez spent 15 years with these people and is sharing the world that these people "see." Those who have been exposed to Castaneda's work would find equal enjoyment with this book and have another supporting perspective of human capabilities with spirit and energy. Sanchez provides an answer to what is real to our eyes, may be only what we've been told and trained them to see. How easy is it to believe something you can't see, and if you do, should it be excused as hallucination or paganism. To the growing number of people not completely happy with formal religion, here is a glimsp of ancient wisdom that offers a possibility of human existence on a separate reality, one that is real.

Average customer rating:

Toltecs of the New Millennium
Victor Sanchez
Manufacturer: Bear and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P94G7Y

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books