Editing Gor (section)

== Plotlines ==

Most of the novels in the series are action and sexual adventures, with many of the military engagements borrowing liberally from historic ones, such as the [[trireme]] battles of [[ancient Greece]] and the castle sieges of medieval Europe. Ar, the largest city in known Gor, has resemblances to the ancient city of [[Rome]], and its land empire is opposed by the sea-power of the island of Cos.

The series is an overlapping of [[planetary romance]] and [[sword and planet]]. The first book, ''Tarnsman of Gor'', opens with scenes reminiscent of scenes in the first book of the [[Barsoom]] series by [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]; both feature the protagonist narrating his adventures after being transported to another world. These parallels end after the first few books, when the stories of the books begin to be structured along a loose story arc involving the struggles of the city-state of Ar and the island of Cos to control the Vosk river area, as well as the struggles at a higher level between the non-human Priest-Kings and the Kurii (another alien race) to control Gor and Earth.

[[File:Bosk-Port-Kar-ship-flag-Norman-Gor.svg|200px|thumb|Personal flag of Bosk of Port Kar (a.k.a. Tarl Cabot of Bristol), the main narrator of the ''Gor'' books]]

Most of the books are narrated by transplanted British professor Tarl Cabot, master swordsman, as he engages in adventures involving Priest-Kings, Kurii, and humans. Books 7, 11, 19, 22, 26, 27, 31, 34 and parts of 32 are narrated by abducted Earth women who are made into slaves. Books 14, 15, and 16 are narrated by male abductee Jason Marshall. Book 28 is narrated by an unknown Kur, but features Tarl Cabot. Book 30 and parts of 32 are narrated by three Gorean men: a mariner, a scribe and a merchant/slaver.

The series features several sentient alien races. The most important to the books are the insectoid Priest-Kings and the huge, sharp-clawed, predatory Kurii, both spacefarers from foreign star systems. The Priest-Kings rule Gor as disinterested custodians, leaving humans to their own affairs as long as they abide by certain restrictions on technology. The Kurii are an aggressive, invasive race with advanced technology (but less so than that of the Priest-Kings) who wish to colonize both Gor and Earth. The power of the Priest-Kings is diminished after the "Nest War" described in the third book and the Priest-Kings and Kurii struggle against each other via their respective human agents and spies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Annals of Gor |url=http://www.moonproductions.com/Fantasy/Gor/annalsmain.html |access-date=2009-03-27 |publisher=Moonproductions.com}}</ref>

Early entries in the series were plot-driven [[space opera]] adventures, but later entries grew more philosophical and sexual. Many subplots run the course of several books and tie back to the main plot in later books. Some of these plots begin in the first book, but most are underway in the first 10 books.