Editing John Norman (section)

== Themes ==
According to Norman, his Gor books are [[science fiction]] or adventure fantasy works which are also "intellectual, philosophical, and psychological novels".<ref>[http://io9.gizmodo.com/5783833/john-norman-the-philosopher-who-created-the-barbaric-world-of-gor John Norman, the philosophy professor who created the barbaric world of Gor iO9]. March 22, 2011.</ref> His fiction depicts fantastic worlds where [[Male dominance (BDSM)|male-dominated]] [[bondage (sexual)|bondage]] relationships are natural and widely practiced and respected culturally, whereas characteristics of modern society are criticized and philosophical themes are explored, especially from a [[Nietzsche]]an view.

Although the bondage in his ''[[Imaginative Sex]]'' guide is directed to sexual practices, the bondage and slavery presented on "Gor" follows along the lines of societal or legal slavery; a common way of life as reflected in ancient Rome and other societies. While the philosophy presented is unquestionably that of male dominance, male characters are themselves occasionally enslaved by powerful females. In an interview<ref name="PolygraffInterview"/> with ''[[Polygraff]]'' magazine, Norman stated that he believes that it is obvious that all societies are based on dominance and hierarchy.

Despite his books being associated with [[BDSM]], Norman is openly critical of the community.  In a 2011 interview with [[Gizmodo]], he stated, "I dissociate myself from BDSM, at least as I understand it. I may, of course, misunderstand it. I wonder if one would settle merely for 'real-life Gorean slavery', because, as I understand it, BDSM is not Gorean. If something is not beautiful, it is not Gorean."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anders |first1=Charlie Jane |title=John Norman, the philosophy professor who created the barbaric world of Gor |url=https://gizmodo.com/john-norman-the-philosophy-professor-who-created-the-b-5783833 |website=Gizmodo |date=March 22, 2011 |publisher=Gawker Media |access-date=21 October 2023}}</ref>

His non-fiction works cover [[philosophy]], [[ethics]] and [[historiography]].

=== Gorean subculture ===
A [[fandom]] based on his ''Gor'' novels, known as the [[Gorean subculture]], has developed<ref name="Bardzell-Odom 2008">{{cite journal |last1=Bardzell |first1=Shaowen|author1-link=Shaowen Bardzell |last2=Odom |first2=William |date=August 2008 |title=The Experience of Embodied Space in Virtual Worlds: An Ethnography of a Second Life Community |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240696933 |journal=[[Space and Culture]] |publisher=[[SAGE Journals]] |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=239–259 |doi=10.1177/1206331208319148 |s2cid=146711299 |issn=1206-3312 |lccn=99301909 |oclc=535496255 |via=[[ResearchGate]]|citeseerx=10.1.1.472.686 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283281457|title = The Development of MMORPG Culture and The Guild|last = Jøn|first = A. Asbjørn|date = 2010|journal = Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies|access-date = November 13, 2015|publisher = University of New England|pages = 97–112|issue = 25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4996410.stm|title=Officers discover sex-slave cult|date=May 19, 2006|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> without Lange's direct involvement. Scholars have discussed the way that Gorean subculture groups on media such as [[IMVU]], ''[[Second Life]]'',<ref name="Bardzell-Odom 2008"/> and [[Internet Relay Chat]] have influenced the development of online role-playing and even the [[MMORPG]] genre.<ref name=":0" />