The Madman From Earth: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Madman From Earth: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Madman From Earth is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Laumer, Keith (1925–1993).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Madman From Earth" by Keith Laumer is a science fiction novel written in the early 1960s. The story revolves around the character J. Retief, a Terrestrial diplomat assigned to the alien world of Groac, where he navigates complex cultural differences and political intrigue. The narrative explores themes of diplomacy, misunderstandings between species, and the consequences of past actions. In the book, Retief faces the bureaucratic challenges of his position while uncovering a sinister incident from the past involving a Terrestrial cruiser that disappeared near Groac. As he digs deeper, he learns about involvement in a cover-up related to the fate of its crew, leading him to confront Groacian officials. The story combines elements of humor and tension as Retief maneuvers through alien politics, revealing both his intelligence and determination in his efforts to bring to light the truth about the elusive cruiser while also engaging with the peculiarities of Groacian culture. Ultimately, the tale examines the complexities of interstellar diplomacy and the importance of understanding in building relationships between vastly different societies.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Madman From Earth
- Author credits: Laumer, Keith (1925–1993)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Detective and mystery stories
- Diplomats -- Fiction
- Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
- Life on other planets -- Fiction
- Retief (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
- Science fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


