The Madness Season (Daw Science Fiction) (Paperback)

by C. S. Friedman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Friedman's ( In Conquest Born ) exceptionally imaginative, compelling science fiction novel leaps ahead to the 24th century. For hundreds of years, Earth has suffered under the yoke of alien conquerors: the dreaded Tyr, a reptilian race in which all individuality is submerged into a single, overarching consciousness. Determined to keep humanity cowed, the Tyr have culled from the captive population the most intelligent, the most curious, the most likely to foment rebellion, and banished them from Earth. As the memory of freedom recedes, humanity sinks into a lethargic subservience. Daetrin, the hero of this tale, is a vampire--not a monster, however, but a man, nearly immortal, who embodies the vanished virtues of a once-sovereign Earth. When his existence is exposed by the Tyr, who are appalled to find a human who witnessed the stet cap/pk Conquest, they immediately ship him offworld. Thus begins a journey of self-discovery as Daetrin is forced by adversity to come to grips with the long-suppressed side of his nature and to confront the ancient horror of a bloody heritage.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Three hundred years in the future, the Tyr, a hivelike alien race, have subjugated the peoples of Earth. Daetrin, an ancient vampiric shapechanger, uses his unique talents to battle the aliens while trying to understand and accept himself. Intriguing plot and excellent characterization combined with good writing (although it bogs down occasionally) make for an original science fiction romp.

Copyright 1991 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: DAW (October 3, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886774446
• ISBN-13: 978-0886774448
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #163,396 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #4 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( F ) > Friedman, C.S.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, exceptional science fiction., April 6, 2000

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

C. S. Friedman's second novel is almost as lengthy and involved as her first, In Conquest Born (1986/7). Each is around 500 pages of fast-paced, intricate plotting in the fine tradition of good space opera. Madness Season adds to the space-journeys from an earth run by aliens to other planets, space stations and colonies, a permutation of the vampire myth. It introduces several non-human, and some non-corporeal beings as well as complex human adaptations to alien peoples and planets. Amongst all this wealth of detail, one might expect the characters to get lost. Such is not the case. The first-person narrator, named Daetrin Ungashak To-Alym Hall, tells the story of how he gradually deciphered the origins and location of earth's oppressors, the Tyr. However, he follows the path of discovery amid flash-backs to times as old as pre-Egyptian cultures, for he is a vampire from a family of vampires, the others of which have been killed in accidents over the ages. He relives some of his past alias at points in the story where he is stressed physically or mentally. Daetrin is an observant and conscientious individual who uses chemical substitutes to avoid the vampire's age-old need for blood, having found that this need is due to lack of a vital enzyme. Before he is removed from earth for being too curious, he has been trying to teach humans about their past, otherwise erased by the Tyr. After his transportation to domed research facilities off-planet, he spends his time unravelling the mystery of the Tyr-mind. The story is temporally placed in the not-too distant future after humans have been subjugated by the Tyr, who are manifested in several levels or races, the Honn-Tyr who are warriors and the Raayat-Tyr who are more intellectually curious have the most points of contact with humans. It is through one Raayat-Tyr, which he names Frederick, but also due to his ability to shapechange (yes, it turns out that vampires are werewolves too), that Daetrin is able to understand and locate the collective Tyr-mind that controls the aliens for most of their lives. Regardless of this unusual mix of earth legends, aliens and scientific discoveries, Daetrin falls within the classic SF-hero mold as a savior of humankind. But what a ride we are taken on along the way. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy human-alien contact stories, complex civilizations and circuitous plots.

Jan Bogstad

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pinnacle of what Science Fiction should be., September 25, 1998

By A Customer

The Madness Season is an almost unbelievably good example of excellence in writing. The story is incredibly complex yet woven together with such delicacy that you become one with the story. I've read it twice and look forward to savoring it again in future years. It's in my Top Ten lists of all time favorite Science Fiction and belongs on every believers shelf. Like few books of its genre it hurts to put it down. The plot developments are logical and yet challenging. This is imagination that I will ever envy and appreciate. You cannot fail to like this fascinating chronology of an immortal from a conquered Earth facing his emminent demise at the hands of the ruling alien force who are not aware of his "secret" and how old he really is. At the core she takes an old concept which I thought I was going to hate and completely mesmerized me. I have been searching for a hardcover copy for myself . Should one buy it? It's unthinkable not too! I wish I were reading it for the first time.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, March 7, 1999

By A Customer

I never would have thought it was possible to pull off vampires and alien invaders in one shot, but it appears I was wrong. I have also read "In Conquest Born" and the Coldfire Trilogy, and this is undoubtably my favorite. The story takes place in a future human society where our main character is a vampire far too modern and scientific to believe in such archaic fantasies as vampires. He does, however, believe in space-aliens, as Earth has been ruled by alien invaders for the past three-hundred years. Friedman's characters are, as usual, completely real, and I would love the chance to get my hands on a sequel if there were one.