Prisoner of the Brain-Mistress

"Prisoner of the Brain-Mistress" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction story set in a future wrestling with social stagnation. The story follows Ivan Allinger, a powerful figure in a chaotic world threatened by old fascist forces, who narrowly escapes death thanks to Draken, an alien scientist. Ivan is whisked away to Mohln, a far-off, technologically advanced world, where he encounters Jokan, the epitome of their society's beauty, but also a symbol of its deep-seated decay. Draken reveals a dark truth of Mohln’s stagnation and the necessity of its destruction to ignite progress and creativity. Ivan's unexpected journey questions the very essence of societal growth, the pitfalls of perfection, and the real meaning of advancement for humankind.