The Ego Machine

by Henry Kuttner

"The Ego Machine" by Henry Kuttner is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story revolves around Nicholas Martin, a playwright embroiled in the chaotic world of Hollywood filmmaking, where he finds himself dealing with a quirky robot named ENIAC and undergoing a bizarre ecological experiment that alters his personality and character traits. The narrative explores themes of identity, creativity, and the pressures of the entertainment industry. At the start of the book, Nicholas Martin is confronted by ENIAC, a robot who informs him of his selection for an ecological experiment. This prompts a humorous and tense exchange as Martin grapples with his frustrations regarding his career, a manipulative director, and his unresolved feelings for his agent, Erika Ashby. Faced with the absurdity of Hollywood politics and his newfound predicament, Martin is reluctantly drawn into a plan that requires him to adapt his character traits. As the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that the experimentation will have significant implications for Martin's creative abilities and personal relationships.