«The Ego Machine» by Henry Kuttner

The Ego Machine is a science fiction novella by American author Henry Kuttner first published in 1952.

When a slightly mad robot drunk on AC, wants you to join an experiment in optimum ecology—don't do it!

After all, who wants to argue like Disraeli or live like Ivan the Terrible?

Celebrated playwright Nicholas Martin didn’t read the small print in his Hollywood options contract. Now he’s facing five years of servitude to a conceited director named Raoul St. Cyr, who’s taken a thoughtful play about Portuguese fishermen and added dancing mermaids.

When it seems the plot has changed to include a robot from the future Nicholas looses all hope, but this robot may be just what he needs to win his freedom.

The Ego Machine was first published in the May, 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction magazine.

Total Running Time (TRT): 1 hour, 54 min.

Henry Kuttner (1915–1958) was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and horror, an author who was one of the half dozen or so pillars of the Golden Age of Sci-Fi. 

Marion Zimmer Bradley is among many authors who have cited Kuttner as an influence. Her novel The Bloody Sun is dedicated to him. Roger Zelazny has talked about the influence of The Dark World on his Amber series.