A utopian world government (or is it)-everyone is provided for. But, if you're ambitious, you can take the brain advancing experimental drug R-47, which has a one in a million chance -it can either leave you a
vegetable, or a super genius - an "R-Master".
The hero is one of those sullen Dickson loners who is pretty much a playboy until the R-47 drug turns his brother into a vegetable. His brother despondent over the turn of events, attempts to take his own life only to be stopped short of true death and put in cryonic sleep. This event is a catalyst for the hero, who in trying to bring back his brother from the predeath suspension he's kept in, sees only one option available to him to afford the procedure, taking R-47 himself. I think you can guess by the title what happens to him.
This is a very entertaining little novel, that by the midway mark I would have told you was one of the best I've read so far of this year. Unfortunately, Dickson resorts to rubber science Vogt tactics to come up with a too cute ending to close this one. Still, a fast entertaining read, full of some neat political intrigue, and some discussion of Dickson's libertarian ethical concerns.