In a future where political power is determined by a randomized lottery system, a man finds himself caught in a high-stakes struggle against a ruthless power broker. Ted Benteley, an ordinary employee within the Solar Lottery administration, becomes an unwitting participant in a complex political game. As he navigates the rigid, arbitrary structures of a society governed by chance, he faces opposition from figures who manipulate the system to maintain control. The narrative follows his attempts to resist the dehumanizing effects of this lottery, forcing him into a confrontation that tests his survival and moral resolve. The story is presented through a third-person perspective that emphasizes the absurdity of the world's governing mechanisms.

Readers frequently highlight this work as a foundational example of the author's early interest in the instability of reality and political systems. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the lottery premise as a vehicle for exploring themes of control and individual autonomy. Critics note the presence of idiosyncratic elements that would later define the author's more mature science fiction output. The pacing is often described as brisk, focusing more on the mechanics of the world-building than on extensive character interiority. Many readers appreciate the intellectual rigor applied to the concept of a society governed by pure chance.