Flowers for Algernon Sci Fi alternate ending?

March 21, 2007 5:50 PM

Short story filter: Help me identify a science fiction short story I read this year about a "Flowers for Algernon" type situation, where instead of the Algernon-ish character reverting back to his former state, his intelligence becomes unlimited and he goes on to (sort of) control the world.

This short story was written within the last 15 years, and I have a hunch that the author who wrote it recently passed away (but I might be wrong about that.)

The basic plot is that a guy gets resuscitated after a near-death incident, and the experimental medicine they used to bring him back has the unfortunate side affect of making him get increasingly intelligent, until he has almost super-human powers. The hitch is that someone else who has been using this medicine is also super-brilliant, and at the end it becomes a very heady battle of wills and super-intelligence. (He's also kind of evil, if I remember correctly.)

Spark anyone's memory? I can't for the life of me remember title or author. Bonus if someone can send me a link to the story (I read it online originally.)

Thanks!

posted by np312 to media & arts (6 comments total)

Ted Chiang's Understand
posted by hindmost at 5:52 PM on March 21, 2007

WTF, this was posted just a few days ago and it prompted me to request the book via ILL. It ruled, btw. (Understand by Ted Chiang, in the Stories of Your Life book).
posted by DU at 5:53 PM on March 21, 2007

Whoa I can't believe I didn't spot that. Sorry for the double post (but it is kind of eerie, methinks.)
posted by np312 at 6:48 PM on March 21, 2007

It's an illustration of the mythic power in a great science fiction short story, np312. Used to be, anybody asking about one of these stories was asking about Isaac Asimov's "The Last Question", but times change. Now they ask about "Understand."
posted by cgc373 at 6:59 PM on March 21, 2007

I believe you are looking for "Pinky and the Brain"
posted by travis08 at 9:30 PM on March 21, 2007

Perhaps it was your super-intelligent arch-nemesis that posted the other question?
posted by Happy Dave at 2:29 AM on March 22, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]