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The Dictator
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About the author
Milton Lesser
133 books3 followersMilton Lesser was an American author of science fiction, mystery novels, and fictional autobiographies of Christopher Columbus, Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, and Edgar Allan Poe. He is best known for his detective character Chester Drum, whom he created in the 1955 novel The Second Longest Night.
He was awarded the French Prix Gutenberg du Livre in 1988, and in 1997 he was awarded the "Life Achievement Award" by the Private Eye Writers of America. He lived with his wife Ann in Williamsburg, Virginia.
His pseudonyms include Adam Chase, Stephen Marlowe, Andrew Frazer, C.H. Thames, Jason Ridgway and Ellery Queen.
He was awarded the French Prix Gutenberg du Livre in 1988, and in 1997 he was awarded the "Life Achievement Award" by the Private Eye Writers of America. He lived with his wife Ann in Williamsburg, Virginia.
His pseudonyms include Adam Chase, Stephen Marlowe, Andrew Frazer, C.H. Thames, Jason Ridgway and Ellery Queen.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 1, 2021
great story!
July 19, 2020
Milton Lesser tells an interesting tale with "The Dictator" that seems more accurate to a funny (yet unbelievable) episode of the twilight zone. In "The Dictator" the world is focused on promoting the "Most Average" men. It is not desired to be the smartest, the dumbest, the strongest, the weakest, or to be particularly good or bad at anything. It is MOST desirable to be "equal" in all ways and this includes ability, with each generation becoming increasingly more "average" as time passes by. Society doesn't necessarily "remove" anyone who isn't average, they merely look down on them. In fact, the main character of the short story pities another character (described as having 150 IQ) for being so varied from the mean that he would never live a "good" life.
The main character of the story follows the most average man and his "training" to assassinate the Dictator by being so average that the Dictator will want to work with him the most. The resistance believes that once the "Dictator" is killed, the entire society (run by average men) will then collapse. After a series of trials, the main character meets the dictator and kills him before the dictator can say anything. Before he knows it, the main character takes the dictator's place and the cycle is revealed. Because being "average" changes with each generation, the new best "average" will always kill he dictator before him and take his place to carve the next average. Meanwhile the people surrounding the dictator are the true people in power in a self-perpetuating system that never changes.
Of course, there are parallels here with communisms call for "equality" (though they are lazy at best) and there are themes that match the self-perpetuating system of fascism and socialism as seen in the nazi regime (though they are lazy at best). The world, the system, the characters feel too unrealistic and seem like an exaggerated tale of warning that has no bearing on the real world, however, the story itself, filled with its tensions, twists and turns, is so interesting, with a theme so enticing to talk about, that this short story would make a great conversation piece and a jumping point for a far deeper exploration of its theme.
The main character of the story follows the most average man and his "training" to assassinate the Dictator by being so average that the Dictator will want to work with him the most. The resistance believes that once the "Dictator" is killed, the entire society (run by average men) will then collapse. After a series of trials, the main character meets the dictator and kills him before the dictator can say anything. Before he knows it, the main character takes the dictator's place and the cycle is revealed. Because being "average" changes with each generation, the new best "average" will always kill he dictator before him and take his place to carve the next average. Meanwhile the people surrounding the dictator are the true people in power in a self-perpetuating system that never changes.
Of course, there are parallels here with communisms call for "equality" (though they are lazy at best) and there are themes that match the self-perpetuating system of fascism and socialism as seen in the nazi regime (though they are lazy at best). The world, the system, the characters feel too unrealistic and seem like an exaggerated tale of warning that has no bearing on the real world, however, the story itself, filled with its tensions, twists and turns, is so interesting, with a theme so enticing to talk about, that this short story would make a great conversation piece and a jumping point for a far deeper exploration of its theme.
August 24, 2018
Nice short stroy, good plot with nice ending. Very happy to read it :)
December 15, 2025
A fine, just-passing-the-time kind of story.
We are the government we elect. You can't complain about that.
Reminds me how after all great reformers, once they become elected officials, or after they overthrow the current rulers who are repressing them, eventually become "The Government".
I did find the everyone is an "average" society a bit creepy I will admit.
And I did like the headphones with the delayed voice playback kind of cool. Interesting form of torture.
A somewhat bland story with uninspired writing, which typical for a Milton Lesser/Stephen Marlowe story.
We are the government we elect. You can't complain about that.
Reminds me how after all great reformers, once they become elected officials, or after they overthrow the current rulers who are repressing them, eventually become "The Government".
I did find the everyone is an "average" society a bit creepy I will admit.
And I did like the headphones with the delayed voice playback kind of cool. Interesting form of torture.
A somewhat bland story with uninspired writing, which typical for a Milton Lesser/Stephen Marlowe story.
February 12, 2024
In a society where straying too far from mediocrity is considered an aberration, Ellaby—a man of average intellect and physical prowess—is “trained” for a decade in his hometown to assassinate the country’s unseen dictator. In an effort to get as close as possible to his target, Ellaby travels to the capitol to apply for a government job. After a few security tests, his nervousness brings him under suspicion and he blows his cover—with unexpected results.
September 22, 2020
Are we all dictators?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews