Die Optimierer

An award-winning debut! Honored with the Stefan Lübbe Prize. In the year 2052, the Federal Republic of Europe has isolated itself from the rest of the world. Highly advanced robots ensure prosperity and security in the so-called Optimal Welfare Economy. Here, all citizens are monitored around the clock by the Agency for Life Counseling to find the perfect place for each individual in society. Samson Freitag is a life counselor in public service and a fervent advocate of the system. However, when he is accused of providing faulty advice just before his promotion, he finds himself caught in a downward spiral from which he cannot escape. The system does everything it can to optimize him, whether he wants it or not.