"The Mad Metropolis" is a science-fiction novel by British science-fiction writer Philip E. High, published in 1966 as one-half of an Ace Double, with the other half being "Space Captain" by Murray Leinster. "The Mad Metropolis" is a near-future science-fiction story set on a dystopian Earth.
The story begins with the protagonist, a "prole" named Stephen Cook, being pushed out of his "combine block" onto the streets, which is a virtual death sentence, since the outdoor world is a very violent place. We quickly learn about the world that Cook lives in--- "proles" work as indentured servants in combine blocks, and the outside world is a dangerous place, with a paramilitary organization trying to fight off a corrupt government. Much of the societal damage is caused by the widespread use of hypnotic virtual reality, which people use to disguise the true state of disintegration. One of the few benevolent forces are "oracles", a society of the super-intelligent. The book's plot hinges on an attempt to build a super computer to correct the deteriorating state of the world. In true pulp science-fiction fashion, the computer malfunctions, and becomes increasing regimented in how it attempts to run the world. Stephen Cook, the protagonist, has the secret to reasoning with the malfunctioning computer in his head, and if his mental blocks are removed, he can become a super-genius and save the world.
This book has a problem in common with many Ace Doubles, and with pulp science-fiction in general: it has an interesting science-fiction concept, and at the beginning, presents the dystopic world in good detail. However, it fills in a lot of space with action and adventure scenes that don't really address the main topics. There was some intersting character development hinted at the beginning, where the vulnerable Cook finds out he has hidden potential, but this was skipped over quickly, with him quickly morphing into a super-powered strategic fighter without much explanation. This book set up an interesting premise and world, but then quickly became a standard adventure story.