The Story of Shevek

Half of the alternating chapters deal with Shevek growing up on Anarres, becoming a top scientist ... only to discover the utopian anarchy suffers from a lack of innovation, maintaining the status quo with social norms.

Having no chance to develop his theory on Anarres, Shevek travels to capitalist Urras, where science is much more developed and he is treated as a hero. But he soon finds out the regime was simply trying to take advantage of him and use his theories for economic and military benefit. He makes his discoveries available to everyone and escapes back to Anarres.