1966 science fiction novella
The Last Castle is a science fiction novella by American writer Jack Vance published in 1966. It won the 1966 Nebula Award for Best Novella and the 1967 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. It is about a future civilization of wealthy nobles who live in high-tech castles, which are maintained by an enslaved alien race, the Meks. After centuries of slavery, the Meks revolt, destroying the castles and slaughtering their elite inhabitants, until only one castle is left.
Plot summary.
In the far future, a small elite group of humans have returned from Altair (over 16 light years away) to Earth, their mother planet, to live in nine elaborate, high-tech castles as idle aristocrats. They are primarily concerned with theoretical discussions of aesthetics, past times and questions of honor and etiquette. Their time is spent drinking fine wines, socializing at formal dinners, and striving to rise in their political standing. Various enslaved alien races provide technicians ("Meks"), transportation ("birds", "power wagons"), household service ("Peasants"), and amusement ("Phanes"). Only a small minority of humans live a free life outside of the castles, and are considered barbaric by the castle inhabitants because they perform manual labor to serve their own needs. 
After seven centuries during which the noble humans develop an increasingly refined society, the Meks revolt. The inhabitants of some castles without defenses are immediately killed, while the inhabitants of the best defended castles consider the revolt only a nuisance. Complacently the humans consider their high-tech castles unchallengeable. To take action themselves rather than only planning and commanding is seen as a vulgar loss of dignity. Gentlemen in this society only do intellectual activity; all technical work or labour is seen as beneath them.
However, without the Meks, the technology of the castles cannot be maintained. Furthermore, the Meks use their inside knowledge of the operation of the castles to successfully besiege the remaining castles until only Castle Hagedorn is left. While most castle citizens value their traditions and social customs and standing higher than their own survival, one gentleman however, Xanten, takes it upon himself to research the situation and search for allies outside of the castle. He eventually accepts that he can learn from the "barbaric" free-living outsiders and tribes.
After a short and hard battle, the Meks take over Castle Hagedorn. Xanten and his allies win by destroying the Meks' food supply, which starves the Meks after several months. When the Meks call for terms, 
Xanten concludes that humanity cannot go on depending on slave labor, so they send the surviving Meks back to their native planet, Etamin 9 and resolve to live off the land and produce their needs by their own labor in the future. Castle Hagedorn becomes a museum to the past ways of life.
Setting.
On Earth, there are nine complex castles for the elite from Altair. Castle Hagedorn has a mile-long, 300-foot high wall. Inside there are 28 noble families which had a five-century lineage on Earth. Underneath the nobles' houses are storerooms, warehouses, workshops, living quarters for Meks, and facilities for baking, brewing, and other related functions.
Reception.
When reviewing "Nebula Award Stories Two", Algis Budrys called the novella excellent.
In Lawrence Person's 2003 review, he notes that the aristocrats' "...society has rendered them incapable of rational interaction with other [alien] races". Persons states that the protagonist Xanten is "Robert A. Heinlein's classic" character from "Man Who Learned Better". He says "Vance's work has a depth, richness and sophistication that can be enjoyed long after you know how the story ends."
Awards.
"The Last Castle" won the Nebula Award for Best Novella for 1966 and the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1967. It was the first Nebula Award and second Hugo Award for the author.
References.
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