Brilliant. Finally got to read the coining term Robot book. Surprised it was a play in 4 acts, and very short, but so effective. Made me think of the Henry Ford production lines, the mass production and perfection of androids to eliminate work for the humans; and the danger (like the result of cars causing pollution to kill off the planet), the robots in 20 years caused the destruction of humankind, but a flame of hope remained as the latest androids produced, Primus and Helena, showed human feelings, so although man would no longer exist, perhaps the shadow of man could still live on. There was something of an Oscar Wilde - element to the play, with things going on behind the scenes that were talked about in the stage settings, and the viewers knowing already the main female human had destroyed the blue-prints to the robots before the other humans declared the blueprints were their only hope to save humankind. A tragic but hopeful story. Powerful and prophetic. I particulary loved the way the robots were engineered organically, so the better models could be mistaken for humans ( )

Imagine that a new species of animal life was discovered that lived in the ocean but could adapt to working on land. It could walk upright and its small forepaws could carry out most tasks done by humans; it was super intelligent, could talk and was only too pleased to be trained for work. What would happen to it? Karel Carpek writing in the 1930’s imagined that it would be exploited unmercifully both for its commercial value and for its potential as an armed warrior and I think that would be no different today in the 21st century and so this satirical novel has not lost much of its edge.

Satire needs to be amusing if not down right “laugh out loud” funny and War with the Newts is both of these things and for the most part has a lightness of touch that makes it fun to read. It has moments of pathos, it has a little adventure, but once the Dutch Captain van Toch (the discoverer of the newts) disappears from the scene and the story opens up, then the book feels a little episodic. Capek’s attempt to hold it all together with the Povondra family is only partially successful, but this is not really the point because we are enthralled by the full-on satire and wonder where Capek will take us next. He has all the world and all of civilisation to aim at and he gives both a sound drubbing. Nationalism, commercial exploitation, sexuality, muddled thinking especially among scientists and academics and the recording of history are hot topics that feature throughout the book.

The story of the War with the Newts we learn has come to us from Mr Povondra’s mania for collecting information:

“As is well known, all collectors are prepared to steal or murder if it is a question for their collection; but this does not lower their moral character in the least.”

It comprised of newspaper clippings, but Mr Povondra was no academic and he did not know exactly what he was collecting, which was especially true of the foreign articles. He also tended to keep longer articles because they seemed more important; short notes he threw away. He soon ran out of room and his wife got fed up with the clutter and so she would from time to time go to the files that bulged the most and throw away items to make more room. Is this how history is recorded? one wonders.

Rich satire indeed on the human condition and it stretches to plenty of footnotes concerning individual items that appear below the story line and some of these are the funniest things in the novel.

The SF Masterworks edition also includes Capeks short play R.U.R.(Rossum’s Universal Robots) written in 1920 some 16 years earlier than War with the Newts. It is famous for introducing the word “robot” and tells the story of the manufacture of Robot machines that soon spiralled out of control so that the robots took over the world. Again it is both funny and satirical and charmingly takes place in a suite of rooms above the robot factory.

This is science fiction for readers who don’t like science fiction, hugely enjoyable and great fun 4 stars. ( )