Krakatit
Karel Čapek
Long | Czech science fiction novel
Summary
The inventor Prokop discovers a way to make any substance disintegrate into atoms. In doing so, a huge amount of energy is released by the explosion. He produces a substance called "krakatit", the most terrible explosive in the world, which can be made to explode remotely by electromagnetic waves. Prokop realises the impact of his discovery - the owner of krakatit could become the ruler of the world. Others realise this and try to deprive Prokop of his invention. Prokop's former associate Tomesh obtains part of the formula and tries to make the explosive as well. Prokop resists the temptations, does not reveal the formula and in the end witnesses the tragic explosion of the laboratory where Tomesh was trying to prepare the explosive. In the end, Prokop, delirious with fever, meets a fairy-tale old man - God - and receives from him a reconciling message about goodness and the necessity of doing only things that benefit people.