"The Cheat" is a novel written by the Czech writer Karel ¿apek, in 1938. It was ¿apek's final work of fiction - and was only partially finished at the time of his death - leaving the interested reader with a truly fascinating puzzle. Karel ¿apek (1890 - 1938) was a famous Czech novelist and playwright, who is best remembered for his influence on the genre of science fiction. Many of these earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing this classic work now in affordable, high quality, modern edition - complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.