(Found) 1950s Sci Fi with Humanoid Robots

[Boogieman]

My Father in law is 78 and read a book when he was 12 (cica 1958) about 2 Super powers in the world at constant war, that automate manufacturing of war machines .. including automatic error/improvement scenarios, leading to robots being made.. the manufaturing process becomes self aware to some degree .. these then turn into Humanoids that simulate Humans and mix with them, but their mission is to terminate Humans where possible.. ends up with a new colony for on the moon... and a stringent filtering / immigration process to go to moon that if not met, the appliacnt is terminated.. Female herione.. ends up being a Humanoid .. but perhaps on the side of good ?

Does this ring any bells with anyone ??

Cheers Milton

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Hello, Milton! This sounds a lot like Philip K. Dick's story "Second Variety". The scenarios are very similar (a few differences which I won't go into, in case your father-in-law, or anyone who hasn't read it, might want to give it a look). It was published in 1953, and perhaps had made its way into some anthology by 1958? It's a wonderful story, and I hope this is what you're looking for.

(In case not, others will show up to help; also, a mod might move this to Book Search, in the interim.)

edit to add a Wikipedia link to details on the story:

Second Variety - Wikipedia

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

Definitely sounds like Second Variety.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Indeed, ZlodeyVolk. I hope Milton sees this. I'm impressed by the power of his father-in-law's memory...if he's read this only once, then he read this 60 years ago! It's a story that leaves an impression (it must have been very striking back in '53, when it was published. A truly original SF concept, I think.).

 

[ZlodeyVolk]

I only wish there had been a better screen adaptation of it than Screamers. Not that there's aught wrong with Screamers; it's just that I'd like to see the story set in the kind of post-atomic war world PKD had in mind, when he wrote it.

 

[Boogieman]

Thanks for the response folks... My darling Wife obtained a copy and gabe it to him to read again for his 78th B'day a week ago... It is the right one and he lived his pre-teens once again... and you are correct... Cats Cradle... he is an impressive man with many stories and learnings and continues to impress his son in law...