Next Dominant Species

This so-called science fiction ``thriller'' is about as exciting as a grant proposal as it follows the travails of a group of researchers who work together to build the world's most boring intelligent computer. Mark Steiner, a programmer in the field of Artificial Intelligence, is called to the home of Edward Pierce, an elder scientist, to substantiate Pierce's claims that he has created an ``intelligent'' computer. Before Pierce can provide full proof of his success, he is found dead. The police, who along with all the authority figures here are unbelievably stupid, are quite willing to believe that Pierce's death is suicide. Steiner, however, knows it had to be murder. Using Pierce's unproven success as a carrot-on-a-stick, Steiner convinces a research group that it is possible to create a smart machine. Among the people whose aid they enlist is the stereotypically beautiful kindergarten teacher Karen Randolph, who is so wonderful that Mark overcomes his fear of romance and falls in love with her. The team's robot, Ben, becomes like a son to them. When religious fools and greedy capitalists try to stand in the way of pure scientific goodness, our heroes use their own intensely dull but noble virtues to prove that knowledge will out, and thankfully, that even the most insipid books eventually end. (May)