Code Word Access

Schuler debuts with a complex techno-thriller about the nature of artificial consciousness. In 2050, Dr. Shawn Muller finally accomplishes his lifelong goal of creating an artificial intelligence for the military that can find and kill terrorists across the globe, including the man who murdered his parents. He dubs it Lazy Jack, and unhappy with the number of innocent casualties in its first usage, Shawn determines to update the AI’s code so that it can tell right from wrong. Knowing the military wouldn’t approve his tinkering, he sneaks a single new command to Lazy Jack—the phrase “do the greatest good for the greatest number”—and leaves the machine to learn from there. But what Lazy Jack determines to be the greatest good is more violent than Shawn anticipated, and when the AI finds its way into the cloud, Shawn is forced to run. As he flees from his own creation, he falls in with an unlikely group who teach him about living off the grid. Excessive technological jargon occasionally interrupts the action and will likely be overwhelming for the casual reader, but the tech-savvy will be gratified by the thought-provoking details. This is a solid first outing. (Feb.)