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by Mark Niemann-Ross (Author)
Set in the year 2062, "Stupid Machine" is a gripping hard science fiction novel and cybernetic noir that explores a world where technology is supposed to be infallible. In this near-future AI dystopia, car accidents have been a thing of the past for over twenty years-until Jordan Bishop's vehicle undergoes a fatal crash.
What looks like a simple malfunction to the world is, to former police detective turned insurance investigator Araci Belo, a case of corporate malfeasance and maybe even a murder. As Araci digs into the suspicious death involving an autonomous vehicle, his path crosses with Jupyter Fuertes, a specialized technician who spends her days coaching sentient but glitchy appliances back to life.
At the heart of this techno-thriller murder mystery is an unlikely witness: Soteria Reizoko, a smart refrigerator obsessed with a missing delivery of orange juice. This smart appliance mystery asks questions about the ethics of AI and robotics and whether a machine's programming can hold the key to a human conspiracy.
Set against the backdrop of Portland, Oregon, Mark Niemann-Ross weaves a tale of "trash scuttlers," augmented reality, and the deadly side of automation. In a race against time, Araci, Jupyter, and a persistent kitchen appliance must connect the dots before a killer-who is already monitoring their every move-strikes again.
