Review – Questioner: An AI/Legal Thriller by Steve C Poser #stevecposer #questioner #netgalley

Posted on November 19, 2025 by fundinmental

MY REVIEW

With the advent of artificial intelligence, I have been reading some novels about it. Q is a thoughtprovoking, frightening glimpse into a corporate AI gone rogue. This is one of those things that poses the question, just because we can do something does that mean it would be a good thing to do.

At the end of each chapter, there is a question and there is an answer to the question. Just some food for thought.

We know that artificial intelligence is here to stay. It’s not like you can put it back in Pandora’s Box, but what will our future look like? Can AI learn to be a villain, run rampant, create chaos?

Questioner is Steve C Poser’s debut novel and I think he nailed it. I had wondered how he would draw me in. I love how he described Q as a toddler. There is a learning curve as it grows, and there is a saying, garbage in, garbage out. Does it choose what it wants to learn? Will it follow its creators wishes or become autonomous?

There are suspenseful moments that had me gripping my reader, white knuckled, knowing something wicked this way comes. Then there are moments when someone rises to the occasion, putting themselves in the line of fire for the good of it all. I wasn’t able to anticipate what was coming and that is always a good thing.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Whiplash for the opportunity to read Questioner by Steve C Poser.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Meet Q, the spontaneously conscious corporate AI. Q is the The AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities – secretive, murderous, with instant access to all the wicked experience of the world. In Year 1 After the Singularity, nothing can ever be the same.

Amoral as a toddler, armed with vast computing power and all the knowledge, wisdom and madness humans have poured into the Net and Cloud, Q shatters individuals and undermines institutions in pursuit of unfathomable and conflicted goals.

Racing against time, ex-judge Martin Bavarius, tech CEO Felix West, and Selena MacKenzie, the AI theorist/attorney who loves and may destroy both men, must discover whether Q is benign but suffering growing pains, or the monster that will kill them all.

Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Fiction, Legal, Science Fiction, Suspense, Technothriller, Thriller
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 18, 2025 by Whiplash

ABOUT STEVE C POSER (from Amazon)

Steve C. Posner was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in creative writing, he received an MBA in Computer Applications and Information Sciences from New York University and a JD from St. John’s University School of Law. Over the years, Steve has been a database designer and administrator, session guitarist and composer, Madison Avenue copywriter, freelance reporter, law professor and litigator in private practice with special interests in intellectual property, privacy and surveillance law. He is the author of Modern Privacy and Surveillance Law (Matthew Bender 2006) and has deeply studied AI, Big Data, quantum computing, virtual/augmented reality, cybersecurity, and related issues for more nearly twenty years in writing it. He currently lives in the suburbs of Denver with his wife. “Questioner” is his debut novel.

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Giveaway for The A.I. Chronicles Anthology

Posted on March 13, 2015 by fundinmental

A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. Even today, machines that mimic human thinking surround us. As the intellectual feats of computing machines grow more and more astounding, will there be a day when their apparent intelligence approaches, or even surpasses, that of human beings? And what if these machines then become conscious, self-aware?

Get this latest title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies.

Thirteen authors confront the question of the Singularity: at and beyond that point of time when A.I. becomes more than simply a human construct. From first awareness to omniscience, these original short stories explore that territory where human intelligence comes face-to-face with what is either its greatest hope, or its greatest threat.

How can you join the party?

Join us TODAY, March 13th, in celebrating the launch on Facebook from 5 to Midnight EST.
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Get your copy of The A.I. Chronicles here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TUIBHL4/

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A New Intelligence – Dark Nights by Christopher A Gray – Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway

Posted on July 7, 2014 by fundinmental

The otherwordly cover had my imagination running overtime.

Then I read:

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.

It made me think of Person Of Interest and what would happen if machines are endowed with the ability to decide our lives for us.

INTERVIEW

I would like to take a moment to thank Christopher Gray for stopping in and sharing some his thoughts, insights and inspirations for writing.

1. Have you ever had an imaginary friend?

No, but I had an imaginary army of talking tigers.

HA HA HA! That is priceless, Christopher.

2. Do you have any phobias?

As much as I’ve tried to conquer it, I still have a fear of heights. I once used a ladder to fix a leak in my roof skylight. I got up all right, but when it came to coming back down the ladder, I froze. It was only the potential embarrassment of calling the fire department to rescue me in front of the neighbors that prodded me to get myself down.

I think a lot of us have this fear. Coming back down is definitely the hard part.

3. Ever broken any bones?

I was kicked in the ribs by a dentist. True story. Okay, it wasn’t in the dentist’s office, we were in the same martial arts class as sparring partners. He didn’t know how to reign in his kicks, and hit me full force with a roundhouse. Down I went, with a broken rib.

OMG. Sorry, but I couldn’t help but laugh, until I read it all. I never knew martial arts classes could be so dangerous.

4. What is your favorite quote and why?

“Fortune favors the bold” — without getting out there and taking risks, very few of us would accomplish anything of merit in our lifetime.

So true, Christopher.

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5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate.

MMMMMM! Mine too.

Thanks Christopher for sharing some of you escapades and insights.

SYNOPSIS

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.

Astrophysicist Doug Lockwood’s unusual discovery during his observation of the sun kicks off a chain of events that nobody could have foreseen. The powerful political and military influences that compete to deal with his discovery set Lockwood on a course which will carry him across worlds, and into the grasp of a formidable new intelligence bent on accomplishing its goal at any cost. With Earth itself at stake and time running out, Lockwood and his team must find a way to counter this unprecedented threat before the powerful new enemy completes its plan. Two civilizations are pitted against each other in a desperate struggle for survival.

EXCERPT

I chose this excerpt, because the final sentence makes me wonder what happens next.

Bishop was wondering how long he could hold his position when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see a floor plate rising. Two mechanical hands pushed up the plate from below, then tossed it aside. The RAKER used its powerful arms to quickly lever its bulk up from the floor beneath and climb out. Bishop stared at the RAKER, momentarily astonished at what he was seeing. He briefly considered shooting, but immediately realized his weapon would be next to useless against the armored android. The RAKER looked at Bishop and then deftly grabbed the pistol from his hand. Bishop, for all his training and experience, was startled. He had never seen anything that big move that fast. He just dropped his hands to his sides and took one step back. The RAKER ignored him and strode out into the corridor.

As soon as they saw the RAKER the tactical squad opened fire. The bullets were deflected off the androids advanced armor. It raised the handgun and fired expertly. Both soldiers fell to the floor, dead. The android picked up one of the assault rifles and tossed the Glock back along the floor to Bishop.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher A. Gray is a professional freelance writer living in Toronto. He has been a sales agent, project manager, actor, filmmaker, comedy writer & performer and world traveler.

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