i4Ni

i4Ni by John Priest is a dystopian techno-thriller set in a near-future America devastated by corruption, riots, and the aftermath of failed utopian promises. Jules Von Beck has created an AI-powered humanoid with the promise of stopping crime and holding criminals to justice. His plan seems too good to be true, and rightly so. Detective Conrad Jacks investigates the disappearance of his friend Harry Jay, a whistleblower at the all-powerful Von Beck Global corporation. The i4Ni is an AI-powered, semi-humanoid device that reads memories to guarantee criminal convictions with chilling efficiency. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Claudia Rain stands as the last bulwark against i4Ni’s nationwide implementation, only to be targeted and abducted by Jules Von Beck, the corporation’s megalomaniacal creator. As Jacks, reporter Rosie Freel, and TV journalist Romily Sanders race to expose the truth, they are drawn into a web of blackmail and betrayal. The fate of the American justice system—and the line between justice and tyranny—hangs in the balance.

John Priest’s worldbuilding is immersive, painting a bleak vision of 2060 New York and a fractured United States, where technology promises salvation but also threatens humanity. The setting is tactile: streets choked with debris, smoke, and fear; the looming glass pyramid of Von Beck Global; and makeshift sanctuaries where hope persists. The cast is rich and flawed—Jacks, haunted by his past but doggedly principled; Rosie, feisty and inquisitive; Claudia, bearing scars from the past yet unyielding; Leksy and Sheema, caught between survival and conscience; and Jules Von Beck, a chilling symbol of unchecked ambition. The conflict primarily revolves around the fight to rescue Harry and Claudia, exposing Von Beck’s machinations, and the characters' struggles with trauma, loyalty, and truth. Priest deftly employs engaging dialogue, shifting points of view, and layered backstories to build suspense and emotional resonance. The novel’s speculative technology is terrifyingly plausible, raising profound questions about memory, free will, and the price of absolute security. In i4Ni, justice is no longer blind—it is invasive, inescapable, and, perhaps, the greatest threat of all. This is a winner for fans of technothrillers—it is balanced, deft, and features unforgettable characters.