Writing At Utopia’s Core has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. The journey began not just with a love of science fiction, but with a deep curiosity about humanity’s capacity for creating something better—a utopia.

Science fiction has always been my preferred lens for exploring the "what-ifs" of our existence. Influences like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels painted vivid pictures of advanced civilizations where scarcity, hatred and inequality had been eradicated. These works fascinated me. Not just because they dared to dream of perfection, but because they often glossed over the mechanics of maintaining it.

I wanted to write a story that delved deeper. If humanity could create a utopia, how would it be sustained? What would it cost us as individuals, as societies, and as a species? And most importantly, would the people living in that utopia agree it was truly perfect?

A Reflection of the Present

The concept of utopia feels particularly poignant in today’s fractured world. The past few years have highlighted humanity’s most pressing challenges: climate change, economic inequality, political polarization and the rise of technology that both connects and divides us.

These issues made me question the very nature of progress. Would solving them lead us to a perfect world, or would new challenges emerge in their place? As I wrote At Utopia’s Core, I found myself reflecting on the parallels between the world I was creating and our own.

Take, for example, the idea of sacrificing individual freedoms for the greater good—a theme that has played out during the pandemic and in debates over climate policy. In my imagined utopia, humanity has achieved peace and equality by adhering to a set of principles—the Strictures of the Human Condition. But the question remains: Do these rules, however noble their intention, limit what it means to be human?

Why Utopia?

Writing about utopia isn’t just an exercise in optimism; it’s a way of holding a mirror to ourselves. Utopian stories force us to confront the flaws in our current systems, and imagine solutions that transcend them. At the same time, they remind us that perfection is never as simple—or as idyllic—as it seems.

For me, writing At Utopia’s Core was an exploration of hope, compromise and resilience. The characters, Jorella and Aboiye, embody these struggles. They live in a world that is seemingly perfect but are forced to face the cracks beneath the surface. In many ways, their journey mirrors our own quest to build a better future while grappling with the imperfections of our present.

An Invitation to Question

As a writer, I don’t have all the answers. At Utopia’s Core doesn’t claim to solve the mysteries of human progress. Nor does it dictate what utopia should look like. Instead, it’s an invitation to question—how far are we willing to go to achieve perfection? And, once we get there, will it be enough, and will it actually be utopia? Or would it be something else? Something darker, perhaps. 

I hope my book sparks curiosity and conversation. After all, science fiction isn’t just about imagining other worlds—it’s about using those worlds to better understand our own.

Thank you for being part of this journey. If you’d like to share your thoughts on utopia, science fiction or the challenges of our time, feel free to comment or connect with me. Together, let’s explore what it means to strive for something better.