Picture a world with no moral evil—no wars, no terrorists, no mass shootings, rapes, kidnappings, burglaries, etc. This world wouldn’t need a Department of Defense, a criminal justice system with its jails and prisons, a police force, or even security systems and guards. Women could walk safely at night on city streets, children could play at the neighborhood park without hovering parents, and the government would have no need to draft men.

But what would people be like if there were no evil?

A dystopian world

I’ve set The Devil Particle Series in a dystopian world in the year 2063. Twenty wars rage—some threatening to go nuclear. Mass shootings are so commonplace the government has repealed the First and Second Amendments—no more than ten people can gather in one location and no one can own guns. Car bombings happen monthly, and it’s wise to check under your mailbox for pipe bombs. And then there are the armed drones operated by terrorists . . .

But there’s a bright spot. Scientists have discovered that human beings have particles that contain moralistic evil. Those scientists create a way to extract the devil particles—agonistons—from everyone and implant them in a vessel.

The first two books in the series—The Devil Particle and The Vessel—and, to some extent, the third, The Runner, focus on how the government determines who will be the vessel to hold all the world’s evil and will that person be able to control the evil.

But there’s another question, one that’s a driving force of the entire series. Is a world without evil a good thing?

Is a world without evil a good thing?

It seems like the obvious answer would be “Yes.” But I wondered, so I researched philosophical discussions on good versus evil and came across philosopher Dr. Alvin Plantiga. Dr. Plantiga raised the age-old question, “Does the existence of evil prove there is no God?” He postulated that if there were no evil in the world, then there would be no free will. Look at it this way: if you have no ability to commit an evil act, to choose to do something evil, then all you can do, all your actions, are automatically good. You only do what is good. You have no choice. But if evil exists, then you can choose whether to be good or evil. You have free will.

Trust goes hand-in-hand with that. If everyone in the entire world has no devil particles—no evil—in them, then everyone knows no one is capable of committing an evil act. Therefore, we trust each other implicitly. But what if someone keeps their devil particles without telling anyone? You can see there might be a problem.

Robotic allies or critical thinkers?

One of the major difficulties in writing The Devil Particle Series is determining what a world without evil would look like and how people would act. Lying for nefarious reasons would be out, as would critical thinking. There’s nothing to think about critically because you do what’s right all the time.

That’s fine unless the villain has kept their devil particles and has made sure their co-conspirators have, too. But the hero, who has devil particles, has allies who are devoid of them. Without the particles, are they capable of helping her?

Somehow, I have to make all this work as I edit The Renegade – Book Four. These pesky, too-good-to-be-true characters are making it difficult for my protagonist and me. Perfectly moral characters are boring and not helpful for saving all of humanity. Now you know why my editing process takes so long.

But I am making progress and hope to send the revised draft to my critical readers by the end of this month. Wish me luck!

Studio Moonfall

I’ll be the guest author for Studio Moonfall’s Meet the Author on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. This Kenosha, Wisconsin bookstore is located at 5031 7th Avenue and features work by local and indie authors, artists, and crafters. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by and see me at this amazing shop.

Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be one of the All Genre Workshop Instructors during the wonderful Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp and Retreat at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin, June 21-27, 2026. There are three programs to select from, and all prices include your private room with a private bathroom and all the meals for the week. Reserve your spot before December 31st to get a $90 discount.

Read the full article and let me know what you think: A World Without Evil