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An imagined debate between two very different visions for the future, both for peace.

Two figures sat behind screens.

Their identities were deliberately concealed. Neither knew who sat on the other side, and the audience was given no clues.

One represented the Word Guardians, who defend the freedom of the imagination of readers.

The other represented the Controllers, who seek to control the minds of readers to achieve their goals.

They had been brought together to debate a deceptively simple question:

What does it take to create a better world?

I acted as facilitator. What followed was less a debate about whether peace and happiness are desirable, they both agreed on that. It was more a debate about whether those things could ever be genuine if they were imposed rather than freely chosen.

Freedom or Chaos?

The Word Guardians spoke first.

Freedom, they said, was fundamental.

Not simply freedom to act, but freedom of imagination, thought, words and actions. The ability to imagine something different, question what exists, disagree with others and choose one’s own path.

The Controllers immediately challenged that idea.

Freedom sounds wonderful, they argued, but what does it produce?

Conflicting opinions. Competing interests. Disagreement. Chaos.

If everyone is free to pursue their own vision, nothing gets done. No one wins. Society becomes divided.

So, I asked them:

Is conflict simply the price we must pay for freedom?

If freedom inevitably produces conflicting ideas and competing interests, is conflict simply the price we must pay, or is it evidence that freedom itself needs to be restrained?

The Word Guardians were unequivocal.

Freedom of thought is a fundamental right. Just as freedom of speech is protected in many democratic societies. The ability to think independently must also be protected.

The Controllers dismissed this as an airy-fairy ideal.

Thought, they argued, doesn’t exist in isolation. We are bombarded by influences, news, media, other people, experiences and ideas. Thoughts become influences, influences shape decisions, and decisions eventually become actions.

Why pretend that thoughts are somehow sacred when they are simply another force shaping the future?

The Word Guardians saw the argument differently.

They accused the Controllers of relying on a familiar operating model: control to achieve change.

The Controllers think in absolutes, they argued. They cannot tolerate variance, different thoughts, different actions, different outcomes.

The response came quickly:

“All you’re promoting is chaos.”

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Who Decides When Freedom Has Gone Too Far?

That led to a more uncomfortable question.

“Should anyone ever have the power to decide when freedom has gone too far?”

The Word Guardians hoped that the many influences available to individuals, news, media, education, experience and the voices of others, could provide both hope and warning.

People could learn, change their minds, evolve.

But what other safeguards could there be?

The Controllers saw the problem immediately.

“Without safeguards, there is always chaos.”

And then came their challenge:

“What does freedom really mean? If the ultimate objectives are peace and harmony, why not simply go there directly?

Why take the uncertain route through unrestricted choice, disagreement and conflict?

Control the outcomes. Skip the middleman of freedom.”

---

What does it take to achieve a peaceful world?

The Controllers’ argument became increasingly compelling in its simplicity.

People are happy when they don’t have to make every decision themselves.

There are too many choices. Too many decisions. Too much uncertainty.

Why not deliver peace?

Why not create harmony?

Why not influence people until they agree with the majority?

A unified world, they argued, creates harmony.

Disagreement has to be resolved.

And if influence and control are necessary to convert the disbelievers into agreement with the masses, perhaps that is simply the price of achieving a peaceful society.

The Word Guardians disagreed.

What is peace without freedom?

If you haven’t been able to choose harmony for yourself, how do you know you would have chosen it?

And how do you know you would actually be happy with it?

Freedom, they argued, isn’t the guarantee of a happy outcome.

It is the right to make the choice.

The Controllers had a blunt response.

People are stupid. They can’t be trusted.

They pointed to history.

Wars. Conflicts. Disagreements.

Again and again, humanity had demonstrated its inability to live peacefully.

Why continue trusting people to make the right decisions when history appears to show that they repeatedly make the wrong ones?

The Word Guardians had an answer:

“Yes. There are disagreements. But that is precisely the power of freedom. Disagreement means people are thinking.

It means they are questioning.

It means they have the opportunity to challenge an idea rather than simply accept it.

And, perhaps most importantly, disagreement is a fundamental right.”

The Final question

At that point, the debate had moved beyond the question of whether peace was desirable.

Both sides wanted peace.

Both wanted a happier world.

Both believed they were working toward something better.

The fundamental difference was how they defined the path to get there.

So, I asked one final question:

“Suppose you could create the world you want. A world of peace, happiness and harmony, but achieving it required limiting people’s choices and guiding them toward a common way of thinking. Would you accept that world if you knew it would make the majority happy?

And if you wouldn’t, what are you prepared to sacrifice to preserve the freedom to choose?”

The Controllers didn’t hesitate.

Exactly.

A world where people are happy. A world without conflict. A world at peace.

“Give us the Nobel Peace Prize now.”

The Word Guardians disagreed.

You cannot limit people’s freedom and call the result peace.

That, they argued, was simply another absolute.

Peace has to be arrived at freely.

People need to decide what they are prepared to do for peace. They need to understand why they are doing it. And, crucially, they need to experience the consequences of their choices.

Because telling someone what they want, and telling them why they need, isn’t the same as allowing them to discover what they want for themselves.

Where do you stand?

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the debate is that neither side believes it is the villain.

The Controllers believe they are protecting humanity from itself.

Their question is simple:

If we can create a peaceful and happy world, why wouldn’t we?

The Word Guardians believe that the method matters just as much as the result.

A peaceful society isn’t necessarily a free society.

Their question is equally simple:

If someone else chooses your peace for you, is it really yours?

Perhaps the deepest disagreement isn’t about freedom at all.

It is about trust.

The Controllers don’t trust people to make the right choices.

The Word Guardians believe people must be trusted enough to make choices, including bad ones, and to learn from the consequences.

Because if you remove someone’s freedom to choose badly, you may reduce suffering.

But you also remove their freedom to choose well.

And perhaps that is the question the Controllers and the Word Guardians ultimately leave with us:

If you remove the freedom to choose, have you created a better world, or merely a more controlled one?

To learn how the battle plays out between the Word Guardians and the Controllers, buy Book 1, The Battle for the Peacekeepers today and start reading.

This week, I thought I’d explore the magic of fantasy books. Why do we keep returning to these stories? What is it about them that captures our imagination and stays with us long after we’ve turned the final page?

For every reader, the answer may be slightly different. Some are drawn to unforgettable characters, while others love epic adventures, magical worlds, or the thrill of discovering something completely new. Yet the enduring popularity of fantasy suggests that there is something uniquely powerful about the genre.

So, what exactly is it that makes a fantasy story resonate so deeply with its audience?

Is it the characters?

Many readers would argue that characters are the heart of any great fantasy novel.

We may begin reading for the promise of magic and adventure, but we stay because we care about the people at the centre of the story. We want to see them overcome challenges, face their fears, and grow through their experiences.

The best fantasy heroes are often relatable despite living in extraordinary worlds. Their struggles with friendship, courage, responsibility, and identity reflect challenges that readers encounter in their own lives. Through these characters, readers can imagine themselves embarking on adventures they might never experience. For the Word Guardians, Yas and Sam are relatable and drawn into extraordinary circumstances.

Is it the plot?

Fantasy often offers readers journeys filled with danger, mystery, and discovery.

There is something compelling about following a story where the stakes are high and the outcome uncertain. Readers enjoy solving puzzles, uncovering secrets, and watching events unfold in unexpected ways. In The Word Guardians, this is especially true, with twists and turns presented to keep you guessing.

A strong fantasy plot invites readers to ask questions:

• What happens next?
• Who can be trusted?
• Will good triumph over evil?
• What sacrifices will the characters have to make?

These questions keep pages turning and readers engaged until the very end.

Is it the setting?

For many fantasy fans, the opportunity to escape into another world, even for a short while, is one of fantasy’s greatest gifts. The Word Guardians stories include multiple realms: Victorian London, Ancient Alexandria, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and more.

Fantasy worlds allow us to step beyond the limits of everyday life. We can visit hidden kingdoms, ancient forests, mysterious castles, and lands governed by entirely different rules.

A well-crafted setting feels alive. Readers don’t simply observe the world, they experience it. They can imagine walking its streets, exploring its landscapes, and uncovering its secrets. They can make it their own, in their mind’s eye.

Is it the magic?

Of course, when most people think of fantasy, they think of magic.

Magic introduces wonder, possibility, and excitement. It allows stories to explore ideas that would be impossible in the real world. Whether magic appears through spells, enchanted objects, mysterious powers, or ancient knowledge, it creates a sense that anything could happen. Within the Word Guardians series, this is equally true. Magic is tied to words and can be used to both construct and destroy within a realm.

Yet magic alone is rarely enough. Readers are often most interested in how magic affects the characters and the choices they make. The most memorable fantasy stories use magic not simply as spectacle, but as a way of exploring deeper themes about power, responsibility, and human nature.

Or is it something more?

Perhaps the real appeal of fantasy lies in something deeper.

Fantasy allows readers to explore timeless questions about courage, friendship, sacrifice, hope, and the struggle between good and evil. It presents these themes in imaginative ways, but the emotions behind them are universal.

Fantasy reminds us that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things. It encourages us to believe in possibilities, even when challenges seem overwhelming. In many ways, fantasy stories help us better understand ourselves and the world around us. This is exactly what Yas discovers in Book 1, The Battle for the Peacekeepers.

What draws you to fantasy?

Every reader has their own reason for loving fantasy. What is it that draws you to fantasy stories, time and time again? Is it the characters, the adventure, the magic, the world-building, or something else?

As you explore The Word Guardians and the Battle for the Peacekeepers, you may discover that the answer is a combination of many. All the above come together to create an experience that transports us beyond the ordinary.

So, pick up the book today and start reading The Word Guardians series.

Yas’s argument with Orfeo

“Anyway, what do you know of my grandpa?”

“Only that he was of great service to our cause,” Orfeo explained. “He was helping us create a peacekeeping force.”

“That’s a lie! Why would he do that?”

“To help smooth the way for change.”

“What change?” Yas asked, angrily.

“The interconnected world,” Orfeo answered, raising his hands to indicate its wonder. “Always on. Always exchanging information. Always providing the opportunity for the right news to be broadcast. A place that needs our influence.”

“What do you mean, the right news? Who decides what is right?” She paused for a moment, and the penny dropped. “Ahh, you mean you?”

Who decides what’s right?

It’s an interesting question to muse on, and I’ve talked about it before in How do the Word Guardians determine the truth . I wanted to share some more about this, though…

It’s said that history is written by the winners, the ones who had the ability to write it down and share it. But also, what we learn from history is that any story is written from a particular perspective, and likely to influence belief in a particular version of events.

We often need to hear varying viewpoints in order to form an opinion and ideally need an indisputable form of establishing what happened, for example multiple pieces of video footage of an event. Ultimately, all we can do is to question what we see from different angles. For what’s being shared, what’s the motivation and from whom? Then the same question needs to be asked for any opponents viewpoints and follow up stories on the matter. Ultimately, increasingly, we can’t take what we see and hear on trust.

It’s your turn

Turning it over to you to consider, how do you decide what’s the actual version of events of a particular story that you see in the news? What do you draw on to try to obtain a balanced view of the story?

And if you’re interested to learn more about the argument between Yas and Orfeo, buy Book 1 The Battle for the Peacekeepers. It’s available in both paperback and kindle editions.

Happy questioning.