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An Innocent World

By: Douglas A. King
Publisher: Tell Well Publishing
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-0228828884
Reviewed by: Lily Andrews
Review Date: May 21, 2025

What if the world we lived in wasn’t filled with suffering, crime, and guilt? What if we had a choice—a real one—between living an easy, peaceful life or a hard, painful one, just to grow closer to God? In this thought-provoking read, An Innocent World, author Douglas A. King takes this big question and gradually builds a groundbreaking thought around it. He is a retired scientist and a deep thinker, who ably blends logic and imagination to explore what life could be like if Adam and Eve had never eaten the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This book is not a story, but a thoughtful experiment through which he takes the reader's hand and dives with him into intricate concepts of religion and philosophy to bring out the very purpose of life.

King begins by asking: what if Adam and Eve had made a different choice in the Garden of Eden and what if they had chosen the Tree of Life instead, and remained innocent forever? In that version of the world, there would be no war, no hate, no evil. People would live forever, peacefully, in a world filled with kindness and cooperation.

King calls these people “the Innocents.” But then he turns things around and asks: even if it’s peaceful, is that life truly meaningful? Wouldn’t we miss something important if we never faced hard times? The other choice—the world we actually live in—is the path of guilt, pain, and struggle. We’re called “the Guilty” in this world, and our suffering, according to King, is what helps us build character and prepares us to stand before Almighty God. It’s a powerful idea… and it only gets deeper.

This book takes you on a journey that compares both worlds: the innocent and the guilty. It talks about real-life things like war, family, poverty, drugs, the environment, and even sports and entertainment—what each of these might look like in a sinless world. The ideas are surprising. In a world of Innocents, there’s still pain from accidents or nature, but there’s no evil. No one means to hurt anyone. Even revenge wouldn’t exist, because no one would even feel the desire for it. That world may sound perfect—but is it complete?

One of the biggest takeaways from the book is this: life is hard on purpose. King believes our struggles, even the worst ones, are part of a bigger plan to make us wiser, braver, and closer to God. He talks about parents losing children, about unfairness, and about deep pain—but not to make you sad. Instead, he uses these stories to show how meaningful our choices are, and how strength of character is something that can only come from challenge. He even includes Bible verses to support his reasoning, which makes the book feel like a deep yet personal talk about life, faith, and meaning.

King’s writing style is thoughtful but very readable. He explains tough concepts using simple examples and real-life questions. It sometimes feels like he’s sitting across from you, gently asking you to think about the choices you make and the world you want to live in. This book isn’t here to argue or push an opinion—it’s more like an invitation to think differently about sin, suffering, and what it means to live a good life.

Quill says: An Innocent World is best for teens and adults who are curious about faith, philosophy, or how the world might be if people were kinder. It’s not a quick read, but it’s full of “what if” moments that could very well change how you see your own life. It ends with a big, bold idea: we suffer not because we’re cursed, but because we choose to become something greater. Whether you agree or not, one thing’s for sure—this book will make you think.

For more information about An Innocent World, please visit the author's website at: aninnocentworld.com