OCEANUM

In the aftermath of a devastating global pandemic and the slow collapse of surface civilization, a small group of humans made a choice no society had ever dared: they went deeper.

Far beneath the waves, the city-state of Oceanum stands as the most advanced civilization on Earth—a self-sustaining underwater metropolis built on engineering mastery, artificial intelligence, and hard-won lessons drawn from the failures of the old world. Created in secrecy by a handful of visionaries led by the brilliant and hunted Kaelen Collier, Oceanum was not born from conquest or consensus, but from urgency. Targeted by governments unwilling to relinquish control, its founders vanished beneath the sea to survive.

Governed in partnership with powerful AI systems and bound by strict ethical accords, Oceanum achieved something the surface never could: stability without tyranny, progress without domination.

But while Oceanum thrives below the waves, the world above continues to fracture.

On land, civilization has splintered into competing futures. Brutal theocracies wield faith as law. Resurgent empires cling to fossil power and force. Agrarian societies retreat inward, trading innovation for tradition and survival. Scarcity and ideology harden into policy, and violence becomes governance. In this broken world, Oceanum’s existence—its technology, its resources, its order—cannot remain hidden.

Oceanum has no choice but to trade. And the powers above look on with envy, fear, and growing hostility.

At the heart of the story lies an uneasy alliance between human judgment and artificial reason. Oceanum’s sentient systems can predict collapse, optimize survival, and enforce balance—but they cannot feel belief, loyalty, grief, or hope. Those burdens remain human. Together, young visionaries, veteran leaders, and intelligent machines must confront a dangerous question in a world forever changed by plague:

Are humanity’s flaws failures to be erased—or the very qualities no machine can replace?

Oceanum is a sweeping hard science-fiction epic about advanced technology, AI governance, fractured post-plague societies, and the moral cost of survival—where the future is no longer shared, and choosing how to endure may be more dangerous than extinction itself.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

A.B. Vizcaya grew up on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi and has spent much of his life working in environments where decisions matter, and mistakes carry weight. He served 26 years in the U.S. Army, beginning as an artillery observer before flying scout missions in the Kiowa Warrior and later serving as an Apache Longbow attack pilot. He also worked extensively with unmanned systems, gaining early experience with human-machine teaming in complex operational settings.

After military service, A.B. worked in a range of fields that took him from Dubai to Washington State, experiences that continue to shape his perspective and writing. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Washington and now divides his time between Washington State and Hawaiʻi, living in the Snohomish Valley.

Outside of writing, A.B. has traveled to more than 30 countries, enjoys food as a way to understand culture, plays tabletop games, and fosters animals. He is also the founder and owner of Nanikoa, a research-driven wellness company.

The Oceanum Series grew out of long-standing questions about technology, governance, and survival, explored through speculative fiction grounded in real systems and consequences. When he isn’t writing, A.B. is usually traveling, cooking, or helping an animal transition to a permanent home.