My novels fall into the Sci-Fi sub-genre of dystopia which can, most easily, be described as the exact opposite of ‘utopia’. A utopia is a perfect world (literally a good place) where citizens enjoy a safe existence without war, inequality, poverty and disease, free to pursue what takes their fancy in an encouraging and inspirational environment. Sounds ideal – doesn’t it? Well, yes, but unfortunately perfection is … how can I put this … a bit dull, which is why it doesn’t feature much in novels, films and tv.

Much more popular is its darker sibling – dystopia (literally a bad place). There’s no time for self-fulfilment in a dystopian society, you’re far too busy just trying to survive. Forget fair and benevolent governments, where free thought is the norm, because you’re going to find yourself ruled by controlling, oppressive regimes that use propaganda to mess with you minds. They might even resort to utopian propaganda, brainwashing you into believing that the hell you’re living in is actually not as bad as you think.

Dystopia is, in short, a lot more interesting. So, for those wanting to flip over to the dark side, here are some of my favourite films and tv series that, if you haven’t already done so, you might like to try (in no particular order). I make no apologies for the fact that most of them are based on novels or short stories.

Top Six dystopian films

• Blade Runner (1982) & Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Yes, I know this is technically two films but I couldn’t separate them! In the 21st century, a corporation develops human clones, replicants, to be used as slaves in colonies outside the Earth. A former police officer is hired to hunt down a fugitive group of clones living undercover in Los Angeles. Director Ridley Scott’s tour de force is based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick.

• The Road (2009) In a dangerous post-apocalyptic world, an ailing father defends his son as they slowly travel to the sea. This one’s very bleak, but brilliant, based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy.

• A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become “real” so that he can regain the love of his human mother. A disturbing and sometimes heart-breaking film, based on a short story by Brian Aldiss called Supertoys Last All Summer Long.

• Minority Report (2002) In a future where a special police unit is able to arrest murderers before they commit their crimes, an officer from that unit is himself accused of a future murder. Based on another short story by Philip K. Dick called The Minority Report .

• Soylent Green (1973) In a world ravaged by the greenhouse effect and overpopulation, an NYPD detective investigates the murder of a big company CEO. Loosely based on the 1966 Sci-Fi novel Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison.

• Twelve Monkeys (1995) In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet. Based on Chris Marker’s short film called La Jetee.

Top Six dystopian TV series

• Battlestar Galactica (2004 – 2009) Following the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol by the Cylons, a rag-tag fugitive fleet of the last remnants of mankind flees the pursuing Cylons while simultaneously searching for their true home: Earth. A rip-roaring and totally compelling series.

• Westworld (2016 – ) Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence. This has a stellar cast including the wonderful Thandie Newton and Ed Harris. Inspired by the 1973 film of the same name, starring Yul Brynner.

• Handmaid’s Tale (2017 – ) Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. Based on the 1985 novel, of the same name, by Margaret Atwood, a book that had a huge influence on my own writing.

• The 100 (2014 – ) Set ninety-seven years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization, a spaceship housing humanity’s lone survivors sends one hundred juvenile delinquents back to Earth, in the hope of re-populating the planet. Based on the novels of Kass Morgan.

• Black Mirror (2011 – ) Created by Charlie Brooker, this is an anthology series exploring a twisted, high-tech world where humanity’s greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide. As you would expect from Brooker, this is weird and wonderful in equal parts.

• The Walking Dead (2010 – ) Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes gets shot and falls into a coma. When he awakes, he finds himself in a Zombie Apocalypse. Not knowing what to do he sets out to find his family. How much I love this series is a surprise even to me, because I am no fan of zombies! But then this show isn’t about the zombies. It’s all about survival, the risks, and the things you have to do to stay alive. After one episode, I was hooked.

So is there anything new in dystopia coming up in 2019. Well, yes there is. There’s a film starring John Goodman called Captive State set in a Chicago neighbourhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force. Release date for this is 29th March.

On tv, there’s a new series for 2019 entitled Dystopia (no screening date as yet) which has an attention-grabbing strapline – ‘In our future all the children are dying. We have the ability to save them. All we have to do is kill everyone else.’ You can’t get much more dystopian than that!