Launch event and initial book reviews

Well, that’s a wrap on the launch of The Seed Vault! Since the event, we’ve also had the Easter holidays (which I spent visiting friends around Europe), and a few wonderful spring days here in the UK.

The launch event happened at the All Good Bookshop on 12 March 2026 and was well attended by 20+ friends and acquaintances from the writing world. Although I had planned a food quiz and other activities on theme, after a glass of wine, nibbles, and plenty of chatting, it felt like a huge release of accumulated stress and just a good opportunity to soak in the joy, the accomplishment, and the contagious enthusiasm of sharing this milestone with some of my favourite people. I dropped the original schedule for the evening and kept only a short performance with a scene from the book. Attendees volunteered to play different characters, which was much more fun than me reading an excerpt.

And the All Good Bookshop was an absolutely wonderful venue to host the event – we felt truly at home. Highly recommended!

If you haven’t made it to the launch party, just pop into this community bookshop in Turnpike Lane, where you’ll be able to get your hands on a copy of The Seed Vault, but also attend art exhibitions, book clubs, spoken word nights, etc etc.

Initial reviews (without the AI generated mush)

Alongside some photos from the launch event, I thought it would be a good time to share initial reviews of the book, which for now sits roundly at 4 stars (out of 5).

So far, the book has 15 reviews on GoodReads and 9 reviews on Amazon.co.uk. These reviews are primarily from readers who downloaded the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). Unfortunately, some of the reviews seem written by AI, which leaves me wondering if:

a) these people read the book but just couldn’t be bothered to write an original review, or

b) they didn’t read the book but felt compelled to submit a review anyway.

Either way, there isn’t much I can do about AI generated mush … How can authors get initial reviews without offering free copies, or another acceptable way to (lightly) incentivise people to read and share their thoughts?

Worth the reminder: for those who have read the book, will you please consider leaving a short review on Amazon? 😊

It doesn’t need to include a summary of the story, or a lengthy thesis on what you did and didn’t like, but simply your general thoughts, anything you think would be helpful for other potential readers.

Here are the initial reviews that seem written by real people:

“A beautiful, atmospheric book set in a future where food scarcity and sustainability shapes the world. An engaging adventure that drives you to find out what’s happening. Well developed, complex characters and very well researched science and facts. I particularly like the Scandinavian setting. Definitely recommended.”
(Yiannis)

“I love reading dystopia although im not sure why because they are generally utterly terrifying!
The year is 2131 and people are no longer able to eat real food. The soil has given up. They are also ruled by AI and everything is tracked.
Axel is tasked with finding a missing girl. There’s an awful lot to take in here. You get used to the world quickly. The nordic setting is perfect for the story. I was aware of the Svalbard Seed Vault but obviously this is fiction and experiments are being done.
Its a relatively long read but I didnt feel like it was too heavy or heavy on scientific words, and it was perfectly easy to follow which is huge credit to the author. Its so much about the people and their relationships with each other. I liked Axel and Hilda and the others. I couldn’t put it down and the ending is incredible.”
(Donna Morfett)

“The Seed Vault certainly has a lot going on! As well as the vision of the future the author has created, and all that entails, there’s the mystery surrounding Hildr, Birgit, and the seed vault itself, complete with cryptic communications and red herrings.
Viegas intersperses the story with short news articles and excerpts from other documents and media, giving you relevant context as and when needed, rather than overwhelming you with background information, and this is very effective and helpful.
She also succeeds in making you feel tense and uneasy throughout. For one thing, I wouldn’t like to live in this world where people are constantly monitored and told what to do, society-level decisions are made by a pragmatic, utilitarian AI, and some people are purposely genetically engineered and schooled to work maintaining the algorithm.

As a relatively plain eater who’s never really gone in for cooking as anything other than a necessary chore to be got over with, I’m probably less put-off by the concept of New Food than a lot of people would be, but the absence of choice between “old” and New Food would get my back up all the same, I think.

The three principal characters also contribute to this discomfiting feel. While interesting and engaging, none of them are all that likeable or trustworthy: Axel is a misogynistic, violent brute; Birgit is a little too single-minded and focussed on her work; and you can’t trust Hildr’s motives. It’s not all doom and gloom, though – there is relief in innocuous, straightforward secondary characters such as caring Bas, sunny Pat, and jolly Santiago.

Without giving too much away, this book’s ending isn’t neat and tidy. I loved finding out what Birgit/Mondo’s big secret was, and how it was already having noticeable effects. It was highly realistic that this discovery by a tiny number of people didn’t make the splash it truly deserved. However, I reckon I would have come away feeling more satisfied if there had been closure on more of the characters’ stories.

The Seed Vault is a sophisticated, tense, and unsettling speculative novel.”
(Alice)

“I really liked this book.
The story is solid, well-paced, and cleverly structured, using informative chapters to build the world in a way that feels totally natural. The characters are well-developed—especially Birgit, whose internal conflict as a mother making impossible choices is, for me, one of the highlights of this book.

You can really see the research that went into the food and nutrition themes, and the author does a great job of blending those facts into a compelling story. The plot is a really well-built thriller, too, jumping between two different time periods to reach an ending that feels even bigger than the story itself.

Even though climate change and digital autocracy are familiar topics, the author’s take feels fresh and very plausible. It’s a thought-provoking read that finds a great balance between survival, technology, and our own humanity.

A brilliant speculative thriller and a debut that really makes you stop and think about where we’re headed. Highly recommended.”
(Rui)

“The Seed Vault is a meticulously researched dystopian Sci-fi novel that puts food and AI at the centre of a complex new world. I have to confess this did have a bit, or rather a lot of Scandi Noir vibes and while I’ve only recently got into the genre I have enjoyed it. I will say there is a lot happening in this book and the world building is intense at places. It is clear there is a lot of research gone into this and it really helps bring a sense of realism to the novel as well.

I would say this is incredibly timely as well, considering the growing impact of technology and AI as well as the growing scarcity of natural resources. As such I think it makes this all the more unsettling as it’s not that much sci-fi or a real possibility. With a complex narrative and well built and believable characters this is a must read for fans of noir style mysteries and dystopias.”
(Siobhain)

“Set in the future where almost everyone is connected to the algorithm and relies on new food, a lab created form of nutrition, there are a group of people called Finders and one of these is tasked with finding the daughter of famed food scientist. This book although painting a very bleak picture of the future, had some moments which made me smile, such as the dancing and certain modes of transport. The landscape in which The Seed Vault is set is wonderfully written, transporting me to the Nordic islands, and many of the characters have complex and interesting pasts. Whilst reading I did find myself wondering about the characters as at first it didn’t make sense to me but the more I read, the more I began to understand.
The Seed Vault is an unusual read and I’ll be interested to see what H.B. Viegas brings us next.”
(Pauline Render)

“The Seed Vault is a book that makes you think. It lends a look into AI, scarcity and the future. While it did take me a bit to get into it, I did enjoy it. The diverse characters gave the book a good depth without going overboard. The plot was interesting and the pacing was good. The world the author built was full of details and that is something I’ll always appreciate. I love when I can see where the characters are and what they are doing.”
(Casey Carter)

What’s next

Valeria is an Alien, my second book, will be coming out at the end of this year, or potentially early 2027 if I take the same route of setting up a Kickstarter campaign for pre-orders. I’m currently receiving feedback from the third round of beta readers, and am very close to sending the manuscript off for final copyediting.

Did I already mention that I’m really fond of this book? It’s completely different from The Seed Vault, but I believe it will be worth every penny for those who like a good black comedy about gender, aliens, and love.

Subscribe to email updates and I’ll let you know when it’s out.