The Last Seed Keeper

January 21, 2025
In The Last Seed Keeper, the first in Paul Russell’s cli-fi (climate fiction) trilogy of the same name, not a narrative minute is wasted. Tense action, complex speculative cautionary concepts, textured character development and plot twists make for a rewarding read. Set hundreds of years into an alternate future, the novel presents an Earth that is barely habitable. Those with the means live charmed but heavily regulated lives above the clouds, while the Groundlings, left behind, scavenge the filthy remains of civilisation for anything valuable enough to sustain basic survival. When Ivy, a resilient young Groundling, miraculously finds and nurtures a plant, she glimpses a possibility for something more than her survival-focused life. Skylar, a rebellious Sky dweller, is convinced there’s more to life than her virtual classroom and the endless social content all Sky Folk are expected to produce. As chapters alternate between Ivy’s and Skylar’s perspectives, the pair realise they will need to take on the corrupt Ms Eden Valentina, whose mega-corporation, XyleCorp, controls every aspect of life for both Groundlings and Sky Folk. The fight for a potential future where Earth can be replanted begins, to be continued in the next book. Despite some rushed plot development in later chapters and technological invention that feels somewhat expositive, Russell’s world-building is smooth and assured, creating a reality familiar enough to be easily recognised and imaginative enough to be thoroughly engaging. The novel has sufficient conceptual and narrative intricacy to challenge younger YA readers and, as it doesn’t have any romance subplots, also remains suitable for upper primary; it will serve equally as a gripping independent read or a productive class study text.