Pacific Edge (1990)

In an environmentally minded California community, building and development remain matters of argument. Robinson's greener future has not removed personal jealousy, political compromise or the attraction of profit. That makes this especially rewarding for readers interested in land-use decisions: an attractive settlement still requires people to defend what it values. The third Three Californias novel imagines an alternative future rather than continuing the earlier books' plots, so it can be read on its own.