Synopsis
After climate change causes a series of natural catastrophes, the United States collapses in the Fall. A series of agrarian settlements in California form a new society called the Coast Road. The people of the Coast Road were able to maintain records of life before the Fall as well as basic medical and agricultural knowledge, but have lost most modern technologies. While socially progressive and egalitarian, the Coast Road implements a number of rules to prevent their society from being overtaxed. Birth control is mandatory and residents must receive permission to reproduce, and causing environmental damage is also prohibited. Rule violations are sought out and punished by investigators, who maintain the rules in the Coast Road. Investigators Enid and Tomas are sent to the small town of Pasadan where a mysterious death has occurred.Publication
The novel is based on a short story which appeared in ''Lightspeed''.Reception
The novel received mostly positive reviews from critics. Clay Bonneyman Evans of ''Colorado Arts and Sciences'' described it as "a mélange of murder mystery, post-apocalyptic world-building and a serious argument in favor of sustainability and responsible social policy." Critics praised the novel's premise and worldbuilding for subverting post-apocalyptic tropes which typically feature more cynical characters and dystopian societies. Adrienne Martini of ''Locus'' and Liz Bourke ofReferences
2017 science fiction novels American post-apocalyptic novels Novels set in California Mariner Books books Houghton Mifflin books Speculative crime and thriller fiction Philip K. Dick Award–winning works 2017 American novels