Written with strong ecological overtones, The Earth Is All That Lasts tells of young Coconino, a man of the People, who dreams of marrying a Witch Woman from the Mountain. But the one who arrives in his village that summer is not exactly his heart’s desire. Bitter and abrasive, Phoenix is deaf to the voice of the Mother Earth that Coconino hears so clearly. But those who once desecrated the Earth are now returning from the stars, and the unlikely team of Coconino and Phoenix must find a way to stop them.
Children of the Earth introduces members of the Winthrop family, citizens of a colonial planet who seek to unravel the mystery of a scientific expedition which disappeared on or near Earth under mysterious circumstances. This brings them into conflict with Coconino and Phoenix, who have each paid a high price to keep Earth isolated from other worlds. It is a story of those who must come to terms with the loss of their idealism and accept some of life’s less glamorous responsibilities.
In The Earth Saver, an offworlder named Tana Winthrop finds a technological shortcut for returning to Earth. Once there, however, she comes to believe that she has made a mistake in opening an avenue which will allow unrestricted access to the homeworld of humankind. In order to repair the damage, she tries to enlist the support of the legendary Earth Saver himself, Coconino. But Coconino is old and has had enough of being a hero; he would rather that someone else took over. The price of his cooperation is high: he wants Tana to reunite him with the love of his youth, a crusty woman who seems bent on suicide.