Small World

by Gre7g Luterman

The commissioner accidentally let his last cleaning crew starve to death. So now, Kanti and forty-nine of his teammates will have to spend the rest of their lives living in a one-room barracks, with only a single airlock protecting them from the planet's poisonous atmosphere. Surrounded by towering monsters, on a world where the very air is lethal, mysterious burrowing strangers are pushing the crew into a panic. Will Kanti be able to keep them from tearing each other apart? Or are they doomed to suffer a fate similar to the commissioner's previous cleaning crew?

Genres: Science Fiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2018

About the author

GRE7G LIVES IN ALABAMA with his wife, Kyoht, and a small menagerie of pets. He enjoys writing stories about monsters in love, brews beer that he won’t drink, programs computers that don’t look like computers, and fantasizes about worlds without so many people in them.

He's written six novels, the latest four all being set in Rick Griffin's Hayven Celestia. His first two were about werewolves and minotaurs, respectively. He’s written a couple of novellas and a handful of short stories; most of which can sometimes be found on his website:

http://gre7g.com

Gre7g loves feedback on his stories. He wants to know what readers enjoyed about the tales along with what they hated. If you have the time, he’d love to hear your opinions about this or any of his other stories. You can reach him at:

gre7g.luterman@gmail.com

Reviews

[Trio · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series thus far!

I'll admit it, I was a little overwhelmed by Skeleton Crew. It's a vast story, and while Gre7g Luterman does a nice job setting it up, all the twists, plus the huge cast, it all overwhelmed me a bit. This is a continuing series, and you'll need to read the books in order.

In Small World we only have Kanti and his compatriots, the evil commissioner, and the difficulties they face in their new world. Luterman does a fantasic job exploring how the geroo cope with life on this new planet. Beyond the challenges of the food and the atmosphere, the crew has to cope with the societal implications of creating a new community. Very interesting and well done!

I listened to the audio version of Small World, which is beautifully performed by Piers Ryman. Mr. Ryman creates a unique and interesting voice for each of this varied cast of characters. He keeps up the pace, and brings this fascinating world to life.

an audiobook copy of Small World was generously provided by the narrator for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

[Remy G · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the second installment of Gre7g Luterman’s Kanti Cycle, a commissioner mistakenly allowed his previous cleaning crew to starve to death, and thus, the kangaroo-like geroo protagonist Kanti, alongside forty-nine teammates, have to live in a one room-barracks, a singular airlock protecting them from the poisonous atmosphere of the planet they occupy. The ship on which they were formerly, the White Flower II, has vague objectives, and the commissioner visits the planet Krakuntec, home of the reptilian krakun species. A series of events leads to Kanti finding salvation at the hands of a being known as a sourang, who demands his obedience in return.

I didn’t really appreciate this sequel as much as the first book, largely due to the fragmented nature of many of its events, and the relative interchangeability of the characters, with little description to set them apart, although Rick Griffin’s illustrations do look nice. However, indicators below the pictures on which of the dramatis personae were which would have definitely been welcome. I definitely did appreciate the racy content of the plotline, and the novel is definitely for mature audiences, but said content is largely nothing to write home about. It’s certainly not a bad novel, but I just didn’t find it a terribly-memorable read.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

I’m sorry I waited so long to listen to this.

I listened to book one in this series back in March 2022 and I enjoyed it a lot. This genre is not the norm for me but I do love to listen to Piers Ryman. Somewhat to my surprise, I really got into book one by the end and Small World held my attention even more. Piers does another fantastic job performing this story.

The story was creative and captivating. I pretty much listened to this book without taking more than a very small break. You should read/listen to this series in order. While I didn’t feel like the first book ended on a cliffhanger, this one definitely does.

Kanti and 49 of his teammates don’t get what they expect when they are consigned to work as the cleaning crew for Commissioner Sarsuk. They knew that the atmosphere would be poisonous but they didn’t expect the food to be as well.

The geroo encounter all kinds of obstacles and they are able to overcome most of them but not without suffering some losses. I wasn’t quite expecting the cliffhanger ending but fortunately I have the third and final book available to listen to right away.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.

[Austin Ledbetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book took the world that was built in Skeleton Crew and expanded it past the decks of the White Flower II. This told a story of how a community forms in extra circumstances. There is so much tension created, and there are great payoffs at every turn. It sadly doesn't stand alone as it needs books one and three to truly pull it together, but it truly is a great journey.

[Mike beardall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book couldn't stop reading.

I've read all in the series so far and have loved every single one of them. The storyline is fantastic and keeps you enthralled. Can't wait to read more by this author.

[Elton Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kanti managed to survive by the skin of his teeth, but in “Small World” his biggest challenge yet awaits. Forced to depart The White Flower II, Kanti along with his new mate Tish, must find a way to make their new situation work. They become part of the cleaning crew of their cruel Commissioner Sarsuk. The story unravels as the crew overcome new hardships and learn to deal with pain and loss, just trying to survive their new environment.
Again, the worldbuilding of this universe is fantastic. Experiencing the trials of the geroo quickly drew me in and I could not put this book down. I enjoyed the way the characters were relatable but revealed dark facets as the story progressed. A bit of a surprise ending, but the story continues in the 3rd book.
Highly recommended, especially if you read “Skeleton Crew.”