Fair Trade

by Gre7g Luterman, Rick Griffin (Illustrator)

Kanti had spent many sleepless nights torturing himself with thoughts of the day when he would give up on returning to Tish. Old and gray, back stooped from decades of labor, he would try to get up out of bed, and change his mind. Why bother?He couldn’t have been more wrong. He was still young, his pelt still tan, and his back didn’t hurt when he rose.Everything had conspired to keep the two lovers apart: rivals, foes, distance. Now, he needs his friends’ help more than ever if he wants his old life back.

Genres: Science Fiction

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2019

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]

So exciting!!! Fair Trade is the third episode of The Kanti Cycle, and you'll need to read (or listen to) this series in order.

This is such a gripping tale! Our wee hero Kanti thoroughly experiences everything: action, adventure, friendship, romance (with a smidge of infidelity), deception, deceit, and (a heaping dose of) betrayal. Gre7g Luterman truly has a gift for storytelling, and the scope of The Kanti Cycle is immense.

All three audiobooks are beautifully narrated by Piers Ryman. Mr. Ryman has an incredible range of voices, and finds a unique one for each of these characters. A thoroughly marvelous performance!

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

[Julian Ganster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was already looking forward to this book after I finished the second one (Small World) and it is way better than I first expected. Small World leaves the reader at not only a cliffhanger but also at a pretty interesting and unique world. I was blown away what Gre7g Luterman managed to get out of this setting and while reading I never quite wanted this book to stop.

I love the already familiar characters as well as the new ones. The range of scenarios never let the story appear montane and repetitive. The issues Kanti faced, were solved thanks to his wits. What first seemed impossible was conquered cunningly and interestingly. But I also had a minor flaw some parts were cut a little short. For example As Kanti and his crew were exploring the sewers they always feared rain. As it once rains it was just shortly mentioned. .

Nevertheless, I found that the book was a fantastic read and I can only recommend the whole series to everyone.

[Elton Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book to wrap up the Kanti Cycle. In “Fair Trade” we find Kanti in the middle of a larger society he never knew existed. He quickly adapts and even finds a way to thrive, but all the while driven by his one motivation; to return to Tish. This story was an excellent read as it plays out. I could not put this book down! The real jewel of this book is the characters. They are complex and just when you think you have them pegged, they do something different. Kanti’s determination; Tish’s faith; Saquel’s deceiving; Tikkatikkachitter’s benevolence; Tititichitterti’s fairness; Blaze’s deviousness. All these characters weave a vivid tapestry as Kanti, again, struggles to find his place. And once he sets his mind on something, he is determined to see it through.
Highly recommended. Be sure to read “Skeleton Crew” and “Small World” first.

[Payson Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. Stayed up way too late finishing it.

In my review of book I, I mentioned two main flaws: One, that the book had several errors in grammar and diction. Though not gone, these are lessened.

Two, the plot took a long time to get going. This book starts with the main plot in full force, and mostly manages to maintain that drive throughout. I just couldn't put the book down.

My main criticism would be that one of the major themes of the book fell flat for me. In the 21st century, long discussions about whether slavery could be morally justified are not compelling. This is not Uncle Tom's Cabin; your audience already knows slavery is bad (and knows better than Kanti, who usually is left speechless when people defend slavery to him—not because of indignation, but because he doesn't know why they're wrong until the very end of the book).

That quibble aside, it's compulsively readable. 5/5

[Remy G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Continuing from the second Kanti Cycle book, the series’ eponymous protagonist, a geroo, a likely-kangaroo-like alien, finds himself in slavery, and yearns to go home to his love Tish. The third and final entry follows Kanti’s life as a slave, during which he attempts to improve their living conditions to be bearable, although he does find positives such as a good harvest. He constantly changes owners throughout the book’s events, and his love Tish finds herself in her own dire circumstances that somewhat climax when Kanti does finally return by her side.

All in all, I found this a rather-disappointing end to the Kanti Cycle, which, despite my involvement in the furry fandom, wasn’t all that engaging or memorable, given in particular the lack of descriptions or reminders as to the appearances of the various characters and alien races, and while there are a few illustrations by Rick Griffin, indicators on which luminary was which would have certainly been welcome. There is a bit of mature content and some sexual references, although the third book like its precursors highly downplays them, and I would definitely be hesitant overall to recommend this read.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

What a thrilling conclusion for this series!

There was so much going on in the final book of the Kanti Cycle series that there is no way I can recap it. The story kept me completely engaged from beginning to end. The voices that Piers Ryman used made it easy to distinguish which character was speaking. I have no idea how he managed to come up with the sounds he used for the names of the souring mistress, Tikkatikkachitter and master Tititichitterti.

This book had Kanti experiencing many adventures and making many friends along the way. While I initially thought that this series was going to be pure fantasy with no romance, this book proved that I was totally wrong. Kanti’s reason for living and continuing to fight for his freedom was so that he could be reunited with his mate, Tish. This really was a great series to listen to!

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]

It is truly a grand finale to this epic trilogy. It follows a man thought dead by all his friends and family, and shows his determination to get back what he once has. Kanti's journey feels much like Odysseus's. All the character motivations felt believable, and the expansion of the world beyond the claustrophobic apartment if Small World was executed perfectly.

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the trilogy, but this book was my favorite. I listened to audio and narrator did an amazing job. Great adventure story.