The galaxy is full of intelligent, space faring species. And now humans are one of those species. Being mammals, humans are looked down on by most of the other beings as insectoids and reptilians make up the majority of the intelligent creatures of the galaxy.
New to the game, the humans start using the InterChange, which is a vast library filled with the combined knowledge of thousands of civilizations, downloading as much as they can, as quickly as they can. But they are brought up short when it is made clear to them that all that information is not free. In fact, humans have run up such a huge debt that it will be impossible to pay. For now the only way the debt can be paid is give all humankind into indentured servitude. Which, it turns out, is SOP among the civilizations of the galaxy. All the newbies are given access to the InterChange but are not informed, until it is too late, that it is not a free service. It is a pyramid of slavery, with the youngest races at the bottom and the oldest races at the top.
But mammals haven't managed to survive in a galaxy filled with insectoids and reptilians without learning a few things. The humans turn to the Rh/attes, another mammalian species, for help because the Rh/attes work for the guys at the top, the Dragons. The Rh/attes have been part of this galaxy-wide game for a very long time. So with a few hints from the Rh/attes and their own ingenuity, the humans hope to beat the galaxy at its own game.
This was quite the fun and crazy read. Less than 170 pages long, it was also a fast and easy read, although I was a bit lost in the first few chapters. Really enjoyable though.
Here is a review by Publishers Weekly.
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