Tales Galactic 1: Sides

Thaddeus Flint is an old hand at the Carny game, but he's never seen anything like these sideshow freaks. When Flint cons his way into possession of a competitor's sideshow, he discovers that the "freaks" are actually extra-terrestrial aliens, tourists from other planets. Determined to exploit their uniqueness, Flint sets up his new sideshow, displaying the unhappy aliens to the gawking public. Soon, however, the aliens begin to become ill, falling prey to the unfamiliar environment. Flint's determination that the show go on seems headed for a collision with the reality of life on Earth for the aliens. The story is narrated by a "real freak", a hunchbacked human who serves as Flint's assistant. He is sympathetic to the plight of the aliens, but feels an obligation to Flint that limits his ability to reach out to them. This short book is filled with interesting characters (including some intriguingly portrayed aliens), and keeps the reader guessing about the final outcome until the final pages. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.