This is the rare last book in a series that stands on it's own. Although the whole "Tales of the Galactic Midway" series is worth reading, don't worry if you haven't read the first three (Sideshow, The Three Legged Hootch Dancer & The Wild Alien Tamer). Like other Resnick work, this takes a distinctly human/earth milieu (in this case the circus sideshow) and translates it to the frontier of outer space.