Cage Match by Bonnie Dee

[reviews_and_ramblings]

In a futuristic world, Boston after an apocalyptic disaster, the rich are even richer and the poor are even poorer. Worst, the poorer have no right, and they are used as "meat": to experiment new drugs or to fight in cage as once rabid dogs did. Andreas is the heir of one of the most powerful and wealthy family of New Englandia, the good side of the city; following his friends, that are not exactly role models, he starts to frequent the clandestine cage matches. One night he bets with his friends on a fighter, Andreas is more interested in him as a man, than as a possible source of earnings, and so when he wins the bet, his friends buy him a night with the fighter. Jabez is a former street kid and robber; before being convicted, he hasn't never killed, but now he has no choice, him or the other. And other than fight in the cage, he is also sold out as a whore, obviously with no gain for him, if not the small chance to be free sooner or later. Andreas takes a sympathy on the young fighter and decides to buy his contract: he will offer to Jabez a roof on the head and food on the plate in exchange of fighting lessons. And if in the meantime, Jabez is also willing to share his bed, it is his choice, not a must.

The story is pretty simple, the classical Cinderfellas theme, with maybe also a bit of Beauty and the Beast; Jabez is not some noble soul ended in a bad way, he was for real a street kid, and a thief, and he is also uncultured and untrusting. But all in all he is not a bad guy, and not once I felt that he was taking advantage of Andreas generosity. The only think he asked was for something that Andreas did despite his money, a paint. Jabez has a smart mind, and even if he doesn't like Andreas's friends, and in general, his people, he never makes Andreas feel guilty for being born like that, he recognizes that Andreas is a generous soul.

On the other hand is not that Andreas is totally unselfish, I don't think he would have taken Jabez in if he wasn't attracted to the man. Like when they go to choose a puppy: Andreas has the money to buy all the puppies of the kennel, but he makes Jabez choice only one... Andreas has his own reasons, he wants Jabez in his life, and he will do anything to prove to Jabez that he is a better man than he thinks. And if in the course of the demonstration he does also something good, it's a bonus. Doing a good deed or winning a fighting match with Jabez, to Andreas more or less are equal. And it's not either that Jabez realizes that he has the power to manipulate Andreas into doing something good for the people like him... we are only lucky that both Andreas and Jabez are good persons, and so what they do has a positive implication.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Cage_Match-961.aspx

Amazon Kindle: Cage Match

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle