Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1)
by Nalini Singh
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Book Reviews of Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1)
Book Review: Unique outlook on paranormal romance. Some pages were skimmed for TMI about technical stuff.
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed reading about a whole new paranormal society. Nalini Singh creates a fantasy future unlike any other. She uses true California locations, based around the year 2080. Her world includes 3 types of species... human, changelings (predatory cat/ humans & wolf/ humans), and Singh's own creation: a species of people known as "Psy".
The Psy have bred all emotions out of their people. They exist only for the sake of gaining power through cold efficiency. If any of their breed show emotion, they are considered "broken". Broken Psy are sent to a clinic to have their mind chemically washed, leaving them vegetables. If any Psy tries to leave their community, called "PsyNet", they will instantly die from the lack of interaction with other Psy minds.
Lucas Hunter is panther/ human changeling of the DarkRiver Pack. As alpha of his pack, he is heading an investigation to find a Psy who has been murdering female changelings. To get the info he needs, he enters into a construction contract with the Duncan family of the Psy. Sascha Duncan is going to be working closely with Lucas on the construction of homes. Neither Lucas or Sascha knows that the other is only in the contract as a means for finding info on the other species.
Early into the contract, Lucas recognizes that Sascha is different from most Psy. She reacts and shows hints of emotion. Sascha is doing her best to hide that she is "broken". If her species finds out, they will send her to the clinic to be brain- washed. As she learns more about Lucas and his pack, she has no choice but to accept that there is a murderer among her species.
Lucas has begun to acknowledge that Sascha is more than a business contact. She is his life- mate. He makes it his goal to convince her that she is not "broken", but gifted. The affection and protective possessiveness that Lucas shows for Sascha works to break down her personal barriers. Now Sascha will sacrifice everything to help save the pack of changelings who have made her one of their own. Facing off with the murdering Psy will mean exposure of her emotions. Sascha would rather be killed by breaking away from the life force of the PsyNet than be sent to the clinic. When Lucas discovers that he can save her for a few months by giving her half his life force, he decides he would rather die with her than live without her. Neither can bare letting the other die. Neither can find an answer to save them both.
Overall, a great story with vivid landscapes and intricate personalities. About 3/4 of the way through, I skimmed some pages that got too detailed about how the PsyNet works, etc... There were some pages with too much planning for the future actions to capture the murderer as well. Some of this would have been better left a mystery. Another slowing point was the reiteration of Sascha's sorrow and hopelessness for a future with Lucas. The martyrdom was a bit too much.
After all of that detail, the whole thing is solved in just a few pages. We don't get to actually "be there" when the murderer is caught. We are just quickly told about how it happened. The dilemma involving saving Lucas and Sascha was wrapped up in one paragraph. I would have preferred less planning 3/4 of the way through the book, and much more solid solutions at the end.
The Pack is terrific. Loyal and fierce, there is nothing they won't do for one another. They show affection openly and share in the caring of the young. The males are very possessive. The females are strong and independent, many of them warriors. The Pack made the story for me.
Want to read the whole series? Here are the sequels:
Visions of Heat (Psy-Changelings, Book 2)
Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changelings, Book 3)
If you enjoy changeling romances, where the hero can change between human and beast forms, here are a few I suggest:
A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1)
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (The Immortals After Dark, Book 3)
Lair of the Lion
Dragon Heat (Dragon Series, Book 1)
The Black Dragon (Dragon Series, Book 2)
If you enjoy romantic tales between protective men and modern women, try the "Bullet Catchers" series:
Kill Me Twice (The Bullet Catchers, Book 1)
Thrill Me to Death (The Bullet Catchers, Book 2)
Take Me Tonight (The Bullet Catchers, Book 3)
Book Review: Promising Concept, Ruined by Cliches
Summary: 2 Stars
This book had glimpses of a promising concept but I thought it was ruined by terrible romantic clichés and a very illogical plot.
Possessive, dominant, impossibly good looking male with a ripped physique and a tragic past ' check
Stunningly beautiful, emotionally vulnerable VIRGINAL female who desperately needs sex and protection check.
Plot device that ensures they can only be with each other ' check.
A hero who can "get it up" as often as needed because he's not human ' check.
The set-up for Sascha Duncan works well as a platform for sexual tension, but beyond that, it doesn't seem to make much sense. It is simply not realistic she could turn from a lifetime schooled in non-emotion to the opposite within weeks. Lack of emotion is one of the major defining concepts of a psychopath. So..why is there so much surprise the Psy harbor them? Wouldn't that be obvious to anyone, especially people focused on logic?
The concept of the mating dance is fairly ridiculous; it's a psychic bond that apparently links mates together, can only happen once and can never ever be broken. Uh huh. I really think a romance should be written about two people falling in love without a bad plot device.
Naturally, one of the overarching themes in the novel is the nature of the animal personality in changelings. Unfortunately, it's used to justify pretty blatant sexism in the the male characters, including the use of physical force. But it also does not make sense. Leopards are felines, so their mating ritual is brief and violent, not possessive or devoted at all. They are also solitary and nocturnal, so the social structure of a pack doesn't really make sense. The author even makes a comment that one of the characters is closer to his animal roots because he prefers to be alone, so she must be aware of these facts.
Did I mention the sexism? It's really hard to take. I wouldn't want any teenagers reading this book. The way the male characters treat the female characters sends a terrible message.
I'll give the author points for some originality, erotic intensity, and world building. The sexual tension between the two leads sizzles and the first two thirds of the novel is very good at building an alternate future peopled by the cultures of humans and shapeshifters. But the grammar is not very good and the plotting and the characterizations need lots of work. The logic holes are big enough to drive a truck through.
The entire plot rests on the fact the Psy have been lying when they say they are non-violent. Yet there is a constant awareness by everyone in the novel of all the violent things the Psy do; from Sascha's knowledge of the "vile" things she has seen on the PsyNet, to the lethal talents the members of the Council all possess. I don't understand how there can even be a pretense of non-violence when it seems to be open knowledge that violence is there.
Likewise, the changelings are portrayed as being the better species. Yet they are horribly violent and vicious, even among themselves. The kill themselves over territorial disputes. They tear people apart and mail off body parts as warnings. It's kind of hard to follow why one is better than the other, or how exactly Lucas Hunter is any different than Nikita Duncan.
Fanciful names like SnowDancer and Web of Stars do the book no favors. Also, the author very clearly explains the origin of the names Sascha and Nikita, yet fails to explain why male names would have been chosen. Does she know these are male names?
I actually feel kind of generous giving it this high of a rating. I might regret it later because there are so many problems with the book. But I guess, in the end, it's a romance novel, and at the end of the day, it's all about getting the characters into bed with each other. And it does that pretty well. So bottom line - if you like paranormal romance, here's a fresh take, and it's got some great sexual tension. If you like authors like Sherilyn Kenyon, Keri Arthur, and J.D. Ward, you will probably want to check this out.
Book Review: Really Intriguing..
Summary: 4 Stars
So I just finished this book today. I was pleasantly surprised. I really did enjoy this book. The reason i was surprised- and I just have to get this mini rant out there- is because of the cover and the title!! It looks like a bargain book at a grocery store with a random dude with muscles on the front- with a cheesy title that makes it sound like it is going to be crap writing.
I never would have picked up this book at a book store if I saw it on the shelf. This is why romance books get such a bad rep! Ms. Singh may not have power over the visual presentation/marketing of her books- but she should know that the romance publishers seriously undermine her writing with the way the books look.(The cover for this book is the least of the evils- the other covers in the series progressively get worse) Covers shouldn't be that important- but they really are- if a person hasn't read a specific author, a lot of the time it's the cover (and title) that attracts the eye in a huge book store. Do you think a male reader would go anywhere near a register with this book with the way the cover looks? No way! Wouldn't you laugh your butt off if a guy you knew was reading a book called "slave to sensation"?? and that's sad because while i know the target audience is women, I think This book could be really liked by male readers. If packaged and titled the way it should be- it could and would be taken more seriously. The writing definitely has the Blade Runner/ Phillip K. Dick-esque edge to it. I just think it would reach a larger audience if it wasn't packaged like chip n' dale style erotica (not sexy), because it really is good writing. The only reason i bought it was because it was recommended so highly in the reviews and I am glad I did. Okay rant over. Sorry it wasn't really mini. Oh well.
As far as the story and the book itself- It was a little vague as far as setting up the world for you in the beginning- it needed more explanation on how humans, changelings and Psy split into groups in the first place? I suppose Nalini just wanted you to think that in this world, it was always how it was. I really enjoyed the world she creates on the page- no matter how it came to be. I really liked the dialogue with Sacha and Lucas. It was sensual and while she overuses the word darling-(which bugs me i don't know why)- the heat was definitely sizzling. My favorite scenes were the ones in the book explaining about the psy-net itself and the shields/firewalls that Sascha creates. The complexity is beautiful and mind boggling to read. The dream scenes were also pretty hott. The structure of the world really spoke to my sci-fi fascination with the future- and the way we will interact and change as human beings-(or non human beings in this book's case) I always like an underdog heroine- someone who was born different-thought to be flawed- but in reality was just more special than most. The only part that bothered me was that Singh didn't go into the identity of Sascha's father- which I thought was odd. I was waiting for Sascha to say something about her father- after she stole her family's history from the net. But zippo. I was dissapointed- I thought for sure Sascha was going to find out something interesting about her father that further would explain her emotional capacity and power as an empath. But that was the only real negative- i think she could add more light moments- but other than that it was a really good first book. I was glad i took a chance on the hope that it wasn't bad writing and trusted the fan's reviews, because it was good! I will keep reading the series- and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.( and I will probably like it too- even if I have to rip off the dang cover :)
Book Review: ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL!!!!!!! WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUL!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Naini Singh has created a marvelous new series with flawless combination of paranormal romance and sci-fi. The description of the two races - changelings and PsyNet are marvelously developed, in the amazingly gripping world that Nalini Singh has crafted and that draws you in from the get go! The narration is flawless, suspense in the story keeps you at the edge of your seat and the scenes between H/H are steamy and hot!
The Psy is a race of calculated emotional detachment, Cold Empaths with lethal businesslike accuracy. Psys have been conditioned to have no emotional attachment or experience any feeling - for any Psy found "flawed" has their link terminated from PsyNet remaining alive but pretty much dead.
Sasha Duncan is a Cardinal Psy - her mother a member of the powerful Psy Council. All her life she has lived in fear, as she has grown to believe that she is flawed and is always stemming feelings and shielding them from other Psy minds or she will be reconditioned.
Lucan Hunter is a member of the DarkRiver leopards - cats. He decides to bid for a Real Estate residential project that would be the first transaction in history between the Psy and Changelings. Not only is he doing it for the profit - being shrewd in business - but a serial killer has been targeting changeling young women and he believes that the killer is a Psy. More reason for him to try and infiltrate their midst.
In turn, Sasha is asked to supervise the project and study the changelings - as the Psy have little knowledge of that race.
When Lucas meets Sasha - he is drawn to her. She may be a Cardinal Psy - but there is something different about her. Soon his predatory animalistic alpha nature stakes his territory and Sasha and him are slowly drawn together.
After the killer takes another victim - a young woman from the wolf pack SnowDancers, rival changelings have to join forces in a race against time to save Brenna's life. Sasha is drawn into the fray - and both wolfs and cats have to rely in the powers of this unusual Psy if Brenna is to be found alive.
With SLAVE TO SENSATION - you will be touched by so many aspects of this marvelous book. The awesome closeness and bonding of the individual packs. Their sense of family coupled with their innate ability to demonstrate feeling and show affection, love and above all loyalty to one another.
The development of Sasha's and Lucas' relationship is a beauty to watch - simmering sensuality as Sasha slowly becomes "herself" and allows the feelings she has held back for so long run free with Lucas. Readers will fall in love with Lucas. He is all predatory alpha male, sexy and his caring for Sasha's well being and safety is touching and heartfelt.
I can't praise enough this new writer and this fantastically innovative and superbly crafted new series! I will devour the next book VISIONS OF HEAT - which has been on sale since March of '07.
Unfortunately because of my work schedule I don't get to read at the expediential rate I would like to, so it takes me longer to finish a book and always a day late getting into series!!!
Book Review: Great story, good romance, needs a touch more magic
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of several attempts into the paranormal romance category and so far it's the best I've read. The concept of Psy or psychics stripped of their emotions to create the ultimate race and the overly feeling Changelings who cling to their animal instincts and physical power coexisting but not trusting of one another builds a great backdrop for a Romeo and Juliet scenario.
Sascha Duncan is scared. As a Cardinal Psy, she thinks she's broken because she's not supposed to have emotions and desires, but she does. She lives in fear every day that she'll be exposed and does everything she can to conceal her flaws including to her mother who is powerful and on the Psy council. When Sascha is partnered with Lucas Hunter, a Leopard Changeling, on a building project, she slowly gives in to her attraction, knowing that she doesn't have much time left anyway. If she's discovered, her mind will be stripped and she'd rather kill herself before that happens. When Lucas meets Sascha, he knows she's not like the rest. Sascha can't help but react to him and he picks up on feelings and her energy. He plans on using her physic connections to track down a serial killer. The changelings know the killer is a Psy but only the Psy's are part of a network to find other Psy's. As they spend time together, their mutual attraction grows and before Lucas knows what hit him, he realizes he's bonding with Sascha. Changelings essentially mate for life and don't necessarily have a choice with whom or what. This bond is what holds these two together and makes it a very sweet romance. The only problem is that Sascha cannot escape from her Psy network, to do so is instant death since they feed off of one another's energy to survive. If she tries to break those links, she'll die, and if she stays she'll be discovered and ... die.
With that happy outlook, Sascha feels she has nothing to lose and risks her life to help the changelings catch a killer. Through it all, Sascha and Hunter are sensual, protective and desperate for one another. They're trying to find the killer before the outcome becomes all out war between the two factions. During her investigation, Sascha discovers she's not actually broken but that she is a type of Psy who's foundation is based on emotion, something the Psys tried to eradicate and will continue to eradicate. Lucas is desperate to protect his mate and calls on pack and forges new bonds in an attempt to keep her safe, risking his life in the process.
This is a touching and great love story and I really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters. It could have been a five but as a powerful Cardinal Psy, I was disappointed in what Sascha's powers were. I was hoping she'd discover something a little more kick ass to take down the killer. It was akin to finding out Harry Potter's greatest magic is love. It also set the foundation of how bad the Psys really are and I keep thinking most of the follow up stories will be about helpless Psys trying to defect over to the changelings. Regardless a solid and entertaining read.