Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1)
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation"- the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was.... Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion-and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities-or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation... Review Great Concept Ruined by Romantic Cliches It made me feel at home A Little Disapointing Product Details
Editorial Reviews
I LOVE this book! It's a must-read for all of my fans. Nalini Singh is a major new talent. -- Christine FeehanCustomer Reviews
This book had a promising concept that was ruined by terrible romantic clichés.
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 byplay between the protagonists was titillating. But the novel held hints of far deeper and more complex emotional themes. They would have been so interesting to explore. Instead, all that is swept neatly under the rug in favor of rushing its protagonists into bed.
Sascha Duncan is definitely an interesting woman. But it is simply not realistic she could turn from a lifetime schooled in non-emotion to the opposite within weeks. It's just a set-up to justify the sexual dynamic.
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. Really, if a romance author cannot write about two people falling in love without an absurd plot device, perhaps romance should be avoided. Just a thought.
Naturally, one of the overarching themes in the novel is the nature of the animal personality in changelings. Unfortunately, it's used to justify the sexism of the the male characters, including the use of physical force, on the basis of their "animal" nature. It's offensive, and it blights the romance, and it's also not true. In reality, leopards are felines, and their mating is, to put it mildly, brief and violent. Leopards 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.
I'll give the author points for originality, intensity, and plot. The sexual tension between the two leads sizzles and the first two thirds of the novel is very good at building an alternate future world peopled by the cultures of humans and shapeshifters. But grammar skills are just adequate and the plotting and characterizations need plenty 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 when they are both portrayed as cool, calculating killers.
Fanciful names like SnowDancer and Web of Stars do the book no favors. One is forced to wonder if the author realizes the names Sascha and Nikita are for male characters? Again, she has presented a race of people focused entirely on non-emotional logic. She clearly explains the origin of the names, yet fails to explain why MALE names would have been chosen. It makes no sense.
The author seems to have put a good amount of thought into the world and motivations of her characters and it's really a shame she allowed it be dumbed down to that level. I'm almost sorry I had to drop it down to 2 stars, but deliberate distortion of research material, the offensive sexism in the romance, and the total breakdown in realistic characterization can't justify a higher rating. It's entertaining most of the way though, though, so if you like authors like Sherilyn Kenyon, Keri Arthur, and J.D. Ward, you will probably want to check this out.
The book was interesting, original, yada yada...What got it 5 stars from me was the mention of Manteca!
We've made it! We're on the radar! Even in the fictional future!
I had very high hopes for this book and in some ways it let me down. I really don't feel like it was as suspenseful or as romantic as it should have been.
Synopsis:
Sascha is one of the Psy, a race of people without emotions. She is incredibly strong and smart, but she finds herself beginning to slip into madness as she realizes she can feel. Lucas is the alpha of the leopard-changeling pack, and he's working with Sascha on a project to build safe homes for his people. He is also in the midst of a murder investigation with strong suspicion toward the Psy. He recognizes Sascha as different, and soon becomes overwhelmed by the desire to claim her as his own.
The Good Parts:
The romance that happened to be present was nice. The development in the relationship was very well paced.
Lucas is a complex and interesting character. Sexy, smart, and edgy. The author does a good job of letting her readers into his head and heart.
The changelings are a fascinating group, I almost wished the book were just about them. The world building there is flawless. The pack structure, social dynamics, and close relationships are enthralling.
The Problems:
I felt bombarded with confused, unintelligible information about the Psy. There background, history, purpose, the entire PsyNet thing--it didn't make much sense and it was too boring to try to figure out. The chapters that venture into the PsyNet felt like SciFi B Movie material. As a result, a lot of the book was seriously dull. Worse, all the mumbo-jumbo cut into the otherwise beautiful romance.
I feel this particular book would appeal more to science fiction or fantasy fans then it would romance fans.
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