Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nalini Singh (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 5, 2006

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 coexistence, 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…

Editorial Reviews

Review

I LOVE this book! It's a must-read for all of my fans. Nalini Singh is a major new talent. -- Christine Feehan

About the Author

Nalini Singh is passionate about writing. Though she’s traveled as far afield as the deserts of China and the temples of Japan, it is the journey of the imagination that fascinates her the most. She’s beyond delighted to be able to follow her dream as a writer.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand. For contact details and to find out more about the Psy-Changeling series, please visit her website.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425212866
• ISBN-13: 978-0425212868
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (209 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nalini Singh loves to write, loves to read, and thinks chocolate is a food group.

She enjoys hearing from readers, so drop her an email at nalinisinghwritesATgmailDOTcom if you ever have any questions!

Website: www.nalinisingh.com

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#20 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#48 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#20 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#48 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 117 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars absolutely fantastic!! September 5, 2006

By Deborah Wiley VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Imagine a world in which all inhabitants are either shape shifters (known as changelings) or Psy. Psy have varying powers and are interconnected through the PsyNet but the Silence has bred all emotions out of them. However, there is one Psy who is different....

Sascha Duncan has always hidden her inner core as she knows she is a broken Psy and would be sent for rehabilitation if this were discovered. Treated as a cardinal due to her mother's high position on the Council, Sascha is placed in charge of a joint business venture between the Psy and the DarkRiver leopards- the first joint venture between the Psy and changelings.

Lucas Hunter is DarkRiver's Alpha and he has a secret agenda. A Psy serial killer is stalking changeling women and one of his pack lost his sister to this vicious killer. Lucas' plan is to infiltrate the PsyNet through Sascha to obtain the killer's identity but he never expects to find a Psy who feels emotions. War is about to break out between changeling and Psy as the changelings believe the Psy are protecting a killer. Sascha and Lucas will have to learn to work together quickly as one of the SnowDancer's women has been kidnapped by the psychopathic Psy and her time is running out.

Nalini Singh is a relative newcomer to the romance scene but her stunning paranormal, SLAVE TO SENSATION, is sure to garner her many new fans! The plotline is intriguing and provides a very refreshing approach to both the psychic and shape shifter themes. Keep a box of Kleenex handy, however, as you will be moved to tears as this story packs a very powerful punch!

SLAVE TO SENSATION is a superb story demonstrating the power of love and physical touch. The Psy have made every effort to create a world of logical and emotionless beings similar to Star Trek's Spock. Instead, beings with no moral conscience are being formed as exemplified by the serial killer preying on the changeling women. Love and physical touch can be very soothing and healing and Ms. Singh provides an exemplary story demonstrating this vividly to the reader.

Nalini Singh breathes life into her characters and even secondary characters, such as Tamsyn, have an unexpected depth to them. This story, although complete in and of itself, is wide open for sequels as the reader will want to know more about the fabulous cast of characters created by Ms. Singh. One can only hope that a sequel is in the works as SLAVE TO SENSATION is easily one of the best books published this year in the paranormal genre.

SLAVE TO SENSATION is highly recommended and this reviewer cannot rave enough about how wonderful this book truly is. Sascha is one of the strongest, most endearing characters to come along in quite awhile and her acceptance of herself and her relationship with Lucas provides the reader with numerous gut-wrenching and heart-warming moments. If you read only one book this year, SLAVE TO SENSATION quite simply must be that book!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Seamless Blend of SciFi and Paranormal Romance December 21, 2006

By K. Montgomery VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Sascha Duncan is a member of a race known for their emotional detachment, cold precision and deadly sharp minds. Only Sascha isn't like other Psy. She feels powerful emotion and she grows worried she may soon not be able to repress the building surge. A business meeting with changeling Lucas Hunter, the alpha of the DarkRiver leopards, lures her even closer to the edge of certain discovery. As she is assigned as the Psy contact for the ensuing project Lucas's company takes on, she soon begins to fear grave repercussions from her people.

Lucas feels something different about Sascha--she's not like other Psy. It doesn't take long for the dominant male to begin asserting his blatant interest in her in traditionally pack ways. Could her mysterious differences be the key his and a rival pack's have been looking for? A serial killer has targeted changeling women, and the packs believe the killer to be Psy. As a Psy with connections amongst her race, Sascha will become the only saving grace in a race against time to stop two opposing groups on the brink of war. Her and Lucas's efforts will bring them to some shocking realizations as well as some heated and sensually stimulating encounters.

The first impression of this romance was that it combined an awesome feel of not only paranormal elements, but sci-fi as well. Lucas's pack dynamics will ring somewhat similar to other paranormal romances, while having their own unique qualities at the same time, most notably their love for one another and family dynamics. The chilling addition of the Psy brings to mind a more futuristic sense with their sparse and utilitarian lifestyles. There are some very interesting twists to the plot that makes good use of the pacing throughout the book, making for a very hard to put down read. Sascha is a heroine readers may sympathize with in her plight to become fully herself, while Lucas is so wonderfully sexy in his concern for her welfare. Look for the sequel, Visions of Heat (March 6, 2007) about Psy member Faith NightStar and changeling Vaugn D'Angelo

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW September 9, 2006

By Barbara A. Mazzuca VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Imagine being part of a race that has developed beyond feelings. It has been totally erase. And if you somehow retain such things you are consider flawed.

Where you are connected with others by a mental link resembling the Internet as we know it now but in your mind. And is so intertwine that to try to "disconnect" could mean your death or rehabilitation. And rehabilitation is nothing short of a lobotomy.

That is the world that Sascha Duncan was born into she is "Psy". And Sascaha is flawed she feels and everyday she must fight this "breakdown" or she may face being "rehabilitated".

Changelings and Humans have coexisted with the Psy, but it's an fragile existence. Which is about to become even more uncomfortable. If what they suspect is true, that the killer preying on changeling women is a Psy, that the Psy Counsel is covering up these murders, but quit possibly is also a Counsel member.

Lucas Hunter is a changeling and the Alpha leader of Leopard pack DarkRiver. He is determined to expose this killer, and cover up. When he see a chance at getting more information as he and Sascha are brought together to work on a housing project.

The more Lucas and Sascha work together, Sascha is finding herself becoming involved in the changeling world of touch and emotion. And she soon realizes that she can no longer go on pretending indifference, even if it means her death.

Lucas is also finding out the Sascha is not like other Psy and as he begins to break Sascha defenses he is finding it harder and harder to just see her as way into the Psy's close knit society. He also wants to be the one to show her what other pleasure's she's missed out of. And that he wants to protect her as if she is part of his pack.

As Lucas and Sascha race to find a serial killer before a war breaks out between Psy and Changeling. They may be running out of time themselves.