Slave to Sensation

Psy-Changeling Series, Book 1

By: Nalini Singh

Narrated by: Angela Dawe

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind - and none of the heart. Born a Psy, Sascha Duncan must hide the emotions that mark her as flawed. But a passionate Changeling will tempt her to reveal everything - and risk her very soul.

Mind over matter: listen to more in the Psy-Changeling series.

©2006 Nalini Singh (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This book is a must even for those uninitiated in the paranormal genre." ( Romantic Times)

Happy this series has come to audio

I read Slave to Sensation when it was first published in 2006. I closed the book and thought, “Wow! This may be the best paranormal I’ve ever read.” Revisiting the origins of Singh’s Psy/Changeling series in audio format recalls all the reasons to admire the clever, deceptively simple world-building that imagines the way things might be in 2079. The Psy are a race of cerebral beings who for the past one hundred years have enforced Silence, a protocol implemented to breed all emotion out of the populace. The Changeling are the antithesis, shapeshifters who embrace life with passion. Psy and Changeling view each with disdain and suspicion but coexist within an uneasy truce. I’m relieved to report that humans are still around, but we’re just a footnote here, and a fairly boring one at that.

When Lucas Hunter, Alpha of the DarkRiver leopard pack, becomes certain that the serial killer preying on young changeling women is Psy, he proposes a joint business venture to the Psy ruling council hoping to ferret out the killer. Sascha is assigned as liaison and Lucas wastes no time in using his considerable cunning and charm to get close to this female who appears to embody the cold Psy ideal.

In truth Sascha is not the perfect Psy. She knows that she’s “broken” because she feels far too much and lives in constant fear of discovery and rehabilitation (mind wipe). When Lucas introduces Sascha to his warm and loving packmates, her barriers begin to crack. She yearns to love and be loved and Lucas senses her vulnerability. What follows is a heart clutching romance between complete opposites.

Angela Dawe’s narration has a soothing, steady cadence. Her reading of Sascha’s initial robotic monotone is spot on and I “heard” her gradual thawing. Her voice for Lucas and the Changelings is a bit off kilter. I missed “hearing” Lucas’ playful nature, his warmth, his growliness, and his sexy charm. Key to these characters is how very different they are from one another. Although it’s clear in Singh’s text that Psy and Changeling are polar opposites, I didn’t hear it in the narration and I’m not sure that Dawe got that. Nevertheless, It’s more of a missed opportunity that I hope will be enhanced as Dawe becomes more familiar with the characters. I’m thrilled that the series has come to audio and I loved,loved, loved, listening to Slave to Sensation.

Review written for Speaking of Audiobooks at All About Romance.

Love Nalini Singh

I was so happy to see her Psy-Changeling Series come out in audio, and with a talented narrator. I have to say I was disappointed with the narrator choice for her archangel series. Nalini's writing is so much more satisfying than most other Urban fantasy writers. She's a talented writer, and she flushes out her characters, and the world she's created is so unique and interesting. It doesn't feel like the forumula writing,many fantasy romance writers have resorted it. Hope to see the rest of this series in Audible.

Do yourself a favor and start this series

Where does Slave to Sensation rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have a LOT of books in my library but it's Nalini Singh's psy-changling series that I keep returning to. Not only are they great stories, they're easy to listen to and great to replay while cleaning or focusing on other things. I faintly decided to write a review after listening to it for the umpteenth time, so I guess that answers the question. If you haven't heard it already, start now.

What other book might you compare Slave to Sensation to and why?

Changelings are like weres and shifters, and in this book they are of the leopard variety. You can compare it to other shifter books, but this world seems to be better realized than others. There's also the psy element, which are a race of people with mental abilities.

Which character – as performed by Angela Dawe – was your favorite?

It's hard to pick between Lucas and Sasha. Lucas is that strong dominant male you're probably looking for in a leading man if you are reading these reviews and Sasha is such a fish-out-of-water with him because of her non-emotional way of living. Nikita also becomes a favorite in the series.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Imagine living in a world without love or emotion. Your mother is cold, and you are a broken version of your race. Something tugs at your heart but you have no idea what it is and meanwhile this leopard changeling is toying with you, ready to pounce. It's no secret how the book will end, but the journey of watching these two together is great.

Any additional comments?

I can't recommend this series enough. Buy it.

ADDICTED!!!!!

What made the experience of listening to Slave to Sensation the most enjoyable?

I was looking for a new series to listen to and I was putting off this series because of the sample that I listened to. but after purchasing it I was instantly hooked. I think that what made it so enjoyable was it was a book that was totally different from anything I normally listen to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

In this book I liked Sascha. She didn't know what was going on with her abilities but, she was still willing to push forward and try to do everything in her power to help those in need.Even if they want to rip out her throat for being psy.

Fresh and new am amazing read

What did you love best about Slave to Sensation?

The writing style and unique story.

What did you like best about this story?

The concepts and the way she executed it.

Which scene was your favorite?

Where Sascha breaks free.

Any additional comments?

When it comes to paranormal it's difficult to find different and unique, this story was both and was written so well it just sucks you right in.

The entire series is highly entertaining

If you could sum up Slave to Sensation in three words, what would they be?

erotic, entertaining,

Any additional comments?

I have listened to the entire series. They all follow a predictable story line, but are well written and kept my attention. Some of the scenes are red hot erotica!! The narrator does a decent job. Glad I listened to them all.

Vague but well written

I had to restart this book several times in order to "get into it" as there is a lot of internal monologue and character development but it's a little light on action and environmental visualization. Because of the complexity of the "Psy" world and the lack of the explanation of how it worked, I found it difficult to really live it through the story. It's a very interesting concept but this book didn't leave me with any feelings for the main characters....at least not enough to venture into the second book of the series. It's well written and narration is great but frankly my tastes lean towards something a little less cerebral. It is a good book for someone who enjoys a "coming of age" story told through the internal turmoil of the characters. This story simply did not invoke any emotions from me.

How I adore this Author

If you could sum up Slave to Sensation in three words, what would they be?

striving, acceptance, thriving

What was one of the most memorable moments of Slave to Sensation?

When she understands that the dreams she thought were her own he had full knowledge and full memory of them and what that meant for her

What does Angela Dawe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

My usual response to this question is that when I read a book I hear the voices of each characters in my head and Angela Dawe seems to have pulled them from my mind as I would have heard them if I had read them for myself.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I thing the title of the is befitting

Any additional comments?

I had not heard of this author prior to audible, however she is I think truly gifted for giving the reader or listener the full range of her characters, the surroundings down the what say the forest looks like, the colors the smells the sounds as the character sees or feels them. How the characters sees themselves outwardly and inward. She does with with ease the only other author gifted like this t me was Anne Rice.While listening I can actually visualize where they are as if I am there with the characters,or the emotional roller coaster of self doubt, fear, love,lust or any other myriad of things. That is me is a gifted storyteller. I have read two of her series now and I can call myself a true fan.

Good book, good narrator.

Interesting story of many species. At first I hated the Psy but later I felt that it wasn't completly their fault. I like the wolves. I am a little partial to wolves after the Shadow Wranglers Series by Sarah McCarty but the cats have a different personality that is starting to grow on me too. This book has a different kind of "action" than I am used to reading. The fighting is more of escaping and fighting on a mental plane than in a brawl but a brawl is bound to break out sometime. The book is imaginative and believable. Can't wait to listen to the next one.

I liked it.

Had to work at liking it at times. Dragged in spots but turned out to be worth the effort. The premise of valuing the repression of emotions is interesting. I got the next one, so I must have liked it. I want to know how the different species work out the essential conflict.