This is the thread where you can freely discuss PLAY OF PASSION and the previous books in the Psy/Changeling series. *SPOILERS* allowed, so if you haven't read Drew and Indigo's story yet, click away! This link will take you back to the main blog.
So, if you're sure this is where you want to be....let the discussion begin!
Also, if you're looking for the Caressed By Ice Spoiler thread, Mine to Possess Spoiler thread, Hostage to Pleasure Spoiler thread, Branded By Fire Spoiler thread, and the Blaze of Memory Spoiler thread, follow the links.
For those of you who aren't bloggers, you can still comment - just choose the Anonymous option and sign off the comment with your name if you'd like folks to know who you are.
NB: This thread is for readers, so if you have a question specifically for me, email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.
69 comments:
Nalini,
The thing that I loved the most about this book, it's probably that we finally got to see inside the Wolf's Den.It was also great to see some new characters and more Sienna and Hawke scenes.
Indigo was one of the best heroines, she was so strong and incredible loyal to her pack, she's the sort of character that inspires us.
What also just blew me away was Drew's love for her, he was so sure that she was what he wanted.He is how every hero should be.
Hawke's book can't come fast enough!
You did it again, Nalini!!
Louise
I have to agree with louise, I was really great to finally see the Wolf Den in depth, and see the high racked soldiers and the maternal females.
I'm actually really interested too see Cooper and the maternal female (forgot name) story - to see how it would work ;)
Also I really loved the Hawke and Sienna teasers, I can't believe you only gave us 3! lol guess we will have to wait, Hawke's book is going to be interesting with Kit involved...
Back to Play of Passions, I really enjoyed seeing another side to Drew and see about his past (i loved the teddy bear scene!) and how that made him who he was. Also indigo being such a strong character, at times it was unsure was it really going to work, especially at the cliff scene when Hawke had to pull rank on her, I didn't no if she would forgive Drew but i'm so glad she did, you kept everything interesting Nalini and made it work! :)
Can't wait till Hawke's Book!!! ahhhhh!!
Lauren
I loved this book. I was gutted when Indigo went to dinner with the other guy and was so hurt for Drew. And the feelings were just as strong the second time reading the book and knowing what was to come it still hurt. Yep i know crazy. lol
Hawke's book is going to be so good. :-)
Thank you Nalini for a wonderful world.
Teena
Jem and Kenji need their own novella. =) I don't care if they can't stop bickering long enough to tell you their story, they both need to get a room for sure! :P Besides, I want to see if it's Riaz or Tomas who will win the bet. hee hee. My money's on Jem!
I loved the characters in this book. Drew on the surface comes across as outgoing and full of laughs. But as you get to know him better and understand the key role he plays in the pack, you see his intelligence, strength, loyalty and commitment. Indigo is a great strong lead female--she exhibits strength without coming across as b*tchy. It was also great seeing many favorite characters from earlier books in the series--Hawke, Sienna, Mercy, Riley, Brenna, Judd, etc. I especially enjoyed the interactions between Hawke & Sienna and can't wait for their book Kiss of Snow.
The highly original world building is well done. This book gives us the greatest in-depth look we've had into the SnowDancer pack to date. It was interesting learning more about wolf organization, society, structure, etc.
The side storyline about the Psy was interesting--the conflicts within the Council. And I continue to wonder who the 'Ghost' is? That is driving me crazy. Such an intriguing character. Also Nikita and Anthony are interesting characters and I'd like to read more about them.
I liked the way the ending setup the next book. Nalini Singh did a good job tying up the romantic relationship but keeps us wondering what is coming in the big picture.
All in all, 'Play of Passion' is a great mix of action, mystery, suspense and romance. Unlike several other well-known paranormal romance series that started strong but then later went downhill, Singh continues to deliver an 'A' game. This book ranked up there with some of my favorites in the series. I hope the series continues for a long time to come.
Great job, Nalini Singh! You are a definite 'auto buy' for me. Only improvement: can you write faster?
I am glad that new characters were introduced who I sincerely hope have stories all their own (Lara/ Walker [???], Cooper/ unknown female, and the other lieutenants!!!)
I also totally fell in love with Drew. He has to be the first hero (and I am a HUGE fan of Vaughn, Nate, and Dorian) who I wished I could date myself. Now that might sound odd, but he was just so sweet and even when he screwed up, he made it right in a way that I just loved (Indigo got herself quite the wolf!). The stuffed wolf was great.
Furthermore, I have every Hawke and Sienna moment bookmarked on my kindle so that I can reread them over and over again!! I was so happy that they were put in and that his book is coming out next. June CANNOT come fast enough for me! My roommate (also a huge fan of the Psy/Changeling novels) and I ate this book up. Probably to the exclusion of important work, but it was worth it! The book was wonderfully written and has left me dying to read the next one and see where the story goes.
Anthony's comment at the end of the book about the conflict covering everyone in blood was haunting. I am not sure where she is going to take the books, but I cannot wait to see what happens.
I wonder if Sascha is finally going to give birth in Hawke's book....that would be crazy.
Super happy to have finally seen Emmet and Ria in a book!! I hope to see more of them since their short story was not enough for me (the same is true of Nate and Tammy's story. I love that couple).
Basically this book was a winner and has left me counting the days till and excerpt of the next one comes up and then June!!!
- A. Weber
I liked the book, but I'm kind of anxious now about Sienna and Hawke's book. I know Ms. Singh has, until now, always been consistent in her worldbuilding, but after "Branded by Fire" and "Play of Passion" there are, for me, soooo many question marks - especially about Sienna. I really hope there will be some good answers in "Kiss of Snow".
What I'd like to know: if Sienna can't stay in control when she becomes emotional (see her reaction to Hawke), why can she safely form emotional ties to other people (ex: her friendship with Drew and Kit and other DarkRiver juveniles)? She's supposedly still conditioned/ silent ... shouldn't she be feeling pain, like Judd did? Shouldn't she be therefore fighting all emotion? How can she smile and tolerate touches (ex: Drew's) and openly express affection toward her brother Toby - and with no visible consequences? Why do other characters in the books (Mercy, Riley, Indigo, ...) act as if an intimate relationship between Sienna and Kit would even be possible? Judd was almost bleeding to death from just touching and kissing Brenna. And it was clearly stated that Sienna had been conditioned with similar pain controls. Anyways... I hope there exist some very good explanations for all of this. What do you all think?
~Adnana
Hawke and Sienna are on like Donkey Kong! That scene where Drew tells Hawke Sienna hasn't had sex and not with Kit proves that Hawke is going to eat Sienna up like a spoon.
And the ending gave me chills. Best ending to date in this series.
The only problem I had with this book was no Kaleb. ahem. ;)
if Sienna can't stay in control when she becomes emotional (see her reaction to Hawke), why can she safely form emotional ties to other people (ex: her friendship with Drew and Kit and other DarkRiver juveniles)?
I'm sure this will be answered in KOS, but I don't think it has to do with emotional attachments, but more, the intensity of her emotions for Hawke. I've never gotten the feeling that it was just "friendship" "sisterly-love" type emotions she's had for Hawke. It's desire. A really, really powerful desire. The minute Judd (for example) started feeling desire/romantic feelings for Brenna, that's when the pain kicked in. I think what Sienna feels for Hawke is a little bit more than sisterly affection ;) I think her lack of control has to do with the intensity and nature of her feelings, not just feelings, period.
She's supposedly still conditioned/ silent ... shouldn't she be feeling pain, like Judd did? Shouldn't she be therefore fighting all emotion?
She does still feel the pain. In BbF, when talking to Sascha, her power exploded outward (kind of like when Judd's power wrecked all of Brenna's furniture after he came back from the deer changelings, or the many times it's implied that Brenna and Judd have to get new furniture after they've been intimate) and it was the pain controls (and Sascha) that stopped her from taking out the entire den. Even then, tho, just looking at the paintings on the wall that were important to Hawke, she cracked them. Again, the intensity of the emotion is what's cracking her, which is why she's needed such strong shields, and why being with Kit doesn't make her powers (for lack of a better word) activate.
Plus How can she smile and tolerate touches (ex: Drew's) and openly express affection toward her brother Toby - and with no visible consequences? Why do other characters in the books (Mercy, Riley, Indigo, ...) act as if an intimate relationship between Sienna and Kit would even be possible? Judd was almost bleeding to death from just touching and kissing Brenna. And it was clearly stated that Sienna had been conditioned with similar pain controls.
Answered above already. At least, that's how I think of it. I guess we'll find out in KoS.
Hawke and Sienna are on like Donkey Kong!
Dude. Seriously. The first time Hawke touches Sienna with any serious intent is going to explode off the page. BRING. IT.
Thanks for a wonderful read, Nalini...PoP is up there with BbF and CBI as my faves from the series.
This might be my favourite book after Sasha's and Lucas'. I couldn't put it down. I loved the interaction between Drew and Indigo. Hawke's book comes out near my birthday and I've just told my daughter that's what I want. I want to start re-reading the series again......Thank you for another wonderful story.
Karen
Pilar Maria--
thanks for taking the time to address all my concerns regarding Sienna's behavior. All you've said makes sense :)). And I totally agree with you about Sienna not having really strong feelings / not feelling intense desire toward Kit. Which is why I would so totally hate it if Sienna were to sleep with him; with no emotion (other than friendship and liking) involved, it would be absolutely pointless. I really hope Ms. Singh doesn't go that route just to make Hawke crazy with jealousy.
~Adnana
So many awesome things -
can't wait for Cooper and his female and Indigo's sister!
On Hawke & Sienna, poor thing thinks he can't tolerate her and everyone else sees that he can barely control himself. I wonder if it someone will tell her how hot he is for her and she will go for it. Can't wait to see the Lauren family interaction in KoS.
Poor Ghost, barely holding on to his sanity/humanity. I wish we had seen Judd interacting with William (the Forgotten kid from Dev's book).
I would love to revisit Indigo & Drew in a few year when his powers have finished growing, I wonder if he'll be more powerful than Riley?
I agree with everyone, this was one of my favorite in the series! It was great to look into the SnowDancer den and meet the rest of the Lt's, there was some very promising future stories (I hope)! The interaction between Drew and Indigo was sexy, frustrating, sweet, and totally engrossing. Thank you Nalini for such a wonderfully built series!
The scenes between Hawke and Sienna had me salivating for more, May 31 cannot come fast enough! I loved the insight into Hawke's mind, he is one sexy, sexy, grumpy Alpha. It is going to be explosive reading KOS!
Erin E.
One thing that I found particuarly interesting was that it's implied that Nikita herself MAY have some E designation talent - the scene where she said that it tended to 'skip a generation' but was thinking to herself that that wasn't true ....
Katiebabs,
I hope your right, lol. However, how is Sienna supposed to have sex with Hawke when she can barely control her powers when she's around him?
Anon: I have no doubt this will all be worked out in Kiss of Snow. I have a feeling the first time Sienn and Hawke are together, he lets her take over.
Maybe she can destroy furniture like Judd when she's in the mood?
However, how is Sienna supposed to have sex with Hawke when she can barely control her powers when she's around him?
As with Judd and Brenna...finding out how is half the fun ;)
I have a feeling the first time Sienna and Hawke are together, he lets her take over.
Hehehehe...that just made me grin like a moron.
I'm gonna have to go read the backcover blurb again.
Anyways...I'm really glad that we got to go more in depth into the SD den. I liked meeting all of the new characters, altho, I'm afeared that we've met them, only to lose some of them in upcoming "blooddeathfire"-thing the F-Psy are predicting.
WHAT did Drew do to Indy's closet?
I'm enjoying all the comments, especially the Donkey Kong mention. My thoughts mirrored that of Pilar's re: Sienna's control or lack thereof around certain people she has a degree of affection for. Her interest toward Hawke is definitely more intense, mature and with a hint of awakening sexuality. Her relationship with Kit is likely a deep friendship - and it may well be the case on Kit's end. Whatever the scenario, I'm super excited about Hawke & Sienna and hope Kit doesn't get hurt in the process. We already have the broken-hearted Riaz and Maria.
I absolutely loved the book! I really liked being able to see more of the wolves, and meeting some new lieutenants. I loved Drew and Indigo - they're so perfect for each other!
I was initially surprised when I found out Indigo would be with Drew. But of course I wasn't disappointed! The story is so sweet and so much fun.
Plus, this book has made me so excited for Kiss of Snow! One thing: does anyone else hope that Sienna loses the contacts and hair dye for at least part of Kiss of Snow? It just doesn't seem right for Hawke and Sienna to have their story while Sienna's eyes aren't night-sky and her hair is brown. Remember how in CBI, Hawke didn't want her to cut her hair? He loves it!
-Sarah M.
Since Nalini made it an issue in BbF, I'm sure Sienna will have her normal hair color when she returns to the den. The only reason she was dying her hair and using contacts was so that she could go into the town without drawing attention to herself, since the cardinal eyes are so distinctive and her hair is such a unique shade.
Thanks Pilar Maria! That makes sense. (And sorry, I meant BBF, not CBI.)
I was just wondering, because I got the idea Sienna's been keeping her disguise on a sort of permanent basis so she can go back and forth. When she comes back to the den in POP, she's still got the disguise.
Maybe if/when she goes back to her natural looks, it'll be part of how she "changes the rules"? :)
Sorry! I forgot to sign my last comment.
-Sarah M.
Cherry i wondered that too. I think he filled it with chocolate kisses. It's all i can think of. :-)
I'm wondering if how Sienna changes the rules is by moving back to the den and taking up residence in the soldiers barracks. Since we know that Hawke's rooms are there too, it would definitely lessen the physical distance between them. Physical distance that we know Hawke has been careful over the past year to keep between them.
I hadn't thought about Sienna and the soldier's barracks - interesting. Also, since she appears to stay in DR country every few weeks or so I think she'd keep her brown hair and contacts on a semi-perm basis. But I'm sure in KoS she'll be as close to her natural self as possible.
I am going to come back when I have time to read everyones comments and gather my thoughts, but I just have to say that POP definitely lived up to expectations (and I have high expectations for the series :)
My sister and I (I got her hooked :) are totally in agreement on several things:
--Hawke and Siennea's book can not come soon enough!
--Anthony and Nikita are becoming quite a power duo (she is rooting for them to get together, I don't think that's possible, at least for Nikita)
--Kaleb NEEDS his own book! (I converted another Kaleb fan!)
--More Wolf Den!
I read it all Tuesday night when it was released. I couldn't put it down! I could rave on and on (I will later) but I have to go to work :(
@Teena: I don't think it's just filled with kisses. He filled the room with them, so I expect the closet to be something else. I really want to know.
The lack of Kaleb was a downer. I freaking love that psycho-psy.
I'm not even going to talk about Hawke and Sienna because it'll just make the wait worst.
Was that scene with Lara and Walker a hint to something in arch 2?
I especially loved all the little hints of things to come! Walker and Lara?!?! I'm all for that!
~mimi
Speaking of Kaleb (I'm glad to see so many people here who are as intrigued by him as I am - I absolutely can't wait for his book) ... does anyone else think he's the Ghost? 'Cause I'm kinda certain he must be; there cannot be two Psy in the Net as powerful as it has been hinted that both Kaleb and the Ghost are (and that is just one of many hints scattered throughout the series, regarding the Ghost's identity).
And now that I think about it... there've been people complaining that Kaleb made no appearance in PoP - and I only just noticed that, because we had the Ghost and I already think of him as Kaleb, which is why I didn't miss him in his Councilor guise. Boy, I really hope I'm not wrong... I would be sooo disappointed. Also, I'm really intrigued by who the girl is, that Kaleb is searching for - and the only person that the Ghost cares about ;).
~Adnana
Can anyone tell me when Sasha has her baby, whether the baby's surname would be Duncan or Hunter? Just curious. I really think (and hope :D) her baby will be a girl. Also - loved PoP, cannot wait for KoS. I'm a huge fan of the series!
~Ad Al.
Hunter. No questions asked.
I too want to know - What did Drew do to Indy's closet???
I LOOOOOOOOOOOVED tihs book. I laughed a lot, had "awwwwww" moments and had my scared moments (like when they were about to shoot Hawke).
Well, the pair was great, but I have to say that sometimes I was frustrated with Indigo and even screamed "OMG if you dont want him, give him to ME." Yeah, Drew was a damn cute wolf, all that chocolate and flowers ^_~ And I also want to know what happened to that damn closet!!!!
I too was sad that Kaleb didnt appear ;_; and like some of you, I also think that Kaleb is the Ghost >.<
I totally loved the Hawke and Sienna's parts, I reread it like a thousand times and yeah they are on like Donkey Kong ROFLMAO and I pretty sure that on the 1st page this book is going to get fire LITERALLY XD
I was relieved when Indigo told Hawke that Sienna didnt have sex with Kit, I was wondering about that, and went lol because it was clear that Hawke want to know how the heck she knew that, and the "yet" jibe was wonderful.
Ive been wondering too how long is Saccha pregnant, to me it feels like forever lol I want to know if its a boy or a girl, my curiosity is killing me
ohhhhhhhhh I miss Vasic too and want to see more of him. Hope he doesnt die in the upcoming events.
PS: Want Sienna with her original eye and hair colour back :)
I have to confess I wasn't overly excited about Indigo and Drew together until I read it. As someone else said, I ended up wanting him for myself, so cute and charmingly sexy, yet with more to him than just fun, will be interesting to see more of him when those powers develop even more. Loved those scenes with the teddy bear and chocolate kisses.
I think when Sienna and Hawke finally get together, more than furniture will be breaking, lol, they will probably have to rebuild walls.
At one time way back, I wondered about Kaleb being the Ghost, but then soon after I started thinking could be one of the Arrows, maybe Vasic, and thought it again after reading PoP.
I also am anticipating more about Nikita and her agenda, and her relationship with Sascha. I've wondered for some time if she has some dee-down feelings for her all this time, treating her the way she did all those years to protect her. Then sending her the info on the E's, is it all just to do with her agenda? We shall see.
Wow, I am speachless! I just finished the book and I absolutely LOVED it!!!! I totally fell in love with Drew!
I would really like to know what he did to Indigo's closet!!
It is soooo unfair that we have to wait seven long months for Hawke's book :-( I want it NOW!!!! :)
I love the Psy/Changling series!!!!!
Please write faster, Nalini :)
Lisa
There's some great posts here so far, especially about Hawke and Sienna. Perhaps their first, eh, romantic experience together will be outside so the den doesn't collapse...
Anyway, as others have said, PoP was a wonderful glimpse into the SnowDancer den. The new lieutenants that were introduced sound like they would make great heroes for future novels/ novellas. The couples that were hinted at in PoP (Lara/ Walker, and Cooper/ cute sounding but nameless wolf) have also piqued my interest.
And I'm not convinced that Kaleb is the Ghost, though I keep going back and forth on the issue. I'm really looking forward to his/their book(s). (lol)
And a couple of people mentioned Vasic. He's definitely a character I want to hear more about! He seems the strong and serious type, and it would be as fun to see him fall from silence into love as it was with Judd. (Judd/ Brenna's book is still my favorite, though PoP is certainly stiff competition).
The one thing I forgot to mention earlier, was how much I loved the little scene with Ben. He's such an awesome character and love the glimpses we have of him. I know we won't see his story for years (if ever), but I would love to see how he ends up with Marlee (I remember Keenan telling someone that Ben said he planned to marry Marlee one day).
Sara I've been fascinated with Vasic since his first appearance. The idea of a true teleporter having a role in the upcoming war has intrigued me from the start. For some reason,I really like him. He reminds me of Judd.
And I love Judd. I loved seeing more of him in PoP.
Sara I've been fascinated with Vasic since his first appearance. The idea of a true teleporter having a role in the upcoming war has intrigued me from the start. For some reason,I really like him. He reminds me of Judd.
And I love Judd. I loved seeing more of him in PoP.
The book was another amazing entry into the wonderful world of the Psy-changelings.
Drew ranks up there with my favorite heroes of the series. He was charming, sweet, loving, and tough enough to be a tracker for the pack. And I loved the way he slept sprawled across Indy...yummy!
It'll be nice to learn more about the new characters in KoS, like Indy's sister, Cooper, etc. It was great to see how the den worked, ie, during their monthly meetings. As a native Californian, I was always curious as to how SnowDancer could manage controlling a state as big as California.
I loved the interactions between Judd and Drew. It's wonderful to see Judd, my absolute favorite of the series, evolving into such a caring, good friend to everyone in the pack. I also liked seeing the friendship between Indigo and Mercy. And Walker and Lara...please!!!
I agree with the poster who said that Nikita must have some E powers...her thoughts certainly implied it. Also, in BOJ (I think), when Nikita told Sascha that she also kicked in utero in the middle of the night. That made me wonder if Nikita was able to feel Sascha in a similar way to how Sascha feels her baby.
I, too, missed Kaleb. Gotta love a bad boy that your instincts tell you is not really as bad as he seems.
I absolutely cannot wait for KoS. Hawke and Sienna are going to be incredible together. I think they're both already feeling the mating bond wanting to kick in, without being aware of it.
I really wish Drew had discussed Hawke's offer to make him a Lieutenant with Indigo. I think that might have helped her realize that she didn't have to be more dominant in the relationship. But, I'm glad how it all worked out in the end.
As for Hawke's and Sienna's book, initially I started off as a strong supporter of the two. But now ... I feel like Kit and Sienna would be a better match. I'm really curious about Sienna's secret Psy designation (is it the "X"?). I can't wait for the next book just to learn about the two!
Loved PoP, probably one of my favorites out of the series. Indigo was so practical and committed to doing what she thought was best, and Drew won me over with his ability to know when to push and when to let go. The Hawke and Sienna scenes were amazing - like little teaser snippets - and now I cannot wait for the next book.
The one thing that bothered me throughout the story were the constant hints that Drew might be as dominant/grow to be more dominant than Indy. I really wanted them to work it out together, and show that it is possible to have a dominant female and a less dominant male in a healthy relationship. Instead, it felt like one of the main points of conflict just disappeared/was written off.
Hope that doesn't happen in KoS - I love the idea of Hawke and Sienna together, but she's not his mate... His mate died years ago, and to change the rules now (by claiming she wasn't actually his mate, or by saying you can have more than one mate, etc.) would be taking the easy way out. I'm all for them being a couple, spending the rest of their lives together, etc... but I can't think of a realistic twist that would allow them to be mated.
Lia,
I understand what you are saying about Sienna being his mate, but would you honestly want it to turn out that she isn't his mate? I think that would just be so incredibly sad for such a great character, and while yes it might feel like an easier way out, I personally am ok with that because I think that he deserves to have that bond.
I also don't know how Hawke knew that the girl was destined to be his mate if the mating bond never actually formed. He has no way of really knowing that, I feel. Thus, it makes room for Sienna to be his mate, especially since she feels such a strong pull to him and he obviously feels strongly towards her. It's not like Nalini Singh is pulling this couple out of no where, since she has been steadily working towards putting them together since book one.
Lia,
I see your point as well, as it does seem like it's changing the rules. However, the way Hawke and Sienna act around each other makes me believe that there is in fact some type of actual "bond" between them. Otherwise, Sienna wouldn't be breaking Silence from the moment she met Hawke, and he wouldn't be drawn to her as much as he is, as indicated in POP. I'm curious to see how Nalini decides to explain it. I think it has to do with the fact that he never actually mated with that girl years ago, and therefore a bond between them never formed.
~Tracy
Amadea W. and Anon,
It's true that Hawke never formed the actual mating bond with his mate, but I don't know how I feel about that implying that he's free to mate with someone else. I always thought of it as one mate per person... and if you don't find that person, or if that person happens to be married to someone else (Riaz), or if that person dies (Hawke), the best you can hope for is mutual attraction (which Hawke and Sienna obviously have) growing into love (which is a definite possibility between the two).
But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Nalini comes up with! Hopefully her solution will satisfy us both :)
Wasn't there a mention of forced matings in the past? Not in that the people were forced into it but that two people who chose each other have the mating bond "snap" in place afterwards? And isn't that sort of what happened with Andrew and Indigo? Since they knew each other their whole lives and never had anything but friendship on Indigo's part until he "charmed" his way in. And as to his dominance growing and maybe overshadowing Indigo's, that is a big maybe. She is the third highest ranked person in hierarchy and Drew has stated he would never be a lieutenant, which means she would always rank higher than him. So it would always be an issue unless they both accepted it.
So glad I’m not the only one who wants to know: What exactly did Drew do to Indy’s closet???
Thought I must have missed it the first time I devoured the book, but even on the second read – no clue. Hopefully we’ll get the answer in KoS.
Speaking of which: Hawke & Sienna – Explosive doesn’t seem big enough for what’s about to come. Poor Hawke, because, let’s face it, when he’s going to fall – it’s going to be epic. For much of the series they’ve used their anger/aggressive nature to deal with each other, but in PoP we're shown another side. My favourite was the scene outside Drew’s room – I believe it was the first time we’ve read of them actually touching, well, Sienna touching Hawke, and Hawke barely able to restrain himself from just grabbing her as he so obviously wants to . . .ahhh magic! And even though it was Drew and Indigo's book, that one scene made my heart skip a beat. And yes, like the masses, I too can not wait for KoS.
Having recently re-read the series (while waiting for PoP) I must say, I have a new appreciation for a few characters and the story dynamics that I missed previously.
Kaleb, Vasic, Nikita – if/when these Psy break Silence, it is going to be spectacular . . .that’s assuming they haven’t already ;)
Lara & Walker? Yes please! Something about a male Psy trying to remain cold and distant yet totally melting for the right woman – fabulous! Judd & Brenna’s story was my favourite from the start for that exact reason.
And now having new wolf characters from PoP (loved them all) I’m more excited about the series continuing on such a strong path with even more fabulous characters.
Even if all can’t have their own books, may I suggest a completely Psy/Changeling novella featuring the secondary characters and their stories? Please???
:)
I know the males know all when it come to the mating bond, but I've never bought this idea of a ten-year-old Hawke knowing that his five-year-old friend was going to be his mate. I think what really happened is that Hawke suffered a huge loss and his little ten-year-old heart decided to close itself off to ensure he never had to feel that kind of loss again. Over the years, his connection to this little five-year-old became something epic and now he uses it as an excuse not to let anybody get close to him. I do agree with the idea that there's one mate/lfetime for the changelings, but I don't believe that the who is predetermined. Personally, I think Hawke knows Sienna is his mate. I'm sure he recognizes the signs. I'm betting that's part of why he's fighting it so hard.
His mate died years ago, and to change the rules now (by claiming she wasn't actually his mate, or by saying you can have more than one mate, etc.) would be taking the easy way out.
I disagree. Going all the way back to CBI, Nalini has been reallll careful to explain that this unknown 5 yr. old "would have" been Hawke's mate. As in...had she lived. But she didn't. She died, and as horrible and traumatic as that would be for a 10 yr. old Hawke, it means that whatever bond would have grown there, isn't. Think of it like a fishing line...dangling out in the water...waiting for the next perfect catch. The restlessness that Hawke feels...the tension, is that bond...that waiting.
It's true that Hawke never formed the actual mating bond with his mate, but I don't know how I feel about that implying that he's free to mate with someone else. I always thought of it as one mate per person...
Okay...think of it like this...Hawke was engaged to this unknown 5yr old girl...who died before the marriage could actually be consumated. Does that mean that he can't get engaged to someone else? No. And yes, mating is a more visceral reaction...two people who are supposed to be together, determined by (for lack of a better phrase) nature. Nature's first avenue of mating (the 5yr old girl from Hawke's past) is cut off, gone. Had she lived, Sienna wouldn't even be an option. Hawke would be happily mated to this unknown SD girl. But she didn't live...making option number 2viable. Without any other option...Option 2 is now the only option. That doesn't sound unreasonable or "an easy way out" to me. The conflict, imo, comes from convincing Hawke (who believes that he'll never be mated) that it's okay to have such a strong connection with someone else, that it is, in fact, right, and in convincing Sienna that she's not second best to some dead girl.
and if you don't find that person, or if that person happens to be married to someone else (Riaz), or if that person dies (Hawke), the best you can hope for is mutual attraction (which Hawke and Sienna obviously have) growing into love (which is a definite possibility between the two).
In the case of Riaz, tho...the mating bond snapped into place after his mate was married to someone else. Not before. That's what the problem was, he found her, the mating bond snapped into place, but it was too late because she was married. The marriage didn't negate the bond...it's there, but, as Riaz said, the woman is married to a good man, and she would hate herself if she left him for her mate. So yeah, in Riaz's case, the best he can hope for now, is a fullfilling love connection, b/c the mating bond is already with someone else.
That's not the case with Hawke. Again...the key phrase is "would have been"...as in...hasn't yet. The option for mating is still open for him b/c it was never closed off in the first place. It would have been, but she died, leaving the option open.
And from the sounds of it...it's not the wolf that's having the problem...it's the man. Hawke is the one that's holding himself back, since, at least in PoP...it's the wolf that's driving him to distraction where Sienna is concerned. When Sienna tells him not to touch her early in the book, it's the wolf that wants to show her that "he's not one to be rejected". When he goes for a run later on in the book in wolf form...it's the wolf in him that causes him to walk with her back to her car. It's not the wolf that seems to have a problem with mating with/being with Sienna. It's the man who's struggling. And, at least from the backcover blurb, and Indigo's discussion with Hawke in PoP...it's b/c the man doesn't think she can handle the wolf...not b/c the wolf doesn't think she can handle the man.
Therein lies the conflict.
I know the males know all when it come to the mating bond, but I've never bought this idea of a ten-year-old Hawke knowing that his five-year-old friend was going to be his mate. I think what really happened is that Hawke suffered a huge loss and his little ten-year-old heart decided to close itself off to ensure he never had to feel that kind of loss again. Over the years, his connection to this little five-year-old became something epic and now he uses it as an excuse not to let anybody get close to him. I do agree with the idea that there's one mate/lfetime for the changelings, but I don't believe that the who is predetermined. Personally, I think Hawke knows Sienna is his mate. I'm sure he recognizes the signs. I'm betting that's part of why he's fighting it so hard.
...and also...This.
The one thing that bothered me throughout the story were the constant hints that Drew might be as dominant/grow to be more dominant than Indy. I really wanted them to work it out together, and show that it is possible to have a dominant female and a less dominant male in a healthy relationship. Instead, it felt like one of the main points of conflict just disappeared/was written off.
Initially, I was annoyed by the way I kept getting slammed with the idea that Drew was less dominant than Indigo because I didn't see it. Then I realized it was all in Indigo's head. She went from worrying Drew was submissive, to worrying he was less dominant to worrying about his place in the hierarchy to worrying about his age. The real issue that Indigo had to overcome was her own pre-conceived notions because she was the only one worrying about this crap. Nobody else backed her up and said, yes, Drew is this or that. So, to make the relationship work, Indigo just had to get over herself, which I think she did admirably. No matter what happens, no matter how dominant Drew becomes, he's always going to be outside the hierarchy and he's always going to be four years younger than her.
I don't really think having 2 options for your mate is plausible. The mating bond is rare enough as it is, why would a person have a back up mate?
It kind of seems like if you have the mating bond with someone, that person is your mate, and you can accept it or not.
I think Sienna is Hawke's mate, because if she isn't she will have to play second fiddle to someone she can never live up to.
I personally buy the "Hawke was too young to realize what the mating bond was and mistook it for something else" bit. I think its very believable and not outside the rules of the world she has set up. And I do think that he has used the "my mate has died" bit to push Sienna away.
I don't think we will get a clear answer in KoS. I think the mating bond will form, they will be amazed, but have no idea why it formed. They will probably theorize some reason similar to Hawke being too young or the fact that she died.
-Crystal
Eh...I don't think I ever said "backup" mate. I'm pretty sure what I said was that the possibility for mating with this unknown SD girl was there, she died, and it never happened...leaving Hawke a chance to mate with someone else.
I don't think that implies a "backup".
I do, however, agree with the notion that Hawke mistook his feelings for this girl as something else (he was 10) and has used it as a reason to not get too close to anyone on any kind of romantic level...especially Sienna.
I think the conflict will come with him accepting a mating bond with Sienna.
They will probably theorize some reason similar to Hawke being too young or the fact that she died.
Yup...she died, the bond never fullly formed, yada yada. Altho, I do think that we'll get some type of definite answer, similar to vaguely definite answer we got about Keenan and Noor's tandem abilities.
Who knows...I just can't wait for KoS to come out.
isn't Sienna more than 10 yrs younger than Hawke... reincarnation?
Neither Riley nor Drew (to use other wolves as an example) knew that Mercy & Indigo were their mates until the mating dance started - they were attracted to them before, but they didn't know they were their mates. And in Tammy's story, the mating bond didn't make an appearance until she was 15, because she was too young before then. Also, Nalini only said (IIRC) that Hawke thought his friend would be his mate someday - the mating bond never actually made an appearance.
So why would Hawke be so different from the others that he was able to tell that she was his mate at that young of an age, before the mating bond had ever appeared?
I think he just thought incorrectly. And I really hope Sienna is his true mate.
I loved PoP, though! And it was awesome to see inside the den and meet some other the other lieutenants.
On the matter of Hawke's lost mate - Keenan more or less has decided Noor is his, and he's how old? So to have Hawke decide that this unknown girl was his 'to-be match' is not outside the behavior of kids. The problem is that the adult Hawke still believes what the 10 year old Hawke believed.
Who knows? It may also be that a dominant has instincts that the less dominant may not.
Regardless - the girl died, and now there's Sienna.
Let the fireworks begin!
On reincarnation, I think that is a distinct possibility and not outside the realm of what Nalini's world building. Hawke was 10 years old when his "mate" who was five years old died. This all happened about 20 years or so back; Hawke is now 32 (I think it was CBI where his age is mention ed first), Sienna now 19 ish so the timeline for a reinacrnation concept could very well work here.
We should all beg Nalini to give us snippets every Friday until the release!!
(a few unstructured thoughts)
Pop was great! I read it over and over. Drew was/is a true charmer. (Even for me as a reader it was impossible to resist him! LOL).
I`ve to agree with Louise,too. Indigo was one of the best heroines so far.
Hm, and Mr. Hawke...well, charming is not his greatest talent. And after the rebuff in his office I`ve to admit, that I want to see him on his knees..right in front of Sienna.
I´m still wondering who the ghost is. I know a lot of you think it`s Kaleb, but till today I don`t see him as the ghost.
So far I tend more to a) a unknown person, b) an (active) arrow like Aden or Vasic or c) an anchor. For me the ghost sounds more like a person outside the councilorship.
I like Ming, so I`m wondering if he will appear in KoS. (Doesn`t matter if he is a good or a bad guy in the end:-)). Although I would enjoy a reunion with Sienna and Judd. (...) Weird thought: Imagine him beeing Siennas and Tobis biological father (...).
"Hm, and Mr. Hawke...well, charming is not his greatest talent. And after the rebuff in his office I`ve to admit, that I want to see him on his knees..right in front of Sienna."
^ So true Eva! I love when Drew tells Sienna to "Give him hell, sweetheart." I hope she does & am so looking forward to it! ;-) I felt so bad for Sienna because, except for the whole walking in the woods incident, Hawke keeps rejecting her.
~TL
I think The Ghost is that kid who saved Annie's life when she was in the wreck when she was little. Not Kaleb - although I must admit, I'm beginning to view Kaleb in a more favorable light than I did for a long time.
Quite frankly, I wanted to kick Indigo to jar the stick loose from her butt. Of course, my second husband was 12 years younger than I am, so I have grounds for that particular opinion.
I just finished re-reading all the books in this series for the X time, which is good for me but I have more questions but bad for the books cause they are starting to look a bit ratty.
Play of Passion, what a climax, while everyone speaks about Drew and Indy, it’s the end of the book that got me thinking about the coming war. I can’t wait, wish anyone knows where I could find a time machine, so that I can go to the future and peek. I have been analysing all the players (councilors and allies), their designations and other skill sets, which makes me wonder who is going to win the war, Nikita did make comments about killing Henry a few times (PoP and BoJ).
As previously noted by Judd in HtP, the attacking skills that we have seen so far are Tk and Tp also Hawke did ask sascha in StS if she can attack using her powers, with the right training E also also attack.
Against Silence:
Nikita is Tp 9.1 with mental virus and some E??? (shosanna referred to a possibility in VoH) and Tk??? (Sascha has Tk 2.2, which I assume she inherited from Nikita). Nikita might also be able to use the services of the J-Psy.
Anthony - not sure of his designation but I think he has a lot F???, Tp??? (since Faith Marine are both cardinals, also read the mind of the shooter in BbF) maybe Ps ??? (Tanique). Anthony might also have Tk (Faith has this ability, also Samuel Rain was teleported quickly from the edge of the cliff after Mercy’s call to Faith. Anthony might also be the ghost. So what is Anthony’s designation and gradient?
For Silence
Henry – Tp, leader of pure psy.
Shosanna – Tp
Tatiana - Tp
On the Fence
Ming – Tk, X?
Kaleb –Cardinal Tk, ghost???
The allies
DR – teeth, claws and guns. They also have Faith (F-Psy), Sascha (E-Psy) and Ashaya (M-Psy).
SD – teeth, claws and Guns. Judd - (teleportation capable Tk), walker??? Sienna – X with mental combat and Tp.
The forgotten – Dev and Co.
I cannot wait to read how the story unfolds in KoS. Hawke will not know what hit him both in the Mating Dance and the bloodiest war since the implementation of Silence. Will also like to see how Kaleb's character unfold, hopefully we'll know more about the arrows and mythical X-Psy. until then, I’ll be re-reading by tattered books.
In caressed by ice, Brenna's stalker, is the mole used to gain information by the Psy. he is mentioned in passing by the Scott's in Play Of Passion. How come he didn't relay the most important information about the Den - the Lauren family? Dieter had the run of the place so he must have seen the Laurens while there!?
I seem to remember Nalini saying in some interview that there is more than one potential mate available for each person, or matings would be much more rare even than they are. Apparently, it's when the mating bond actually kicks in that it becomes the one and only.
Obviously, the knowing is different for each couple. The only consistency seems to be the ability for the female to refuse the bond.
Hey, What about Kaleb and the mysterious person/being that broke through his sheilds in the previous book. I would really hate for him to come out as a total bad guy. I feel that he has almost redeeming quailies.
As for Ghost I hope that he does have a mate out there be it another Psy, changeling or human. It was hinted in Play of Passion when Judd asked him if he had someone that he was connected to. Not that he actually answered.
Im pretty sure the closet was filled with more chocolate kisses
"The damn wolf had drowned the room in silver-foiled chocolate kisses.
Thousands of them.
She growled.
And then she opened the closet door."
That was my take on that passage :)
I LOOOOOOOVED this book!!
oops the last Anon comment was by Tanya :-p hehe
About Dieter not ratting out the Lauren family.... I suspect he couldn't figure out a way to do that that would leave himself alive.
Hey in KOS is the child (daughter?) from sasha and lucas born or is that in book 12!????
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