Play Book Tag discussion

This book is a part of the Psy-Changling series, about two races of people. The Psy are very logical, and many have enhanced mental powers. They systematically shut down emotions in most of their population in a process know as The Silence, which is beginning to backfire. The changlings are animal shifters who (usually) have the ability to switch into their animal forms at will. They are more in touch with nature, emotions and other senses. The author incorporates many interesting ideas related to psychology, culture, and animal behavior, along with well known paranormal archetypes and themes. She also adds technology, business strategy and science fiction.

Each book in the series focuses on just a few new characters while continuing the overarching story, which involves multiple groups in different locations. There is a romance story in each book (involving a Psy-changling couple), and a murder mystery. I didn’t like the romance and murder mystery plots in this book nearly as much as in the first two books, but the overarching story is still fascinating and complex. I really enjoyed the extra sci-fi elements in book 2, and the additional details in book 3 about the Silence and a new protocol of mind control (which involves a brain implant). Even though I didn’t like this book quite as much as the others, I’m still a fan of the series.

I have minor quibbles about the explanations of some of the Psychology techniques that were used to eliminate emotional reactions in children. They were using rewards and punishments to modify behavior and thoughts. (This is a form of operant conditioning.) In this book an expert used Pavlov’s dog as an example, which doesn’t fit at all, even though it’s a well known experiment. (Pavlov’s Classical conditioning doesn't involve punishments or consequences, only associations.) Mixing up these concepts is a common error in Psychology 101 exams.

(view spoiler)[My primary quibble in book 1 was the idea that punishment can be used to extinguish emotions, since we know that punishment can generate its own emotional consequences. It eventually became clear that the author agrees with me. Each book in the series is adding more to the evidence that trying to kill emotions will backfire, even in a race that is no longer really human. (hide spoiler)]

Steeplechase -9 strong female