Title: I, Omega
Author: Kari Gregg
Cover Artist: April Martinez
Publisher: Loose Id
Buy Link: Buy Link I, Omega
Genre: M/M BDSM, Shapeshifter, Paranormal
Length: Short Novel
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 rating stars
A Guest Review by Raine
Summary Review: While this strongly flavoured BDSM novel was atmospheric and powerful; the imagery slid toward extremes I personally found unappealing.
Blurb: After one mind-shattering night with a stranger at a local leather bar leaves him forever changed, Gabriel lives on the streets as a vagrant to elude the master who hunts him, but the were-shifter is a fierce, stubborn predator who reclaims him soon enough. Gabriel is carried away to the pack’s home territory where his instruction on what it means to be the pet of an alpha begins. Gabriel isn’t just any pet, though. He is the rarest among their kind: a human omega.
Treasured? Or cursed?
As Gabriel’s father, the Distinguished Gentleman from Pennsylvania and stalwart of the conservative party, pushes the considerable resources at his disposal to locate his missing son, Gabriel explores who and what he is under his master’s careful protection. Gabriel falls for the shifter who is lover and destroyer, owner and…friend?
Review:
I’m starting this review with the obvious reminder that this is a statement of my personal taste in combination with what I think as a reviewer. So while I have to say I really didn’t enjoy this book and in fact read it, metaphorically, hidden behind the sofa- it was, in part, the powerful writing that put me there.
The opening of this book is particularly forceful- thick with the real anxiety and fear expressed by poor confused Gabriel. Which brings me to my first concern, Gabriel felt like such a pitiful victim, such a sacrificial offering to this book’s development of extreme BDSM master / slave and total life immersion. That this is expressed in fantasy form through a werewolf society didn’t alleviate my worries. In fact this led to my biggest problem.
When very submissive Gabriel enters into the consensual play with Cal at the BDSM club he had no way of knowing that he would have such an affect on the man’s hidden alpha wolf. This sounds like a very familiar scenario, almost an accepted generic convention, but just as strong BDSM play is explored here so are the extremes of this tough werewolf society. We get the fusion of two radically imagined circumstances.
As Cal’s interaction affects Gabriel and he alters physically and mentally, he doesn’t change into a werewolf, but takes on some animal characteristics which leave him in the strange hinterland of being a pet. This is used in the sense of BDSM play and disturbingly for me more literally as the dictionary defines- “a domestic or tamed animal…. kept for companionship or pleasure and treated with care and affection.” All the imagery used to describe Gabriel definitely called my mind to a dog and the actions of the pack as they chipped, tattooed and then practically took him to the dog groomer reinforced this. So for me the addition of sexuality to this was more than bothersome, it had the whiff of a kink too far. I also felt there was an edgy hint of possible non-consensual pack sex wafting about – but this fear was never realised. This with the often humiliating and prolonged manifestations of the master / slave play…. so much subservience, so much spanking and yes actually, way too much semen left me shying well away from enjoying the book.
The world building is very understated here, the werewolves communities are secret and the shifters are for the most part integrated into a recognisable world. The descriptions of Gabriel’s previous life and his family add to his disturbing new condition. Although clearly very happy as sexual submissive his metamorphosis into a desperately dependent human omega with all the characteristics of a needy lap dog is shocking.
The menace does ease as the relationship develops with some definition and Gabriel starts to emerge as more of a distinct personality questioning his role in his new life. I actually found Cal quite irritating, such a big all powerful Alpha shifter, but he makes fairly obvious mistakes in looking after Gabriel, though to be fair I suppose he too is adjusting to having found a human omega and all that it means to him.
For all my strong personal uncertainties with Gabriel’s situation, I did find the book to be powerfully written erotica -very dark with a modern Gothic and violent intensity to the early scenes. Although I welcomed the dilution of this intensity, the later scenes dealing with the shifter community also felt less realized. However I was just very pleased to finish reading it.
Strong BDSM including humiliation, spanking, master/slave situations.
Raine
You’re a very brave reviewer. Neither I nor another reviewer who loves stories about master/slave relationships could finish this book. It turned my stomach.
Personally I found the characterization of Gabriel to be gross. He was a man yet he was treated worse than a stray animal. He was tied, kept naked, chipped and controlled by the sense of smell i.e. sperm and blood. I could go on but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers in case there are any brave souls who would like to read this story. I was so upset by this book that I don’t know if I will ever read another paranormal book by this author.
Thank you for reviewing this book — I know it was difficult for you. Now I’m off to read something that will cleanse my brain.
Thanks Wave.
I won’t be reading anything else by this writer, as it was just too much for me to like. Actually the hardest thing was making myself read it a second time, but I have to say on that reading I was able to review it with an easier mind as I did want to be fair.
There have been other books that I’ve read that have strong BDSM in them I’m thinking of the Angel books, but there is a sense of joy and humour in those that is just not to be found here.
I looked at other reviews just after I’d written this and it does seem to have polarized opinions.
I really get that brain cleansing feeling……
Oh Raine, I second what Wave said – I can read some master/slave stories, but this would be so very not for me. Thank you.
Ha for once I can decisively agree that I’m sure this is not one for you! 😀
I think you would like her newest release, In the Red, even though you say you won’t be reading anything else by this author. It’s not a paranormal, but it does have bdsm. There is suspense and humor(snark) in it, too. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel. You should try it.
I just started reading Angel and the Assassin 3. I like those books, but I know many people probably would not touch them.
Hi Lisa
I guess I’m feeling a little overloaded by this one and perhaps should have qualified the never ever- on your recommendation I will eventually check out that extract……….but just not for a while. Thanks.
I loved Angel and the Assassin 1&2, and Wave just told me this morning no.3 is coming my way to review. :hurrah:
:god: I think I read and liked everything on your year-end rec. list. I should have waited for you before I bought this. LOL
I, Omega was doing well at GR and Amazon. I was in the mood for a new shifter book. So, after I read some comments from GR and A. I bought it and dug in. Boy, was I blown away. LOL I was stunned. No one had mentioned the heavy erotica, just the “fascinating new take on Were-shifters”.
I had no problem with the writing its-self. I was just neither prepared for, nor in the mood for a short erotica. It was a small slice of life in the set-up world. Since it was the “mating” period, it was not a time to get to know the “true” qualities of her characters.
I was still wanting a Shifter book to read so I had to go buy another book….. 😯 😆
Lots of people liked this book, so if they are in the mood for wolfie erotica…this works!
Great review, you did a good job at respectful disclosure, of the book and your personal preferences. :bravo:
Oops sorry Reggie I kept putting this review off too.
Yes I get that it’s meant to be in your great phrase
” wolfie erotica ” but to me it started to feel like dog bothering abuse. Honest I would not let that Cal take a dog of mine for a walk ever! Ok respectful just flew away…….
Did you get a good next Shifter book…….any recommendations?
I’ve got a review coming for one I liked, but want to reread before I name it……procrastination again.
Thanks for your great comments.
:computer: I read your rec.– “Sebastian’s Wolves”
Loved it!!
You saved the day again! :loveyou:
Werewolves are just the best of fun when done right…….here’s hoping for some more good times with this genre soon. 😀
I do not read heavy BDSM, but I love shifter books, so I got this one. While not my usual cup of tea, I did find the were-society fascinating. Not that I would ever want to be an Omega, but interesting to read about. Not sure if I would read a sequel in this universe…but I did broaden my horizons by reading a genre I am normally not into.
Great review.
BTW, I will be reviewing In the Red whenever Loose Id sends it to Wave. *g* I think those themes (thriller, FBI agents) are a little less dark and more people might like it.
Wow yes that would certainly broaden those horizons Lasha. I thought the shifter world was just more violent and edgy than some but not particularly developed. In het lit I love Patty Briggs’ werewolf society which while it can seem hard, evolves and is well defined. Her Omega character’s have more fun too.
Glad to know about ‘In the Red’ I will wait for your review on that one. Thanks.
I can’t wait for your review of Red Lasha. I just finished it day before yesterday and while I enjoyed the guys together and thought bdsm was not heavy, for me FBI work there did not pass a common sense test. I am curious whether somebody who really knows about this stuff like you will find it believable or at least will find it possible to suspend disbelief, because I definitely do not know how it really works. It read to me as if author came up with the most implausible scenario just to find a reason for guys to have hot sex and show some hurt-comfort :). Okay I am retreading my comment and I do not think it is spoilerish? If it is I will be happy to delete.
This theme sounded so familiar that I had to look up a similar book I’d just read. Turned out to be the same author, and I had the same gut-churning response to her Collared. Extreme submissiveness that reduces the character to little more than a sexually reactive pet is more than I can take.
It does sound like that is just the scenario the author has returned to here. I really understand your reaction Catana- hope you found something more to your taste for your next read. 🙂
I haven’t read this one, but I read both Collared and In The Red. Collared is a dubcon/slave-fic like I, Omega. In The Red isn’t – there is some light BDSM only.
Not usually a fan of BDSM, I can make an exception for strong writing skills. But this sounds more extreme than I’d care for.
And then I read the part about the pet being the son of a Conservative politician…really? 🙄 🙄 Like that lame plot element hasn’t already been hammered into the ground? Haven’t we already accounted for every child ever born to a conservative politician on the national, state, and neighborhood level?
If that’s an example of this author’s level of creativity, I’ll have to pass. Or, I could be a bit cynical b/c I just finished the new Andrea Speed, Freefall. Excellent writing, but the overabundance of stereotypes drives me bugnuts.
Same as English Dukes…a sad reason I no longer read historicals. Every duke in history has been accounted for 100’s of times over.
Hey Denni,
Gabriel’s father is actually the complete opposite of the usual conservative politician, not that we meet him, but even that felt a bit heavy handed too…….no fine tuning.
Thanks- we meet in a mutual mood of dissatisfaction 😀 …….You just caught me after a little rant to Sirius on cliches……why do writers insist on describing their guys’ eyelashes in this way…….. ”ridiculously long almost like a girls”………call me unobservant but I just don’t define people by the length of their lashes! 😕 Don’t get me started on ”midnight hair”………
Thanks Charming Euphemism – in the interest of fair play I’ll check it out eventually, I’m very interested to see Lasha’s review.
The next “Angel and the Assasin” book has hit Loose-Id!! Are you reviewing it?
I can’t get to it for a couple of weeks.
I’m so sad 😥 . But having a job is good
Oh yes I have read it- kept me awake until early morning too- and have decided to review it week after next-hopefully. Trying to break into my backlog next week, after that I can play with Angel and Kael…….wish the cover format was the same as before.
Employment good……. reading better. 😀
Let me know what you think when you get done, Reggie.
I bought this book, the reviews were about 50/50. Humiliation is not my kink, so it was hard to read some of those scenes. But read I did because the book has to be a total flop for me to discontinue.
Even Gabriel couldnt understand why he was acting this way when a short time before he was an independent man living life his way and getting his kinks his way, on his time. The book ends with his realization of his strength as an Omega. I had my own expectations of this book, but Im not the writer. This author has some other books that Ive read and her writing is strong, visual.