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Project Enterprise #4
Steamrolled
With all of time at risk, it's a bad time to fall in love...unless it's the only time...
Robert Clementyne is in a race against the mysterious Dr. Smith to find a machine that could put evil in charge of the universe. The hunt takes him to a steampunk themed bowling alley and museum run by a descendent of the man who created the machine.
Emily Babcock, museum curator and steampunk aficionado, is skeptical when a man suddenly appears asking questions about the machine one of her ancestor's created. Personally, she is more interested in Robert Clementine making her a believer about something more elusive - something called happy-ever-after.
Emily and Robert soon find themselves steamrolled by time. If they want to a chance at love, all they have to do is survive a trip to the past, the future, a side trip through Roswell, and a face-to-face meeting with an evil-genius-overlord-wannabe.
Can two unlikely people join forces to defeat evil before it has a chance to take over the universe? Grab your copy of Steamrolled today and embark on an adventure that readers have called "weird and wonderful" and a "must read for science fiction lovers."
Robert Clementyne is in a race against the mysterious Dr. Smith to find a machine that could put evil in charge of the universe. The hunt takes him to a steampunk themed bowling alley and museum run by a descendent of the man who created the machine.
Emily Babcock, museum curator and steampunk aficionado, is skeptical when a man suddenly appears asking questions about the machine one of her ancestor's created. Personally, she is more interested in Robert Clementine making her a believer about something more elusive - something called happy-ever-after.
Emily and Robert soon find themselves steamrolled by time. If they want to a chance at love, all they have to do is survive a trip to the past, the future, a side trip through Roswell, and a face-to-face meeting with an evil-genius-overlord-wannabe.
Can two unlikely people join forces to defeat evil before it has a chance to take over the universe? Grab your copy of Steamrolled today and embark on an adventure that readers have called "weird and wonderful" and a "must read for science fiction lovers."
454 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2011
16 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Pauline Baird Jones
112 books177 followersPauline Baird Jones is the author of quirky, fast-paced romantic adventures that blend danger, laughter, and love in equal measure. She writes across genres—from romantic suspense and science fiction to comedy thrillers and steampunk—but her stories always share the same heartbeat: heroines who discover their courage, heroes who celebrate their strength, and humor as the best weapon in impossible situations. If you’re looking for an escape from the ordinary, her books deliver adventure, romance, and just enough laughter to keep you smiling long after “The End.”
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 2, 2011
I really enjoyed this story even though I accidentally started with #4 in the series :0. Fantastically detailed world-building with amazingly plausible science/tech which includes time travel. A great villain and sympathetic characters (feisty heroine and somewhat tortured hero) interact in a non-stop action adventure story that kept me on the edge of my chair waiting for what would happen next. I'm almost finished with #1 (The Key) and I can see where it would have been easier to understand the story if I'd started with #1.
I'd definitely recommend this series to fans of fantasy, urban fantasy and steampunk.
I'd definitely recommend this series to fans of fantasy, urban fantasy and steampunk.
July 19, 2016
Have you read the book blurb? Check it out. With a blurb like that, what’s not to like – right? If you decide to dive into the imaginative, amazing world(s) of Pauline Baird Jones’ Steamrolled, be prepared for anything.
There is a steam-powered transmogrification machine that time travels. It was built and used (see Tangled in Time, Project Enterprise #3) in the late 1800’s by Emily Babcock’s ancestor, stored in a museum, and still works more than 100 years later. Step inside at your own risk.
There is a time tracker Ashe, who seems to be some kind of time savant and just knows when things are going to hell. Her story interweaves with that of the main characters Emily and Robert, filling in some of the critical gaps that Emily and Robert don’t uncover in their part of the story. If I am honest, the back and forth between settings did spin my head a bit. Or maybe it was all the talk of time travel tech, time disturbances and time paradoxes. But Ashe’s character, who seemed to be right in the middle of the time disturbances, was the equalizer, explaining what the heck was going on so a time travel beginner like me could follow along.
There are bad guys. Evil geniuses. Henchmen. Automatons. Zombies. Lots of opportunities for the good guys’ and gals’ days to get totally messed up. Tobias Smith is a recurring character from previous books in the Project Enterprise series. His character really takes shape in Steamrolled. You might even start to like him, even if you don’t like what he does. Maybe.
Speaking of characters from previous stories, there are a few others. Delilah, her mate Helfron Giddioni, Colonel Carey, Fynn. They are all there in their small but important rolls. If you have read books 1-3 of Project Enterprise, they will be like old friends.
There are nanites. Lurch, Wynken, Blyken and Nod. Intelligent nanites that communicate with and help their hosts. As well as add a certain amount of humor. These nanites have surprisingly good senses of humor on their own. But also, they are machines and it is sometimes fun to see them learn new human stuff. Like falling in love….
Did I say falling in love? That brings me to my absolute favorites – main characters Emily Babcock and Robert Clementyne.
Emily Babcock – she who does not ever ask a question, who thinks Robert Oh My Darling Clementyne is a little dangerous and a lot geeky. She’s a geek too. “I like steam….I like engines, too…. And I might be a bit fond of steampunk, too.” Emily is delightful, quirky, smart, industrious and very good with a wrench.
Robert Clementyne – or ‘Professor’ because he’s so smart. And wanted to kiss Emily almost as soon as he saw her. Super intelligent and unceasingly curious, Robert and his nanites are like a superhero geek team when it comes to getting out of tight places.
This is probably the cutest couple in all of steampunk fictiondom. There is some intense admiration at first sight. I hesitate to use the L word there because both of these characters are, at the very least, intelligent, practical characters that would most likely eschew the very idea of love at first site. But admiration! And Oh my darling Clementyne! Robert’s nanites, Wynken, Blynken and Nod (who sometimes jump bodies when there is a kiss – see – Robert does get that kiss he wants:) ), eat up everything about the courtship between Robert and Emily and may even be said to play matchmakers. Here is a bit of that admiration at first site/nanite interference encouragement from Robert’s point of view:
My favorite thing about any book by Pauline Baird Jones is the humor. I feel like she writes directly to that portion of my brain that likes to smirk, smile and laugh out loud. Steamrolled seems especially tailored to my sense of humor.
The truth is, Ms. Jones knows her characters inside and out. What makes them happy, scared, sad, intrigued. How their minds work. Even what they find amusing. By knowing them so well, she knows what is humorous about them and it just flows out in the writing. Trust me. Steamrolled will put a grin on your face many times over.
Steamrolled is book 4 in the Project Enterprise series. You can read it as a standalone. I love the whole series though, so I recommend reading them all. The series is also tied to the future scifi series An Uneasy Future and to her novella Nebula Nine, all of which include the trademark Pauline Baird Jones sense of humor and a fascinating, sometimes time-traveling universe peopled with being of many skin colors (including purple), some of which are hosts to nanite sidekicks. Steamrolled is time travel, steampunk, and scifi all in one quirky, fantastic tale of adventure and romance and saving the universe from disaster. Highly recommended!
There is a steam-powered transmogrification machine that time travels. It was built and used (see Tangled in Time, Project Enterprise #3) in the late 1800’s by Emily Babcock’s ancestor, stored in a museum, and still works more than 100 years later. Step inside at your own risk.
There is a time tracker Ashe, who seems to be some kind of time savant and just knows when things are going to hell. Her story interweaves with that of the main characters Emily and Robert, filling in some of the critical gaps that Emily and Robert don’t uncover in their part of the story. If I am honest, the back and forth between settings did spin my head a bit. Or maybe it was all the talk of time travel tech, time disturbances and time paradoxes. But Ashe’s character, who seemed to be right in the middle of the time disturbances, was the equalizer, explaining what the heck was going on so a time travel beginner like me could follow along.
There are bad guys. Evil geniuses. Henchmen. Automatons. Zombies. Lots of opportunities for the good guys’ and gals’ days to get totally messed up. Tobias Smith is a recurring character from previous books in the Project Enterprise series. His character really takes shape in Steamrolled. You might even start to like him, even if you don’t like what he does. Maybe.
Speaking of characters from previous stories, there are a few others. Delilah, her mate Helfron Giddioni, Colonel Carey, Fynn. They are all there in their small but important rolls. If you have read books 1-3 of Project Enterprise, they will be like old friends.
There are nanites. Lurch, Wynken, Blyken and Nod. Intelligent nanites that communicate with and help their hosts. As well as add a certain amount of humor. These nanites have surprisingly good senses of humor on their own. But also, they are machines and it is sometimes fun to see them learn new human stuff. Like falling in love….
Did I say falling in love? That brings me to my absolute favorites – main characters Emily Babcock and Robert Clementyne.
Emily Babcock – she who does not ever ask a question, who thinks Robert Oh My Darling Clementyne is a little dangerous and a lot geeky. She’s a geek too. “I like steam….I like engines, too…. And I might be a bit fond of steampunk, too.” Emily is delightful, quirky, smart, industrious and very good with a wrench.
Robert Clementyne – or ‘Professor’ because he’s so smart. And wanted to kiss Emily almost as soon as he saw her. Super intelligent and unceasingly curious, Robert and his nanites are like a superhero geek team when it comes to getting out of tight places.
This is probably the cutest couple in all of steampunk fictiondom. There is some intense admiration at first sight. I hesitate to use the L word there because both of these characters are, at the very least, intelligent, practical characters that would most likely eschew the very idea of love at first site. But admiration! And Oh my darling Clementyne! Robert’s nanites, Wynken, Blynken and Nod (who sometimes jump bodies when there is a kiss – see – Robert does get that kiss he wants:) ), eat up everything about the courtship between Robert and Emily and may even be said to play matchmakers. Here is a bit of that admiration at first site/nanite interference encouragement from Robert’s point of view:
All this ran through his brain alongside a mental path that was less clear, but more intense. This track noticed things like how smooth her skin looked in close proximity. This track noticed her red, red mouth and was fascinated by it. It looked soft. It looked kissable. He’d never thought about a girl this much before. He wished he could kiss her. He’d never kissed a girl. Shouldn’t want to change that now. He had a mission, the Delilah-infused part of him reminded with a mental tap of a foot. The nanites wanted the kiss. They liked new experiences. He felt inclined to go with the nanites. Maybe he liked new experiences more than he realized he did. Or maybe there was a small part of him that was a guy. Out of the range of scents hanging heavy in the air, he picked out one that must come from her, because it made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. All of his education and IQ couldn’t give him the words to describe the sensation. It was.
My favorite thing about any book by Pauline Baird Jones is the humor. I feel like she writes directly to that portion of my brain that likes to smirk, smile and laugh out loud. Steamrolled seems especially tailored to my sense of humor.
The truth is, Ms. Jones knows her characters inside and out. What makes them happy, scared, sad, intrigued. How their minds work. Even what they find amusing. By knowing them so well, she knows what is humorous about them and it just flows out in the writing. Trust me. Steamrolled will put a grin on your face many times over.
Steamrolled is book 4 in the Project Enterprise series. You can read it as a standalone. I love the whole series though, so I recommend reading them all. The series is also tied to the future scifi series An Uneasy Future and to her novella Nebula Nine, all of which include the trademark Pauline Baird Jones sense of humor and a fascinating, sometimes time-traveling universe peopled with being of many skin colors (including purple), some of which are hosts to nanite sidekicks. Steamrolled is time travel, steampunk, and scifi all in one quirky, fantastic tale of adventure and romance and saving the universe from disaster. Highly recommended!
May 4, 2021
Good book except being in Robert & Emily's head, except when they are talking to their peeps. I didn't like Ashe's scenes; too boring & I think too up herself. I couldn't believe she was Doc & Hel's great (duno how many greats) granddaughter. I would have thought Doc & Hel would have teached their children, grand children & great grand children some interesting things, while being humble & under the radar. But I picked up nothing from Ashe. She's like a spoilt brat but nothing like Carig & Glarmere's level of spoilt.
I liked Fyn & Carey scenes, also when Sara returns to the outpost to see how it faired in the latest battle.
The truth about 'Smith' was a reverlation.
I liked Fyn & Carey scenes, also when Sara returns to the outpost to see how it faired in the latest battle.
The truth about 'Smith' was a reverlation.
May 4, 2021
Good book except being in Robert & Emily head. Don't mind when they're talking to their peeps but otherwise... boring. I also didn't like Ashe's scenes, boring & too up herself. Can't believe she's Doc & Hel's great great (duno how many greats) grand-daughter. I would have thought Doc & Hel would teach their children, grandchildren, all kinds of good stuff & how to be humble & under the radar but she's too up herself, I think. I am so going to skip the next book in this series as it focuses on her & Vidor.
I liked Fyn & Carey scenes, also when Sara returned to the outpost.
I liked Fyn & Carey scenes, also when Sara returned to the outpost.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2020
What a fun story! Full of twists and turns and an eclectic cast of characters sure to capture your interest. I don’t know how the author kept track of all those timeline issues! This story is sure to keep your mind occupied while tickling your funny-bone and making you sigh. Just be warned, you may get a certain song stuck in your head while reading it, but as Em would say, “Oh My Darling,” I didn’t mind ;)
July 11, 2018
I really tried. Gave up halfway through. Things move at a glacial pace, and the story line is just confusing.
November 13, 2017
Chapter 1 confused me. I kept checking to see if I had the right book.
The narrator's voice is too deep for female characters. Emily kind of sounds like Emily Kimberly, Dustin Hoffman's female disguise in "Tootsie." What happened to the voice actor from The Key?
The series is going downhill for me.
The Key featured an intergalactic war.
Girl Gone Nova added a little time travel to the war.
Tangled in Time was time travel and added steampunk, but at least it was funny.
Steamrolled has too much steampunk for my liking. I never read Jules Verne. Also, talking nanites? What the foxtrot? I wouldn't like a bunch of voices in my head.
I would be a bit hesitant about spending time with someone who refuses to ask questions. You have to ask questions to learn new things.
I liked Fyn in The Key, but he seems unnecessary in this book.
This series needs to keep one narrator for all of the books. Past narrators pronounced Gadi to sound like Gotti, while this one says "Gad-eye."
The narrator's voice is too deep for female characters. Emily kind of sounds like Emily Kimberly, Dustin Hoffman's female disguise in "Tootsie." What happened to the voice actor from The Key?
The series is going downhill for me.
The Key featured an intergalactic war.
Girl Gone Nova added a little time travel to the war.
Tangled in Time was time travel and added steampunk, but at least it was funny.
Steamrolled has too much steampunk for my liking. I never read Jules Verne. Also, talking nanites? What the foxtrot? I wouldn't like a bunch of voices in my head.
I would be a bit hesitant about spending time with someone who refuses to ask questions. You have to ask questions to learn new things.
I liked Fyn in The Key, but he seems unnecessary in this book.
This series needs to keep one narrator for all of the books. Past narrators pronounced Gadi to sound like Gotti, while this one says "Gad-eye."
May 27, 2011
Steamrolled, the new steampunk novel by Pauline Baird Jones loses nothing of the whimsy of her prior work, may have even imported some extra energy, and teams that with some pretty interesting characters. Robert Clementyne meets Emily Babcock and, in any other romance the plot would be easy to predict from this point forward. That is anything but the case here, making this a quick and constantly engaging read.
You have to forgive a certain level of silliness that might be a tad over the top; I suspect its all part-n-parcel to the genre. However, I did find a lot more weight on action than characters in this particular work: the action is great, characters okay. The good are good (if weird) the bad are bad (and easy to identify) and they are solid enough, it's just that they are always in the midst of some happening!
There were plenty of funny moments, time travel (backward, forward, and I think maybe sideways…) and you can certainly not predict what will happen next. It sounds like a crazy, complex plot (it is, it is!) but it’s not confusing in its complexity…it's quick, engaging and surprising. Through it all you grasp this fact: A girl’s best friend has got to be a Wonder Wrench 2000 (must get one!).
Although you’d think it a huge advantage to be a genius (like, say, Robert), pretty quickly we realize that everyone is a genius. Good/evil, whatever… secondary characters get plenty of play here, and are certainly as believable as individuals as anyone else in the story.
Something about the falling into stream-of-consciousness is grating (perhaps I mean exhausting) over the long haul, but is, I realize, especially enjoyed by some readers. I think this will be a hit with steampunk fans in general, and if you haven’t already tested out the genre, any work by Pauline Baird Jones would be a fine place to start. She's just a talented, entertaining author.
originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
You have to forgive a certain level of silliness that might be a tad over the top; I suspect its all part-n-parcel to the genre. However, I did find a lot more weight on action than characters in this particular work: the action is great, characters okay. The good are good (if weird) the bad are bad (and easy to identify) and they are solid enough, it's just that they are always in the midst of some happening!
There were plenty of funny moments, time travel (backward, forward, and I think maybe sideways…) and you can certainly not predict what will happen next. It sounds like a crazy, complex plot (it is, it is!) but it’s not confusing in its complexity…it's quick, engaging and surprising. Through it all you grasp this fact: A girl’s best friend has got to be a Wonder Wrench 2000 (must get one!).
Although you’d think it a huge advantage to be a genius (like, say, Robert), pretty quickly we realize that everyone is a genius. Good/evil, whatever… secondary characters get plenty of play here, and are certainly as believable as individuals as anyone else in the story.
Something about the falling into stream-of-consciousness is grating (perhaps I mean exhausting) over the long haul, but is, I realize, especially enjoyed by some readers. I think this will be a hit with steampunk fans in general, and if you haven’t already tested out the genre, any work by Pauline Baird Jones would be a fine place to start. She's just a talented, entertaining author.
originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
October 31, 2011
“I rarely stop reading a book. I even tried to read Steamrolled 2 x's and I still just couldn't get into it, so I'm offically giving up. Definitely not my cup of tea or read.”
March 7, 2015
Nice version of Steam and Cyber.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews