Travel: A Project Outrigger Novel

by Kevin Rowlett

What would you do if you woke up, and everything had changed?

You fell asleep after an ordinary day in 2020. When you wake up, something feels wrong. Looking around, you realize with shock that you’re back in your teenage bedroom, in your teenage body. When you wake your phone's screen, a horrifying truth emerges—it’s somehow 2006.

In Travel, the first part of the Project Outrigger series, you embark on a quest to uncover what has happened, leading you to a mysterious basement lab and the source of your a strange machine hidden deep below your future home. Unbeknownst to you, a rogue monitoring station—Project Outrigger—along with a shadowy organization, has detected the machine and is determined to seize it for their own purposes.

As these forces close in, all you want is to get back to your life. Will one of them capture the machine before you can return? Will you be trapped in the past forever?

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Kevin Rowlett is an American author, teacher and musician. He holds a Bachelors of Music from Northern Illinois University, but has always loved the written word. Prior to publishing his first book, Kevin wrote stand-alone short stories centered around science fiction for a small audience. His first major novel, Travel, is the result of many years of hard work, imagination, and research into the northern Illinois area. He lives in Wonder Lake, IL with his wife, two dogs and two cats. Kevin would like to thank his wife, Nikki, for pushing him to follow his dreams.

Reviews

[Cameron Coral]

Travel is about a man who wakes up in his high-school-aged body—and wow, what a shock that would be. From there, a mystery unfolds with plenty of characters and enough intrigue to keep the pages turning.

The pacing is snappy, with short chapters and alternating POVs that make it hard to put down. I especially enjoyed seeing familiar places (to me) mentioned in McHenry County, Illinois.

Rowlett sets the story up perfectly for a sequel. The final page had me saying, Wait… what just happened? If time-travel thrillers are your jam, this book ticks all the boxes.

[_sassy_39]

Kevin Rowlett’s Travel: A Project Outrigger Novel is a captivating sci-fi thriller that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The story follows a 32-year-old teacher from Illinois who, in June 2020, goes to bed as usual—only to wake up in 2006 as his 18-year-old high school self.

Meanwhile, Project Outrigger has spent three decades searching for anomalies in time and space, with no success. That is, until Javier del Carmen, tasked with monitoring the system, suddenly sees the word "CONTACT" flash on his screen. His team immediately begins tracking their suspected victim—the very teacher who has inexplicably traveled back in time.

As he navigates this surreal experience, the protagonist turns to his brother and future girlfriend for help, leading to a series of suspenseful events unfolding in a basement. But with the Project Outrigger team closing in on a mysterious machine connected to his past, the question remains: Is he trapped in 2006 forever?

Rowlett’s storytelling is immersive, with a seamless blend of science fiction, suspense, and emotional depth. The pacing is excellent, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The cover design and title perfectly reflect the story’s intrigue, and the vivid world-building makes it easy to imagine this novel as a thrilling movie adaptation. If you're a fan of time travel and high-stakes adventure, this book is definitely worth the read.

[Loma]

This book was super easy to pick up and get right into. The first half takes its time in building the characters and showing you it takes place in a real world setting while it builds up. The last half leaves you wanting more, and you really feel for the protagonist (and their dog!). I would categorize this as Sci-fi mystery based in our world. I'm excited to read more by this author in the future.

[Katie]

This book has a solid concept and I enjoyed watching the pieces come together. It starts with a man whose consciousness is sent back to occupy his teenage body in 2006, without his knowledge or consent. It called to mind a dark version of Quantum Leap with a touch of 13 Going on 30. The other side of the story concerns the people back in 2020 who are trying to figure out how the previously only theoretical concept of time travel was made into reality while also scrambling to co-opt it for their own agendas.

I liked the dual timeframes of 2020 and 2006, and the story felt very grounded in the real world. The characters have a lot of potential (I liked Javier the most), and the author did a nice job of setting the various scenes, especially the house in which much of the story takes place.

I did feel that the text could have been a little more streamlined; there were a few too many mundane details (road directions, all the meal stops, etc.). I also wasn’t a fan of the stream of consciousness/inner monologue bits—they felt too wordy while unnecessarily stating the obvious.

Overall, this is a solid effort for a debut novel and I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series as this one ends on a cliffhanger! Thank you to NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Martti Orson]

Travel hooked me almost immediately with its deceptively simple premise: waking up in your teenage body and realizing it’s 2006 again. Kevin Rowlett does a great job capturing that initial disorientation, not just the shock of the time jump, but the emotional whiplash of being surrounded by a life you thought you’d already finished living. The teenage bedroom, the outdated tech, the casual details of the mid-2000s all felt grounded and familiar, which made the sci-fi turn even more effective. It doesn’t rush past the personal stakes, and that made the time travel feel less like a gimmick and more like a genuine crisis.

Where the book really shines is in how it escalates from a personal mystery into something much bigger. The discovery of the basement lab and the machine beneath the future home is paced well, slowly shifting the story from confusion to curiosity to outright danger. Project Outrigger itself is a compelling concept, a rogue monitoring station with just enough secrecy and menace to keep you uneasy every time it reenters the story. The shadowy organization hunting the machine adds tension without overwhelming the narrative, and I liked that the focus stayed on survival and escape rather than turning into a tech-heavy exposition dump.

By the end, Travel felt like a strong opening to a larger series. The stakes are clear, the questions are intriguing, and the uncertainty of whether the protagonist can truly return to their original life kept me invested. It balances nostalgia, suspense, and sci-fi intrigue in a way that feels accessible and grounded. If you enjoy time travel stories that focus as much on identity and consequence as they do on mystery and conspiracy, this is a solid and engaging read and a promising start to the Project Outrigger series.

[Cat]

Travel: A Project Outrigger Novel delivers an intriguing blend of time travel, mystery, and suspense built around a highly relatable “what if” scenario.

Kevin Rowlett crafts a story that begins with a simple but powerful hook waking up in the past and quickly expands into something far more complex. The emotional weight of returning to a younger self is balanced with the tension of uncovering a hidden machine and evading forces that seek to control it.

The pacing keeps the narrative moving, while the layered conflict between personal desire (to return home) and external danger (a shadowy organization closing in) adds depth and urgency. The concept feels both familiar and fresh, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story.

[chrissy may]

Good, especially for a debut sci-fi novel. The story quickly immerses the story in several timelines. I like the short chapters that converge to show the many plot points from different character’s perspectives. With a medium to fast pace, it ends with a bang and left me wanting to read the next one immediately. Too bad it doesn’t exist yet. Don’t leave me hanging, Kevin!

[Zinnia]

This is a fast-paced, addictive read. Waking up in 2006 in your teenage body is strange enough, but discovering a hidden lab, a mysterious machine, and two dangerous groups racing to control it takes the suspense to another level. Packed with twists, nostalgia, and high stakes, this is a must-read for time travel and sci-fi fans.

[Cheryl Steve]

Travel is a gripping mix of sci-fi and suspense with a fresh twist on time travel. Waking up in your teenage body after an ordinary day in 2020 instantly pulls you in. Kevin Rowlett balances mystery, emotion, and action perfectly, making it both thought-provoking and thrilling. A great start to what feels like an exciting new series!

[Debbie]

Well that was good… science- fiction, time travel, action. A great read. Only comment would be it’s all male characters. Interested to read the sequel. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

[Angie]

Definitely, definitely worth a read.And i'm looking forward to the next book in the series

[Nikki Gerrish]

This book was so good I couldn't put it down!! Having the point of view from the characters is amazing! He gives such good details of the scenes that you feel you are in them. I can't wait to read the sequel!!