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Project Enterprise #1
The Key
NOTE: Alternate cover edition for ASIN B00DZZB5O2.
When Sara Donovan joins Project Enterprise she finds out that what doesn't kill her makes her stronger. An Air Force pilot - the best of the best to be assigned to this mission - Sara isn't afraid to travel far beyond the Milky Way on an assignment that takes her into a galaxy torn apart by a long and bitter warfare between the Dusan and the Gadi. After she's shot down and manages to land safely on an inhospitable planet, Sara encounters Kiernan Fyn - a seriously hot alien with a few secrets of his own - he's a member of a resistance group called the Ojemba, lead by the mysterious and ruthless Kalian. Together they must avoid capture, but can they avoid their growing attraction to each other? A mysterious, hidden city on the planet brings Sara closer to the answers she seeks - about her baffling abilities and her mother's past. She has no idea she's being pulled into the same danger her mother fled - the key to a secret left behind by a lost civilization, the Garradians. The Dusan and the Gadi want the key. So do the Ojemba. They think Sara has it. They are willing to do anything to get it. Sara will have to do anything to stop them.
When Sara Donovan joins Project Enterprise she finds out that what doesn't kill her makes her stronger. An Air Force pilot - the best of the best to be assigned to this mission - Sara isn't afraid to travel far beyond the Milky Way on an assignment that takes her into a galaxy torn apart by a long and bitter warfare between the Dusan and the Gadi. After she's shot down and manages to land safely on an inhospitable planet, Sara encounters Kiernan Fyn - a seriously hot alien with a few secrets of his own - he's a member of a resistance group called the Ojemba, lead by the mysterious and ruthless Kalian. Together they must avoid capture, but can they avoid their growing attraction to each other? A mysterious, hidden city on the planet brings Sara closer to the answers she seeks - about her baffling abilities and her mother's past. She has no idea she's being pulled into the same danger her mother fled - the key to a secret left behind by a lost civilization, the Garradians. The Dusan and the Gadi want the key. So do the Ojemba. They think Sara has it. They are willing to do anything to get it. Sara will have to do anything to stop them.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
195 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
About the author
Pauline Baird Jones
125 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 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 30, 2013
2.5 stars for this sci-fi romance (half-star lost due to typos in Kindle version). It's set in space, with the POV in third person, switching coherently from the hero to the heroine. The romance itself was sweet, but the starship battles relied too much on nearly magical levels of techno-control. I prefer more believable plots, where we win the day the old-fashioned way, by sheer cussedness and clever strategy. The Key did include the cussedness factor (especially seen in the heroine) but nothing clever is required of the brave Americans. Just follow the golden pathway of lights....
Set in current time (or only slightly in the future) on an exploratory mission to another galaxy, the US Air Force encounters aliens. Some alien races are exceedingly hostile. All alien races are humanoid — I could see no real difference between us and them.
Captain Sara Donovan falls in love with one alien when she crash-lands near his cave. Her man Fyn is 7-feet tall, leather-clad, and musclebound. His long hair is worn in dreads that constantly get in his eyes — which are emerald green. Sara is a 6-foot redhead with special abilities. Of course, she's still a virgin at age 27 (author changed her age to 28 midstream). Some love scenes, but they are not explicit. Fade-to-black and wake up blissful. Lol.
Sara slinks into spiked red heels and a sleek red dress to sexy things up on the dance floor, and on the table top, all under the guise of protesting the degradation of women as status symbols and sex objects. Ohh-kay. (But still, it was an entertaining scene.)
Together, Sara and Fyn take out the hostile aliens, with the "freaking magic" Sara employs, and via the help of some likable secondary characters: The Doolittle Commander (aka The Old Man), Lieutenant Carey, Briggs, Hawkins, etc.
Sara learns more about her own capabilities and about her ancestors, her mother, etc. Somewhat interesting.
The nanotechnology is kind of cool, but fyi, this is all light science-fiction.
The villain was somewhat textured. He had a few layers, not quite a cardboard caricature. Good portrayal.
Sara drags her foster-home upbringing into the story numerous times. Pitiful me. Cliché. She sometimes seems immature for a USAF captain.
There is a love triangle for just a short while. Meh. At least it didn't last long.
I didn't care for the ending. Why should I care about those characters? They never played a role in the book, but they get an epilogue?? And the closing letter was trite.
Some dark moments: Attempted rape, murder, suicide, etc.
I would give The Key three stars, but the typos (12+), the abbreviations (FM = freaking magic, SOP = standard operating procedure) and the jargon diminished the reading experience for me ("delta sierra" means dumb shit, a "foxtrot" is the F-word, a "zoom bag" is a flight suit, a "gut bomb" is a meal, and "kick trash" is kick ass). I'd rather have no swearing or real swearing.
Also, given that the story is set in a galaxy far away, I found the ongoing references to American pop culture distracting. Footloose, Speed, Wizard of Oz, Elvis, and Almond Joy (or maybe Mounds) candy bars took me out of the setting. I suppose it was intended to be funny, but...
Plus, our friendly alien can barely comprehend standard English. Give him a break.
Bottom line: The Key was okay, and some parts were captivating, but I feel no inclination to read the sequel. It was not as good as the space operas created by Lois McMaster Bujold in her Vorkosigan series, and not as good as some of the Liaden Universe space opera books by Sharon Lee.
Set in current time (or only slightly in the future) on an exploratory mission to another galaxy, the US Air Force encounters aliens. Some alien races are exceedingly hostile. All alien races are humanoid — I could see no real difference between us and them.
Captain Sara Donovan falls in love with one alien when she crash-lands near his cave. Her man Fyn is 7-feet tall, leather-clad, and musclebound. His long hair is worn in dreads that constantly get in his eyes — which are emerald green. Sara is a 6-foot redhead with special abilities. Of course, she's still a virgin at age 27 (author changed her age to 28 midstream). Some love scenes, but they are not explicit. Fade-to-black and wake up blissful. Lol.
Sara slinks into spiked red heels and a sleek red dress to sexy things up on the dance floor, and on the table top, all under the guise of protesting the degradation of women as status symbols and sex objects. Ohh-kay. (But still, it was an entertaining scene.)
Together, Sara and Fyn take out the hostile aliens, with the "freaking magic" Sara employs, and via the help of some likable secondary characters: The Doolittle Commander (aka The Old Man), Lieutenant Carey, Briggs, Hawkins, etc.
Sara learns more about her own capabilities and about her ancestors, her mother, etc. Somewhat interesting.
The nanotechnology is kind of cool, but fyi, this is all light science-fiction.
The villain was somewhat textured. He had a few layers, not quite a cardboard caricature. Good portrayal.
Sara drags her foster-home upbringing into the story numerous times. Pitiful me. Cliché. She sometimes seems immature for a USAF captain.
There is a love triangle for just a short while. Meh. At least it didn't last long.
I didn't care for the ending. Why should I care about those characters? They never played a role in the book, but they get an epilogue?? And the closing letter was trite.
Some dark moments: Attempted rape, murder, suicide, etc.
I would give The Key three stars, but the typos (12+), the abbreviations (FM = freaking magic, SOP = standard operating procedure) and the jargon diminished the reading experience for me ("delta sierra" means dumb shit, a "foxtrot" is the F-word, a "zoom bag" is a flight suit, a "gut bomb" is a meal, and "kick trash" is kick ass). I'd rather have no swearing or real swearing.
Also, given that the story is set in a galaxy far away, I found the ongoing references to American pop culture distracting. Footloose, Speed, Wizard of Oz, Elvis, and Almond Joy (or maybe Mounds) candy bars took me out of the setting. I suppose it was intended to be funny, but...
Plus, our friendly alien can barely comprehend standard English. Give him a break.
Bottom line: The Key was okay, and some parts were captivating, but I feel no inclination to read the sequel. It was not as good as the space operas created by Lois McMaster Bujold in her Vorkosigan series, and not as good as some of the Liaden Universe space opera books by Sharon Lee.
March 3, 2023
Well, that was a good one. First, let me say that this is unnecessarily long. The author really goes into detail about a few things that just don't matter and aren't even interesting. These moments are rare, but they do pop up every now and then, making you think "Just get on with it already!" It takes a while to get going and then it just keeps going. And going. I thought the climax would be just around the corner a dozen times, but then there is another episode and you just have to strap in and go for the ride. Which isn't a bad thing, really. I felt like everything could have been done with a few fewer scenes.
Sara and Fyn are your MCs and they are quite lovely together. I was never able to get a firm picture of Fyn in my imagination, but I'm assuming he's super hawt. ;) Sara is all sorts of kick ass, reminding me a bit of the MC, Ia, in Theirs Not to Reason Why by Jean Johnson. These space-fairing military captain-chicks really do it for me. Her military cohorts were pretty awesome, as well.
The action was believable and intense, though I don't know what the hell wars in space would actually be like anyway.
My only real complaint was that the two different bad guys used the same ploy and the good guys fell for it both times. Like the author felt the ruse was so good the first time, she'd just use it again instead of coming up with a new idea. I can come up with 5 better ideas off the top of my head right now and I'm not a writer in even the most generous sense of the word.
The story itself was awesome. The characters are even awesomer. There is action and romance and betrayal - oh my! And in space, no less! I can't even begin to give you a summary or blurb - too much happens for me to be able to summarize it without major spoilers. But I will say that it is worth the read. The long, long read. Quite enjoyable and exactly the type of story I wanted to read.
Sara and Fyn are your MCs and they are quite lovely together. I was never able to get a firm picture of Fyn in my imagination, but I'm assuming he's super hawt. ;) Sara is all sorts of kick ass, reminding me a bit of the MC, Ia, in Theirs Not to Reason Why by Jean Johnson. These space-fairing military captain-chicks really do it for me. Her military cohorts were pretty awesome, as well.
The action was believable and intense, though I don't know what the hell wars in space would actually be like anyway.
My only real complaint was that the two different bad guys used the same ploy and the good guys fell for it both times. Like the author felt the ruse was so good the first time, she'd just use it again instead of coming up with a new idea. I can come up with 5 better ideas off the top of my head right now and I'm not a writer in even the most generous sense of the word.
The story itself was awesome. The characters are even awesomer. There is action and romance and betrayal - oh my! And in space, no less! I can't even begin to give you a summary or blurb - too much happens for me to be able to summarize it without major spoilers. But I will say that it is worth the read. The long, long read. Quite enjoyable and exactly the type of story I wanted to read.
June 26, 2020
4.5 Stars
Imagine that Area 51 is really an intergalactic launch pad and you get contemporary sci-fi with far future FTLS tech. Add a kick-ass pilot, sexy Alien Warrior and a galactic level battle against evil for a super story. Throw in some nano-cytes and its no holds barred. I liked everything about the Fyn (hero) and Sara (heroine) and the villain while a bad guy, had enough dimension to be interesting.
My only quibble is when Sara turns down sex with Fyn, she explains she's not that kind of a girl . I have no objection to a character not jumping in the sack (or jumping in) for whatever reason, but that phrase is a bit too close to slut-shaming for my comfort.
*read as part of the two book set Project Enterprise: Bundle 1
Imagine that Area 51 is really an intergalactic launch pad and you get contemporary sci-fi with far future FTLS tech. Add a kick-ass pilot, sexy Alien Warrior and a galactic level battle against evil for a super story. Throw in some nano-cytes and its no holds barred. I liked everything about the Fyn (hero) and Sara (heroine) and the villain while a bad guy, had enough dimension to be interesting.
My only quibble is when Sara turns down sex with Fyn, she explains she's not that kind of a girl . I have no objection to a character not jumping in the sack (or jumping in) for whatever reason, but that phrase is a bit too close to slut-shaming for my comfort.
*read as part of the two book set Project Enterprise: Bundle 1
July 21, 2020
If you ignore one little thing (see below), this is a fantastic space-opera story. It takes the standard battle scenes and intrigue and turns them up a notch. Our heroine is a delightful combination of strength, snark, and self-sacrifice that keeps you hoping for her success, even if it kills her.
The plot weaves ancient technologies with future civilizations and age-old motivations. While some of the bad guys were a bit cardboard, the overall story is complex without being confusing.
Annoyance:
The plot weaves ancient technologies with future civilizations and age-old motivations. While some of the bad guys were a bit cardboard, the overall story is complex without being confusing.
Annoyance:
August 25, 2012
Sara, the protagonist, was very disappointing. She spoke and thought like an immature teenager. I found it extremely unbelievable that she was of age to join the Air Force, let alone be a pilot (and in a world with FTL capabilities to travel other galaxies). The universe the author created was beyond what I was able to believe and the male chauvinism (supported by the protagonist many times) was also frustrating. Many times I was also taken out of the futuristic setting with current day references. The writing style is more appropriately categorized as a YA novel and an average one.
October 27, 2014
Originally published at Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly
The difficult thing about reviewing for the Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly isn’t the book I’m assigned--it’s the commitment to review one “classic” work of SFR. The definition of “classic” is thankfully loose--the book just has to be older than the current quarter.
Since I chose Core Punch: A Baker & Ban!drn Adventure: An Uneasy Future by Pauline Baird Jones for my current book (review to come), my decision was made for me, sorta/kinda. Core Punch is a spinoff of not one but two of Jones’ series; Project Enterprise and The Big Uneasy. Much as I love the sound of The Big Uneasy (yes, it’s New Orleans) it doesn’t quite seem like SFR.
The Key is very much SFR. And here we are.
The crew of Project Enterprise, which in this story is a group of ships, and not just one intrepid explorer, has definitely gone where no Terran has gone before. Unfortunately, they’ve ended up in a galaxy under extreme contention between two empires, the Gadi and the Dusan. The non-aligned Terrans, and their flagship Doolittle, choose sides pretty quickly when the Dusan start a shooting war without provocation.
If the Doolittle isn’t named after Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle, U.S. Army Air Forces, the leader of the famous “Doolittle Raid” over Tokyo during World War II, I’ll eat my rocketship. Or yours, just find me one.
The Key to the story, and to the intergalactic hi-jinks that ensue, is Captain Sara Donovan, a hot shot Air Force pilot who joined to explore new worlds meet new people, and kill them. Mostly Sara just wants to fly fast and far. The mission of Project Enterprise to another galaxy is about as far as it gets.
Except that she may have come right back to where she belongs. Sara bears an incredibly strong resemblance to a legendary woman of the Garradians, and all the planetary powers that be are much too certain that Sara is the key to a vast treasure-trove, because the legendary Miri must have given that key to her.
And Sara, who has always been firmly convinced that she is not beautiful, is utterly certain that all this alien interest in her is a result of who she resembles, not who she is.
So the chase is on. Sara just wants to fly. The rulers of both the Gadi and the Dusan want her to be their queen. Or their chief prostitute. Or their slave. Opinions vary, but both Sara and her commanding officers are sure that whatever fate the locals have in store for Sara, it isn’t for her good. Or anything she would ever want.
What she thinks she wants is Kiernan Fyn, the alien she found on a deserted planet. After the Dusan crashed her ship. And it turns out, his ship. They might be made for each other, if he can manage to spill all the secrets that chain him to his old life.
And if Sara is willing to embrace her destiny.
Escape Rating A-: The Key is a huge, sprawling space opera of a book, so be prepared to wallow in the pleasure of exploring this universe for a good long time. Emphasis on both “good” and “long”.
I’m annoyed at the “long” because I want to dive into the rest of the series (Girl Gone Novais next) right this minute--and I’m booked up until late October at the earliest. DAMN!
Sara is a terrific heroine, not just because she seriously kicks ass, but because all of her actions, even the ones she isn’t conscious of, have incredibly good reasons behind them. I also loved that while she does fall “gooey in love” with Fyn, it doesn’t remove her brains, her reason or her agency. This is Sara’s story, and she’s not in it looking for Prince Charming. She’s in it to take care of herself and do the best job she can for her country.
Finding Prince Charming, or even Hot Alien sometimes Charming, is a bonus.
Speaking of Sara’s country, she really is a U.S. Air Force Captain. This series is set in a slightly alternate version of our world (well, back home it is) and does not seem to be very far removed (if at all) from our current timeframe. It’s as if the U.S. Government has a “black” project to solve Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel right now, and it worked. Sara and her team’s pop culture references are very contemporary, which was fun and provided lots of perspective, but seems slightly off, unless that “black” project exists after all.
It feels like she should be just a bit further into our future than she is, or that our past should be different than it was.
While I like Fyn, a lot, he does fill the role of alpha male with big secret more than he stands out as an individual. He fills that role very well, but this is Sara’s show. It felt like I’ve met his type on Star Trek a million times--not that that is a bad thing.
What shone for me was Sara’s relationship with her commanders and crewmates. While she has deliberately suppressed much of what makes her “extra-special” in order to blend in, the depth of her commitment to her ship and to the crew that serves her feels right. She calls herself a fighter-puke and she presents herself as such. (Think Starbuck on BSG but with a bit more respect for the rules). She sees the crew and the Air Force as family, and it’s mutual.
If you like your space opera with romance, The Key is a fantastic way to get your fix. The way that Sara and Fyn meet is reminiscent of Cordelia and Aral in Cordelia's Honor. The role that Sara both fulfills and subverts reads a bit like Gillaine Davre in Linnea Sinclair’s An Accidental Goddess. Those are terrific “fairy godmothers” for any SFR.
The difficult thing about reviewing for the Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly isn’t the book I’m assigned--it’s the commitment to review one “classic” work of SFR. The definition of “classic” is thankfully loose--the book just has to be older than the current quarter.
Since I chose Core Punch: A Baker & Ban!drn Adventure: An Uneasy Future by Pauline Baird Jones for my current book (review to come), my decision was made for me, sorta/kinda. Core Punch is a spinoff of not one but two of Jones’ series; Project Enterprise and The Big Uneasy. Much as I love the sound of The Big Uneasy (yes, it’s New Orleans) it doesn’t quite seem like SFR.
The Key is very much SFR. And here we are.
The crew of Project Enterprise, which in this story is a group of ships, and not just one intrepid explorer, has definitely gone where no Terran has gone before. Unfortunately, they’ve ended up in a galaxy under extreme contention between two empires, the Gadi and the Dusan. The non-aligned Terrans, and their flagship Doolittle, choose sides pretty quickly when the Dusan start a shooting war without provocation.
If the Doolittle isn’t named after Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle, U.S. Army Air Forces, the leader of the famous “Doolittle Raid” over Tokyo during World War II, I’ll eat my rocketship. Or yours, just find me one.
The Key to the story, and to the intergalactic hi-jinks that ensue, is Captain Sara Donovan, a hot shot Air Force pilot who joined to explore new worlds meet new people, and kill them. Mostly Sara just wants to fly fast and far. The mission of Project Enterprise to another galaxy is about as far as it gets.
Except that she may have come right back to where she belongs. Sara bears an incredibly strong resemblance to a legendary woman of the Garradians, and all the planetary powers that be are much too certain that Sara is the key to a vast treasure-trove, because the legendary Miri must have given that key to her.
And Sara, who has always been firmly convinced that she is not beautiful, is utterly certain that all this alien interest in her is a result of who she resembles, not who she is.
So the chase is on. Sara just wants to fly. The rulers of both the Gadi and the Dusan want her to be their queen. Or their chief prostitute. Or their slave. Opinions vary, but both Sara and her commanding officers are sure that whatever fate the locals have in store for Sara, it isn’t for her good. Or anything she would ever want.
What she thinks she wants is Kiernan Fyn, the alien she found on a deserted planet. After the Dusan crashed her ship. And it turns out, his ship. They might be made for each other, if he can manage to spill all the secrets that chain him to his old life.
And if Sara is willing to embrace her destiny.
Escape Rating A-: The Key is a huge, sprawling space opera of a book, so be prepared to wallow in the pleasure of exploring this universe for a good long time. Emphasis on both “good” and “long”.
I’m annoyed at the “long” because I want to dive into the rest of the series (Girl Gone Novais next) right this minute--and I’m booked up until late October at the earliest. DAMN!
Sara is a terrific heroine, not just because she seriously kicks ass, but because all of her actions, even the ones she isn’t conscious of, have incredibly good reasons behind them. I also loved that while she does fall “gooey in love” with Fyn, it doesn’t remove her brains, her reason or her agency. This is Sara’s story, and she’s not in it looking for Prince Charming. She’s in it to take care of herself and do the best job she can for her country.
Finding Prince Charming, or even Hot Alien sometimes Charming, is a bonus.
Speaking of Sara’s country, she really is a U.S. Air Force Captain. This series is set in a slightly alternate version of our world (well, back home it is) and does not seem to be very far removed (if at all) from our current timeframe. It’s as if the U.S. Government has a “black” project to solve Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel right now, and it worked. Sara and her team’s pop culture references are very contemporary, which was fun and provided lots of perspective, but seems slightly off, unless that “black” project exists after all.
It feels like she should be just a bit further into our future than she is, or that our past should be different than it was.
While I like Fyn, a lot, he does fill the role of alpha male with big secret more than he stands out as an individual. He fills that role very well, but this is Sara’s show. It felt like I’ve met his type on Star Trek a million times--not that that is a bad thing.
What shone for me was Sara’s relationship with her commanders and crewmates. While she has deliberately suppressed much of what makes her “extra-special” in order to blend in, the depth of her commitment to her ship and to the crew that serves her feels right. She calls herself a fighter-puke and she presents herself as such. (Think Starbuck on BSG but with a bit more respect for the rules). She sees the crew and the Air Force as family, and it’s mutual.
If you like your space opera with romance, The Key is a fantastic way to get your fix. The way that Sara and Fyn meet is reminiscent of Cordelia and Aral in Cordelia's Honor. The role that Sara both fulfills and subverts reads a bit like Gillaine Davre in Linnea Sinclair’s An Accidental Goddess. Those are terrific “fairy godmothers” for any SFR.
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May 30, 2012
For me, The Key has all the sci-fi elements I love. It's got tech and adventure; but most of all, it's got great characters. There's also humor and romance and, of course, most it takes place between humans and aliens with special abilities.
The main character in The Key is Captain Sara Donovan. We meet her after she's crash-landed on a planet and been rescued by a good-looking, though not-much-one-for-words, alien named Fyn. Sara and Fyn quickly became two of my favorite fictional characters. Sara is strong, smart, sassy and, since this is science fiction, more than your average female. Plus, she can play piano, dance and sing! In short, she is everything I'd want my daughter to be. Heck - I want to be Sara! Fyn is strong, mysterious and humble. While he could easily be just another knight in shining armour, he falls for the one girl who, for the most part, doesn't need one...or want one.
Loaded with smart, witty heroes and creepy villains - plus tons of action and high tech, The Key is a page-turner and just plain fun! If you love Star Trek, Dr. Who and you're looking for a book that takes you away from it all and leaves you smiling, this is the book for you.
After I wrote this review, I asked Pauline if she ever served in the military. Her ease with military lingo and battle scenes read to me like firsthand knowledge. Check out this link for her answer:http://www.paulinebjones.com/behindth...
The main character in The Key is Captain Sara Donovan. We meet her after she's crash-landed on a planet and been rescued by a good-looking, though not-much-one-for-words, alien named Fyn. Sara and Fyn quickly became two of my favorite fictional characters. Sara is strong, smart, sassy and, since this is science fiction, more than your average female. Plus, she can play piano, dance and sing! In short, she is everything I'd want my daughter to be. Heck - I want to be Sara! Fyn is strong, mysterious and humble. While he could easily be just another knight in shining armour, he falls for the one girl who, for the most part, doesn't need one...or want one.
Loaded with smart, witty heroes and creepy villains - plus tons of action and high tech, The Key is a page-turner and just plain fun! If you love Star Trek, Dr. Who and you're looking for a book that takes you away from it all and leaves you smiling, this is the book for you.
After I wrote this review, I asked Pauline if she ever served in the military. Her ease with military lingo and battle scenes read to me like firsthand knowledge. Check out this link for her answer:http://www.paulinebjones.com/behindth...
July 27, 2010
4.5* This was fun, fun, fun! I loved the characters. None of them, even the "bad guys" were stereotypical or 2-dimensional. The story was fast-moving and well-plotted. The reader is given glimpses and hints about past secrets and future revelations, but the story unfolds naturally as the book progresses. And the action was like a roller-coaster ride with slow, tension producing climbs followed by non-stop, heart-pounding descents. I felt like I was there on the ship, on the outposts and in the dogfights. I was very thankful for the sometimes laugh-out-loud humor that was the perfect tension relief. The reception of the Gadi delegation onto the Earth ship was priceless.
The book wasn't perfect and I could nit-pick a few things. But that would be to ruin the fun for me if no one else. I choose to over-look the occasional over-the-top scene or a few moments of confusion about a point of the story. I want to bask in one of the most fun, and somehow unique, books I've read in a long time.
Oh, yeah...and there is a really sweet love story going on here, too. ;-)
The book wasn't perfect and I could nit-pick a few things. But that would be to ruin the fun for me if no one else. I choose to over-look the occasional over-the-top scene or a few moments of confusion about a point of the story. I want to bask in one of the most fun, and somehow unique, books I've read in a long time.
Oh, yeah...and there is a really sweet love story going on here, too. ;-)
March 28, 2021
Just couldn't connect with the story, the plot or the characters.
February 23, 2021
This was good, not great. Felt long and some things were distracting. I thought this was set in a futuristic world, but all the movie and music reference were very 2000. Maybe it was so long I missed a few things too. I still don't know who her biological dad was.
September 13, 2019
Very good
Wow. This had a Stargate feel to it. Turns out Sara isn't normal. You figure that out in the first couple chapters, so I dont feel like I'm giving much away. I LOVED Fyn, or 'Chewie' as everybody called him. Sara was a strong, smart heroine. Loved it.
Wow. This had a Stargate feel to it. Turns out Sara isn't normal. You figure that out in the first couple chapters, so I dont feel like I'm giving much away. I LOVED Fyn, or 'Chewie' as everybody called him. Sara was a strong, smart heroine. Loved it.
August 19, 2021
An utterly forgettable “he said she said” sf romance novel. About halfway through, when a military commander insists that the female soldiers put on dresses to impress a male-only ship of aliens (that coincidentally look human and speak English) visiting for dinner and the female lead gets pissed off at the sexism and objectification, I remembered—I’ve already read this book! So she puts on makeup, a sexy red dress, and heels; jumps up on the dinner table; and defiantly struts around singing a woman power anthem (maybe that one by Helen Reddy?) song. I figured maybe at that point I’ll remembering more and it will start improving. Nope. Even now, I only remember that the characters and dialogue are all very juvenile though the people are all supposed to be adults. I appreciate the work the author put in, but this book just didn’t do it for me.
I have to write this review now before I forget that I read this book. I need this as evidence to prevent me from, sometime in the future, saying “hey what’s this?” and reading it a third time!
I have to write this review now before I forget that I read this book. I need this as evidence to prevent me from, sometime in the future, saying “hey what’s this?” and reading it a third time!
July 31, 2020
This was a fun space opera with a kick ass heroine. And it didn't hurt that the cover model/H reminded me of Jason Momoa. But it was hard to understand why women were such a rarity as pilots and soldiers in this future world. Many males (human and alien) were portrayed as chauvinistic. I was also disappointed that after a slow romantic buildup, all the lust and making out, there was no hot alien sex. It all happened off page. 😭. Just couldn't figure it out as the h is evaluating the physical attributes of every male she meets in the story. Thought for sure this confident, aggressive female lead would get some on page action.
Update: I just realized this was published in 1998. That may account for the understated romance.
Update: I just realized this was published in 1998. That may account for the understated romance.
November 25, 2008
I couldn't put this book down! Haven't read a book this good in a while. Excellent character development and unexpected plot twists. There's a certain amount of belief suspension necessary. This isn't hard SF, but rather space opera. But it was worth every minute. Look for full review at MostlyFiction: http://mostlyfiction.com/scifi/jones.....
October 4, 2010
Had to read this to appreciate Girl Gone Nova...it's like a prequel, depending on which order you read the two books. Enjoyed it thoroughly...now I want to read more with all four characters! Kept me glued throughout the book!
January 8, 2022
In the first book in the Project Enterprise series, the US Air Force has the capability to travel into space and to different galaxies, but the majority of the population (both in the US and all around the world) doesn’t know this.
American pilot Captain Sara Donovan is on a mission to explore strange new worlds. After her fighter jet is shot down in battle with an unknown enemy, she crashes on a planet only to wake up in a cave with a gorgeous 7-foot tall man with black dreadlocks. Though wary of him at first, they soon team up to fight the bad guys.
Kiernan Fyn has been stranded alone on the watery planet of Kekk for around a year, and he saves Sara in the hope he could get her jet working. When her people find and rescue her, he tags along and joins their crew.
There is a legend in the galaxy about a woman named Miri who started a war between the Dusans and the Gadi, but would return and end the war. For hundreds of years, the Dusans have destroyed and conquered several worlds, killing countless millions of people in the process. The Gadi are powerful but too arrogant to fight back against the Dusans; instead, their allies (a renegade group called the Ojemba) fight the Dusans for them. All three groups of people believe there is a hidden Garradian outpost on the planet of Kekk, but they cannot find it after centuries of searching. Miri is said to have been the last of the Garradian people and the key to ruling the outpost, and hence the galaxy.
Fyn belongs to the Ojemba and has done many dark, cruel things in the name of revenge against the Dusan. After so long a time with no contact with the Ojemba, Fyn believes they think he’s dead, so he tries to start a new life with Sara and her crew. Sara, however, looks just like Miri who disappeared centuries ago, and she draws the attention of the warring parties in the galaxy.
Both Fyn and Sara are wonderful three-dimensional characters. They have detailed back-stories, hopes, dreams, and fears. They’re flawed but strong-willed and honorable. Neither of them likes to talk about their pasts, which led to communication problems that could’ve easily been avoided.
There’s a great cast of secondary characters, both on the heroes’ side and on the villains’.
The space battles were awesome! Lots of people died, but reading about jets blowing up was great.
The story is a little wordy and could use a light edit. It’s also super long (about 7000% on my Kindle), but all of the scenes felt as though they were needed and served a purpose. Sometimes the story had detailed descriptions, but at other times the word “stuff” was used when describing the things people were wearing and seeing. That was confusing. The story definitely has a Star Trek and Star Wars feel to it, but I didn’t understand all of the pop culture references and unusual word choices.
I enjoy sci/fi and alien romances, but this story felt more sci/fi than romance. The plot revolved more around Sara’s mysterious origins and the warring civilizations than on Sara and Fyn’s relationship. The romance between the H/h bloomed very slowly. All the sex scenes faded to black, which I found disappointing since Sara was a 28-year-old virgin with a very big and virile man. Losing her virginity should’ve been a wonderful, overwhelming experience for her, but the H/h treated it as no big deal.
The book is fast-paced and kept my attention. There are some unanswered questions, but hopefully they’ll be answered in the next book in the series. Still, I would like to read more about these modern-day space-hopping Americans exploring this new galaxy.
4 Stars
American pilot Captain Sara Donovan is on a mission to explore strange new worlds. After her fighter jet is shot down in battle with an unknown enemy, she crashes on a planet only to wake up in a cave with a gorgeous 7-foot tall man with black dreadlocks. Though wary of him at first, they soon team up to fight the bad guys.
Kiernan Fyn has been stranded alone on the watery planet of Kekk for around a year, and he saves Sara in the hope he could get her jet working. When her people find and rescue her, he tags along and joins their crew.
There is a legend in the galaxy about a woman named Miri who started a war between the Dusans and the Gadi, but would return and end the war. For hundreds of years, the Dusans have destroyed and conquered several worlds, killing countless millions of people in the process. The Gadi are powerful but too arrogant to fight back against the Dusans; instead, their allies (a renegade group called the Ojemba) fight the Dusans for them. All three groups of people believe there is a hidden Garradian outpost on the planet of Kekk, but they cannot find it after centuries of searching. Miri is said to have been the last of the Garradian people and the key to ruling the outpost, and hence the galaxy.
Fyn belongs to the Ojemba and has done many dark, cruel things in the name of revenge against the Dusan. After so long a time with no contact with the Ojemba, Fyn believes they think he’s dead, so he tries to start a new life with Sara and her crew. Sara, however, looks just like Miri who disappeared centuries ago, and she draws the attention of the warring parties in the galaxy.
Both Fyn and Sara are wonderful three-dimensional characters. They have detailed back-stories, hopes, dreams, and fears. They’re flawed but strong-willed and honorable. Neither of them likes to talk about their pasts, which led to communication problems that could’ve easily been avoided.
There’s a great cast of secondary characters, both on the heroes’ side and on the villains’.
The space battles were awesome! Lots of people died, but reading about jets blowing up was great.
The story is a little wordy and could use a light edit. It’s also super long (about 7000% on my Kindle), but all of the scenes felt as though they were needed and served a purpose. Sometimes the story had detailed descriptions, but at other times the word “stuff” was used when describing the things people were wearing and seeing. That was confusing. The story definitely has a Star Trek and Star Wars feel to it, but I didn’t understand all of the pop culture references and unusual word choices.
I enjoy sci/fi and alien romances, but this story felt more sci/fi than romance. The plot revolved more around Sara’s mysterious origins and the warring civilizations than on Sara and Fyn’s relationship. The romance between the H/h bloomed very slowly. All the sex scenes faded to black, which I found disappointing since Sara was a 28-year-old virgin with a very big and virile man. Losing her virginity should’ve been a wonderful, overwhelming experience for her, but the H/h treated it as no big deal.
The book is fast-paced and kept my attention. There are some unanswered questions, but hopefully they’ll be answered in the next book in the series. Still, I would like to read more about these modern-day space-hopping Americans exploring this new galaxy.
4 Stars
July 1, 2023
THE KEY is bk 1 of 9 in Pauline Baird Jones’ Space Opera series, Project: Enterprise.
MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars. This is an imaginative Space Opera with plenty of action & adventure in a “strange new world.” I was nicely surprised that the intimacy scenes were left to the imagination (closed door), unlike nearly all romance fiction today - a nice bonus from my perspective.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT!; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
The US Doolittle air ship, and the others like it, are on a secret mission to explore galactic space beyond the Milky Way galaxy. Each of the selected pilots, soldiers and crew have no close families, no one who might miss them if they never return to earth. US Air Force pilot Capt Sara Donavon is among the select and especially trained group of soldiers and personnel recruited from military base Area 51 to serve on these ships.
In a galaxy beyond the Milky Way, the Dusan race has been attacking and absorbing planet populations for hundreds of years. Most planets put up an initial resistance, but all are eventually destroyed. Kiernan Fyn is one of the few people remaining from his home planet, Ion. Since the attack on his world, 8yrs ago, he has been fighting in a resistance group committed toward the defeat of Dusan. Yet the Dusan continue to grow.
Popping out of hyperspace the Doolittle finds itself immediately attacked by Dusan aircraft. Doolittle fighters hurry to defend the ship but Capt Donovan is hit. Fyn’s craft was similarly destroyed in a previous battle and he watches from the ground as Donovan’s craft plummets from the sky.
Comments ~
1) I read and enjoyed a Pets in Space Collection novella by Baird-Jones a few years ago. Since then, THE KEY has been sitting in my tbr pile and I finally pulled it out. Space Opera is one of several genres I enjoy. I love books that bring me back to the Original Star Trek world - space action and adventure, romance and humor with a limit to the sexuality (fade to closed door preferred). PROJECT:ENTERPRISE returns to this type world, and I loved THE KEY!
2) Although THE KEY is the first book in this series, it could be read as a standalone title. There is plenty of action & adventure, no cliffhangers and a HEA. I have purchased several books which follow and I look forward to reading them soon.
3) Especially recommended to readers who prefer less open-door sexuality than presently found in today’s popular fiction - Romance, Space Opera, Fantasy, etc.
4) I dropped a 1/2 Star for editing errors that had me going back to reread certain sections - incorrect or confusing phrasing, a change (missed update?) in a characters’ rank/title, etc. There weren’t a lot of these, but enough to notice.
Suspend credibility and enjoy the ride. I did! :D
READER CAUTION ~ I thoroughly enjoyed THE KEY and would happily recommend it to YAs who also enjoy Space Opera.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used infrequently.
VIOLENCE - PG. Think Star Trek Next Gen. Not dark or graphic.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Closed door! Kisses, hugs and passing thoughts but otherwise Clean.
MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars. This is an imaginative Space Opera with plenty of action & adventure in a “strange new world.” I was nicely surprised that the intimacy scenes were left to the imagination (closed door), unlike nearly all romance fiction today - a nice bonus from my perspective.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT!; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
The US Doolittle air ship, and the others like it, are on a secret mission to explore galactic space beyond the Milky Way galaxy. Each of the selected pilots, soldiers and crew have no close families, no one who might miss them if they never return to earth. US Air Force pilot Capt Sara Donavon is among the select and especially trained group of soldiers and personnel recruited from military base Area 51 to serve on these ships.
In a galaxy beyond the Milky Way, the Dusan race has been attacking and absorbing planet populations for hundreds of years. Most planets put up an initial resistance, but all are eventually destroyed. Kiernan Fyn is one of the few people remaining from his home planet, Ion. Since the attack on his world, 8yrs ago, he has been fighting in a resistance group committed toward the defeat of Dusan. Yet the Dusan continue to grow.
Popping out of hyperspace the Doolittle finds itself immediately attacked by Dusan aircraft. Doolittle fighters hurry to defend the ship but Capt Donovan is hit. Fyn’s craft was similarly destroyed in a previous battle and he watches from the ground as Donovan’s craft plummets from the sky.
Comments ~
1) I read and enjoyed a Pets in Space Collection novella by Baird-Jones a few years ago. Since then, THE KEY has been sitting in my tbr pile and I finally pulled it out. Space Opera is one of several genres I enjoy. I love books that bring me back to the Original Star Trek world - space action and adventure, romance and humor with a limit to the sexuality (fade to closed door preferred). PROJECT:ENTERPRISE returns to this type world, and I loved THE KEY!
2) Although THE KEY is the first book in this series, it could be read as a standalone title. There is plenty of action & adventure, no cliffhangers and a HEA. I have purchased several books which follow and I look forward to reading them soon.
3) Especially recommended to readers who prefer less open-door sexuality than presently found in today’s popular fiction - Romance, Space Opera, Fantasy, etc.
4) I dropped a 1/2 Star for editing errors that had me going back to reread certain sections - incorrect or confusing phrasing, a change (missed update?) in a characters’ rank/title, etc. There weren’t a lot of these, but enough to notice.
Suspend credibility and enjoy the ride. I did! :D
READER CAUTION ~ I thoroughly enjoyed THE KEY and would happily recommend it to YAs who also enjoy Space Opera.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used infrequently.
VIOLENCE - PG. Think Star Trek Next Gen. Not dark or graphic.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Closed door! Kisses, hugs and passing thoughts but otherwise Clean.
August 10, 2024
Where to start… It strikes me as absolutely arrogant when authors just make all aliens exactly like humans. Like we’re perfection and there’s absolutely no way life would have evolved any differently under any conditions. Or, as I’m inclined to believe for this book in particular, like God couldn’t have created anything different. And not just the people, the animals too. There’s some religious ideology permeating the story, it’s hard to miss. The strong nationalism is hard to miss, too. The aliens are all that the US isn’t (yes, the US, these people came from there, not Earth, nope, because just Americans have the intelligence and resources to do space travel, no one else). This book was so US-centric. And oh, so white! All the characters were white, even the freaking aliens, there was one ONE! latino character, he’s mentioned, he curses in Spanish, then he disappears, and I assume he dies a couple chapters later, since his unit was killed. Yeah. Oh, and Sarah’s foster mom, who is dead, was black. Her foster sister is a horrible person. They met because she and her friends almost killed Sara in the school bathroom. Not a very good rep.
Sarah is poorly described physically, I kinda thought she had long hair until in the middle of part three (there are four parts) it’s mentioned she’s got short hair. How short, who knows, just “longer than she used to wear it” (whatever that means). The love interest is constantly brushing it out of her face, and tucking it behind her ears, so, it couldn’t be that short, could it?
Finally, it felt way too long. There were a couple chapters that could have been shortened, and in the end there’s way too many things happening at the same time.
Despite everything, it was an entertaining read. I liked Sarah’s personality, and I was laughing at the way she tries (and, for the most part, succeeds) to rail the aliens and make them lose their cool. She is an empowered woman, fierce, and resourceful. Fyn is a bit bland, not much in terms of personality, and, even when it’s mentioned a couple times how dangerous he is, it never shows.
Sarah is poorly described physically, I kinda thought she had long hair until in the middle of part three (there are four parts) it’s mentioned she’s got short hair. How short, who knows, just “longer than she used to wear it” (whatever that means). The love interest is constantly brushing it out of her face, and tucking it behind her ears, so, it couldn’t be that short, could it?
Finally, it felt way too long. There were a couple chapters that could have been shortened, and in the end there’s way too many things happening at the same time.
Despite everything, it was an entertaining read. I liked Sarah’s personality, and I was laughing at the way she tries (and, for the most part, succeeds) to rail the aliens and make them lose their cool. She is an empowered woman, fierce, and resourceful. Fyn is a bit bland, not much in terms of personality, and, even when it’s mentioned a couple times how dangerous he is, it never shows.
January 25, 2025
I’m glad I persisted with this book, because I very nearly DNFd it in the first 10%. But it is an interesting story, even if there are frustrating elements.
I got very sick of the jargon, acronyms and slang very quickly. Sara is military, so she speaks in acronyms and slang (that sound like they are from an 80’s parody movie) and then has to explain everything she just said all over again because the Fyn doesn’t know all the ridiculous jargon because he is from another planet. Just say what you need to say using common terms for heavens sake! It is also pretty ridiculous that people from another galaxy somehow share a common language.
I also really didn’t like how the relationship was handled. Sara has never been interested in a man, never kissed or had had sex. I liked how they started off slow. I even liked that they waited until married to sleep together. But having a quickie wedding after knowing each other only a few weeks, in a large part because other powerful men want her and the men in charge on her ship want her “unavailable” is not romantic in the slightest. Neither is the fact that they don’t even get the night off work after their wedding, so instead, when they have 30 minutes spare, they have a quickie. What?! This woman has expressed nervousness and not being ready to take the next step, and instead of taking some time and making things nice for her, you give her an afternoon quickie for her first time? Then another 10 minute quickie less than an hour later?! That made me super mad. No romance, no tenderness, no respect.
The final battle dragged on waaaay too long. The jumping between perspectives got annoying too, even if it was necessary to know what was happening at multiple places.
It sounds like I’m complaining a lot, but overall, I enjoyed the story. Some of the ideas and concepts were really good. It did feel like a first time author (not sure if it is or not) and maybe the authors skill will build with experience.
I got very sick of the jargon, acronyms and slang very quickly. Sara is military, so she speaks in acronyms and slang (that sound like they are from an 80’s parody movie) and then has to explain everything she just said all over again because the Fyn doesn’t know all the ridiculous jargon because he is from another planet. Just say what you need to say using common terms for heavens sake! It is also pretty ridiculous that people from another galaxy somehow share a common language.
I also really didn’t like how the relationship was handled. Sara has never been interested in a man, never kissed or had had sex. I liked how they started off slow. I even liked that they waited until married to sleep together. But having a quickie wedding after knowing each other only a few weeks, in a large part because other powerful men want her and the men in charge on her ship want her “unavailable” is not romantic in the slightest. Neither is the fact that they don’t even get the night off work after their wedding, so instead, when they have 30 minutes spare, they have a quickie. What?! This woman has expressed nervousness and not being ready to take the next step, and instead of taking some time and making things nice for her, you give her an afternoon quickie for her first time? Then another 10 minute quickie less than an hour later?! That made me super mad. No romance, no tenderness, no respect.
The final battle dragged on waaaay too long. The jumping between perspectives got annoying too, even if it was necessary to know what was happening at multiple places.
It sounds like I’m complaining a lot, but overall, I enjoyed the story. Some of the ideas and concepts were really good. It did feel like a first time author (not sure if it is or not) and maybe the authors skill will build with experience.
July 8, 2020
The good: Sara. She was a very good character, with lots of attitude and not shy to say what she think. A bit cliché that she have red hair, but well, she made me laugh often.
The not so good (for me):
- what annoyed me the most was the sexism / feminism ambiguity. I do not know if the author wanted to approach this theme in a nuanced way, but sometimes I had the impression that the author herself didn't really know on what foot to dance. Sara generally has a feminist discourse, but I don't understand at all that . And another female pilot who must undergo the same sixism as Sara, and who says:
- The second red flag: they all speak English! Aliens and humains alike!!! Why? How? I'm ok to suspend by disbelief to a point.
- it took me a long time before understand that the plot the plot takes place in an alternative world, in which, in the 21st century, humanity has the capacity to travel to other galaxies. I understood about 30% of the book, but still, this alternative world should, I believe, have a different culture, linked to this faster technological evolution. But no: we are talking about eBay, Lord of the ring, Area 51, etc.
- finally, the intrigue is repetitive: I would have liked more diversity.
The not so good (for me):
- what annoyed me the most was the sexism / feminism ambiguity. I do not know if the author wanted to approach this theme in a nuanced way, but sometimes I had the impression that the author herself didn't really know on what foot to dance. Sara generally has a feminist discourse, but I don't understand at all that . And another female pilot who must undergo the same sixism as Sara, and who says:
Carey smiled at one of the women. “You look very lovely tonight.” “Thank you, sir. I try to have a little black dress for special occasions. What woman doesn’t?”You don't give ammunition to men when you live in a sexist environment.
- The second red flag: they all speak English! Aliens and humains alike!!! Why? How? I'm ok to suspend by disbelief to a point.
- it took me a long time before understand that the plot the plot takes place in an alternative world, in which, in the 21st century, humanity has the capacity to travel to other galaxies. I understood about 30% of the book, but still, this alternative world should, I believe, have a different culture, linked to this faster technological evolution. But no: we are talking about eBay, Lord of the ring, Area 51, etc.
- finally, the intrigue is repetitive: I would have liked more diversity.
June 25, 2018
5.0 out of 5 starsBrilliant space opera!
ByTessaTOP 50 REVIEWERon 25 June 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Captain Sara Donovan is a fighter pilot with the US Airforce; only, in this case, it should be called a Space Force. Unknown to the general populace, the US has sent out spaceships to other galaxies. In this case they have translated into space that has other ships in it, and they aren’t friendly! Sarah goes out to protect her ship with the other ‘fighter jocks’. Having 5 kills to her score her fighter is damaged and forced to land on a nearby planet. There she meets Kiernan Fyn who has been stranded there for years. Sara is a bright, bubbly personality who has absolute trust in her people and reassures Fyn that they will come for her and he can be rescued with her. Fyn has trouble believing this as his people would not do that. However, all happens as Sara promised.
It becomes obvious early on that Sara has powers that are far from normal and it isn’t long before the two ruling powers in the galaxy learns of her. To complicate matters, it turns out that she is practically the double of a famous historical woman called Miri!
The story is fast paced and complex which keeps you totally involved from the beginning to the end! The world building is excellent and the characters are solid. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and think that any sf fan will like it. The romance between Sara and Fyn is an integral part of the story without being in any way explicit. There was nothing that I disliked about this story and the very few proofing errors were not a problem. I’d give it 6 stars of I could.
ByTessaTOP 50 REVIEWERon 25 June 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Captain Sara Donovan is a fighter pilot with the US Airforce; only, in this case, it should be called a Space Force. Unknown to the general populace, the US has sent out spaceships to other galaxies. In this case they have translated into space that has other ships in it, and they aren’t friendly! Sarah goes out to protect her ship with the other ‘fighter jocks’. Having 5 kills to her score her fighter is damaged and forced to land on a nearby planet. There she meets Kiernan Fyn who has been stranded there for years. Sara is a bright, bubbly personality who has absolute trust in her people and reassures Fyn that they will come for her and he can be rescued with her. Fyn has trouble believing this as his people would not do that. However, all happens as Sara promised.
It becomes obvious early on that Sara has powers that are far from normal and it isn’t long before the two ruling powers in the galaxy learns of her. To complicate matters, it turns out that she is practically the double of a famous historical woman called Miri!
The story is fast paced and complex which keeps you totally involved from the beginning to the end! The world building is excellent and the characters are solid. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and think that any sf fan will like it. The romance between Sara and Fyn is an integral part of the story without being in any way explicit. There was nothing that I disliked about this story and the very few proofing errors were not a problem. I’d give it 6 stars of I could.
June 19, 2017
The first novel in the Project Enterprise series is a rollicking science fiction adventure. The United States is venturing out into a new galaxy "to boldly go where no man has gone before" (sorry couldn't resist the Star Trek reference). As luck would have it, first contact finds us in the middle of an intergalactic civil war. When Sara Donovan, an elite pilot, is shot down she finds herself alone on an inhospitable planet with Fyn, a member of the Ojemba (a resistance group aiding the Gadi against the evil Dusan). All three groups are looking for a mysterious "key" that will give them the power to win the war, and when Sarah appears to be linked to the key she finds herself being fought over by all three groups. While this book is listed as a romance, there are none of the expected steamy sex scenes. This is truly just a fun science fiction adventure, the romance is almost a side effect of the story. This would be a good way to get girls interested in science fiction. The addition of a strong female fighter pilot heroine is also a plus.
October 9, 2025
The Key is an unforgettable blend of heart-pounding action, heartfelt romance, and rich world-building that completely swept me away. From Sara’s crash landing to her uneasy alliance with Fyn, every moment crackles with tension and excitement. The universe Pauline Baird Jones has created feels vast and alive, filled with danger, mystery, and a touch of humor that keeps you smiling even in the most intense scenes.
What truly sets this book apart is the emotional depth behind the adventure. Sara’s resilience and Fyn’s haunted strength make them a perfect pair, both fighting for survival and redemption in a galaxy on the brink. Their chemistry feels real and earned, making the romance as satisfying as the thrilling sci-fi plot. The Key is a must-read for anyone who loves adventure stories with genuine heart.
What truly sets this book apart is the emotional depth behind the adventure. Sara’s resilience and Fyn’s haunted strength make them a perfect pair, both fighting for survival and redemption in a galaxy on the brink. Their chemistry feels real and earned, making the romance as satisfying as the thrilling sci-fi plot. The Key is a must-read for anyone who loves adventure stories with genuine heart.
January 19, 2011
This book was given to me as a gift, so I didn’t quite know what to expect when I opened it up, but what I found wasn't too bad. It took a little while to fully grasp the setting, because the author delves right into the story she’s telling, introducing the characters that we will follow through the rest of the book quickly, and for the most part efficiently, without spending much time at all with exposition.
It’s a sci-fi novel, set in a distant galaxy that humanity has only just begun exploring. The semi-regular Joes of this military extra-galactic expeditionary force speak in contemporary language, and reference fairly current pop-culture in their speech, and there is a small line, almost a throw away, where Sara, our protagonist, mentions in an offhanded way that the people on Earth, not part of this super-secret project (dubbed Enterprise), don’t realize that humans have been beyond the moon, much less jumping the mind-melting distances between galaxies. Furthermore, these humans are U.S. military, not UN, or a secret global project. They speak of defending their nation (even while billions of miles away from Planet Earth) when speaking to the natives of this new galaxy.
And speaking of the aliens, well, it is jarring, since they are never really described, but the native peoples of this new galaxy are apparently human as well…just from a different galaxy. There is no real description of them being different from our human protagonists, and we all seem to speak the same language, though our written languages are different.
Okay, so the story revolves around Sara Donovan, a top gun pilot, who after being shot down during a first contact situation with the locals, meets Fyn, an alien stranded on the same planet she lands on. There are instant sparks, and the building relationship between Sara and Fyn forms the backbone of the novel. (It took me a while to be comfortable with the relationship, to be honest. Even though Fyn looks like a normal man, though sporting dreadlocks, I always pictured him in my mind looking a little like John Travolta from Battlefield Earth.) Sara falls in love with Fyn (not really a spoiler) and Fyn falls in love with Sara (obvious from the first conversation they have with one another) and that would all be great except for some nagging little things getting in the way. Things like each leader of the two local alien superpowers coveting Sara like Gollum coveting the One Ring, and willing to go to war over her.
The aliens want Sara because she might be important to the operation and rediscovery of ancient powerful technologies both sides want. Sara herself discovers hidden powers that set her far apart from the rest of her crew, and a conflict builds between humanity and the aliens, and between Sara and Fyn, who is keeping a dangerous secret that could sabotage their relationship.
Now you have the plot, but how is the book? Well I’m a terrible judge, because I like my sci-fi hard. Like really hard. In The Key, the sci-fi is pillow-y soft. Humans have artificial gravity, faster than light travel, a fleet of intergalactic warships, protective shields and space-fighters that function in atmosphere as well, and not a moment is dedicated to how we have these things or how they work. Well, is that important to the story? Not really, since the story revolves around Sara, her lineage and her relationship with Fyn. I personally would have like to know more about this fabulous new technology, how we operate in space, etc. Sadly none of that is there.
What we really have is a story of Sara's personal identity confronting her hidden lineage, which she only discovers after travelling to this new galaxy. It is her struggle as a strong, independent, modern, military woman with the aliens she meets, dominated by men in all aspects. It’s not a book about gender conflict per se, but you cannot avoid hearing the author sound the drum of “I am woman, hear me roar.” It’s not inserted in a ham-fisted way, or in a way that contradicts with the plot or antagonistic characters, but while never stated explicitly, the undercurrent is strong and easy to pick up.
Having said that, the relationship Sara begins after meeting Fyn is a good counterpoint to the feminism thread that runs through the book, even though I was kinda shocked by how quickly these two characters fall in love. Sara’s romantic entanglements take the hard edge off of the message that she’s a tough woman who can handle it all. She is without a doubt a tough woman who can handle herself well, but she’s not afraid to be a girly-girl. It sounds like these themes are prevalent, and they aren’t. They are subtle enough to gloss over, but the balance that the author strikes between a strong independent, but still vulnerable and warm female protagonist deserves to the reward of being acknowledged.
Seasoned readers of science fiction writing will still enjoy the book, I think, but it isn’t a deep or technical as a hardcore fan might want. The action is fast and loose, and splits it’s time with the Sara – Fyn relationship (and all the complicating relationships) fairly well.
The prevalent, playful humor in the book, the speed with which things are accepted by the characters, as well as some of the word choice (next to no swearing that isn’t disguised with military acronyms, i.e. whiskey tango foxtrot instead of what the fuck, and the use of tush, in particular) make me feel strongly that this would be a better book for a young adult audience, or a reader new to sci-fi. The book takes off and never looks back, being relentlessly driven forward by the events and characters, to a blazing conclusion.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book.
It’s a sci-fi novel, set in a distant galaxy that humanity has only just begun exploring. The semi-regular Joes of this military extra-galactic expeditionary force speak in contemporary language, and reference fairly current pop-culture in their speech, and there is a small line, almost a throw away, where Sara, our protagonist, mentions in an offhanded way that the people on Earth, not part of this super-secret project (dubbed Enterprise), don’t realize that humans have been beyond the moon, much less jumping the mind-melting distances between galaxies. Furthermore, these humans are U.S. military, not UN, or a secret global project. They speak of defending their nation (even while billions of miles away from Planet Earth) when speaking to the natives of this new galaxy.
And speaking of the aliens, well, it is jarring, since they are never really described, but the native peoples of this new galaxy are apparently human as well…just from a different galaxy. There is no real description of them being different from our human protagonists, and we all seem to speak the same language, though our written languages are different.
Okay, so the story revolves around Sara Donovan, a top gun pilot, who after being shot down during a first contact situation with the locals, meets Fyn, an alien stranded on the same planet she lands on. There are instant sparks, and the building relationship between Sara and Fyn forms the backbone of the novel. (It took me a while to be comfortable with the relationship, to be honest. Even though Fyn looks like a normal man, though sporting dreadlocks, I always pictured him in my mind looking a little like John Travolta from Battlefield Earth.) Sara falls in love with Fyn (not really a spoiler) and Fyn falls in love with Sara (obvious from the first conversation they have with one another) and that would all be great except for some nagging little things getting in the way. Things like each leader of the two local alien superpowers coveting Sara like Gollum coveting the One Ring, and willing to go to war over her.
The aliens want Sara because she might be important to the operation and rediscovery of ancient powerful technologies both sides want. Sara herself discovers hidden powers that set her far apart from the rest of her crew, and a conflict builds between humanity and the aliens, and between Sara and Fyn, who is keeping a dangerous secret that could sabotage their relationship.
Now you have the plot, but how is the book? Well I’m a terrible judge, because I like my sci-fi hard. Like really hard. In The Key, the sci-fi is pillow-y soft. Humans have artificial gravity, faster than light travel, a fleet of intergalactic warships, protective shields and space-fighters that function in atmosphere as well, and not a moment is dedicated to how we have these things or how they work. Well, is that important to the story? Not really, since the story revolves around Sara, her lineage and her relationship with Fyn. I personally would have like to know more about this fabulous new technology, how we operate in space, etc. Sadly none of that is there.
What we really have is a story of Sara's personal identity confronting her hidden lineage, which she only discovers after travelling to this new galaxy. It is her struggle as a strong, independent, modern, military woman with the aliens she meets, dominated by men in all aspects. It’s not a book about gender conflict per se, but you cannot avoid hearing the author sound the drum of “I am woman, hear me roar.” It’s not inserted in a ham-fisted way, or in a way that contradicts with the plot or antagonistic characters, but while never stated explicitly, the undercurrent is strong and easy to pick up.
Having said that, the relationship Sara begins after meeting Fyn is a good counterpoint to the feminism thread that runs through the book, even though I was kinda shocked by how quickly these two characters fall in love. Sara’s romantic entanglements take the hard edge off of the message that she’s a tough woman who can handle it all. She is without a doubt a tough woman who can handle herself well, but she’s not afraid to be a girly-girl. It sounds like these themes are prevalent, and they aren’t. They are subtle enough to gloss over, but the balance that the author strikes between a strong independent, but still vulnerable and warm female protagonist deserves to the reward of being acknowledged.
Seasoned readers of science fiction writing will still enjoy the book, I think, but it isn’t a deep or technical as a hardcore fan might want. The action is fast and loose, and splits it’s time with the Sara – Fyn relationship (and all the complicating relationships) fairly well.
The prevalent, playful humor in the book, the speed with which things are accepted by the characters, as well as some of the word choice (next to no swearing that isn’t disguised with military acronyms, i.e. whiskey tango foxtrot instead of what the fuck, and the use of tush, in particular) make me feel strongly that this would be a better book for a young adult audience, or a reader new to sci-fi. The book takes off and never looks back, being relentlessly driven forward by the events and characters, to a blazing conclusion.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book.
September 25, 2025
I absolutely loved The Key. It has the perfect balance of action, romance, and intrigue, all wrapped in a beautifully crafted sci-fi universe. Sara’s struggle to trust and reveal her hidden abilities resonated with me, while Fyn’s journey from grief and vengeance to hope was powerful and moving. Together, they created a dynamic that felt electric and real.
What impressed me most was how Pauline Baird Jones made the length of the book feel like a gift rather than a challenge. There was time for the story to breathe, for characters to grow, and for relationships to feel genuine. By the final chapter, I was emotionally spent in the best way possible and ready to dive into the next book in the series.
What impressed me most was how Pauline Baird Jones made the length of the book feel like a gift rather than a challenge. There was time for the story to breathe, for characters to grow, and for relationships to feel genuine. By the final chapter, I was emotionally spent in the best way possible and ready to dive into the next book in the series.
September 30, 2025
The Key is everything I love in a space adventure fast-paced, filled with danger, and impossible to put down. From the moment Sara’s ship crashes, the tension never lets up, and I was hooked by the mystery of her hidden abilities and the constant threat from powerful enemies. The world-building is vivid without ever slowing the story, and I felt like I was right there alongside the characters on this dangerous journey.
What really makes the book shine is the chemistry between Sara and Fyn. Their relationship is complicated, emotional, and full of sparks, but it develops in such a believable way. It’s not just romance it’s about trust, healing, and finding hope in the middle of chaos. By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for them, I was already planning to dive into the rest of the series.
What really makes the book shine is the chemistry between Sara and Fyn. Their relationship is complicated, emotional, and full of sparks, but it develops in such a believable way. It’s not just romance it’s about trust, healing, and finding hope in the middle of chaos. By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for them, I was already planning to dive into the rest of the series.
September 30, 2025
Pauline Baird Jones has crafted an incredible sci-fi romance that manages to be both action-packed and emotionally resonant. The opening chapters grabbed me instantly, and the sense of danger and discovery kept me flipping pages well into the night. The plot twists and the idea of a mysterious key with the power to shape civilizations made the stakes feel enormous, yet still deeply personal.
Sara is the kind of heroine you can’t help but admire smart, brave, and stubborn in all the right ways. Fyn, on the other hand, is intense, haunted, and unforgettable. Watching them come together while the galaxy is tearing itself apart is what makes The Key so special. This is sci-fi romance at its very best.
Sara is the kind of heroine you can’t help but admire smart, brave, and stubborn in all the right ways. Fyn, on the other hand, is intense, haunted, and unforgettable. Watching them come together while the galaxy is tearing itself apart is what makes The Key so special. This is sci-fi romance at its very best.
September 30, 2025
The Key delivers on every promise of a thrilling sci-fi romance. The danger feels immediate, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the action sequences are cinematic. I loved the way the story balanced Sara’s hidden powers with Fyn’s own haunted past it made their partnership compelling and unpredictable. The galactic war setting only amplified the sense of urgency and drama.
The romance between Sara and Fyn was what truly pulled me in. It’s tender yet intense, filled with moments of trust and conflict that made their bond feel alive. By the time I finished, I understood why this book has won awards and captured so many readers’ hearts. It’s one of those rare novels that keeps you thinking about the characters long after you’ve closed the final page.
The romance between Sara and Fyn was what truly pulled me in. It’s tender yet intense, filled with moments of trust and conflict that made their bond feel alive. By the time I finished, I understood why this book has won awards and captured so many readers’ hearts. It’s one of those rare novels that keeps you thinking about the characters long after you’ve closed the final page.
August 7, 2018
Great Alien Story!!!
This is my first story that I have read by this author and I really, really liked it. She is amazing with the fight and action scenes. You have no problem following them. The only thing I thought she needed to improve on was the building of the love that is supposed to grow/evolve between the H & H. Its like the Heroine is the Hero of the story and the hero is thrown in there to make it a romance with a HEA. The Hero pops in and then you don’t read anything about him and then the Heroine out of the blue has a thought about him. The story is a good story and world is developed real well.
This is my first story that I have read by this author and I really, really liked it. She is amazing with the fight and action scenes. You have no problem following them. The only thing I thought she needed to improve on was the building of the love that is supposed to grow/evolve between the H & H. Its like the Heroine is the Hero of the story and the hero is thrown in there to make it a romance with a HEA. The Hero pops in and then you don’t read anything about him and then the Heroine out of the blue has a thought about him. The story is a good story and world is developed real well.
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