The Steampunk Adventures of Harry Lampeter

The Anarchic Urban Adventurer

By: Roger Ley

Narrated by: Craig Bowles

Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

Urban anarchist Harry Lampeter is employed by MI6 on a casual basis. Modern technology has collapsed, returning the world to the steam age. The war between Scotland and England, is on hold while the United States army of occupation keeps the peace. The Americans are in no hurry to leave, they plan to make Great Britain the 54th State of their Union. Scotland and England eye one another with mistrust and an arms race seems inevitable as the English plan building a fleet of Ironclad warships. Telford Stephenson, an agent of the Scottish Secret Intelligence Service, has stolen a copy of the Ironclad plans, but Harry Lampeter is hot on his trail. 

©2020 Roger Ley (P)2022 Roger Ley

Unfortunately I couldn't quite engage with the MC!

The writing's fine enough I suppose, and I thought that the main story thread was pretty good too...
Unfortunately, I also found that I couldn't really engage with the titular character. From my perspective, Harry Lampeter is thoroughly unlikable! He's a conniving womanizer, who mostly gets away with all his shenanigans and schemes!
For me I felt that the narrator, Craig Bowles, didn't add anything to the book either! Although Craig is easy to listen to, I kept losing track of who was who as the book progressed.
Hmmmm... I gotta say, I'm not exactly hyped up for a sequel.

This story is fantastic! but change narrators

I was in love with the story as soon as we had trump 5 dollar bills (obviously an alternate universe) and love the idea of the plastic-eating bacteria --- Each of the first few chapters could have been books on their own! I love the rhythm and the language of the book and the pacing was very well done by the author. However, I was not so impressed by the narrator -- he got very dry and very monotonous.... If only Luke Daniels could narrate this -- there would be no stopping for this book!! I hope there are more with a new narrator. So enjoyed. Would have like to have a "special girl" enter the picture with a special talent... something Harry doesn't have but would be really useful for him ... someone to give him a run for his money!! A great potential character. Looking forward to the next one.

I received this book for an unbiased review.

Much easier to follow than the first

I found this book much easier to follow than the first, whether it was because I knew what to expect or had the backstory of the first to follow perhaps.  Regardless, as I was able to follow along easier, this book was much more enjoyable for me.  I was able to follow all the characters on their espionage adventures and root for them along the way.

Great Series

This book was so much fun listening to. I am sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next one. If you like steampunk you will love this series. If you like a good spy book, this is also this series for you.

A interesting book

I found this book to be interesting. The start of the book lays out the world of steampunk. The over zealous nature of man to save the environment brought it back to the 18 century. If your into witty and humor this is a book for you.

Enjoyable listen!

Note: I have listened to Harry Lampeter and the war with Scotland, first and launched right into the Steampunk Adventures after. I believe that it is helpful to listen to the War with Scotland first in order to get the full enjoyment out of the plotline

I enjoyed Harry Lampeter - both as a series and as a character. He's free spirited, never seems to really have a long term plan, but it somehow always works out for him and his buddy Telford.

I am giving this 4 stars because, while I did enjoy it, I sometimes lost track of who was where when and who was this person again? This may be highly subjective but I did occasionally lose track at times.

Craig Bowles did a lovely job narrating.

Did not enjoy

I received a copy of this book for an honest review, and I feel bad giving it 1 star.
I did not enjoy it at all.
I still don't understand the beginning, I must have missed part of the book!
Story was all over the place, did not make sense a lot of the time. Narrator was not good

They've gone Victorian!

Loved it.
(disclaimer: I have yet to listen to book 1, which I realized half way in, so my review, while honest, may have a slight bias and some blind spots)

I'm not sure I accept the premise that because technology at large fails humanity, we would revert to speaking as in olden times, nor that some of the oldest professions would have a renaissance as in the story. BUT: it works for me!

I love the panache, the cloak and dagger style of a Victorian James Bond, the cameraderie of enemies, powerplay - it is a high speed adventure for sure. I enjoy the breakneck speed of the plot moving forward and the interplay between cast.

The narration feels effortless and I actually hated putting the earbuds down. I WANTED to do long stretches with this one.

I felt a bit underwhelmed by the framing, that is what lead to the calamities of the world and what were the consequenses. Having said that - in all fairness, this is book 2, and there is probably a lot of the world building in book 1 which would have enhanced the story and character development for me.

I suspect i would feel more attuned to what is (logically) possible in a world struck by a cataclysm. Even so, the distinctions are quite good and I love the way the world is described true to a Steam punk world.

Love it!
Gonna get book 1 and what ever comes after!

The future is now

I liked the story because it was futuristic but realistic. Great story, great narrator, just good overall.

Great idea for a story

Loved the premise of the story.
The production quality of the recording wasn't great and I would have liked for it to have much more character development and for the whole story to be more detailed.

Steampunk awesomeness

It's so addictive, the story has kept me on the edge of my seat though it's entirety. Can't wait for the prequel.

bacteria

I did enjoy listening to Craig Bowled

I found this book had intriguing plots, great characters.
We have a bacteria thay has been released and eats plastic that destroys almost all modern gadgets. So making Britain go back to steam engines. oh so much going on . A great plot.

OMG so witty and so great!

When I first read the summary the first thing I thought of was an old show called the adventures of Harry our lime with Orson Welles. As I started listening I could tell I wasn’t far off. While the US is trying to make Britain the 54th state and Britain limps along their only hope is Harry Lampeter in that sentence by itself isn’t scary, but once you know harry you see what the problem is. He is constantly making mistakes but he always seems to come out smelling like roses. Even if you don’t like military type stories you still love this book. Not to mention the great narration by Craig bowls. There was a lot of dead pan and I thought he set the tone nicely I found myself laughing out loud more than once. This is a book I highly recommend and although it is a quick read if we’re lucky the author will bestow us with a Second book.

OMG! Hopefully our future will be different!

It's a nice small easy-going story.
It's a good reading for a on the move listening, as it does not require absolute concentration.
It's an idea of a scary future...
But who knows???!
The narrative and the narrator voice are great.

Enjoyable listen

Wow!
Loved it from the start to end. Narration - brilliant! This was first of this kind of book I've listened and it left me wanting for more. So refreshing. Will definitely listen to this author's other creations!

Very enjoyable

Enjoyed listening to this humourous futuristic novel. Which may well turn out not to be all fiction. Nicely narrated in English. Some places are local to me, which only added to the charm

007 of steam punk

great story good fun with lots of fast action the narrator does a great job

If a story is by Roger Ley than it definitely is excellent!

I “read” this story on audible - Craig Bowles, the narrator, brings the story to life in such an excellent way - I found myself having to leave everything (I usually listen to my books while I do some other mundane routine stuff) and listen well. Roger Ley has a vivid imagination yet his futuristic tales sound so believable. What with his characters being so “real” and so very British - I love them and also love the way he mentions real people and historical facts.

good book, well narrated

I enjoy steampunk books and this is a great example. at the beginning it explains how the world went back to Victorian times with a very valid example of what might happen. after that the story flows well and the characters are very solid. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

wow you have to listen to this

gosh i really enjoyed this story you must download this i did and i am looking forward to the next one