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The Improbable Tale of How I Saved The Universe
Tam Husband isn’t the world’s greatest journalist. In fact he’s probably one of the worst. And when he gets an article rejected by Doorstop Bulletin he knows the clock is rapidly ticking on his newswriting dreams.But when he makes an ill-advised trip to Antarctica in the hunt for a career-saving scoop, Tam instead becomes embroiled in a vengeful alien race’s dastardly plot to destroy the universe.Duped, manhandled and misled by shadowy organisations vying for power, Tam sets off on a hilarious journey that takes him everywhere from the secluded iron planet Fiz-Yelda to the mysterious Valley of Frozen Souls.Not to be put off a task just because he isn’t quite sure why he’s doing it, Tam pledges to fight the threat with a band of misfit comrades including a Gunrunlian engineer who once modelled for Munch’s The Scream, a wafer thin Datzik princess who holds the key to the Valley of Answers, and a mysterious brunette security chief whose true loyalties are constantly called into question.Taking in some the most unlikely, breathtaking and mind-boggling locations imaginable, this is above all a tale of friendship, love and the determination of a small group of individuals to succeed in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.A breathless, first-person space comedy, The Improbable Tale of How I Saved the Universe reached the final 14 science fiction books in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
244 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2011
45 people want to read
About the author
Michael Barker
1 book1 followerMichael Barker is a 34-year-old writer and journalist from Uckfield in East Sussex, England.
He is currently editor of The Fresh Produce Journal, a weekly magazine for the fruit and vegetable industry, and has also worked on a range of well-known food titles in the UK.
Before working in food journalism he reported for various news outlets including The Bolivian Times, Agencia EFE and Ferrari Press.
His writing credits include co-authoring the musical Shakespeare, Not Stirred, as well as penning the 19-part radio series Dreaming of Salzburg, broadcast on LSR.FM in 1999, and the South American travel piece The World Is A Handkerchief.
As an actor he appeared in many productions, including leading roles in The Importance of Being Earnest and Woyzeck, and a variety of parts in stage musicals. He also directed a production of Grease.
The Improbable Tale of How I Saved The Universe is Michael's first published novel and he is currently working on a TV sitcom.
He is currently editor of The Fresh Produce Journal, a weekly magazine for the fruit and vegetable industry, and has also worked on a range of well-known food titles in the UK.
Before working in food journalism he reported for various news outlets including The Bolivian Times, Agencia EFE and Ferrari Press.
His writing credits include co-authoring the musical Shakespeare, Not Stirred, as well as penning the 19-part radio series Dreaming of Salzburg, broadcast on LSR.FM in 1999, and the South American travel piece The World Is A Handkerchief.
As an actor he appeared in many productions, including leading roles in The Importance of Being Earnest and Woyzeck, and a variety of parts in stage musicals. He also directed a production of Grease.
The Improbable Tale of How I Saved The Universe is Michael's first published novel and he is currently working on a TV sitcom.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 29, 2023
Is there such a thing as an adult sci-fi fairy tale?
If there is such a thing as an adult sci-fi fairy tale, Michael Barker's THE IMPROBABLE TALE OF HOW I SAVED THE UNIVERSE has to qualify as a candidate.
A would-be investigative journalist whose futile lack-lustre career is hanging by a thread, heads to Antarctica on the trail of a world-shattering scoop intended to disclose the development of weaponized military-enhanced penguins (at this point, I'm already chuckling!). Instead, when a blizzard stifles his sleuthing and he finds himself hopelessly lost within steps of the research station and facing death by hypothermia, he meets Loo Croker. Loo, as it turns out, is a quaint, very civilized version of ET, an alien wanderer trapped in the Antarctic landscape by an engine malfunction in his starship.
When our reporter unwittingly helps him to re-boot his failed propulsion system, the starship lifts off heading for parts unknown with our intrepid reporter on board.
The introductory chapters are perfect! Our lead man, described only through his own candid first person narrative, is obviously a hapless but lovable and entirely well-intentioned character. The excerpt ends with Croker and our bewildered friend passing by Jupiter and Saturn on their way out of the solar system to goodness knows where! I'm smiling, I'm happy, I'm enjoying the story and I definitely want to know where it's going from here!
Author Michael Barker has even managed to toss in a few amusing, educational and informative paragraphs on the unique nature of the Antarctic along the way.
Paul Weiss
If there is such a thing as an adult sci-fi fairy tale, Michael Barker's THE IMPROBABLE TALE OF HOW I SAVED THE UNIVERSE has to qualify as a candidate.
A would-be investigative journalist whose futile lack-lustre career is hanging by a thread, heads to Antarctica on the trail of a world-shattering scoop intended to disclose the development of weaponized military-enhanced penguins (at this point, I'm already chuckling!). Instead, when a blizzard stifles his sleuthing and he finds himself hopelessly lost within steps of the research station and facing death by hypothermia, he meets Loo Croker. Loo, as it turns out, is a quaint, very civilized version of ET, an alien wanderer trapped in the Antarctic landscape by an engine malfunction in his starship.
When our reporter unwittingly helps him to re-boot his failed propulsion system, the starship lifts off heading for parts unknown with our intrepid reporter on board.
The introductory chapters are perfect! Our lead man, described only through his own candid first person narrative, is obviously a hapless but lovable and entirely well-intentioned character. The excerpt ends with Croker and our bewildered friend passing by Jupiter and Saturn on their way out of the solar system to goodness knows where! I'm smiling, I'm happy, I'm enjoying the story and I definitely want to know where it's going from here!
Author Michael Barker has even managed to toss in a few amusing, educational and informative paragraphs on the unique nature of the Antarctic along the way.
Paul Weiss
May 20, 2015
I picked this up because it was by a fellow ABNAer. While I do enjoy the scifi genre, this (as previous reviewers mentioned) felt like rather than forging its own path, that it was drawing from a mish-mash of other famous science fiction shows (the red-shirted crewmen and space ship was from Star Trek, humanoid space traveler Crocker Loo was obviously supposed to be Doctor Who, the princess was actually dressed up like Jabba-the-Hutt slave girl Princess Leia, with our hero very much like Arthur Dent, and story inspired by Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - though it never actually hit the humor of HHGTTG). The plotline seemed very Wizard of Oz in nature (hero lands in alien world, travels while picking up others along the way, goes to try to find the person who can answer all his questions, and gets sent on quest before said person will answer all of his questions). I did give this 4 stars because, though the politics did bore me, I did enjoy Tam Husband (mainly because of how egotistical and sexist he remained through the entire thing rather than changing his world views felt true to character), and his companions were fascinating (though they felt little more than footnotes), and the settings and different places he visited were imaginative, and I did like picking out the various nods to famous shows.
July 15, 2012
I received this book as a first reads giveaway. For the most part I enjoyed the book. I had not heard of Michael Barker before, but the space/science/adventure type novel really interested me. And, for an American I consider myself a fan of British humor. I would say that I am glad to have found the book (I would not have found it without goodreads) and would have paid for it had I needed too.
The high points of the book are that it is easily read. This book can be enjoyed by just about anyone who likes to read. I am not really sure if it is a young reader book or not, but he younger crowd can easily enjoy it. The scientific points are not so drawn out as to confuse or distract someone not interested in them; and the description is such that leaves plenty to the imagination. The story moved along very well, and though it was somewhat predictable, was still interesting and engaging.
All in all this is not a book that will become a classic. It is, however a good easy relaxing book that will entertain throughout.
I plan on passing this book on to others for their enjoyment, and look forward to more from this author.
The high points of the book are that it is easily read. This book can be enjoyed by just about anyone who likes to read. I am not really sure if it is a young reader book or not, but he younger crowd can easily enjoy it. The scientific points are not so drawn out as to confuse or distract someone not interested in them; and the description is such that leaves plenty to the imagination. The story moved along very well, and though it was somewhat predictable, was still interesting and engaging.
All in all this is not a book that will become a classic. It is, however a good easy relaxing book that will entertain throughout.
I plan on passing this book on to others for their enjoyment, and look forward to more from this author.
July 24, 2012
My husband (hahaha) had won this as a First reads giveaway and recommended it to me. He warned me not to take it so serious and just go with the flow. I actually found it to be quite funny and it was a really easy read to get through. "I did like the space bit......" for all of you Nottinghill Fans!
The characters were quite interesting and you really rooted for Mr. Husband (.."Mr. Husband.....are you married?, "no I am not", "that is a stupid name then" )To make it back to earth after he was kidnapped from Antarctica, having his spaceship was destroyed when it hit another space craft, he has to go through the gas fields to get back into our universe, before Belinda wants to imprison him on the planet Gunrunlian!!! Will he be able to clear his name, save the universe and get the girl in the end??? Well then you will have to read this 244 page turner to find out!
The characters were quite interesting and you really rooted for Mr. Husband (.."Mr. Husband.....are you married?, "no I am not", "that is a stupid name then" )To make it back to earth after he was kidnapped from Antarctica, having his spaceship was destroyed when it hit another space craft, he has to go through the gas fields to get back into our universe, before Belinda wants to imprison him on the planet Gunrunlian!!! Will he be able to clear his name, save the universe and get the girl in the end??? Well then you will have to read this 244 page turner to find out!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews