Thank you to TBConFB, the wonderful facebook book club, and Netgalley for an arc of this book, received in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book and can't praise it highly enough! The aptly named Tom Major is the unlikely hero who, somewhat unwittingly, becomes the first astronaut to travel to Mars. Through dialling a wrong number from space, he connects with a family on earth who are in need of help and they strike up an unlikely friendship. It is quite hard to review as it all sounds so improbable, but it does all make sense when you read it! It is funny, touching, heartwarming and sad at different times and as we unravel the story of Tom's life we begin to understand why he ended up as such a grouchy man who relishes the chance of going to Mars as an escape from real life.
This really is a wonderful book in the vein of A Man Called Ove and I would highly recommend it.

WARNING!! READING THIS BOOK WILL BURN THE WORDS OF DAVID BOWIE'S SPACE ODDITY INTO YOUR BRAIN FOR DAYS ON END. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF HUMMING IT AND SINGING IT EVERYWHERE, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!!

On the other hand you will find a delightful book. It is well written, sad and funny with likeable characters. I highly recommend it!

I loved this book. All the characters were lovable , charming and for some my heart broke into pieces. My heart went out to Gladys, Ellie and James, all the heartbreak and struggles that they have to cope with and Thomas, what can I say...

This book is about forgiving others and yourself for wrongs and learning to survive in an unfair world. This book is also about finding happiness. I would highly recommend this book. I loved David M Barnett's writing style and look forward to reading more of his books

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion publishing group via TBC for the ARC
#TBConFB

Heart warming, joyful in spite of the ‘hero’ being a curmudgeonly grumpy misfit, I found myself laughing and sometimes crying in sympathy with his difficulties interacting with fellow humanity. The unlikely extension to his solitary existence leads him to volunteer to trail blaze a pathway to the planet Mars, when he unexpectedly, and hilariously, becomes entangled in the lives of a family on Earth. I know it all sounds ridiculous, but if you are prepared to suspend disbelief and engage on this wonderfully liberating adventure, very much of the same genre as A Man Called Ove, then you too should enjoy it as much as I did. And the inevitable experience of ear worms of David Bowie songs, especially Space Oddity, will for most just be an added bonus.
Highly recommended and thank you TBConFB and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved this book. It was beautifully written and I couldn't stop myself from reading it even for a few minutes at every opportunity. Its very quirky and a bit strange but certainly made me laugh at quite a few bits. Would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to TBC on Facebook and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another little gem of a book, on a par with A Man Called Ove. It is sweet, gentle, heartbreaking at times and has you on the edge of your seat willing the characters onto success. Yes, you have to suspend belief, the plot is crazy and I have no idea how much is scientifically correct but I really don't care. I loved everything about it.
Thank you to TBC on FB and Netgalley for my arc in return for an honest review.

I cannot get the late great David Bowie song out of my head, but that’s not a bad thing at all.This was a beautifully written and a little bit on the quirky side kind of book with lovely characters. The story was heartwarming with some sadness too but all in all I finished the book feeling that kind of fuzziness I like in a book.

I rate this book 5/5

Calling Major Tom By David M Barnett is a heartwarming read.
We all know someone like Thomas.
Thomas is very happy to be on his own, far away from other people and their problems.
But beneath his cranky exterior lies a story and a sadness that is familiar to us all. And he's about to encounter a family who will change his view of the world.
This was a lovely read with brilliant characters. I loved Tom. Made me laugh cry a lovely pick me up read. I loved the ending too. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley

Book Review for Calling Major Tom by David M. Barnett

I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley via The Book Club on Facebook in exchange for a fair & honest review. All views are my own.

I challenge you, whether Bowie fan or not, to read this book without constantly having Space Oddity going round your head! Thomas Major is a lowly scientist working at the British Space Agency when he finds himself in a position to be the first man to visit Mars. The only thing is that it is a one way mission, but Thomas has his own reasons for wishing to leave his life behind & entering a self imposed solitude. Back on earth the Ormerod family are struggling to survive – teenager Ellie & younger brother James living with grandmother Gladys whilst their father is in jail. Ellie should be having the time of her life shopping & partying with her friends, but instead her mother has died, she is working 3 jobs, caring for her brother & worrying that social services will split them if they realise that Gladys has dementia.
It was difficult to see how these two very separate story lines could interlink and work, but they dovetail together beautifully from the day that major Tom tries to call his ex-wife from space and Gladys answers the telephone. Their lives are linked through the most unusual series of events which see Thomas Major helping the Ormerod family overcome financial and social issues…and even come to terms with a few of his own demons.
I loved this book – it made me laugh and cry. The view from the space ship window is described so vividly that I could see it, and the personalities of the individual main characters brim with life. The comedy that the writer incorporated into the character of Gladys turns a sensitive situation into a human one. She made me laugh out loud. The back story for Thomas Major unfolds and he is surprised to find himself changing as his relationship with the family on Earth develops and makes him re evaluate. These people were very easy to identify with and I wanted to know what life had in store for them. Mr Barnett makes the reader care.
A feel good story showing the best in human nature without over sentimentality, and how communities can come together. An uplifting read that I give 5 stars.

i kept hearing myself singing David Bowie all the way through this novel, I can't think why! This is a cracking read. Funny and poignant and just lovely. Definitely one for readers of a Man Called Ove. by Fredrick Bachmann.

Calling Major Tom by David Barnett is a somewhat tongue in cheek tale. Thomas Major accidentally becomes a spaceman who will be undertaking the first mission to Mars. Suspend disbelief for a while! Particularly as said Thomas Major is not actually an astronaut but a chemist. As the book moves on we get to learn quite a bit about Thomas and his life. Also, due to him calling a number in the UK on his iridium satellite phone, we learn about the Ormerods family.
At first I felt more than a little unconvinced by this story. After all it is all nonsense isn't it. Spacemen who aren't really spacemen, called Major Tom, going to Mars and reflecting on their rather less than satisfying life on Earth. It did take me a little while to get into this story however I'm glad I did. While I enjoyed turning the pages through Tom's life it was the Ormerods, back on Earth, that clinched this book for me. Gladys, Ellie and James's grandmother, was simply a great character with some excellent dialogue. Suffering from dementia but far larger than life - even bullies at James's school found that out! Ellie as the long suffering but trying to hold everything together teenager was well written and convincing to me. Honourable mentions for other characters too - Delil played his part well.
I found some of the writing is really lovely. There is humour and sadness - indeed "mad funny sad" would probably sum this book up well for me. Despite the unlikeliness of the overall story the characters really were very good. It is one of those "warm feel good" stories and if that is not your thing then maybe this is not for you. However I'd glad I read this book.

What a lovely heartwarming book, it reminded me of how I felt after reading 'A man called Ove', totally unforgettable.

I found I warmed to every character in the book, my favourite was Tom, but the others were just as enchanting as he was. The book was a joy to read and I can't wait to read more books from David Barnett.

A whopping 5 stars for this one.