ALPHA MALE
One man. One planet. Absolutely no idea what he's doing.
Gus Baxter is not what you'd call a catch.
An eternal bachelor, devoted Doctor Who fan, enthusiastic slob and veteran of a soul-destroying job, Gus has pretty much given up on life ever improving. His romantic prospects are non-existent, his flat is a health hazard, and the woman he secretly adores, the sweet and lovely Jenny Smith, is dating Damien, the office lothario who seems to have everything Gus hasn't.
But all that is about to change.
With a long May Bank Holiday approaching and London sweltering in unseasonably hot weather, Gus has the perfect plan. Shut himself away in his ramshackle flat, stock up on junk food and fizzy drinks, and embark on the ultimate Doctor Who marathon, watching adventures spanning every incarnation of the Time Lord, from William Hartnell to Ncuti Gatwa.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, how about the end of the world?
An unprecedented solar storm, unlike anything humanity has ever witnessed, slams into Earth with devastating consequences. Half the world's population vanishes. Every single man on the planet is dead.
Every single man, that is, except Gus Baxter.
Emerging from his self-imposed slobbery sanctuary, Gus discovers that he is now the last surviving adult male on Earth. Overnight, he has become the most important man in human history. Governments want him. Scientists need him. Humanity's future depends on him. And the authorities have a rather unusual proposal: they want him to help repopulate the planet.
Suddenly, the man who couldn't get a date if his life depended on it finds himself at the centre of a global reproductive programme. His face is everywhere, his every move is scrutinised, and the entire future of the human race rests on the shoulders of a bloke who can barely remember when he last changed his bedsheets.
Yet amid the madness, Gus finally gets the chance to know Jenny properly. As an unexpectedly tender and innocent romance begins to blossom, he discovers that being the last man on Earth might just have its compensations.
For the first time in his life, everything seems to be going his way. He's famous, desired, and has access to pretty much anything he could ever want.
Then another man walks out of the woods.
And just like that, Gus's perfectly imperfect world is turned upside down once more.
A hilarious, heartfelt and gloriously absurd science-fiction comedy in the spirit of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, Alpha Male is a story of love, loneliness, survival and the unlikely triumph of the underdog.
Because saving humanity is one thing. Getting the girl is quite another.
