Mike Calvert is a storyteller with a cosmic streak — a writer who blends high‑energy adventure, speculative science, and a sharp sense of humour into worlds that feel both wildly imaginative and strangely familiar. His fiction thrives at the intersection of myth and modernity, where ancient mysteries collide with futuristic tech and ordinary people are thrust into extraordinary circumstances.
Reviews:
Owen T - Booktopia
“Excellent. Fast-paced, action-packed, unpredictable: The Secret of the Dark Fleet delivers sci-fi suspense in spades. Love how the author uses classic UFO mythology and witness accounts as the basis of a cracking yarn that serves up formidable aliens, cool spaceships, furious space battles, and high stakes.”
The Secret of the Dark Fleet - The Cosmic Adventures of Mike and Rick - Book 1
When best mates Mike and Rick head out for a late-night pizza run, they expect pepperoni — not alien abduction. But when a rogue spaceship snatches them off Earth, they’re hurled into a solar system-spanning escapade that’s anything but ordinary.
From battling robot mercenaries on the Moon to dodging genetically enhanced alien canines on Mars, their journey is a chaotic blend of danger, discovery, and interplanetary action. Along the way, they encounter fearsome Sasquatches, cryptic transmissions, and a conspiracy that threatens every planet in the system.
With the galaxy closing in and truths surfacing fast, Mike and Rick must decide: fight for survival, or for something bigger.
Wild, witty, and deeply human, The Secret of the Dark Fleet blends sci‑fi spectacle, forgotten lore, and nonstop, high‑stakes thrills. It’s a story of cosmic origins, chaotic friendships, and the choices that shape our fate — all served with a cold Galaxy Bitter and the Moon’s finest pizza at The Stardust Tavern.
Are you ready to unlock the Secret of the Dark Fleet?
The universe is waiting.
Out now!
Everywhere!
Meet the team!
Mandy
Whether she’s guiding the boys through meditation, dragging them through brutal PT sessions, or navigating the corridors of a starship like she was born there, Mandy is a force of nature — grounded, capable, and ready for whatever the cosmos throws next. She’s handy with a firearm, cool in a barfight, and unshakeable under pressure. If things go sideways, Mandy is exactly who you want standing next to you.
Mike & Rick
Mike never asked for adventure — it found him, dragged him off Earth, and threw him headfirst into a universe full of aliens, conspiracies, and cosmic chaos. Rick is the spark that turns a bad situation into an unforgettable adventure. Fearless, quick‑witted, and always ready with a joke at the worst possible moment, he’s the friend who dives headfirst into danger and trusts the universe to sort out the details later.
JD
JD is the beating heart of the Stardust Tavern — a larger‑than‑life presence in a red Hawaiian shirt, straw cowboy hat, and Ray‑Bans that have seen more cosmic secrets than most intelligence agencies. Once a seasoned operator who worked alongside Mandy and Mitch in some of the toughest environments in the Solar System, JD now channels that same grit and instinct into running the Moon’s most legendary bar.
Reviews:
Melanie C - Booktopia
Exciting and Enjoyable - best enjoyed with a cold Galaxy Bitter 😉
“Not normally drawn to sci-fi, I found The Secret of The Dark Fleet a really enjoyable read. Engrossing but easy to absorb, the balance of plot and characters is detailed but clear and precise language helps it read at a good tempo. Cleverly woven in is a philosophical questioning of humanity and our place on this planet. Descriptive but not overawing or heavy, the story gains momentum well and already feels well set up for more breadth of characters and depth of plot / sequels. Looking forward to the next and finding out what the crew are up to now!!”
Coming soon!
Publisher - Austin Macauley
The Mystery of the Forgotten Empire
The Cosmic Adventures of Mike and Rick - Book 2!
The past was buried for a reason. Now it’s waking up.
Mike and Rick thought they’d seen it all—until a cryptic signal drags them into a conspiracy older than human history. From Scotland’s windswept cliffs to vast alien cities hidden beneath the Earth, they uncover fragments of a forgotten empire whose technology once shaped civilizations—and whose return could shatter the world.
But they’re not the only ones hunting the truth. Ruthless agencies, alien imposters, and enigmatic cabals will stop at nothing to keep the empire’s secrets locked away. From a tense desert infiltration, to a running battle through the steamy streets of Bangkok - the team is pushed closer to revelations that could rewrite humanity’s place in the cosmos.
As the veil of secrecy begins to tear, the stakes explode onto the global stage. Suddenly the world is watching. Disclosure is no longer a question of if—but when.
And when the empire awakens, Mike and Rick must decide: will they be the messengers of unity… or the spark that ignites galactic chaos?
More crew!
Drakar
Drakar is a towering human–ET hybrid forged in the brutal Antarctic programs run by the Reptilians — and one of the few who escaped. Instead of becoming a weapon, he became a leader, founding the Stronghold Alliance: a feared and respected band of freedom fighters dedicated to justice, liberation, and tearing down oppressive regimes across the Galaxy.
Pray he’s on your side.
Azura
A trusted ally to the crew, Azura brings experience, precision, and a quiet strength to every mission. Competent, composed, and fiercely loyal, Azura is the kind of pilot you want at the controls when things get dangerous. Beneath her cool exterior lies a deep sense of honour and a connection to Earth’s forgotten past — a reminder that humanity shares its planet with mysteries far older than itself.
Mitch
Mitch’s official record is a patchwork of redactions, sealed files, and operations that “never happened.” Highly trained, strategically minded, and impossible to intimidate, Mitch operates in the shadows between governments, ET factions, and black‑budget programs.
Everything else about Mitch remains sealed.
And for good reason.
Reviews:
Dave McR - Apple Books
“This story about Mike and Rick had me hooked… the idea of government conspiracy and space travel is right down my alley. An exciting action packed read. I look forward to experiencing more of their adventures in the future.”
Also coming soon!
Danger in the Antarctic
The Cosmic Adventures of Mike & Rick - Book Three!
The world is shifting, and the truth is breaking through the cracks.
Strange signals, impossible technologies, and ancient forces rising from the ice are pushing humanity toward a future it never expected. As governments scramble and hidden factions reveal themselves, the old order begins to crumble.
Caught in the middle are Mike and Rick — two ordinary guys thrust into an extraordinary role. What started as survival has become something far bigger: a responsibility they never sought but can no longer escape. Their path leads toward the one place on Earth where every secret converges… the frozen frontier of Antarctica.
Ace reporter Sarah Smith becomes the voice of a planet in upheaval. Her broadcasts cut through the noise, exposing the lies and deception, and giving the world its first glimpse of the forces shaping its destiny. But even she senses there’s more beneath the surface — truths no one is ready to face.
Allies from across the Solar System gather as telepaths awaken, hidden cities stir, and ancient rivalries ignite. The stakes are rising, the shadows are moving, and humanity stands on the precipice of a transformation that could unite it… or tear it apart.
Danger in the Antarctic is a fast‑paced, intrigue‑laden leap into the unknown — a story of awakening, resistance, and the quiet courage of ordinary people thrust into a cosmic turning point.
The cosmic cast:
Sarah
Sarah Smith is Channel 12’s ace reporter — glamorous, savvy, and absolutely done with political spin. From war zones to alien interviews, she’s not afraid to call out deception when she sees it. World-weary but razor-sharp, Sarah fights for the common person and believes the truth belongs to everyone.
When the world begins to unravel, she’s the one with the mic, the questions, and the guts to ask what no one else will. No secrets. No compromise. Just the truth — broadcast live.
Dorothy
Geoffrey
Don’t let the cardigans fool you.
Dorothy may run a charming Bed and Breakfast, but she’s also a retired MI6 combat instructor with reflexes like a hawk and a brain like a steel trap. You absolutely do not want to break into her B&B.
Fierce, intuitive, and quietly legendary, Dorothy is the kind of woman who’ll serve you tea in the morning and take down a hostile operative by midnight. Geoffrey her cat approves.
Grand Marshal Zarathor
Zarathor is the Saurian military mind behind the Shadow Fortress — a vessel four times the size of an aircraft carrier and ten times as precise. Disciplined, seasoned, and unshakable, he has spent decades mastering the razor‑thin line between diplomacy and warfare, turning uncertainty into calculated precision.
His uniform is pristine. His quarters are immaculate. His orders are never questioned.
And when he speaks, the world listens.
Also, also coming soon!
The Phantom of Planet 9
Book Four of the Mike and Rick Saga
Galoctra felt like it was rotting from the inside out.
The regime tightens its grip, truth is outlawed, and the people turn on each other as fear becomes the state’s most effective currency. Curfews. Raids. Vanishings. A society once proud now teeters on the edge of something darker — a place where dissent is treason and compassion is contraband.
In the middle of this slow-motion collapse, one voice refused to be silenced.
Lira Kinkade — smuggler, folk hero, and the pulse that keeps the underground alive — is taken in the dead of night by masked agents. But she isn’t forgotten.
While visiting the legendary Galactic Melee at the Grand Colosseum, Mike, Rick, Drakar, and Mitch are quietly recruited by hidden forces determined to strike back.
Because the underground isn’t dead. Not yet. Not while Lira breathes. Not while her name still sparks defiance in the forgotten corners of the city.
In a world where truth is forbidden and hope is dangerous, the fight isn’t over. It’s only just beginning.
Who is the Phantom of Planet 9?
Who’s in it?
Lira
Underground courier. Reluctant legend. With a cybernetic eye and a mechanical punch, she runs food, medicine, and firepower into the forgotten zones of Galoctra. The regime hunts her. The people trust her. If she’s got enemies, it means she’s doing the job right — and if you’re going to do something, you do it properly.
Take no prisoners. No holds barred. All guns blazing.
Racquel
Telepathic Pleiadian. Runway model. She moves with impossible grace, reading a room before she even enters it — and silencing it the moment she does. Behind the glamour is a mind honed like a laser, always three moves ahead of everyone else.
A quiet operator, Racquel is refined, focused and very dangerous.
Vorrak
Reptilian‑human hybrid. Lone operator. Walking armoury. Vorrak flies the Night Reaver the old way — hands on the controls, trusting no one but himself. He’s built like a siege engine and carries enough firepower to end most arguments before they start. He’s gruff, impulsive, and always scanning for the exit.