Randy and Larry Sort of Save the World: A Science Fiction Comedy

by Brent McLean

Strange times call for strange heroes
Randy and Larry are New York City roommates with very different takes on life and politics. But when fate throws them in the middle of an ancient conflict between humans and octopuses, they soon discover that they’re The One (Yes, both of them. It’s complicated.). Can they put their differences aside for the greater good? Will they succeed in representing mankind at the Cosmic IDOL competition, in order to prevent the total annihilation of the human race? And most importantly, can Larry help Randy get a date with Kelli from their writing class?

Sci-fi action and comedy blend seamlessly and plot twists abound, as Randy and Larry unravel the mysteries of the universe. You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll probably have a bowel movement at some point, depending on your fiber intake. I mean I’m really just guessing here, I don’t know you or how you’re going to react to this book. And on second thought, I don’t really know why you would cry. That would be a little weird.

So join our heroes as they encounter killer octopuses, zombies, space aliens, ninjas, ancient deities, talking statues, baby dinosaurs, neanderthals, lecherous interdimensional philosophers, and other absolute nonsense in their race against time to save the world! Sort of.

What are the critics saying?
“I thought the book was fantastic.” — An old friend
“It’s funny, but it’s not really my kind of thing.” — My mom
“Dad, why can’t I read your book?” — My five-year-old

Contains strong language, sexual references, some violence, and political/religious humor.

facebook.com/RandyAndLarry

233 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2020

About the author

Brent McLean has lived in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Japan, and France. He's been a babysitter, an altar boy, a clothing salesman, a guy who plugs cables into a machine that goes beep, a computer programmer, a marketing account director, a sales account director, and a stay-at-home dad. Sometimes he writes stuff, after the kids are in bed.

Reviews

[Colin Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed an advance copy of this story. If the fictional works of Douglass Adams, Jamie Marhieson, and Randall Munroe all shared the same universe, it would be this one.

[Barrie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird but in a good way.

Full of humour snark and absolute insanity get ready for a mind-bending ride, with zany characters and clever references this is a great read. If you liked the Bill and Ted with a side of Hitchhikers Guide movies this is for you, Baz.

[Farhad Shawkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The humour was a hit. This is a funny book, and really picks up in the second half (a bit earlier actually). For writers who focus on humour, it can always be difficult to find the perfect balance. There is always the urge to write too many jokes, a pressure to ensure that every dialogue is witty, and so on. At times, all you get is one joke after another, closely followed by yet another. That can get tiring fast.

This book, I think, does extremely well on that count. Yes, there are jokes and puns aplenty, but it was a fun read. Some jokes in particular landed perfectly well as knockout punches. Overall, I can say that I enjoyed reading this, and would love to read more by this author.

The story involves a couple of friends, Randy and Larry, who get involved in a bizarre absurdist battle with aliens, to, sort of, save the world. As the title suggests. Anything more would be a spoiler, and I suggest you Read And Find Out. I love that it’s explained why they find themselves in this situation though. Would love to read a sequel.

[Mike Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a First Novel that Reads More like a Screenplay

Brent McLean has crafted a fun, quick read with his first "Randy and Larry" novel. His style is one of quick patter dialogue laced with constant puns, popular references and other literary "Easter Eggs." It's a bit like reading an episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" with more swearing. Once you get comfortable following the ongoing discussion between our two heroes, it becomes a bit easier to follow and enjoy. Although this novel is categorized as "Sci-Fi," it's got a little something for everyone. Polytheists, cryptozoologists, oceanographers; whatever your personal bag is, Baby, the author has something for you. If there is a scientific, religious or fantasy trope that Mr. McLean doesn't at least allude to, I haven't thought of it yet. Even the chapter names are puns of some kind. This is not to say there aren't some really good scenes; the one with the Moai on Easter Island is thoughtful, original and crisp. In general, though, if you're looking for the next novel to read with detailed science fiction descriptions, this book may not be for you. It feels like the author could instead be a sci-fi version of Aaron Sorkin coming at his material from a funnier angle. He's all about the walk-and-talk; not describing the building, the hallway and the characters having the conversation. You're not going to find the next Holden Caulfield in these pages either, so don't look for deep character development. However, if you want to really suspend your disbelief, get away from the news, ignore your notifications from the Faceyspaces & the Tweetypages and avoid all the rest of the negative feelings coming from the Series of Tubes these days, stop doomscrolling and find out how Randy and Larry (sort of) Save the World.

[Ryan Saffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a lot going on here. Zombies, octopus takeovers, Cthulhu, and so much more.

It might have worked with a little more development, but I'm not convinced. The fact that it's riddled with self aware jokes about how badly it's written makes me think that making it longer would have only forced me to read this graciously short book even longer.

Yeah, it's got some laughs, but I'm not convinced it's fun enough to try the sequel. Time will tell.

[Megan Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half the time I didnt even know what was going on.

[Holly Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geek humor at it's best.

Reminds me of those campy but not movies everyone secretly love. The best way to save the world is with humor. Watch the tentacles! Lol

[David Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly ridiculous. In a good way. The book manages to present a humourous tale without taking itself even remotely seriously. Entertaining.

[Carolynne aka Saucy Chicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!!

I wasn't too sure about this book at the beginning, but it really took off!! Lots of laughs, crazy adventures, and absolute ridiculousness. I loved the writing style and the characters. This was a super fun read and I would definitely recommend it to others!

[Alita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, it was really entertaining and I like the word ‘octopossessed’