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The Millennial Manifesto
Only barbarians plot terrorism before tea.
Tired of ineffectual marches and rallies, Millennials turn to terrorist tactics to force change on Corporate America. Setting their sights on the company responsible for poisoning the local water supply, they declare war.
But now they swim with sharks.
After all, you don’t claw your way to the top of the corporate ladder by being a pushover.
Tired of ineffectual marches and rallies, Millennials turn to terrorist tactics to force change on Corporate America. Setting their sights on the company responsible for poisoning the local water supply, they declare war.
But now they swim with sharks.
After all, you don’t claw your way to the top of the corporate ladder by being a pushover.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2019
4 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Michael R. Fletcher
47 books1,253 followersMichael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 2, 2019
Millennials these days, right? Strutting around with their avocado toast and their bedazzled flip phones. But this generation has it rough. The boomers complain that they don’t want to work, and they’re blamed for ‘ruining everything.’ But look at the state of the nation that is being turned over to them: livable wages are eroding, healthcare costs would be hilarious if they weren’t so depressing, and the rich continue to eat the poor while wiping their faces with the law. It’s enough to make some young folks angry enough to try something drastic. The system is objectively broken, so what kind of solution can truly make the world a better place?
This is the foundation for Michael Fletcher’s The Millennial Manifesto, in which four friends enact social change by forming a terrorist cell targeting the CEOs of corporations responsible for disgusting atrocities, but are immune to legal repercussions. Each of the four vigilantes has very different reasons for undertaking this venture, but when they don their superhero masks and begin kidnapping and exposing these psychopath CEOs to the public, they make a surprisingly competent team. But one of their targets, hell-bent on revenge, sends his private security detail after the group: a team of two violent former Special Forces soldiers and a smarmy, young tech guru. With every move the group makes, the security team gets closer, and their inevitable confrontation promises bloodshed and vengeance in which the whole world may stand witness.
In addition to the story being a fast-paced thriller, there are some interesting questions of morality, philosophy, and ethics that are presented to the reader. I felt that this was the book’s biggest strength more so than the resolution of the story within its own context. Is it okay to sacrifice a few to help the lives of the many? Isn’t that what the foundation of war is built on? Can the idea of creating domestic, targeted terrorist acts aimed at the leaders of the massive companies responsible for reprehensible acts ever be considered justified? The court system has failed the middle and lower classes, so how else can the responsible and heinous elite be punished? Shouldn’t these millennials be celebrated? What other options are left? When is enough, enough? These were all questions I enjoyed thinking about as the pages flew by, and it was a welcome surprise when I noticed that some of my own opinions changed over the course of the story. There are only two POVs—one from the terrorist group, and one from the security detail—and Fletcher strikes a nice balance of arguing the pros and cons of each side.
And since this is a Michael Fletcher novel, it’s pretty much a guarantee that things are going to go horribly wrong. When the hammer drops, things go sideways, and fat lady sings her heart out. (Three lame colloquialisms in one sentence, a new record!) The ending supplied an interesting wrinkle in how the reader can retroactively view the story in a different light, and I appreciated the level of skillful plotting that brought us to that point.
Fletcher continues to evolve as a writer, weaving through pitch-dark fantasy, near-future tech fiction, and now a daring, political thriller. And while The Millennial Manifesto is a different type of story that you’d come to expect from the author, that’s part of what makes his writing career so interesting to follow. His latest work is a fearless and inspirational call-to-arms for a generation who has been dealt a shitty hand. It’s long past time to go all-in and try something new to take down the untouchables. It might be the only way the next generation can survive.
8.0 / 10
This is the foundation for Michael Fletcher’s The Millennial Manifesto, in which four friends enact social change by forming a terrorist cell targeting the CEOs of corporations responsible for disgusting atrocities, but are immune to legal repercussions. Each of the four vigilantes has very different reasons for undertaking this venture, but when they don their superhero masks and begin kidnapping and exposing these psychopath CEOs to the public, they make a surprisingly competent team. But one of their targets, hell-bent on revenge, sends his private security detail after the group: a team of two violent former Special Forces soldiers and a smarmy, young tech guru. With every move the group makes, the security team gets closer, and their inevitable confrontation promises bloodshed and vengeance in which the whole world may stand witness.
In addition to the story being a fast-paced thriller, there are some interesting questions of morality, philosophy, and ethics that are presented to the reader. I felt that this was the book’s biggest strength more so than the resolution of the story within its own context. Is it okay to sacrifice a few to help the lives of the many? Isn’t that what the foundation of war is built on? Can the idea of creating domestic, targeted terrorist acts aimed at the leaders of the massive companies responsible for reprehensible acts ever be considered justified? The court system has failed the middle and lower classes, so how else can the responsible and heinous elite be punished? Shouldn’t these millennials be celebrated? What other options are left? When is enough, enough? These were all questions I enjoyed thinking about as the pages flew by, and it was a welcome surprise when I noticed that some of my own opinions changed over the course of the story. There are only two POVs—one from the terrorist group, and one from the security detail—and Fletcher strikes a nice balance of arguing the pros and cons of each side.
And since this is a Michael Fletcher novel, it’s pretty much a guarantee that things are going to go horribly wrong. When the hammer drops, things go sideways, and fat lady sings her heart out. (Three lame colloquialisms in one sentence, a new record!) The ending supplied an interesting wrinkle in how the reader can retroactively view the story in a different light, and I appreciated the level of skillful plotting that brought us to that point.
Fletcher continues to evolve as a writer, weaving through pitch-dark fantasy, near-future tech fiction, and now a daring, political thriller. And while The Millennial Manifesto is a different type of story that you’d come to expect from the author, that’s part of what makes his writing career so interesting to follow. His latest work is a fearless and inspirational call-to-arms for a generation who has been dealt a shitty hand. It’s long past time to go all-in and try something new to take down the untouchables. It might be the only way the next generation can survive.
8.0 / 10
November 6, 2019
I was provided a copy of the eARC for this book by the author.
Wow!
I just realized that by stopping there, I could get my point across on how I felt about this book, but it would also be the lamest review I'd ever written. Just that acknowledgement makes it a little better.
But for real. A couple of years ago I was introduced to Michael R. Fletcher through his brilliant debut novel, Beyond Redemption, a grimdark fantasy of the highest order with a perfect blend of violence, grit, characterization, and humor. This is on my short list of books I push on the wary and unwary alike, quickly recommended without hesitation by anyone I come across that asks me for a good read. The other books in that series are nearly as good, and I've been devouring everything Fletcher ever since.
But now he is moving out of his lane. This isn't fantasy. It's not even speculative fiction. It's a modern thriller without any supernatural or fantastical elements. There aren't even very many mirrors, and all those do is reflect back what's in front of them. The hell, man?
But then, as I kept reading, I realized he hadn't changed lanes after all. He was just driving a different colored car. This book definitely fits in his wheelhouse, with characters you will grow to love and happenings that will make you gasp out several WTFs! in the course of reading.
This story is told from the alternating points-of-view of two characters, in much the same manner as Fletcher's other recent novel, Smoke and Stone. Also like that novel, these two main characters are from totally different backgrounds but racing towards a point in time where their lives intersect and they'll never be the same. They're on opposite "sides" of the main conflict, and the brilliance of that approach is that we get great perspective from both angles. It's hard to root for a character towards total victory when another beloved character will suffer. But there is where comparisons to Smoke and Stone end, because the subject matters are completely different. Or are they?
Innana is a young Millennial with a small circle of friends that are concerned about Tessier Waste Disposal Systems, a company that is polluting the local water sources in upper Michigan. The courts and authorities have been no help, as nothing has been proven, at least nothing that a few payoffs couldn't cover up. Innana's friends Chen and Julia lost a daughter recently, died from poisoning of the neighborhood's water. Both are former US Marines, Chen trained as a sniper and Julia as a demolitions expert. Innana's other friend Aarush is a tech wiz and film student. Together, these four have decided it is time to do something to make the world a better place.
Their idea is to kidnap the CEO of Tessier and make him drink the water his company is poisoning, filming it and uploading it to the internet in order to spread awareness of this issue. They hope to force the company to face sanctions for their crimes as public outrage heats up.
Our other main focus character is Hiran, and he's working for Anthony Gartner, the above mentioned CEO. He and his team, Chuck and Fana, do dirty work for Gartner, using their unique skills to encourage opposition of Gartner to change their minds.
Hiran was a leader in Special Forces, while Chuck served under him in Afghanistan. Hiran is the brains, and Chuck is the brawn, being a big bully of a man who delights in being a badass. Fana is the final member of their small team, a young woman fresh out of college as a computer wiz turned hacker.
As can be expected, our two groups are bound to have their agendas in direct opposition as their fates intersect. That can only be good, right?
It's good for a reader, as you have in front of you a book that is very difficult to put down. "One more chapter" is so easy as they're fairly short, but hard to follow through with as each one leaves the reader itching to know what will happen next.
That's what makes a good thriller, no? In that case, I can't see anyone reading this and then telling Fletcher to stay in his lane. The dude owns the roads.
Wow!
I just realized that by stopping there, I could get my point across on how I felt about this book, but it would also be the lamest review I'd ever written. Just that acknowledgement makes it a little better.
But for real. A couple of years ago I was introduced to Michael R. Fletcher through his brilliant debut novel, Beyond Redemption, a grimdark fantasy of the highest order with a perfect blend of violence, grit, characterization, and humor. This is on my short list of books I push on the wary and unwary alike, quickly recommended without hesitation by anyone I come across that asks me for a good read. The other books in that series are nearly as good, and I've been devouring everything Fletcher ever since.
But now he is moving out of his lane. This isn't fantasy. It's not even speculative fiction. It's a modern thriller without any supernatural or fantastical elements. There aren't even very many mirrors, and all those do is reflect back what's in front of them. The hell, man?
But then, as I kept reading, I realized he hadn't changed lanes after all. He was just driving a different colored car. This book definitely fits in his wheelhouse, with characters you will grow to love and happenings that will make you gasp out several WTFs! in the course of reading.
This story is told from the alternating points-of-view of two characters, in much the same manner as Fletcher's other recent novel, Smoke and Stone. Also like that novel, these two main characters are from totally different backgrounds but racing towards a point in time where their lives intersect and they'll never be the same. They're on opposite "sides" of the main conflict, and the brilliance of that approach is that we get great perspective from both angles. It's hard to root for a character towards total victory when another beloved character will suffer. But there is where comparisons to Smoke and Stone end, because the subject matters are completely different. Or are they?
Innana is a young Millennial with a small circle of friends that are concerned about Tessier Waste Disposal Systems, a company that is polluting the local water sources in upper Michigan. The courts and authorities have been no help, as nothing has been proven, at least nothing that a few payoffs couldn't cover up. Innana's friends Chen and Julia lost a daughter recently, died from poisoning of the neighborhood's water. Both are former US Marines, Chen trained as a sniper and Julia as a demolitions expert. Innana's other friend Aarush is a tech wiz and film student. Together, these four have decided it is time to do something to make the world a better place.
Their idea is to kidnap the CEO of Tessier and make him drink the water his company is poisoning, filming it and uploading it to the internet in order to spread awareness of this issue. They hope to force the company to face sanctions for their crimes as public outrage heats up.
Our other main focus character is Hiran, and he's working for Anthony Gartner, the above mentioned CEO. He and his team, Chuck and Fana, do dirty work for Gartner, using their unique skills to encourage opposition of Gartner to change their minds.
Hiran was a leader in Special Forces, while Chuck served under him in Afghanistan. Hiran is the brains, and Chuck is the brawn, being a big bully of a man who delights in being a badass. Fana is the final member of their small team, a young woman fresh out of college as a computer wiz turned hacker.
As can be expected, our two groups are bound to have their agendas in direct opposition as their fates intersect. That can only be good, right?
It's good for a reader, as you have in front of you a book that is very difficult to put down. "One more chapter" is so easy as they're fairly short, but hard to follow through with as each one leaves the reader itching to know what will happen next.
That's what makes a good thriller, no? In that case, I can't see anyone reading this and then telling Fletcher to stay in his lane. The dude owns the roads.
October 30, 2019
** I EDITED THIS BOOK SO I KIND OF HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME **
This book blew my mind. I will write a longer thing about it closer to release date. For now, suffice it to say, this book is timely, important, and PACKED with action.
If you like Quentin Tarantino movies, you will *love* this.
This book blew my mind. I will write a longer thing about it closer to release date. For now, suffice it to say, this book is timely, important, and PACKED with action.
If you like Quentin Tarantino movies, you will *love* this.
October 29, 2019
Everybody needs to read this. Everybody.
November 1, 2019
RTC. Reads quickly. Will appeal to fans of Tarantino and Guy Ritchie.
February 21, 2020
It is time to make the world a better place.
I was shocked that such a pure and honest goal is such a fundamental part of one of Fletcher's characters. Innana is sick of corporate corruption-of companies poisoning the planet and fraudulent charities. She forms a small group of friends and enforces true retribution on individuals that have used their companies for evil. Hiran, the other main character, is a hired hand and tasked with eliminating Innana by any means necessary. He is driven with the sole purpose of providing enough for his family.
By steering into a completely different genre than his other works, The Millennial Manifesto contains some of the best characters Fletcher has ever written.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Ironically enough, playing this on audible while I drove to and from my corporate job. Millennials are known as the lazy, the snowflakes..entitled. We are the burnt-out generation. Cursed for when we don't take part in politics and damned when we do voice our concerns. Millennial Manifesto is two enemies seeking to undo the other. Their problems mirror what is evident in today's society-all of us failing to understand those outside our circle and what they want beyond what the media wishes for us to believe.
I finished the book; the message of making the world a better place once again echoing in my car.
I drove the rest of the way home in silence.
I was shocked that such a pure and honest goal is such a fundamental part of one of Fletcher's characters. Innana is sick of corporate corruption-of companies poisoning the planet and fraudulent charities. She forms a small group of friends and enforces true retribution on individuals that have used their companies for evil. Hiran, the other main character, is a hired hand and tasked with eliminating Innana by any means necessary. He is driven with the sole purpose of providing enough for his family.
By steering into a completely different genre than his other works, The Millennial Manifesto contains some of the best characters Fletcher has ever written.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Ironically enough, playing this on audible while I drove to and from my corporate job. Millennials are known as the lazy, the snowflakes..entitled. We are the burnt-out generation. Cursed for when we don't take part in politics and damned when we do voice our concerns. Millennial Manifesto is two enemies seeking to undo the other. Their problems mirror what is evident in today's society-all of us failing to understand those outside our circle and what they want beyond what the media wishes for us to believe.
I finished the book; the message of making the world a better place once again echoing in my car.
I drove the rest of the way home in silence.
November 12, 2020
Stupid me somehow missed this being out on audio, so I'm late to the party. But better late then never, I finally plowed through this one!
I had no idea what it was about, I just bought it because it is a Fletcher, and I loved all the authors recent books.
I was a little surprised to find this one isn't fantasy at all,but rather more likes thriller. Maybe slightly dystopian, but as this could happen tomorrow, not really... I absolutely enjoyed it even without any necromancy or other expected fantastical aspects anyway!
The characters were well done, and if they were a bit too stereotype, then only Inthe same way as most characters are in this genre. I mean a weak little guy who can do nothing wouldn't survive a thriller past page 5, so it would be a short book. That in mind I didn't mind them being a bit too overpowered for full realism at times.
I bloody loved the idea of Millenials finally deciding it has been enough and the world needs changing. It's as relevant a topi, as it has ever been, and being born 1986 myself this brought quite some wry smiles and grins with it.
Witty and fun in tone and yet full of action and suspense. It manages to be both entertaining and thought-provoking. Plus seriously surprising the reader with some twists and turns!
Definitely highly recommended.
I had no idea what it was about, I just bought it because it is a Fletcher, and I loved all the authors recent books.
I was a little surprised to find this one isn't fantasy at all,but rather more likes thriller. Maybe slightly dystopian, but as this could happen tomorrow, not really... I absolutely enjoyed it even without any necromancy or other expected fantastical aspects anyway!
The characters were well done, and if they were a bit too stereotype, then only Inthe same way as most characters are in this genre. I mean a weak little guy who can do nothing wouldn't survive a thriller past page 5, so it would be a short book. That in mind I didn't mind them being a bit too overpowered for full realism at times.
I bloody loved the idea of Millenials finally deciding it has been enough and the world needs changing. It's as relevant a topi, as it has ever been, and being born 1986 myself this brought quite some wry smiles and grins with it.
Witty and fun in tone and yet full of action and suspense. It manages to be both entertaining and thought-provoking. Plus seriously surprising the reader with some twists and turns!
Definitely highly recommended.
February 15, 2020
This is a fascinating and fast read. A step into the action thriller genre for Fletcher. It’s the first book I’ve read which posits the question of how can Millenials fight back against corporate controls that are essentially wiping out the working class? Leaving their generation to deal with a poisoned environment while corporations, using their wealth, are sidestepping the law.
As an action thriller, without a shred of fantasy, Fletcher proves he can deftly move into a new genre without any difficulties. In this fast paced story, we find a group of young people from extremely different backgrounds, who decide that the only way to fight back is using urban terrorism. Unfortunately their target has some very unscrupulous and dogged gangsters in his employ that quickly complicate their simple plan.
Told from two points of view, the reader gets both agendas, and the inevitable clash is full of twists. It’s a very satisfying read. I found it difficult to put down.
Highly recommended.
As an action thriller, without a shred of fantasy, Fletcher proves he can deftly move into a new genre without any difficulties. In this fast paced story, we find a group of young people from extremely different backgrounds, who decide that the only way to fight back is using urban terrorism. Unfortunately their target has some very unscrupulous and dogged gangsters in his employ that quickly complicate their simple plan.
Told from two points of view, the reader gets both agendas, and the inevitable clash is full of twists. It’s a very satisfying read. I found it difficult to put down.
Highly recommended.
January 21, 2020
What just happened?!
Based on the title and cover, I had no idea what to expect from this book; that's one reason why I read it. So glad I did! Fletcher is the master of shock and awe. His plot has more twists than my homemade braided bread. Everything I thought would happen didn't; everything that did happen was a surprise. But it ended the only way it could. I'll shut up now and let you read it.
Based on the title and cover, I had no idea what to expect from this book; that's one reason why I read it. So glad I did! Fletcher is the master of shock and awe. His plot has more twists than my homemade braided bread. Everything I thought would happen didn't; everything that did happen was a surprise. But it ended the only way it could. I'll shut up now and let you read it.
November 30, 2019
RTC on Three Crows.
Considering the political will and praxis of the protagonists - it's an urban fantasy novel. In all seriousness - it's a decent critique of modern political discourse in the US through high-paced action and character studies.
Considering the political will and praxis of the protagonists - it's an urban fantasy novel. In all seriousness - it's a decent critique of modern political discourse in the US through high-paced action and character studies.
December 9, 2019
Fantastic read.
January 16, 2020
Modern day monkey wrench gang, Edward Abbey would be proud. Rise up millennials!
March 30, 2020
This book wasn't bad, but I got very little enjoyment from it. Just not my style. The soliloquies all drug on too long and read like a "Best of /r/politics Montage".
The writing, as always, was fine. Nothing that made me ooh and ahh, but nothing that stuck out like carbuncles. There were some inconsistencies, but not so much that they all piled on each other and pulled the book to a stop. A couple included things like
Did Gartner and his neighbors not have any cameras? No eyewitnesses remembered the gang sitting in the park eating an hour before Gartner was grabbed? The book says, "Finding a playground with a picnic area down the street from the Gartner residence, they pulled over for lunch." I feel like the police would have covered that better, canvassing the area and asking neighbors about unusual activity. (That whole waiting section was rather boring, as well.)
Awhile after Hiran and co. get sicced on the terrorists, Chuck says, “Didn’t Gartner say one of his kidnappers accidentally called the other Julia?” That seems almost like the very first clue they should have followed.
After the first hit, Aarush is worried about getting the equipment back to the university. Then later he still has all the equipment. Wouldn't that make them more traceable? Did they just decide not to care at some point?
The whole plot point about them driving in a straight line with the RV. For some reason, this is capturing the interest of the nation, but Fana is the only one who can track them? I feel like domestic terrorism would garner a little more police attention and that law enforcement would have found this slow-moving RV without too much trouble.
In general, their hits aren't well thought out. That probably added to my unenjoyment of the book. It's not that thrilling to read about stupid people doing stupid things.
The writing, as always, was fine. Nothing that made me ooh and ahh, but nothing that stuck out like carbuncles. There were some inconsistencies, but not so much that they all piled on each other and pulled the book to a stop. A couple included things like
Did Gartner and his neighbors not have any cameras? No eyewitnesses remembered the gang sitting in the park eating an hour before Gartner was grabbed? The book says, "Finding a playground with a picnic area down the street from the Gartner residence, they pulled over for lunch." I feel like the police would have covered that better, canvassing the area and asking neighbors about unusual activity. (That whole waiting section was rather boring, as well.)
Awhile after Hiran and co. get sicced on the terrorists, Chuck says, “Didn’t Gartner say one of his kidnappers accidentally called the other Julia?” That seems almost like the very first clue they should have followed.
After the first hit, Aarush is worried about getting the equipment back to the university. Then later he still has all the equipment. Wouldn't that make them more traceable? Did they just decide not to care at some point?
The whole plot point about them driving in a straight line with the RV. For some reason, this is capturing the interest of the nation, but Fana is the only one who can track them? I feel like domestic terrorism would garner a little more police attention and that law enforcement would have found this slow-moving RV without too much trouble.
In general, their hits aren't well thought out. That probably added to my unenjoyment of the book. It's not that thrilling to read about stupid people doing stupid things.
February 21, 2025
Wow this book was a blast. It could be recency bias but this might be my favorite MRF book to date and I have read more than half a dozen.
The dynamic between Hiran, Chuck, and Fana absolutely made this book for me. The dialogue and prose were dripping with wit and I believe Fletcher was able to master the chase type book that he is so fond of. In City of Sacrifice we follow two characters as one hunts the other and the same is true here but he masterfully balances both plots.
While I was rooting for our millennial terrorists, I found myself loving Hiran, Fana, and Chuck even more than the side I was rooting for. The dynamic in both groups was so well done.
I expected this book to be of lesser quality than his sff work and I was pleasantly proven wrong.
Whatever genre, Fletcher ROCKS!
If you enjoyed this review, please check me out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zacharyshaye
The dynamic between Hiran, Chuck, and Fana absolutely made this book for me. The dialogue and prose were dripping with wit and I believe Fletcher was able to master the chase type book that he is so fond of. In City of Sacrifice we follow two characters as one hunts the other and the same is true here but he masterfully balances both plots.
While I was rooting for our millennial terrorists, I found myself loving Hiran, Fana, and Chuck even more than the side I was rooting for. The dynamic in both groups was so well done.
I expected this book to be of lesser quality than his sff work and I was pleasantly proven wrong.
Whatever genre, Fletcher ROCKS!
If you enjoyed this review, please check me out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zacharyshaye
December 15, 2019
Read his F-ing fantasy,
Not quite for me. Written well as always, but I feel I could have saved 6 hours by eating a stick of opium and then watching a Netflix original series while half asleep. Have people really stopped believing that ANYONE can do ANYTHING? Cause I'm constantly being reminded and find that unnecessary and tiresome.
I blame the readers; I mean, Fletcher's fantasy IS THE BEST EVER WRITTEN. So believe me and buy it already, oh PC sheep!!
Not quite for me. Written well as always, but I feel I could have saved 6 hours by eating a stick of opium and then watching a Netflix original series while half asleep. Have people really stopped believing that ANYONE can do ANYTHING? Cause I'm constantly being reminded and find that unnecessary and tiresome.
I blame the readers; I mean, Fletcher's fantasy IS THE BEST EVER WRITTEN. So believe me and buy it already, oh PC sheep!!
September 30, 2022
Michael r fletcher hit an out of the park home run here. A real heavy banger. The anarchist cookbook on steroids. I’m definitely reading a bunch more of his stuff soon.
July 23, 2020
The Millennial Manifesto is a sparse, in-your-face story about the duality of politics and perspectives. If you love Quentin Tarantino movies, with a dose of stark commentary on current events, you will love this story.
“The Brave? People cowered in their homes, clutching their guns, living in fear of their neighbors and the very government they voted into power: land of the scared, home of the wage slaves.”
The premise is simple. You have two groups and two wildly different perspectives. Julia, Chen, Aarush, and Inanna are friends with a singular purpose — they want to change the world. They want to fix the crushing reality of being a millennial and living in a generation whose lives will be worse than those preceding it, and they will do anything to accomplish this task.
Right away, you can see the morally gray area of this sentiment.
The other group is Hiran, Chuck, and Fana. Hiran and Chuck are soldiers — thugs for hire. While Fana is a hacker and assists them by finding their targets and at accessing stores of protected information, they already exist on the far side of questionable morals. The cool thing about how this story is that it has dueling protagonists. Each chapter switches back and forth between the perspectives of Hiran and Inanna. This allows the reader to see how morally ambiguous some actions of either character can be. Who “good guys” are and who the “bad guys” are is not always straightforward. Just as it is in life, people are usually neither good nor bad, and in the end, no one thinks of themselves as the bad guy.
With Hiran, although he is a mercenary, he is a father and husband. He worries about his joints and paying for his daughter’s college education. He is hired to do dirty work by a capitalist and all-around horrible person, Gartner. Gartner is also the target for Innana’s terrorist group’s first action. Innana is a woman who is anchorless. She has come into money after the death of her parents and wants to do something better with her life and for the world.
“Part of her wanted that, to go back to her easy life, to putter about pointless hobbies. No. I am going to make the world a better place. “Do any of you want out?” she asked.”
She does this by funding a small nameless terrorist cell. After the Innana’s group completes their first terrorist like action, they make Gartner drink dirty water from one of the streams he has ruined through pollution; they have to go on the run after the second group starts to chase them. From there, the story evolves into chases of cat and mouse. Each group displays actions that both humanize and demonize them.
It is an exciting take on this type of story and one that Fletcher has done it well. It is quite a departure from the science fiction and fantasy story that we have become accustomed to from him.
It is a great story.
Engaging and visceral, the reader gets drawn into the minds of the two protagonists right away. You want to know how it is going end, and from the get-go, the reader has no idea how the story will play out. My only small qualm with the story is that I didn’t feel like it was long enough. I wanted more from the characters; I wanted a more substantial base to pull from before the characters started to go on the run. The story also ends very abruptly. Whether that is a stylistic choice by the author, as it fits the narrative style, or just how the story played out, I am not sure. But it is a good ride either way.
If you are a fan of Tarantino type story that is ruthless with its characters, The Millennial Manifesto is the right choice. I hope that Fletcher continues the tale because there is room in this world for another story arc or five.
“The Brave? People cowered in their homes, clutching their guns, living in fear of their neighbors and the very government they voted into power: land of the scared, home of the wage slaves.”
The premise is simple. You have two groups and two wildly different perspectives. Julia, Chen, Aarush, and Inanna are friends with a singular purpose — they want to change the world. They want to fix the crushing reality of being a millennial and living in a generation whose lives will be worse than those preceding it, and they will do anything to accomplish this task.
Right away, you can see the morally gray area of this sentiment.
The other group is Hiran, Chuck, and Fana. Hiran and Chuck are soldiers — thugs for hire. While Fana is a hacker and assists them by finding their targets and at accessing stores of protected information, they already exist on the far side of questionable morals. The cool thing about how this story is that it has dueling protagonists. Each chapter switches back and forth between the perspectives of Hiran and Inanna. This allows the reader to see how morally ambiguous some actions of either character can be. Who “good guys” are and who the “bad guys” are is not always straightforward. Just as it is in life, people are usually neither good nor bad, and in the end, no one thinks of themselves as the bad guy.
With Hiran, although he is a mercenary, he is a father and husband. He worries about his joints and paying for his daughter’s college education. He is hired to do dirty work by a capitalist and all-around horrible person, Gartner. Gartner is also the target for Innana’s terrorist group’s first action. Innana is a woman who is anchorless. She has come into money after the death of her parents and wants to do something better with her life and for the world.
“Part of her wanted that, to go back to her easy life, to putter about pointless hobbies. No. I am going to make the world a better place. “Do any of you want out?” she asked.”
She does this by funding a small nameless terrorist cell. After the Innana’s group completes their first terrorist like action, they make Gartner drink dirty water from one of the streams he has ruined through pollution; they have to go on the run after the second group starts to chase them. From there, the story evolves into chases of cat and mouse. Each group displays actions that both humanize and demonize them.
It is an exciting take on this type of story and one that Fletcher has done it well. It is quite a departure from the science fiction and fantasy story that we have become accustomed to from him.
It is a great story.
Engaging and visceral, the reader gets drawn into the minds of the two protagonists right away. You want to know how it is going end, and from the get-go, the reader has no idea how the story will play out. My only small qualm with the story is that I didn’t feel like it was long enough. I wanted more from the characters; I wanted a more substantial base to pull from before the characters started to go on the run. The story also ends very abruptly. Whether that is a stylistic choice by the author, as it fits the narrative style, or just how the story played out, I am not sure. But it is a good ride either way.
If you are a fan of Tarantino type story that is ruthless with its characters, The Millennial Manifesto is the right choice. I hope that Fletcher continues the tale because there is room in this world for another story arc or five.
December 9, 2019
A group of Millennial's wage an eco- and corporate-war, kidnapping CEO's and making demands using social media. But another ex-military group are hired to track them down, and we follow in alternating chapters, as the Millennial's try to stay a step ahead.
This was a real page turner, funny and so relevant to where we are today. It's also a bit different from the other dark fantasy books of his I've read (ie Beyond Redemption) which is great to see.
This was a real page turner, funny and so relevant to where we are today. It's also a bit different from the other dark fantasy books of his I've read (ie Beyond Redemption) which is great to see.
April 6, 2024
Not the type of book I typically read, but I really enjoyed this. I was cruising along listening, and I forgot I was reading a Fletcher book until terrible things happened.
I really identified with the main characters and share a lot of their sentiment so that went a long way for me.
This is an action thriller type take on millennials taking action against all the corruption and evil that goes on in the world. This would be perfect for a movie.
I really identified with the main characters and share a lot of their sentiment so that went a long way for me.
This is an action thriller type take on millennials taking action against all the corruption and evil that goes on in the world. This would be perfect for a movie.
December 9, 2019
This little book asks so many questions about class and especially humans favorite problem solver violence. We are all trying to survive individualism gets smothered by the boot. Even with the best intentions people will suffer.
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