The Millennial Manifesto – Michael R. Fletcher

About the Book

Only barbarians plan terrorism before tea.

Tired of ineffectual marches and rallies, Millennials turn to terrorist tactics to force change on Corporate America. Setting their sites 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. 

Published on December 2, 2019
Author’s website
Buy the book

I edited this book, so take that into consideration before you read further.

You know how sometimes you run across an author and you end up loving their stuff so much they become an auto-buy for you? Well, Fletcher is like that for me, only I’m so damn lucky because he’s hired me to edit a few of his books, and I’m hoping there are more on the horizon. I love working with him. Not only are his books action-packed and addictive, they are also always thought-provoking. Fletcher doesn’t just write on one level. His books always seem to poke at deeper themes.

The Millennial Manifesto is not your typical Fletcher book. If you turn to his books for your regular infusion of grimdark fantasy, you won’t find that here. This book is a different breed altogether. It takes place in the modern world, sans magic, and minus fantasy. Instead, you’ve got a thrill ride through a Tarantino-like hellscape. There isn’t one second page without action or the planning/anticipation of action, not one moment where you aren’t on the edge of your seat. It’s a nail-biting, adrenaline-infused trip through a fraught world where the heroes and the villains often change roles, where nothing is obvious, and whatever you’re expecting to happen? Well, don’t hold your breath.

This story tells the tale of a bunch of modern-day millennial revolutionaries, sick and repulsed by environmental issues, by corporate greed, by insufficient political activity, by just about everything. Things need to change, and so they decide they will be the ones to change it. On the other side, you’ve got the high-tech, hardcore bodyguards for one of the corporate people that these millennials revolutionaries target.

What ensues is a pulse-pounding cat and mouse game that will have you on pins and needles. I read and edit so many books, that I’m at the point now where I can almost predict the ending for every book that is set in front of me within the first three chapters. I tell you honestly, friends, I DID NOT expect the ending that we got here. I also didn’t expect the depth, nor how carefully, and insightfully Fletcher poked into issues of politics, and morality.

It’s not a comfortable book. There were quite a few times when I was editing this beast that I said something along the lines of, “I can’t wait to see how many people you offend with this line.” That’s not a bad thing, though. I am a firm believer that a person needs to be uncomfortable sometimes, that often, the only way that we can see the world differently is by breaking out of our comfort zones, and books like this do just that.

I’m also a huge sucker for books that strip away the black and white perception we frequently have of our world. Who is good and who is evil? I think it just depends, and that moral gray zone is somewhere that I just absolutely dig, and very few authors seem to play in those waters as well as Fletcher does.

As I’ve said, this book is nonstop and the fact that it is not terribly long makes it an easy book to devour quickly, if you desire, and you probably will (once you start, you won’t be able to stop). My comparison to a Tarantino movie is apt. There’s over-the-top (yet perfect) action, and deeper themes, plenty of surprises and lots of blood. And it’s all delivered with typical Fletcher-like poise.

He makes it look so easy, doesn’t he? I envy his talent.

It’s not a comfortable book, but it’s not supposed to be. This is the kind of book that is written when an author has something to say.

This book is important.

You really need to read it.

5/5 stars