Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really creepy with how it is so tied to events that have happened over the last few years. This book was a wild ride and was just down right scary.

The Last Election by Andrew Yang & Stephen Marche
Narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross
Publisher: RB Media, Recorded Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Publsihed: September 12, 2023

The Last Election by Andrew Yang & Stephen Marche is the scariest book I've read this year and OMG! Everyone should read it!

Holy crap! I was not expecting this book to hit me the way it did! It feels like it has been ripped from the headlines and could be our very near future (and my worst case imagined).

This book was so good, like I could not stop reading good. I highly recommend reading this book! It was absolutley fascinating!

The narration by Jonathan Todd Ross was fantastic! I loved how he brought this book to life!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Well I knew this was going to be an interesting listen just from the blurb, and yes it was. It really wasn't a political thriller but a more what could happen. From that perspective I found it really interesting. I didn't need to know that much about the different sexual appetites though, that could have been taken out.
At first I wasn't sure about the narration and then I realised that it really suited the story.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

I’ve been a huge fan of Stephen Marche since I read his Next Civil War last year (if you haven’t read it, he provides multiple plausible ways that the next US Civil War could be instigated and current political/societal evidence for why it could come to fruition). When I found out he teamed up with Andrew Yang, arguably one of the most interesting characters to enter politics in a while, I knew I had to read this book.

Having worked on campaigns for a large part of my life, this book read like how I’m assuming Yang and his staffers felt during his presidential campaign. There were dialogs that I don’t think you could convince me *did not* actually happen, including a covert Republican operative meeting with a barely disguised Peter Thiel.

The conversations that happened between staffers felt entirely real — yes people really are that callous and cut throat — and the extracurriculars, as well. Overall, if you want a very honest look at what campaign staffing is like, this is it. I wish they got more into who the source was, what they wanted, what they hoped to accomplish, the issues with the media, etc — but the whole thing played out exactly how I would expect it to, that is, ignored widely.

Now, for the plausibility of this being how the last election goes for the US, I have issues. It seemed to come with little fanfare. Everyone on the campaign was treating this mob violence as if it was normalized, which I guess is sort of the point. Over the months and years leading to this, the citizenry had become so desensitized to mass death that no one was scared enough to try to effect change. It felt like lambs being led to the slaughter. It also played out a very real issue we’ve been facing: the two party system isn’t working, but the two parties have engineered it in a way that if a third party was to gain popularity, we would effectively lose our democracy. The message they kept pushing was “we are not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic,” and never have I read a book where that statement is so frightening.

I went into this book thinking this was a fictionalized account of how they foresaw a Yang headlining/No Labels party playing out, but the messaged I got was beware a third party or else you’ll end up with a dictator.

It was a hell of a good ride, though.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

This book was okay, but just okay. Unfortunately the main plot line just didn’t grab me enough. There were a lot of characters who I would’ve liked to know a lot more about and lacked development. That being said, the political commentary throughout was so interesting (though sometime horrifying). At times it was a bit too on the nose, but I think that was the intention!

An electrifying debut novel! This is a gripping, intricately plotted political thriller which realistically could become a political prediction. Yang’s fascinating insights into the American political process make this a riveting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The Last Election
Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche
The Last Election is a political thriller taking place during the 2024 Presidential election. This tale focuses on Mikey Ricci the campaign manager of a third-party candidate; the candidate is likable, bluntly honest and has a lot more going for him than the other two candidates. The other main character is Martha Kass who works for the New York Times as the anonymous tip supervisor; she becomes aware of an effort to seize control and power over the country. The Joint Chief of Staff is depending on the country to go in chaos, using it for the “continent election.”
This is a fascinating look at what could happen in the near future unless this country reunites. This book is fiction but has such realistic tones to it. Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche have given me much to think about.
Thank you NetGalley for the review copy. My reviews are always my unbiased opinion.

I had a hard time with this book. The premise was intriguing but something missed the mark. I had a hard time staying engaged with the audio so I feel like I missed important points in the story. Overall it was entertaining but perhaps better consumed in print!

spec-fiction, political-thriller, secrets, lies, intrigue, news-media, newspapers, satire, hyperbole, obsession, election-insanity, contemporary, TV-personality, candidates, mud-slinging, celebrities, factions, fiction, sardonic*****

This is a fiction about what could be the last election in US history. Think of it as a cautionary/morality tale if you wish, but I pretty much laughed my sox off at its absurdities and spot on behavioral antics. Can't assess the longevity of it because there are so many current celebs and "influencers" endemic to the tale, but I really enjoyed it.
Audio is expertly performed by Jonathan Todd Ross who is a filmmaker, Voiceover Artist, Narrator.
I was delighted with my good fortune! First I won a print copy from a Goodreads Giveaway/Akashic Books (I shared it with another bibliophile because of current vision issues). THEN after I had requested it, I received a temporary audio from RB Media/Recorded Books via NetGalley. Many thanks to all!

The Last Election is an insider's look about where American politics is threatening to go, from a very credible source who's been there . Andrew Yang is a former disruptive techie candidate championing universal basic income and other popular ideals, much like the fictional candidate.
As the grueling campaign goes on, the independent candidate takes enough votes from the blowhard Republican and the effete Democrat, an Electoral College crisis emerges, and a plot to leverage it threatens to end democracy as we know it.
Told with an insider's perspective into campaign and journalism machines and stresses, this entertaining novel pulls back the curtain onto how the system is broken, much like Yang's candidacy.

I just couldn’t get into it. Mainly because of the narrator. I couldn’t pay attention. Maybe if I read it, it would be better. But this just isn’t it for me audio version wise.

This book seems to be just a little too close to home, but I'm really hoping it is pure fiction. I thought it was a little hard to keep track of some of the characters, however it is probably as I was listening to the audiobook and could not go back and review things which is one negative to listening to a book opposed to reading it. In some ways it took a little time to figure out what was happening and how the stories interconnected, although I think that issue also could have been resolved by reading a book instead of listening to it. For those that enjoy political thrillers, this might fit the bill.l

The narrator is speed reading rather than presenting the story. I tried, but I simply could not listen. Maybe it’s a good tale, certainly seems timely, but impossible to listen to.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thankyou netgalley for the arc copy of this book for honest review.
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I got to be honest, the only thing that it doesn’t have a stars as much as I like to is the genre. It doesn’t have thriller into it but yet it’s a good story if you love stories about the democrat or government. To be honest I’m lost at some point .
This book is not for me I’m afraid ☺️


❤️shaye.reads

This wasn’t a political thriller as much as a warning and swan song for our increasing loss of democracy.

I am the perfect audience for this book as I am super interested in politics, used to live in DC, volunteered in a campaign headquarters office, volunteered in security at a National Convention, and knocked on doors in Iowa. I’m also a fan of the politician Andrew Yang and some of his ideas about the economy and policy. [However, it's not entirely clear to me that the author of this book is or isn't that Andrew Yang.] As such, I see that this book presents a serious potential problem. Even without the challenge of a third party, the problems and terrors presented in the book are possible.

The question isn’t “is this what the founding fathers intended,” but rather, “how well did the founding fathers set up a system of government that could change with changing times and resist corruption,” or even “how have we weakened democracy by allowing increasing corruption in government?”

Also, despite the large number of characters, and multiple viewpoints in the book, I got attached to Martha and was interested in some of the other perspectives as well.

My only complaint is that I think the book was a bit unfair to the Democratic Party and the realities of the numbers of progressives and centrist American voters necessitating the lackluster governing that’s happening. The system is a large part of the problem, but realistically so are the voters and nonvoters.

Thank you, Netgalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story was pretty realistic and I thought it was so interesting that Andrew Yang was a Presidential Candidate. There was nothing thriller based in this story, just lots based on politics. I do think it is obvious as to what party Yang is for based on the bias of opinions in this book. A few points were made for each side, but overall, he made one party out to be so much worse than the other. It did highlight the flaws of the Electoral Collage which I thought was interesting. Overall, it was okay, not anything super special.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Andrew Yang, Stephen Marche, and Recorded Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Debut thrillers can be highly exciting, especially when they focus on politics. There is something about the unpredictability of the subject matter that can keep a reader on their toes. Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche present a chilling political thriller that could easily have ramifications on the upcoming 2024 presidential election, exposing harsh truths and reading the tea leaves with ease. Yang and Marche offer up a strong ‘what if’ option and espouse that it is not too far from the current situation in the country. As the reader follows along the intense presidential election campaign, they are forced to see just how realistic the authors have painted the options and what could await us, should the public tire of the traditional system. A great thriller that kept me thinking and proved painfully possible in an era of public involvement.

The upcoming presidential election will have many key players, none as important as Mikey Ricci and Martha Kass. Ricci has seen the circus that the 2016 and 2020 campaigns turned out to be, wishing that he could change the system to ensure America gets a leader in which it can be proud. Kass has an intriguing job with the New York Times, overseeing their tip line and with access to so many secrets, she is never sure what she ought to do.

Ricci may have found his solution, as he agrees to take on the campaign manager job for a third-party candidate, running as the Maverick Party. The candidate is frank and open about his past, as well as what he wants to see for America in the future. The great difference is that it is so much from what is currently being espoused by the two main parties, which appears to be garnering a great deal of interest and support at all levels. A refusal to backdown and a sense that America needs a push in another direction, the campaign’s theme remains ‘unfuck America’. Ricci finds himself butting heads with many in the political realm and not worrying about the fallout, sure that he may have found the man who will change things forever. Dark money pours in and the momentum leading to Election Day is like nothing anyone has seen before.

At the same time, Kass comes upon a credible tip that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been mulling over a power grab in the upcoming presidential election. While not yet ready to call it a coup, they are worried about what will happen and can only hope that there will be a chance to keep America on the right path. With the Maverick Party gaining ground all across the country, the likelihood of political chaos once the ballots are counted and the Electoral College results emerge remains high. It would appear seizing power is looking more likely each to ensure a peaceful move into the next four years.

As things unfold and the campaign reaches its zenith, Ricci and Kass become allies in an unlikely way. Watching America turn on itself and buck the trends is only the beginning in a political atmosphere rife for chaos. With it unlikely that anyone will capture the needed 270 Electoral College votes, it all comes down to the hushed plan Kass has heard about. Will someone actually try to wrest power away from the elector? Can Congress handle the weighty job of breaking the logjam? How will people accept the unconventional way of determining a new leader, using a system that has only been gathering dust in textbooks? Yang and Marche posit this and many other things in this well-paced novel that sends chills up the spine of any with an interest in political thrillers.

There is no doubt that Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche have a powerful piece on their hands. Yang, a former presidential candidate, has some inside knowledge about how the system works and can only wonder if his ideas could come to fruition. A strong narrative basis not only guides the book, but provides a strong direction for what occurs throughout. There is a frankness to the book that is only possible when the foundation of the story is strong enough to keep it upright. Characters emerge throughout that are not only relatable, but also highly intriguing and keep the reader’s attention. The authors seek not to create candidates who are spotless or an electorate who care only about fiscal values or policy shifts, but the real issues that come to the dinner table. These people are peppered throughout the book and resonate repeatedly. The plot twists emerge without stopping, being both surprises and utterly expected results in equal measure. The authors have found the perfect balance to the fictional writing project and foreshadowing what could be coming down the pipeline, leaving the reader to wonder where the line might be. This is both a highly entertaining read and something that could really be a wake-up call to many, which is why I enjoyed it so much. I will have to wait and see what comes of the election south of me, as the world watches to see the sort of circus that is sure to come.

Kudos, Messrs. Yang and Marche, for this scintillating piece of political possibilities.

I wish I could give fractional stars, because this really is a solid 3.5 - but rounding that up to a 4 didn't feel honest, so I rounded down to a 3. Here's the good:

* Very timely - this will be a cathartic anger read for anyone left-leaning through the upcoming presidential election,

* Educational, in a way people can absorb - by weaving it into the story, Yang makes an understanding of how elections are really decided accessible to Americans. A lot of people could use the explanation of electoral colleges and contingent elections, so that's great.

* On a line level some of the sentences and images are really strong.

<spoiler> * Some of the scenes are really well done, for example the shooting at the election - I could see it, I felt the terror, it felt real, but it was mercifully non-voyeuristic and didn't become trauma porn.<spoiler>

* It touches on a lot of really real things and is basically the opposite of an escapist read.

* Yang's near-future dystopia is very realistic and the way he maps it out is believable.

* Strong finish.

Cons:

* Verrrrry heavy-handed messaging. It turned this into more of a lecture with a story overlayed on top than a novel.

* There were times when the book really dragged and if I hadn't received the audiobook as an ARC I would have stopped reading.

* There was so much potential for emotional resonance that fell short. I think that's for two reasons:

First, a lot of the rhetoric echoes existing rhetoric (our journalists are so doom and gloom sometimes and speak in such extreme terms that it took a while for the stakes of last election to feel real - I wanted to see what that'd really mean and how that'd be enacted, because I couldn't simply believe the politicians in the story when they claimed that.

Second, I didn't really connect to any of the individual characters. I wondered what that was, but I think Mikey's line towards the end sums it up: "everything I love just died." It seems they only love democracy and while that's noble and important, that makes it hard as a human to connect. None of their interpersonal relationships felt very important to them and so the stakes and the room for connection lowered for me.

In a story, I want to root for (or at least, care about) someone. In this book there was no individual who really was that character for me.

Overall I think this book is a good read for Americans during the election, but I think it'll have flash in the pan success. It's not a book I'll read over and over.

The audiobook reader was great!

The story here was really good and scarily realistic. This was a fictional hot-take on what could potentially happen in the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election. It was written by former 2020 Presidential candidate Andrew Yang, so there’s a lot of real insight and political jargon in this book, which for some who aren’t very active in politics could be confusing. It really dives deep into the flaws of the American Electoral College system and two-party system.

I’m giving 4 stars because this book is marketed as a “political thriller” and it’s BARELY a thriller. I feel as though that was a bit of a deceptive marketing scheme to get more people to pick up a political fiction novel. I however still did really enjoy the story.