A Gaggle of Book Reviews

Flight: A Quantum Fiction Novel, is a unique novel written by Vanna Bonta and newly released audio book, read by the author. She describes the book thusly, “Flight is an adventure of multiple realities”. This is a novel that takes science fiction and fantasy to a different level, to a new world called quantum fiction. Flight blurs the lines between the mundane world and alternate reality, all the while delving into questions of existence and the power of thought. The author describes this new genre:

quantum fiction is literature that embodies the new physical or quantum universe. It involves the view of reality as a multi-dimensional experience in which reality is subjectively seen and uncertainly known.

In Flight, Bonta has created two incredibly unique main characters – Mendel and Aira. Mendle J. Orian is a science fiction writer who is pulled deeply into his books. Aira’s character in Mendle’s novel is a “light being”, able to change forms at will, using thoughts rather than words to convey thoughts and influence others. As Mendle is writing Aira Flight’s story, he starts to see Aira in his mind, starts sketching her, and begins to fall in love with his creation, separating himself further from his demanding ex-girlfriend. Mendle starts to find surprising coincidences between what he is writing and what is happening in “real life”. After Mendle has written that Aira and her companion Onx were sent from their dimension into another as corporeal beings, a stray vegetarian dog appears in the hotel and a woman with amnesia (who happens to look like his character sketch) appears in Mendle’s hotel room bathroom during a Sci Fi convention. He names the new beings in his life Onx and Aira Flight after his characters, and because of their lack of a past – seeming to just appear in his hotel. Are they really the individuals he had written about, or are they from somewhere else?

Vanna Bonta is both a writer and a voice-over actor, and her skills are well utilized in this work. Bonta gives each character a unique tone, bringing an extra depth to all of them as she pulls us into her world. While using a third person narrative, Bonta is able to delve into the thoughts of each character, helping the listener or reader get invested in the world that she has created. The combination of the sound effects of typing and Bonta’s voice keep each character completely unique, a challenge in many audio books. Many authors choose to use vocabulary and language aimed at a 5th level, but Bonta’s word choices in Flight challenge the reader, rather than talking down to readers. As the story continues, she interweaves scientific terms and jargon, which validates Mendle’s theories and further pulls us into the story.

The storylines of Mendle and Aira are running parallel as the novel begins, and when their lives merge we begin to find unusual coincidences between life and the written word. These “coincidences” lead us to many questions as we listen to the novel: Is Aira really Mendle’s character, or is she just an amnesiac who happens to have no bellybutton? Which came first, Aira or Mendel’s writing? What is reality? Are there other dimensions? Are coincidences “just” coincidences? In quantum physics, thoughts affect answers, and you can become like Mendle, “surrounded by his own imagination come to life”.

While the Flight audio book is over 16 hours long, don’t let that deter you from listening to the novel. Vanna Bonta’s voice is entrancing – quickly making an engrossing connection between the listener and the characters; her versatility as a voice actor brings a very realistic feel to the book. Readers or listeners will have difficulty putting down the story – eager to learn what happens next to all of the characters involved. Flight is amazingly positive, life-affirming book, filled with beauty. The combination of the characters, storyline, and Bonta’s voice make the audio book an intense and memorable experience. Flight will exert a magnetic pull on you, and you’ll be stuck on it, waiting for the sequel to be released!