Matthew J. Beier's "The Rise of Jonathan Flite" is a thought-provoking and mind-bending exploration that delves into the complexities of memory, reality, and the far-reaching consequences of questioning the fundamental truths of existence. This gripping sequel continues Jonathan Flite's journey into the unknown, captivating readers with its intriguing premise and challenging societal norms.

Since the suicide bombing at his mother's press conference, Jonathan Flite has become a phenomenon, his alleged "past-life memories" of Idle County Seven sparking curiosity and controversy. Beier skillfully weaves a narrative that takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of uncertainties, with Jonathan's claims challenging societal norms and catching the attention of religious extremists and media queen Alice Winterblume alike.

The inclusion of real-world events, such as the nuclear terrorist attack in Geneva and physicist Rebecca Sparks' controversial Theory of Everything, adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative. The interplay between past and present creates a compelling web of connections, leaving readers on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds.

What makes "The Rise of Jonathan Flite" stand out is its exploration of deep-held beliefs about life, death, and reality. The crumbling walls of societal norms, fueled by Jonathan's stories about the Idle County Seven, lead to a profound examination of the nature of existence. The narrative skillfully challenges the reader's own perceptions, inviting them to ponder the boundaries of what they consider reality.

Beier's writing style is immersive and thought-provoking, capturing the intricacies of philosophical and scientific debates while maintaining a captivating storyline. The characters, especially Jonathan, are well-developed, adding emotional depth to the narrative and ensuring readers remain invested in their journeys.

As the links between the past and present converge, "The Rise of Jonathan Flite" becomes a thrilling and intellectually stimulating read. Matthew J. Beier has crafted a sequel that lives up to the expectations set by its predecessor, inviting readers to question their own understanding of the world. If you enjoy narratives that challenge conventional thinking and explore the realms of possibility, this book is a must-read, deserving of its four-star rating.

Once again we are in the disturbing yet definitely compelling world of Jonathan Flite. This is book #3 in this series and it's just as engrossing as the last two. I would not recommend anyone read this series out of order. The stories all connect and arc across books as Jonathan reveals more of the Idle County seven, a group of young people who disappeared in 2010, ten years before Jonathan was born. Matthew J Beier has manged to connect all three books as if you were reading them all at once. I kept flipping back and forth to look for clues only to find Jonathan's revelations could not have been predicted. This book is for those readers who love how a story can build and build until suddenly........no, I'm not telling more. Read it for yourself.

I received the 3 books of this series from Netgalley as ARCs. It has taken me a long time to get round to this final one in the series.

The book moves backwards and forwards in time From the early 2000's to an almost mid century setting and covers from both before and after Jonathan Flite murdered his nurse.
Whilst the series has been interesting this final book with it's meandering time line is unnucessarily complex and difficult to follow at times. I feel like thauthor has thrown everything in his arsenal into a narrative that would have benefited from a little less in the way of weaponry.

It is about 200 pages longer than it needed to be. I am glad that i have eventually completed the series but feel that the ending leaves perhaps as many questions as answers.

This is one of the most complex and expansive books I've had an opportunity to read. I read the first two books after they languished on my shelf for a while. I had since forgotten that this would be a longer series and when I saw this next, I ended up reading it early enough that I won't be able to read the next any time soon!
Although this was a good solid book, I felt like parts of it were iterations of what we already knew, and I did not enjoy the twists as much as the previous two. I still look forward to the next, but still.
There are so many paths to this story that it is hard to describe the meandering routes that the narrative takes, but since I have tried before, I will try again.
I would never recommend reading this without reading the previous ones. However, given the back and forth nature of things, if you are adventurous, you can actually read them out of order.
There are a few people who are in the present time, telling us the unfolding of events and some of the things they are uncovering. Parallelly, we are shown events that may or may not be related to the revelations that we saw. Every time I thought I got what had occurred, I found myself interested in yet another issue that had not been resolved yet. This is not for the impatient reader. There is nothing there for someone who needs all the answers as soon as possible. With each chapter, sometimes we dig ourselves deeper into an issue.
This focuses a lot more on the particular section of the past when the people who believed in ghosts started to voice their views, and the concept of the moon woods helping channel that energy is further inspected. Moon woods is the area where a bunch of teenagers disappeared (that story will get revealed in this instalment). Many years later, a boy is born with all their memories, and this drives him to lash out. He has since been punished for his crimes, and he wants to help uncover the truth with his band of friends and family. There have always been these other people in the background working silently on the issue and now have general support to bring their investigation to light.
At one point, there was a blanket statement that said all religious texts were anti-science, which is not exactly true, but it works for the plotline, so it does not matter that much.
A lot of introspection and retrospection go along with the plotline, letting us invest a lot more in the individuals that make up this whole story. I have only read fantasy fiction with wars and magic that has this kind of a reach. Times overlap and information add on layer by layer, even when you think there's nowhere else to go. It should feel chaotic, but it did not!
I would like to know how much more story there is left in this series because there are supposedly going to be many more books.
I would recommend this to readers who want to try something different, but once with a little patience if they want to see this through to the end(however unique that's going to be)!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The Rise of Jonathan Flite is the third in the series and starts off directly where book two ends, so will be confusing if you have not read at least the one before this. It continues with the theme of life being not quite as we know it.

Jonathan’s memories of the Idle County seven are still hot news, and after the suicide bombings at his mother’s press conference the previous year, the extremists against his suggestions of alternate lives and realities are out in full force. Through Jonathan, we learn how two of the “seven”, Elijah and Molly, became friends, and discoveries that are made regarding family and a missing body. We also share Lyndsey’s out-of-body experience, and clues from the previous book begin to make more sense. These memories of life paths only add fuel to the fire of those who refuse to accept the possibilities of the type of reincarnation Jonathan is proposing.

Add to this that Jonathan’s story is being made into a documentary and it seems someone doesn’t want this to happen. Then, of course, there is Victor Zobel, who they now believe orchestrated the Geneva attack, who seems to have links to the seven. And why is it that people have strange experiences when approaching his estate? Don’t forget Rebecca Sparks, the mind-reading physicist whose ideas about life, religion, reincarnation, and Jonathan’s memories is still in the mix and changing up opinions.

This book is just as convoluted and moves between past and present and between different characters’ viewpoints. Once you get into the rhythm though, the action is fierce and so much information is actually imparted that a lot of the “side” stories (which could probably have books of their own) seem to be superfluous – until they are not! There are so many questions still left unanswered and I have a feeling that in the last four books, many more will be offered too. This is a thrilling series and well worth reading.

This book had me intrigued the entire way through. I loved the story and where it took us. I'm intrigued to see what happens when Zobel and Jonathan meet. Maybe that'll be in the next book. I wonder how much more this series can go on. I'm here for it though.

This book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it by the end. It was a little slow to get going and a lot of characters to get to know in the beginning but by the end I was totally hooked. Sometimes, when a book reveals an important plot point in the very beginning of the book, it entirely ruins the rest of the book for me. That was not the case with this book. There were still plenty of twists and turns, I grew to love and hate some characters, and I was totally into the metaphysical system that Beier creates in 'The Rise of Jonathan Flite'. I can't wait to read more in this series. I would recommend this to anyone that likes ghosts, morally grey characters, serial killers, found family, mind reading, and multiple POVs and timelines.

As for the 2 previous books in the series, there is no time to breathe between twists and turns and revelations in this tome. The author once again takes us deep into his twisted detective hunt to find out what happened to the 7 kids by following one of them interacting with friends and family. The bag guys are really evil until somehow they may not be what they seem. While I'm excited to know how things will further develop, it seems like each book will be dedicated to one of the vanished teenagers and I'm not sure I want to read 7 books following the same format to get to the end of one mystery. Even though there are actually more than one mystery we are following, it's exhausting to run after hints and hunches only to ram into a wall of secrets surrounding the woods. I really liked how the story of Nathalie was told, with softness and care instead of crude details.

The Rise of Jonathan Flite is book 3 in the Jonathan Flite series. While it was not quite as mind-blowingly awesome as the first two, it still was very good. This one really followed Jonathan and his mother much of the time, with some Molly, Elijah, and Lindsey mixed in as well. It starts right where the last one left off so it might be a bit confusing to those who did not read the first two books. You really should read the first two books, they are fantastic. Anyway, this one was a bit slower pace but still answered some important questions. The ghosts are making frequent appearances whenever bad things are happening to our main group. We also find out a bit more about Victor and what happened to the missing kids. and some of the past lives of characters. I absolutely love this series and can't wait to read more.

I loved this book just as much as the first one! Along with Jonathan we are following another of the Idle County Seven, Elijah. Jonathan is trying to figure out what he should do now that he has been released from the institution, deciding if he should actually be telling the world what he knows about the missing teenagers. Elijah is meeting Molly Butler for the first time when she saves him from some bullies, and they form a fast friendship. Especially when he goes into the moon woods and uncovers something that leads him and Molly to his biological mother.. and also to a body..

Jonathan Flite is making people question what they believe.. what happens after we die? how on earth could someone have the memories of 7 different people that went missing before he was even born?.. We are uncovering some of the mysteries that were left from the first installment, but left with so many more questions that have me itching to dive into the third and final book in this series..

I can't wait to see what Jonathan Flite is going to reveal next, and which one of the Idle County seven we will be follwing next!

Continuing the story of Jonathan Flite, Beier concentrates on another of the Idle County Seven while also following Jonathan's life as he is released from the mental institution where he has spent the last ten years. I love this series! I am incredibly fascinated by what happened to Molly Butler and her friends. This installment, set in 2005, really focuses on Elijah Bryce and how he became friends with Molly. The adventure that they share is one which ultimately leads to their disappearance in 2012. While Jonathan is relating the tale of Elijah, he is also desperately trying to keep his family and friends safe from the person(s) who orchestrated the nuclear bombing of Geneva and the previous attempts on his life.

Again, this is an amazing book. I love it and really want the other four novels planned to be published immediately. Usually book #2 in a series is ok, but not great. Beier does not need to worry about that here. By focusing on another one of the teens who dissapareared, the reader is able to get a broader sense of the mysteries of Idle County. I have a feeling that each book will tackle one of the teens. While some of the mysteries are solved with this chapter, others continue to be developed and explored in future installments. But there is no sense of frustration, other than wanting to rad all the books at once.

Really really interesting I had great fun going into this and of course - coming out too! The characters were great as was the writing and I will for sure keep an eye out for Beiers writing in the future!

It's been a good few years since I read the last book,and usually I can't remember what I read last week.
This however,threw me straight back into the world of Jonathan and all that comes with it.
It's as hectic as the last books,going back and forth in time,with a big cast of characters.
It's also as compulsive reading as the previous ones.

When I got to the end and read the about the author bit,I was very pleased to see we have a few more installments to come.