Rating: 
Summary: Dissappointment Rising
Review: I've read the Left Behind series. In that series Lahaye provides the biblical backup to a good writer, it's a great series. When I saw a new title with him behind it, I was intrigued and interested in what he had to offer with this new series.I had my first reservations when the back cover of the book tells of how Lahaye is excited about this book, about how it's faster paced and all that jazz. Basically, this book Sucks. He tries to make it quick, gripping, exciting - any number of superlatives. At the heart is a truly dissappointing effort. He's created a biblical Indiana Jones, without the panache. I kept waiting for the good story to come out, but it never did. This is fast-reading, simple-reading, naval-lint fiction that left me wishing I had never cracked it, because I can't get those hours back! If you enjoyed Left Behind, leave this book behind and keep that good memory intact.
Rating:
Summary: Don't read this book
Review: Okay...I started reading this book, because I'm a fan of the genre. Within the first 5 chapters, this book angered me so completely, I nearly threw it out the window.
Professor Michael Murphy is a wannabe-Indiana Jones, who doesn't quite pull it off.
A prominent archeologist, who obviously knows nothing about archeolgy - during his search for the Brazen Serpent, he completely destroyed the integrity of an archeological site. (The cave where he finds the Tail, for those who've had the misfortune of reading the book, or for those who intend to do so)
During the same scene, he supposedly grabs the barrel of an AK-47, while it's "spitting dozens of rounds per minute".
I'm a private in the U.S. Army. I've never fired an AK-47, but I HAVE fired an M-16. The barrel of both weapons is metal. While firing on automatic, the barrel of the M-16 gets hot enough to burn your hand through a leather glove. (I know that through personal stupidity.) There is NO WAY Micheal Murphy could have grabbed the barrel of a firing AK-47 with his bare hand. Sorry, it's just not plausible.
And, as I said - that's at the very beginning of the book.
I'm tempted to write a letter to Tim Lahaye, and suggest that he research his facts a little more thoroughly before attempting to write another book.
I'm a 22 year old private with a high school diploma, and I saw holes in his story big enough to drive an 18-wheeler through. Imagine the frustration someone with a little more education would feel.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful continuation of Left Behind
Review: Once I reached the conclusion of The Glorious Appearing, I thought that the story was over. I was glad to see that Dr. LaHaye continues to keep our libraries growing. I have had the pleasure of reading both this book and Secret on Ararat, I can't wait for the next volume.
Thanks again Dr. LaHaye!
Rating:
Summary: Insulting
Review: The idea was interesting. That's the one star of this review. But as far as fiction goes, the rest is lacking in everything. Plot is ridiculous, characters are weak and unrealistic, dialogue is no stronger than a made-for-TV movie, and even more shocking.. there are countless grammatical mistakes littered throughout the novel.
If you are an intellegent person, your reading dollar belongs in better reading. Consider "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown, as this series seems to be a retaliatory effort gone horribly bad targeted at that eye-opener. I strongly urge you to pursue a more objective (and less ludicrous!) piece of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Not well written or researched
Review: There are several things about this book which lead me to recommend that you don't waste your time or money. I agree with many of the previous reviewers in that the characters lack any sort of development with the possible exception of Dr. McDonald. The dialog is flat and stilted. The plot is unbelievable in too many places. I counted up at least 10 places where the authors used implausible "cartoon science" more appropriate of Roadrunner cartoons than of the real world (e.g. tumbling irregular object "floating" in a blast of air in an open space requires some rather implausible fluid dynamics beyond the limitations of the passive ventilation systems documented for the pyramids of Egypt; incorrect destruction dynamics and damage from the explosion; the net as described would have collasped when Murphy fell into it from the roof; Laura's physiological survival and decline do not match up with the nature of her injury; the second falcon's dive at PFF takes less time than the 5 seconds it should have taken; bronze is cast and braised, not forged nor welded, and the bronze serpent would not break by merely being struck with a hammer, etc.). Some of the situations described in the book are equally as implausible (e.g., Murphy essentially trashes two archaeological sites with his early 19th century "dig and destroy" archaeological techniques - something no real archaeologist would do; sonar is for use in water, seismic and GPR are for use on land; any archer who has flown with their bow can tell you that no airline permits bow cases as carry-ons - bows must be checked; the serpent's head can't be lost for all time at the bottom of an "abyss" when it's clear that it will land in the bottom of the chamber; etc.). While the Left Behind series certainly suffered from cartoon science and implausible happenings, none of those books are anywhere near as sloppy as Babyon Rising in this regard. If you want a good Christian-oriented read, skip this book and pick up the Christ Clone trilogy.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely Christian Fiction
Review: This is the first novel of a new series written by the co-author of "Left Behind." The time is the present (before the events of Left Behind) and the characters are different. The main character, Michael Murphy, is a biblical archaeologist whose main goal in life is to find historical evidence supporting the biblical record. His latest goal is to locate the brazen serpent that Moses crafted in the wilderness in order to heal the people from their snake bites. The antagonists want that same serpent for more nefarious purposes. This results in, among other things, the murder of Murphy's wife.
This book needs about another 100 pages to flush it out. The pace of the action is breathtaking but a lot is left behind as a result. My suspension of disbelief meter was off the chart and because of that I would rate the book poorly in accomplishing its goal. Obviously LaHaye believes in the Bible and believes that it recounts true events but in writing such a poorly construed novel he undermines its credibility. Do Christians need to dream up such fanciful events to support their faith? Overall LaHaye fails in his goal which he states in a note to the reader: "fiction is a powerful way for me to share with readers some of what I find so completely fascinating about end times prophecies." He could learn something from Marshal McLuhan who said "the medium is the message."
Rating:
Summary: Far superior to the Left Behind Series and Soon
Review: Tim Lahaye chose a winner to co-author Babylon Rising. Greg Dinallo has added adrenalin, subtlety and clarity to Babylon Rising in ways that outshine both Left Behind, and Jerry Jenkins new SOON series. The main hero is Murphy, a loveable, sincere, driven, and action-prone biblical archeologist. His wife, Laura, is bright, supportive, and gifted in her own right. Additionally, Shari is his brightest student--a protege who brings youth, energy and commitment to the plot. Then there are the anti-heroes: A college dean who believes anything religious or biblical cannot be academic; Methuselah, a mystery man who keeps supplying Murphy with important artifacts, but who requires him to face deadly tests before each gifting; The Seven, a mystery cabal, who seek certain artifacts, so they can tap into their dark powers and, yes, rule the world. Finally, there is Talon, a hit man who loves his work, and brings much danger and heartache to Murphy. While the above cast may sound like they will come together in the same chaotic type plot we often found in Left Behind, the authors keep the storyline tight. I easily kept the characters in their places, and had a good grasp on what they were thinking at all times. Another plus, is that there are some wonderful subplots and tensions here. Murphy's relationship with a colleague named Isis is so subtle--I really want to know how they end up. Isis herself seems to change throughout the story--yet we are not completely sure what is happening. Bottom-line: This is the best of the Left-Behind spin-offs, and ranks near the top with other apocalyptic and supernatural thrillers such as the Fire of Heaven trilogy, the Christ Clone trilogy, and even Frank Peretti's novels. BUY, READ, SHARE AND DISCUSS!
Rating: 
Summary: Written in the style of The DaVinci Code
Review: Yes, if you liked the writing style of The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, you'll like this book. This is very much in the same style and pace, though of course completely different plot and viewpoint. I thought it was better and more plausible than Soon by Jerry Jenkins. Let's all hope that this will be a follow up series now that the Left Behind series is ending.
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