Rating: 
Summary: The Antichrist lives again.
Review: .
It is the midpoint of the End Times when the Antichrist must die. Who kills him? It is an excellent question with wonderful foreshadowing as tension builds. John the Revelator's Prophecy states that the Antichrist will be killed by a sword, so LeHaye and Jenkins added a gun named the Sword. Will it be the bullet or blade?
In death, Nicolae Carpathia is displayed in a crystal coffin for the predicted three days. Over four million people make the journey to New Babylon to cry over their beloved leader and millions more watch the non-stop television presentation. Beside this man is a twenty-four foot bronze statue that belches black smoke and demands submission and commitment from everyone. Replicas will be in all major cities, and if one does not bow to the graven image, it means death.
When Carpathia comes back to life on the third day, he breaks out of the crystal coffin, there is but one thought -- he is god. This is the Indwelling when Satan takes full control of the man. Whereas Nicolae kept his satanic prayers in private and did not blatantly destroy those who opposed him, now the beast is ready to acquire as many souls as possible in the time left. The stature given by his faithful is enhanced when he calls forth his own dead prophet.
Each member of the Tribulation Force faces personal dilemmas and seeks to find others whose faith is not in Carpathia. Safe houses are blown, new places and new characters are added and do add to the depth of the force as well as add foreshadowing. It is pure action and seems to have a solid background in Biblical knowledge, especially in the accounts of God's judgments.
You cannot start reading this series by starting in the middle. Each book builds upon the previous one, and if you have read this far into the series, you will not stop. I made sure I had the next one when I read so that I felt the continued pressure and involvement.
There are many who will not like any of the reviews of this or the other eleven books because they do not like the series or the ideas presented. It is their right. There are many interpretations about the Book of Revelations, and I happen to enjoy this series very much. Still, nothing is perfect, but the pleasure and heart racing action are worth five stars to me.
Victoria Tarrani
Rating:
Summary: Better than people give it credit for
Review: A lot of the reviews I have read of these books tend to put it down by comparing it to other end of the world books. And while I will admit that these are not as smart or engaging as some of the the better books that cover the same topic like Fire of Heaven or We All Fall Down, I still really enjoyed them. A friend introduced me to the first book and I cut through all 12 books over the past two months. In a way, it's not really fair to compare them to some of the other books because they are trying to do different things. Left Behind seems to me to try to simply tell a great story about the end of the world. It's light, but what's wrong with that? I really felt like I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next when I finished a book and the very next day would order the next one. I call that a success. A book like We All Fall Down is obviously much more intense and thoughtful, the characters seem much more like real people, and it gives you more to think about, but why does that make Left Behind bad? Can't The Ten Commandments and The Passion both be good movies?
Rating:
Summary: Better than people give it credit for
Review: A lot of the reviews I have read of these books tend to put it down by comparing it to other end of the world books. And while I will admit that these are not as smart or engaging as some of the the better books that cover the same topic like Fire of Heaven or We All Fall Down, I still really enjoyed them. A friend introduced me to the first book and I cut through all 12 books over the past two months. In a way, it's not really fair to compare them to some of the other books because they are trying to do different things. Left Behind seems to me to try to simply tell a great story about the end of the world. It's light, but what's wrong with that? I really felt like I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next when I finished a book and the very next day would order the next one. I call that a success. A book like We All Fall Down is obviously much more intense and thoughtful, the characters seem much more like real people, and it gives you more to think about, but why does that make Left Behind bad? Can't The Ten Commandments and The Passion both be good movies?
Rating: 
Summary: The Indwelling
Review: As many of you have also done, I waited for months to read this next addition to the Left Behind series. While I found the "action" to be somewhat lacking, the book flowed very nicely. To make the prophetic facts seem more real to me, I enjoy keeping my Bible next to me and looking them up as they occur. One important thing to remember about this series is that it is FICTION based on FACT of what will happen when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes again to claim his children. You can make fun of the characters as much as you want to, but what would any of us do who were put in the same situation? This is a battle of good vs. evil; if you lose, you die. While dying as a Christian means eternity in heaven, I can't think of anyone who actually looks forward to death. During the tribulation, the only two things that will matter will be witnessing for Christ and survival. I praise Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins for their lifelike casting of the Trib Force. Here are perfect examples of sinners, just like me, who were saved by putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The authors are not afraid to make the characters human, like Rayford and Chloe. Both had strong, sinful desires that show them for what they are -- sinners saved by grace. I can't wait until this fall to read the next book. Hopefully, Jesus will return before then and we, who are truly born again, can leave this old world behind. I also highly recommend Are We Living in the End Times. This is written by the same authors. If you are like me, this book will send chills up your spine when you see how close we truly may be to the rapture! Hopefully, it will spur you as it did me to be a better witness for Christ!
Rating:
Summary: Indwelling Dwells on Me
Review: Every time I read the latest book in the series, I find that the plot literally dwells in my mind. This, in turn, raises questions I feel I need to address in my own life. This particular book, The Indwelling, raised some interesting questions I had not yet answered in my own life:
1. Am I taking responsibility for my fellow man, those closest to me and praying for them, helping them even though I don't like what they are doing? The characters of Hattie and Chaim and the Tribulation Force's continued efforts to help them really brought the lack of that spirit within me to light.
2. Being human, I get angry, and could see myself plotting to kill some scumbag like Carpathia even though I know he's just going to be raised from the dead. I identify with Rayford and his guilt feelings when he finally owns up to the fact that he was trying to control events instead of letting God guide him. Hmmmm. I needed that reminder.
3. Having to live during the tribulation would probably set a lot of people crazy. Me included. (I'm supremely grateful that I am saved and know that I can rely on God's grace to get me through such a time). My curiosity is tweaked, however, when I try to imagine people I know in the same situations. The characters being a tad bit out of character in this book seemed to go right along with the situation. Chloe has maternal instincts which are vibrating on "protect" mode in this book as she faces the possibility of Carpathia's forces finding her and her child in the safe house. Would she surrender the child or resort to murder to protect the baby from worse? What would you do? And here is the biggest message of all: Quit worrying about it, that's God's job!
4. I also find myself consistently wondering and dwelling upon the most important question: Will the things I do and say today have enough of a good influence on those around me that I might help them not be left behind? Unfortunately, I also find myself consistently coming up short on this answer. But that is the beauty of these books. They tweak your brain cells and get your soul involved. The end result has be to be better than the beginning.
I found this book to have the best written dialog compared to the previous books in the series. The first book suffered horribly from the stiffness of the dialog at time. However, I have noticed that I, too, become a little stiff when I try to talk about God. In this society, today, it is very difficult to talk to unbelievers, and when I look at that, I find the dialog a little easier to take. It is definitely coming along though and I didn't find the dialog grating on my nerves in "The Indwelling".
The conversion of one of the main characters left me in tears. This scene was movingly written and stayed with me for quite some time after reading it. I hope the same happens to all those I love and all those I don't love.
I can't wait for the next book!
Rating: 
Summary: A failure
Review: I am an ardent believer in Christ, but that does not mean that anything written about Christianity should be endorsed and embraced regardless of its quality. I have read all 12 of these novels and they simply aren't very good. The writing is poor, the plot unimaginative, and there certainly isn't anything in these books that will cause a Christian to re-examine and thus more fully embrace our beliefs. Look, I don't doubt that the authors had the best intentions with these books, but quality has to count for something. There are better alternatives out there. Try We All Fall Down by Caldwell. It's well-written and extreimly intelligent. If you're going to read about Christianity, read something that is worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Long wait for a disappointment
Review: I eagerly awaited the next installment in this series, but have to admit I was disappointed with "The Indwelling." Although it "reads" very well, the book only covers three days. The consequences of the wounds suffered by the Antichrist are either not mentioned or are not biblically accurate, something that surprised me coming from these two biblical authorities. There was the usual jetting around the world we have seen in the previous books...one wonders where DO they get the money for all the jet fuel and planes they wreck?Their new headquarters needs a better explanation. Either it has a roof with solar cells, or it doesn't. If it has been cut in half, how can a helicopter land on it? The hero, Capt. Steele, was left as a simpering, indecisive leader. How and why did this happen? I found it long on detail, but not the helpful kind. Get it and read it, but don't have high expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Woulda coulda shoulda...
Review: I know about eight hundred other people have said this, but there is no reason whatsoever that this book couldn't have been combined with Assassins. There were no more than four events that absolutely needed to be said---everything else was literally filler. The writing is at its most pedestrian; the beginning has an extremely ham-handed reference to abortion (and I'm as pro-life as they get). Such an interesting part of the Revelation prophecy; the book could've been so much better than it was.
Rating: 
Summary: Momentary Lag in the Series
Review: I've completed the series Left Behind. Although The Indwelling is a necessary bridge into the next volume, the action in this volume seriously "put the brakes" on the momentum of the rest of the series. It's a must read for those wanting to keep up with the series but be prepared that it is not the page turner that you are expecting. Fear not, the momentum picks up again with the next book.
Rating:
Summary: More tribulation, please!
Review: I've read comments on this book that complain about the padding - the spacing out of one dramatic event per book. (This time it's the indwelling of Carpathia by Satan, not that I expect his behavior to change much, since it's not as if the character was given any depth beforehand. In fact, now that I think of it, I wonder why the authors have never written from Carpathia's viewpoint. Or, for that matter, the viewpoint of any non-saved character. Wouldn't it be interesting to actually get inside, say, Chaim's interior turmoil rather than hearing him say "I am too stubborn to convert" a zillion times before finally converting in a moment of duress? But I digress.) I don't care about the pacing; I just want something interesting to happen between biblical events. Or perhaps my idea of what would be interesting is way off the spirit of this series. For all I know, the authors intended Chloe's "struggle" with whether or not to kill Kenny to be a searingly dramatic look into Chloe's soul. Could it be that our favorite 22 year old mom and Stanford dropout is not perfect? GOLLY! (I am more certain that they did not intend a South Park reference.) I appreciate the effort, but as someone with secular tastes, I found it pretty undramatic. I mean, it's not as if "GC" forces were knocking down the door. She's sitting around chatting with Tsion when she declares she's ready to off Kenny rather than let him fall into GC hands. Of course, as I understand the theology, once you're saved, you're saved, so she'd be set for the Glorious Appearing anyway. But maybe I'm wrong. And speaking of filler - I can't begin to recall the number of times drama has involved taking off in an airplane or having oneself saved by the fortunate appearance of God's wrath (locusts, spirit horsemen, etc.) How about the inherent drama of, oh, I don't know, living in a country where the infrastructure has got to be shot? At this point, since about a third of the world's population has been killed and the water routinely turns to blood (about a quarter of it, I think, which must make showers no fun), our characters should be having trouble finding food and medicine and fuel. Instead, they fly around the world and RENT CARS! I half expected Chloe to go shopping with Kenny in a doublewide stroller at the mall! Still, I look forward to the Satanic bar codes of THE MARK.
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