Glorious Appearing: The End of Days (Left Behind #12)

Rating:
Summary: Had to read it 'cause I'd already read the other 11 books!
Review: I don't mean to slam LaHaye or Jenkins, because the series really was a good idea, however....
The series really dragged on towards the end - 8 books would have been plenty.
The theology is slavishly literal - even things that are obviously meant to be symbolic.
The characters are shallow and the writing is elementary.
The whole premise and execution becomes a caricature by the end. The writing is stilted and predictable.

I would recommend the Last Disciple by Brouwer as a much better written novel based on revelation prophecy - of course the theology is much different than LaHaye's

Rating:
Summary: Shouldn't have ended like this
Review: This is an overblown and long-winded description of the final days. Even when Jesus finally appears, it's an exciting chapter of the book, but you still have over a hundred pages to go before it's done. There's not much to read after that. You would think with the final book of the series, there would be more bang for your buck, but not here. Antichrist and the false prophet - Carpathia and Fortunato - who we've trudged along with for twelve books, are put away within a matter of paragraphs. I'm surprised the series went 12 books (12 tribes of Israel, I know, but still).

Jesus rarely speaks out of context, all He says are quotes from the Bible. I found myself skipping whole pages because that's all it was - quotes within quotes. It's not a good read when you're skipping pages. Don't look for anymore character exploration. The same old "biggest army ever" and "most converts ever" stuff is still in the book - old stuff if you've read all 12. The ending is very sparse without even a try of describing heaven. Clearly this book should have been written better, and it seems to me Jenkins wrote it to get the series over with. It's unfortunate that a book so hyped has to be so bad.

Rating:
Summary: Please, Oh PLEASE. . .
Review: . . .LET THERE BE A "No Star" OPTION!!!

These books have gotten worse and worse -- and "Glorious Appearing" is the worst of all.

The writing has deteriorated over the series -- and never was that good to begin with.

The characterizations have gotten worse and worse -- and never were convincing from the start. The characters are now little more than caricatures of themselves.

The "Dispensational Pre-millenialism" -- a 19th century EXTREME minority viewpoint -- has gotten thicker and thicker.

The anti-Catholicism has gotten more and more nauseating.

And finally -- it's all over. The series is DONE!

The picture we're left with at the end of the book is one which alternates between cloyingly "soap-opera" sweet and almost frighteningly vengeful. As a conservative Christian, I do believe that "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead" but here, you get the idea that Christ ENJOYS zapping the bad guys. (You also get the impression that the authors -- and readers who buy into their quasi-theology -- will also enjoy watching everyone who doesn't believe exactly as they do get zapped.)

My only fear? The Epilogue! A new series dealing with the release of Satan after the 1000 year reign? Don't bet against it!

Lousy. Absolutely lousy.

Rating:
Summary: The series ends with a fizzle
Review: This was by far the poorest book in the entire series. The series started out as a strong and creative interpretation of what Bible prophecies could mean, but also it was just plain great story-telling. It had an appeal to Christians and non-Christians alike because it was a good read. Somewhere along the line the authors lost the edge. It really shows in this final book, it is nothing more than page after page of direct scripture quotes and sorry attempts to tie together loose ends with side stories that read like afterthoughts. I never imagined the end times and return of Jesus could be portrayed to be so B-O-R-I-N-G!! It sounds more exciting in the Bible than in this horribly dry read.

Rating:
Summary: Writing leaves much to be desired
Review: My problem with this book is the theology but rather its tone and literary style. I find the characters and dialogue shallow and trite. Maybe it's the desire to engage with pop culture immersed Americans- but frankly the emotional reaction to the second coming of Christ is described way too casually. This book seems to be aimed at people with an eighth grade education. There is excellent Christian fiction out there- unfortunately this is not it.
I think this series has been stretched into 12 (plus?) books for commercial reasons despite clear literary flaws. I do commend the authors for taking echatology into the mainstream but as an avid reader, I am once again disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately most of these reviews are misleading you...
Review: ...Don't be alarmed that many of the reviews for this book are bashing Christianity questioning the validity of Jesus and history.

I submit two items for the educated of you to grasp when considering the previous reviews:

1) Book: Evidence That Demands a Verdict(Tell me if these non-believers ever really spent time reading a book such as below and then really could makes comments such as "No historical facts that Jesus ever existed" - hilarious - People choose to read kiddie Fiction such as the Left Behind series and make comments in vain - read some Adult stuff and pray for Salvation)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0785243631/103-3673777-6300623?v=glance

2) Jesus tells us to expect the world's denial and hatred

"When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? `A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you!" (NLT) John 15:18-20

Summary:

Ignore the callous souls who would discount this and the novels in this collection. They are well written and "Exciting" fiction for believers. That's just what they are - "Fiction". The Book of Revelation is very complex and interpretation is difficult. One thing is for certain, and should be noted - JESUS is coming again...

Rating:
Summary: The ultimate fantasy of right-wing America
Review: FLASHBACK: In Tom Clancy's novel, "Debt of Honor," a hijacked airliner slams into the U.S. Capitol, killing all the mediocre politicians and elevating Jack Ryan (our CIA hero) to the presidency. He then calls for new elections so that we can reshape the very nature of American democracy. No more compromising slimeballs. Instead, he insists that we choose Norman Rockwell cut-outs who will restore this nation to its "natural state" of goodness and rectitude. With a little help from the Marines, of course.

That was the secular version of the right-wing restoration fantasy. "Glorious Reappearing" is the religious version. Yes, the writing is horrible and the plot is wooden and the characters are completely one-dimensional. But I encourage you to read this clunker anyway -- not because it's good literature, but because it provides a window into the ultimate fantasy of right-wing America.

Beyond the authors' re-telling of the End Times saga (a topic about which theologians have been arguing for centuries), we learn the following juicy tidbits about their vision of the future:

1. America "will finally become a Christian nation."
2. Those saved by Jesus will come in all shapes and sizes, colors and ethnicities -- as long as they think and act exactly like middle-class white suburban American evangelicals. (BTW, no Catholics need apply.)
3. The United Nations (operating under a slightly different name) will finally be defeated.
4. False prophets and their followers will be exposed as the human refuse they are -- New Agers, government-loving liberals and over-educated globalists.
5. Jews will either convert or be consigned to eternal fire.
6. Non-believers will be wripped to shreds or torn up in some other ghastly way by the Prince of Peace.

As a Christian, I found this book to be nonsense. As a student of cultural history, it's a fascinating look at the intersection of right-wing politics and religious pseudo-prophecy in modern America. "Jesus is coming...and he's gonna stick it to all of those people who refuse to toe the line." Oh, joy.