Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind #5)

Rating:
Summary: Swarm
Review: This book gives detail to every individual aspect of the story. Each character is brought to life as you read. You now what is happening just after it has happened you are always hungry for more. Gradually you get attached to each individual character as go through the story knowing the sorrow they feel. The world seems so hectic yet thereader relizes this would be an understatement of the position the wotld would be in.

Rating:
Summary: Little more action, but still way too preachy
Review: Our Tribulation Saints continue their war with the anti-christ in this fifth installment to the popular Left Behind series. The main storyline hear surrounds the speech given by Tsion Ben-Judah, a hunted man, at a packed stadium in Israel. His allies are also wanted by the Global Community, and they find themselves in a fight for their lives in their attempt to get away. Later, the story takes a Stephen King-like turn with the arrival of poisonous demon locusts who attack all of the unsaved. They are left, unable to die even if they wanted to, screaming and writhing in pain for nearly a year.

While the action is good for a while, prepare yourself for the Jennings and LaHaye to try and save your soul while reading this book. While the book itself is fiction, there's no doubt that the authors, and many of the readers, honestly believe it to be a forecast of what is to come in the world. That's lead to boring, unrealistic scenes of people "hitting their knees" and praying on impulse. Unless you're on TV preaching to the masses, I just don't see this happening, especially by people who took know interest in Jesus just two years prior. It's obvious that the author doesn't really know how to right for characters who aren't either a) extremely religious or b) extremely evil. For example, the character of Hattie has no debth to her. She's a whiny, unlikeable, little brat. Given the character's background, that's an unrealistic portrayal of her. How are we supposed to sympathize with a character like this? This is the problem with many of the characters in this book, no depth and one dimensional.

This is a good action novel, and a good religious novel, however the authors are preaching to the choir on this one. However, as a well-rounded novel, it barely deserves the 3 stars I've given it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Idea...Not-So-Great Writing
Review: I knew that these books were to be taken as fiction and not a building block for a biblical eschatology. I read them because I am a pastor and I knew that many of my church members would be reading this series and I wanted to have some idea as to what "all the fuss" was about. The first book was enjoyable, but each book in the series became progressively more predictable, shallow, and under developed. I made it to book 5, and by this time, the storyline had become a bit hard to swallow, even with ample grains of salt sitting on my shelf in very close proximity to this series. The fact that a group of "Tribulation Force" computer hacks were able to secure a website on a server somewhere in the world that could simultaneously handle millions of hits a day and elude detection by an enemy who controls virtually all telecommunication was a too much for me. Add to this the poorly written dialogue and run of the mill characters and you have a series which goes to show that securing a spot on the NY Times bestseller list only proves that Americans will buy anything.

Rating:
Summary: The Tribulation Grip Tightens, Sets the Stage to Eternity
Review: In 'Apollyon', book #5 in the 'Left Behind series' fulfills the prophecy of Revelation 9:6, "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them." The plague of demon locusts are released to torture the unsaved. Their description are hideous as written in Revelation 9:7-12. The appearance of the two witnesses for the first 1,260 days of the Tribulation [Revelation 11:3-4] with their power and impact will save many new believers from the AntiChrist. With the growing threats of the AntiChrist, Nicolae, the Tribulation Force gather in Israel for the Conference of Witnesses as written in Joel 2:28-32.

Rating:
Summary: The story moves too slowly. The characterization is poor.
Review: This fifth volume of the six volumes in the "Left Behind" series covers the preaching of the two witnesses and the first woe: "the release of the locusts." I found "Apollyon" interesting, but it contained too many side plots describing the lives of minor characters. In this volume "Apollyon," the authors do not write much about Nicolae Carpathia, Leon Fortunato, Peter the Second, or the ten rulers. These are the main villains, the ruling clique of the "Global Community." Not much is written about Dr. Tsion Ben-Judah and the two witnesses "Eli" and "Moishe." None of these characters are fully rounded out. I found myself skimming to pick up the main events. Some scenes are good, especially the speeches by Carpathia, because they gave me a glimpse of his inner malice, but the book doesn't go into much depth to develop any of the main characters. The two witnesses aren't characterized at all. They speak the old-fashioned English of the Bible. This doesn't help to characterize them into real people. I read this book out of curiosity, since it is a widely acclaimed best seller.

I'm familiar with the teaching of the rapture and tribulation but I find believing it very difficult. I believe many predictions in Revelation (especially the four winds and the three woes) were meant for the Judeans of Christ's time. They seem to me to be warnings of what will happen to those people if they fail to recognize the Messiah and try to defeat him. I also believe these predictions are presented in symbolic terms rather than meant to be taken literally. I researched this subject in considerable detail preparing for "Revelation and the Fall of Judea." Reading "Apollyon's" description of the two witnesses breathing fire that instantly vaporizes the flesh from their attackers then melts their weapons and crumbles their bones just leaves me wondering. Is this literally true? "Apollyon" describes the locusts as having six-inch metallic-like, indestructible bodies. They look like horses, but have two-part abdomens with an almost invisible stinger in their tails. They have horselike legs and wings. Their heads have a human-like countenance, lion-like teeth, and long hair like a woman. They constantly call the name "Abaddon" in Hebrew. They seem just too fantastic to be taken literally the way LeHaye and Jenkins describe them.

It's possible that the Gentile nations will be called to task for rejecting God's chosen one, when he is ready to make his second appearance, just like Judea was called to task when he made his first appearance. I believe this confrontation is coming, but not in such a literal way. Many of us may experience the whole thing without realizing what happened, just like many in Judea experienced the crucifixion, the resurrection, the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70, and the annihilation of the Judean nation in A.D. 135, with many of their descendants scattered all over the world not realizing why these things happened.

In spite of its shortcomings, I think "Apollyon" serves a good purpose because it gets people at least thinking about what God might really expect from them.

Rating:
Summary: The continuing story of those Left Behind...
Review: After reading "Conquest of Paradise" by Britt Gillette, I was instantly turned onto biblical end times literature, and I just started reading the Left Behind series. The first several books had me totally hooked. I read the first four in the last week or so.

In "Apollyon", named for the angel of the abyss from Revelation, a divine plague of demon locusts is unleashed on those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. While the rest of world is preoccupied with the plague, members of the Tribulation Force face a number of personal and faith-based crises. Buck and Chloe debate the morality of bringing a child into a world such as the one in which they live. Hattie Durham struggles with the future of her illegitimate child, the child of Nicolae Carpathia, the antichrist. Rayford struggles with his past, questioning the ultimate fate of his wife who disappeared during the rapture. In the midst of all these collective and personal struggles, many of the world's believers are communicating via the Internet, and they plan to meet in Jerusalem for a rally of the faithful. Such an outward display of faith sets them up for an inevitable confrontation with Carpathia'

I can't wait to find out what happens next. I look forward to reading books six through twelve, and I encourage other Left Behind fans to pick up "Conquest of Paradise: An End-Times Nano-Thriller" as additional reading. It's the book that got me into this series, and what a great book! What "Left Behind" lacks in realism, "Conquest of Paradise" adds in abundance. The prose is more advanced and the international politics are identical to the current world scene and the war on terror. Peppered with biblical verses, "Conquest of Paradise" will turn even the most hardened skeptics into believers, or at least it will make them think twice. It's one lovers of end-times fiction shouldn't miss.

Book six, "Assassins" continues the adventures of the Tribulation Force, and deals with the theological question of whether or not it's right to murder if one is murdering the antichrist. A very interesting question, and a book I look forward to tackling... Can't wait to read the rest!

Rating:
Summary: Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind Mo. 5)
Review: This was one of the most moving books in this series! I cried when I read the name of Chloe and Buck's baby. :'(

Rating:
Summary: The Pulp Is Starting To Fall Apart.
Review: Out of the first five books in the Left Behind series, APOLLYON is the second worst of those five (LEFT BEHIND, TRIBULATION FORCE, NICOLAE, and SOUL HARVEST). After having got back on track with NICOLAE and SOUL HARVEST, LaHaye and Jenkins have gone back to the terrible writing and bad storytelling that was dominant in TRIBULATION FORCE. APOLLYON should have been a great book, after all it takes its title from one of the Four Riders of the Apocalypse who in the book happens to also be in charge of an army of demon locusts. However, the book doesn't focus on that and its really nothing more than an afterword. The book does focus on the gathering of the witnesses, but even that crucial event in the series isn't as detailed and involved as it should have been. Besides that, the novel spends a bunch of time jumping back and forth between characters and killing off one of the most exciting and interesting members of the Tribulation Force (am I the only one out there who thinks the series would have been a lot better if Raymond died?). So basically, other than the meeting of the witnesses, the demon locusts, and a little excitement inbetween the meeting and the locust, nothing happens. It's rather disappointing and a bit of a let down. After all, there's only so much Christian pulp fiction that one can read before it starts to fall apart.

Rating:
Summary: Not a perfect series but better than some give it credit for
Review: So far, I've read all eleven Left Behind novels, and while they are not perfect, I think that some people don't give it enough credit because of unfair comparisons. People often point to We All Fall Down and The Christ Clone trilogy as better novels, and in a way, they are, but they are also very different. Left Behind seems to be more of an introduction to the subject of the End Times, a series that is reaching out to all people of different ages. It's not particularly well written, but it is clear and straightforward. The characters are not particularly realistic or interesting, but these are not character studies, these are novels that are trying to give people an overview of this concept, and they do that quite well.

To compare these to other novels with similar themes is a little bit unfair. We All Fall Down is much better written and more intelligent, but the focus of that novel is much more intensley spiritual and more of a character study that uses the End Times as a backdrop to explore complex issues of evil and salvation. It is for more mature, serious readers and it's aim is very different from Left Behind. Likewise, The Christ Clone is more of a techno-thriller, interested in exploring how, realistically the End Times could arive. I will admit that I enjoyed these other books more than Left Behind, but that does not take away from the fact that Left Behind still does a decent job with the subject. They are not great novels, but they are nowhere near as bad as some people are saying.

Rating:
Summary: And the judgments continue....
Review: After two postponements due to the Trumpet judgements, the time has arrived for Tsion Ben-Judah and the 144,000 witnesses to meet in Jerusalem. Buck and Chloe Williams, members of the stateside Tribulation Force, are there as well to protect Tsion. For some reason, they just don't trust Nicolae Carpathia's pledge of safety (go figure!).

Captain Rayford Steele, desparate to find out the truth about his second wife, the late Amanda Steele, plans to meet his daughter and son-in-law in Jerusalem. They know the truth about her, but will only talk about it in person. Unfortunately, Rayford learns that if he goes to Jerusalem, he will be killed on the spot.

However, Rayford is not the only one in danger. After the two witnesses show Nicolae Carpathia up at the meeting of the witnesses, Carpathia orders the Tribulation Force destroyed as soon as the last meeting is over. During the mad dash to safety, one Tribulation Force member will be killed and another stranded in Israel, a wanted and hunted man.

Soon after, the fourth Trumpet judgment occurs, plunging the world into darkness (1/3 less sunlight) and cold (1/3 less intensity). This latest judgment reaks havoc on the world's energy supply, especially solar power.

Then it's time for the fifth Trumpet judgment. Demonic locusts, ordered by God to only attack non-believers, descend on the earth. As in unison, these ugly creatures call out to their master: Apollyon.

This is the 5th book in the "Left Behind" series. Instead of becoming stale and repititive, as can happen in many book series like this one, "Apollyon" grabs your attention and holds on tight. This is one book you will have trouble being able to put down until you have finished it.