Rating: 
Summary: Horrible, Absolutely Horrible
Review: This book came to me highly recommended and touted. When a friend of mine said it was great, I decided to take his word for it and opened it to read. I have to say, it was horrible from beginning to end. As a Christian, not necessarily believing in the Rapture, I at least thought the book would offer some insight to this popular piece of theology. I was wrong. First, there are so many factual blunders in the first chapter I don't know where to start. I understand this is fiction, but come on! Second, what should have been the most gripping part of the book, the "Rapture" itself was completely anti-climatic. The writing is so poor it reminds me of hearing kids when I was in 5th grade class read stories they had written. Third, I know I sound a bit harsh, but this book leaves me no choice. I am usually open minded about books, and even enjoy religious fiction. This book however, had poor characters, poor writing, factual problems up the ying-yang, and was not even interesting. Don't buy this book, and if you must read it... get it from a library free for crying out loud.
Rating: 
Summary: mind bender
Review: I first read left behind because a family member kept pushing it on me. Now I thank God I did. This book gave so much for a person to think about, I actually read it over and over again in my head. This book would appeal to everyone. Whether you were believers or not, I could very well promise you that you would not be able to put it down. And I can assure you the following books to the series are just as mind bending as the first.
Rating:
Summary: Don't leave this book behind!!!
Review: I've been reading reviews, and I am SO SHOCKED that people think these books are not well written. Have you read Harry Potter? Well, these books are 100 times better than those. They always keep you wondering what's happening next. Believe me, once you pick up one of these books, you can't stop reading until you finish it. But what's really interesting is that THIS WILL HAPPEN ONE DAY!!! It's just not like fiction...yeah, that's nice...uh-huh...wow, I'm glad that's not happening to me...! DUH!!! It's going to happen! I mean, if you could read a book about the future of your life, you'd read it, right? This is how these books are. They're telling you how it's going to be in the end times, which I assure you, are not far away. And it gives you characters you can relate to and mixes love and humor and religion together. Non-Christians, if you feel like I'm preaching at you, well, I'm not. I'm not saying you have to read these books. It's just a suggestion. If you're a Christian and you haven't read these books, well, it's about time you do!!! I would recommend these books to anybody. Now that you've heard my opinion, you can decide for yourselves if you want to read it or not. And for those people who rated it a 1 or something, you're missing the point!!!
Rating:
Summary: I don't mean to ruin the surprise, but...
Review: ... but there IS no surprise, really.I came to this book out of curiousity.... I had no delusion that we Jews would get a fair shake in LaHaye's and Jenkins' best-sellers, but I wanted to see just how bad it was. I came away shaking my head in shame that I am living and working alongside actual people who actually believe this.... A major theme in the book is the conversion of the 144,000 Jews apparently predicted in the book of Revelations. In other words, the authors' dream is for us to realize that our whole religion has been wrong for 2000 years. All the Jewish stuff going on, like the rebuilding of the Temple, is depicted as a stepping stone for the book's true "Christians" to trample on their way to heaven. I put the word "Christian" in quotation marks because as much as LaHaye and Jenkins would love to believe that their book is going to win souls to their cause, even mainstream Christian readers will probably just come away chuckling at all the predictable literalist, Fundamentalist touches that mar this admittedly exciting science-fiction book. The authors are clearly of the impression that by calling all alcohol "booze" they can sound real casual-like; almost as if they'd tasted the stuff themselves. You get the impression that they'd call anything "booze" -- light beer, Kahlua, a nice Merlot, Communion wine. Booze, all of it. Same with anything having to do with sex. All the good women have disappeared, of course. While the men left behind are basically nice guys who didn't happen to get saved in time, the women (including Steele's own daugher, at first), are basically harlots. Is it just coincidence that Hattie, a loose, bosomy cliche of a stewardess and one of only two major female characters, quickly becomes an accomplice to Nicolae Carpathia, a/k/a the anti-Christ? There's a lot of fun plot-driven stuff here, if you have the patience to wade through this book's anti-woman, anti-Jewish, anti-anyone-else sentiments. That's a big IF.... Luckily, I've learned for myself that Christianity is neither as small-minded nor as simplistic as LaHaye and Jenkins make it out to be. There's a right way and a wrong way to win followers to your beliefs and despite strong sales, I'm confident that the Left Behind series is the perfect example of the wrong way.
Rating: 
Summary: Introduction to Left Behind
Review: This is the first book of a fairly good series. Pilot Rayford Steele and reporter Buck Williams are left behind after the Rapture of the church. As they search for their family and friends, they are confronted with the truth about the mysterious disapperances. Meanwhile, Nicolae Carpathia rises to power to eventually take over the world. The writing wasn't the best and the theology was questionable, but the story was a fun read. I couldn't put it down the first time, and even the second time it was pretty good. Personally, I think the parallel Left Behind The Kids storyline was a lot better.
Rating:
Summary: Review for Left Behind
Review: The book that started it all!The book is about the end of the world as told in the book of Revelation.The Rapture takes place and two people search for their families and the truth while one encounters the Antichrist.If you havn't started the series you should now!
Rating:
Summary: Great start
Review: There is nothing better than a great trilogy of books because you know the first was a good book there are two more books to follow. This book is very good and there are already 8 to follow. It has a great storyline with likable characters that you will be eager to find out what happens to them next. Now some of the story was a little too deep into Born again christian beleifs which was too much like a knock on your door from one of them trying to show you the bible. However I recomend this book highly to anyone who likes to follow a good story with room for a whole lot more to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Did I just bite a lemon?
Review: I'll try not to be redundant. Similar thoughts have already been described in recent reviews regarding the quality of the writing (below average) and the drawing of the characters (thin). I've rarely run across a book that actually made me wince, but this one did. Yes, the writing can be that bad. But....the story was entertaining enough to justify a minor investment of time. You can definitely skip through a few pages (i.e. the cooing between Chloe and Buck). How difficult would it have been to take the writing up a notch? Would it have really been that hard?
Rating:
Summary: Great reading!
Review: It is unfortunate that some "scolars" critisize this work. The idea that the rapture theology was waning before this series is a perspective of a truely out of touch theologist at best. Any believing christian understands and accepts this concept as the bible teaches it. Some controversy may exist as to the timing of such an event, but the event is absolutely accepted. The series is a wonderful portrayal of the last days as written about in Revelations. I suppose some liberties have been taken in the story lines and of course it is a fiction work. However, it is very thought provoking and a greast adventure for anyone reading it. Especially those with an open mind!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book I've read ever
Review: Left Behind is about a pilot named Rayford Steele. His wife and son are church going people. And they are ready for the Rapture. But Rayford would not listen. One night when he is flying, a terible scream is heard. And a steward, tells him that HALF of the people are GONE! When they land and he gets home his wife and son are gone too. He and his Daughter,Chloe are LEFT BEHIND. With the Help of a reporter, Buck Willims and an assistant Pastor, Bruce Barnes, they find out that they have missed the most important event of there lives. Now toghter they have to make it through the Tribulation and Go up against the antichrist,which will be reveiled in later years. And they think that the man that is rising to power and poularity,Nicolae Carpathia, might be the anitchrist. _________________________________________________________________ This is not just a fiction novel it is real. So if you don't have your Heart right with God,Like I,and others do, YOU Will HAVE TO FACE THESE SAME TRIBULATIONS. Read also in the Bible the very last book: Revelations. I hope I've helped you.
|
