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Summary: Left Behind#1
Review: First off, I would like to say that I have read the 8 books in this series. Secondly, I find it offensive that anyone would laugh at the premise of the series. If you are not a believer, then simply state that you don't appreciate these books. However, making fun of the premise and the way the books are written is not necessary. Now, I enjoyed all eight books. I agree that there are parts that seem too convenient for the characters, such as the fact that the believing characters can get away with using computers to spread the good word of the Lord around the world. I don't think it will be possible when the 7 years of tribulation happens. I'm not sure that the authors will agree with this opinion, and this is for the "laughing" readers, but the series is a bit "dumbed" down and I think it is, in order to easily get the message of the bible across. So, when you read this, don't think of it as stupid and silly, think of it as the truth written for people in search of the Lord. These are my opinions and I judge no one for theirs.
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Summary: Christian cliffhanger series isn't boring.
Review: I will not for a moment pretend that I am any kind of a theological expert and will leave whatever flaws Jerry Jenkins's Left Behind series has in that department to others. For the record 'co-writer' LaHaye contributes an event timeline for Jenkins to build a story around, nothing more. The story? Just as airline pilot Rayford Steele decides to begin cheating on his suddenly fundamentalist and rapture obsessed wife several people disappear from his plane. Steele, being the lead character, immediately realizes that The Rapture has happened and he has been LEFT BEHIND. Yeah, the book (in fact the entire series) is that melodramatic and unsubtle. Readers expecting a serious examination of what might happen in the world if the prophecy of the end time events in The Bible did come to pass in our contemporary times should look elsewhere. This series of books is nothing more than Christian prophecy reinvented as the pulp novel cliffhanger equivalent to all those Indiana Jones movies. I give it four stars because, despite weaknesses discussed by others, the book nonetheless entertained me and maintained my interest. Recommended for those who just can't get enough of end time stories.
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Summary: born again reader
Review: I have never been a big reader. Since graduating from High School in 93, I have probably read 2 books. Toward the end of Jan. 2001 I was told about the book LEFT BEHIND. I still dont know why I started to read it, but I am half way through THE MARK the eighth book in the series. 8 books in 2 1/2 months. Why? Because you cant put down these books. I can not give the series High enough praise. Read them and you will not be sorry.
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Summary: CHRISTIAN LITERATURE
Review: I'm a Christian. i loved this book and could not put it down. Its completely amazing and I feel has a lot of truth in it. But as I was reading these reviews, I noticed people getting angry over "The Pope being saved" and "God being the only living God" All I have to say to that is read the back. its Christian Literature. Thats what we believe. If you see a Buddist book, are you gonna trash the writer for writing about budda? Great series though, very suspencfull and kind of scary.
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Summary: Review of Left Behind
Review: I am really not a reader, in fact I really don't like reading at all. I was just cruising through a book store one day and just on a spur of the moment I decided I wanted to get a book. So I walked over to the Christian section and picked up the first book I saw (Left Behind). This book captured my attention right from the beginning and I didn't put it down for about 2 hours. Being a new Christian myself, I didn't know a lot about the Rapture, but this book made it very clear. The book takes place in the not so distant future with makes it kind of scary to read. If you are a believer, you begin to think of everyone you know who could be "left behind" if God raptured his church this very day. If you aren't a believer, it will quickly convince you that this could be a reality any day. I definitely recommend this book to anyone.
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Summary: Oh, Puhleease
Review: I listened to this book on tape, having no idea what it was about when I downloaded it on to my MP3 player -- just something about the last people left on earth. And quickly, I was hooked! People *disappearing* from a jet flying peacefully across the Atlantic? But instead of some amazing, fascinating science fiction story unfolding (Michael Crichton's Time Line isn't half bad to listen to), it turns out the answer to the puzzle is . . . God willed it . . . and all the good people went to heaven but the bad people -- who seem perfectly good in most cases, except that one who had lust in his heart for a flight attendant -- were left behind. And wait -- I'm wrong! They *weren't* bad people, they just weren't *born again!* This is doubtless a very fine book for people who are born again, and eager to be reaffirmed in their faith that they are the chosen people, destined for an eternity of bliss. For evertone else: save your time.
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Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I think this book was great. But, the end was "blah". But, I really do recommend this book. If you're into this kinda stuff, and even if your not, it's just a really great book.
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Summary: Could NOT Make Myself Finish This Book...
Review: I even took it with me to my long appointments: doctors, getting a perm, getting the car repaired. Long hours in waiting rooms with nothing to do but stare at the clock and hope, or read this book which I had long since lost interest in, and I could NOT read the book. It was so boring I couldn't do it. I was interested in it for about the first one hundred pages and after that, there was no movement whatsoever in the plot. The author focused on two families, the airline pilot's and the single journalist. He could have easily saved the book by making a wider sweep, concentrating more on the havoc going on around the world, perhaps showing us multiple families from several countries. What made his narrow focus (on two exceptionally UNinteresting families) even worse was that, with the journalist's story, the author bombarded us with political workings, and plenty of them! The coverage given Nicolae's rise to power in the movie was much better handled, I thought. Please, spare us the mundane details! Don't take this bad review as a sign that I'm unhappy with the subject matter. I'm not; I wanted to read about the Coming Again. Even after I gave up on the book, I watched the movie, and enjoyed it. I gave this book so many second chances, but it is simply BADLY WRITTEN. The author, in my opinion, could have fit the entire series into one book instead of dragging us along through hundreds of pages of stalling. One day after sitting for hours at the Ford dealership and not even making it through a single page, I threw the book away. Just tossed it into the trash unceremoniously. I never throw books away; I'm always thinking that someone else might read them. But this one, I tossed. And, I'm not in the least bit ashamed to admit it.
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Summary: Captivating
Review: From the opening paragraph to the end it will keep your attention. I've listened 3 times now. Also, very accurate to Biblical writings. I recommend the entire series.
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Summary: LEFT BEHIND and THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY
Review: I've been a fan of the LEFT BEHIND series almost since the beginning. Then I read a review that said the CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY by James BeauSeigneur is even better, so between LEFT BEHIND books I tried it. The review was more critical of Left Behind than I would agree with, but it was 100% right about the CHRIST CLONE. Man, that's a series you can sink your teeth into. It moves fast, sticks to scripture, and explains prophecy in a much more believable way than any of the end times books I've read, including LEFT BEHIND. The strangest thing is that BeauSeigneur does such a good job of presenting the antichrist that you actually find yourself pulling for him. It's weird, but exactly as Matthew 24:24 says it will be. In LEFT BEHIND you know that Nicolae is the Antichrist right from the beginning (though the characters seem a little thick-headed in not being able to see what's so obvious to the reader) and there's no way in the world I would ever follow ol' Nick. If I weren't a Christian, though, I'm sure I would follow BeauSeigneur's Antichrist. He's that good, I mean bad . . . oh you know what I mean. One other big difference is that LEFT BEHIND is obviously written for a Christian or near-Christian audience; the preaching is pretty thick and I think turns off many nonChristian readers. (I've tried to get nonChristians to read LEFT BEHIND and none have read past the first book.) THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY is written for a secular audience (it even has occasional harsh language) but when the truth is revealed (book 3 of the series) the Christian world view and the presentation of the Gospel is unmistakable. I recommend you check it out.
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