Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding book
Review: I'll admit to a slow down in the last couple of books, but this book definitely picks up the pace again. One series cannot please everybody, so I am glad to see that people who have been downing this book have decided to read no more. I for one will continue to put the book on reserve before the release date and wait at the doors the day of release.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointed
Review: I am shocked that the authors would dare publish such a sad excuse for a novel. I was a believer in Christ long before picking up the first book in the series, and I was quite moved with the first several books. However, it has become clear to me that the authors are simply looking for excuses to fatten their wallets and extend a book series to what will eventually be 12 books according to their web site. NOTHING happened in this book!! With the exception of Hattie's transformation there was no signinificant character development or advancements in the plot. I have lost a lot of respect for Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.
Rating: 
Summary: How many readers know this?
Review: There is NO mention of the 'Rapture' in the Bible--none--not even in the Book of Revelation! The 'Rapture' is a nineteenth century construct of American origin that has been adopted in varying forms by many evangelical churches. The concept has only became fashionable in the last 100 years. Consequently, anyone buying into this LEFT BEHIND series as a Biblically accurate depiction of Judgment Day is flying in the face of historic Biblical interpretation. Nevertheless, if you must accept the Rapture theory regardless, then let's at least be honest about the quality of these novels from a literary standpoint. They are significantly lacking in the basic fundamentals of writing--the character development is very weak; scene description almost non-existant; the pace is plodding (stretched out to sell as many new installments as possible); the suspense limited; vocabulary and sentence structure simplistic, third-grade level. Obviously, these points matter little to those who see these novels as witnessing tools and a validation of their beliefs. But all the exhaltation and hype of 'enraptured' readers aside, LEFT BEHIND delivers few spiritual insights and even fewer thrills. Readers who seek more should experieince THE LAST DAY, by Glen Kleier--a far more enlightened and provocative look at the 2nd Coming. Also, the Book of Revelation--if read from a metaphorical, as opposed to a literal, viewpoint.
Rating:
Summary: I Like The Books
Review: I have read the whole series and am waiting for the next one. I'm sure that there is more than one instsnce in the books that are not wholly biblical, but almost all books written are just a little different than the original. It does not say that these books are absolutely and unequivocubly right. They are fiction and are supposed to be a guideline of what will one day happen as written in the bible. This is their interpretation of how it could happen.Just as movies are changed from the books and you will find discrepancies in them so will you find some in thes books but they are very good reading and easy to read and it might give some people some insight as to what will happen. They are easier to understand for most people than the Bible. If by witing these books these men make lots of money so be it and if these books can lead one soul(or more, hopefully) then they will have done a great job!
Rating:
Summary: Series hampered by time-dilation as it approaches 'c'
Review: as mass reaches the speed of light, some interesting things happen, much like with this series. If this series was a craft approaching light speed, the authors and publishers might feel themselves progressing steadily towards their goal (the actual speed of light)... however, their mass increases (the novels become more bloated), time slows down for them (relative to our, the readers, oberservation.. in other words the story seems to drag on worse and worse each installation). In other words (less whacky ones), the series started out great, with a good set of characters and a great plot (if you doubt acopolyptic interest, just do a count of movies and books about it). Unfortunately for us, it seems that each series installment gets slower and slower. With this book, the actual Mark does not get applied until about the last quarter or so of the story, and even then it is a rather limited part. Nothing really happens in this book, and I have come to the conclusion several books ago, that by the time book #10 comes out, it will be entirely about 2 days of events, with only the very last sentence mentioning (and ONLY mentioning) what the title is about. Maybe the authors have run out of ideas, or maybe the producers are putting pressure on them to 'milk' this as much as possible, I really don't know. However, I caution anyone involved in this series to buy or check out the abridged audio version of this. Even then you will still feel like nothing happened worthy of the book title. I am very dissapointed in this book, and am frankly getting tired of the sluggishness of the story (great plot, dying story). As a better analogy of the series, take a boulder and quarter it, then quarter it again... do this 8 times and you will be suprised how tiny it is.
Rating:
Summary: Stop the Left Behind train - I want to get off!
Review: My disappointment with "The Mark" began as I was standing in the checkout line to buy this much awaited, much anticipated book. Leafing through it I noticed that while it was the same size and PRICE, the print was bigger and the lines were almost double spaced. Hmmmmm. Kinda stretching this one, eh boys? Then there was the actual story line. I'd previously described these books to a friend as "the worst written books I've ever loved." No one has ever debated whether or not they're great literature, because they aren't. But they've been engrossing and exciting, and they give you lots to think about. And, up until book 8, I felt they were right-on regarding scripture. Unfortunately, for the purpose of being able to keep up their covert operations within the palace of the beast, they've created a character that has both the mark of Christ AND the mark of the beast. That is a very dangerous and utterly anti-scriptural idea to plant in people's heads. I can't by into it even for the sake of fiction, and I don't like it. Add that to the fact that instead of writing a thoughtful and engaging book about taking "The Mark," what that will be like and what it will mean, they've obviously just thrown together a "filler" in the hopes of continuing the money train to book 9. Personally, I feel the anointing is gone and they've lost me as a reader. Besides, I've become bored with the characters. They're all beginning to annoy me. Oh well. I did enjoy books 1-7, flaws and all.
Rating: 
Summary: Chilling and Thought-Provoking, but Somewhat Drawn Out...
Review: The graphic imagery of believers marching to their deaths reminds me of the pictures and films of the German concentration camps of World War II. Excellent imagery; vivid and frightening... I am somewhat concerned by the pace of the storylines. However, the authors have stated that the series will be comprised of 12 books. I expect the pace to quicken in the last four. As demonstrated in past books, the authors like to present scenarios (and characters) that are not what they seem.
Rating:
Summary: A Believer Takes the Mark of the Beast
Review: They went too far in this one. That a believer would willingly take the mark of the beast is not believable and definitely unbiblical. Oh yes they have him fighting in pretense that he is fearful of needles and therefore held down while the mark was forced on him (and they think that will fly). All the character had to do was say a word and he would not have received the Mark therefore by not saying that word he willingly received the Mark of the beast and can not possibly be a true believer but LaHaye wants him in the GC so he ignores the Bible and makes him a believer and a marked man. I will read no more.
Rating:
Summary: Enough already...!
Review: I've read them all so far and had started to find them redundant and simplistic. This one put me over the top. Enough already. Get to the point. PLEASE don't write another 4 books to get to the end. I'm really disappointed. What started out as fascinating has been turned into something dull.
Rating: 
Summary: This should be over
Review: C'mon look at this waste of book. These books should have ended a long time ago. Mr. Lahaye you should stop bible thumping for 200 pages and preach somewhere else. Just give us good books with a spiritual message and quit trying to be a pastor.
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