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Summary: A Great Series of Earth's Last Days in Biblical Prophecy
Review: Left Behind, a fictional drama series that chronologizes the Earth's Last Days from the Rapture to the seven-year Tribulation period and the climatic end of ultimate battle-Armageddon. If you find this only a vanity entertainment to promote a commerically-driven product, it's how you approach it. It's a matter of looking deeper, reading prophecy in the Holy Scriptures and living in today's reality could spark something more as a warning of how life will be after the Rapture. The choice to believe is up to you.
The first book of this series, begins as in one quick moment millions around the globe disappear. Vehicles are suddenly driver-less and veer out of control. People terror-struck at the disappearance of loved ones before their eyes. In the midst of global choas, Raymond Steele in search of his family, connects with his daughter, Chloe. They search for answers and the truth. Cameron "Buck" Williams of the Global Weekly pieces together the coming dark days from the Middle East in the Holy Land to the scheming undermind of a rising world leader and the great deception that is to follow. Tim LaHaye's 'Are We Living in the End Times' is a great supplement reading to help you follow the story line of the Left Behind series. LaHaye uses excerpts from the various 'Left Behind series' books to explain where each one is laid out according to prophecy. It examines the current events foretold in scripture and what they mean. It clearly lays out current events as they relate with the scriptural timetable. This book gives lots of reasons for believing that the Rapture and the Tribulation could occur during our generation. It's look into future events are, at least to be appreciated for it thorough study of Revelations and the prophetic books of the Bible.
(NOTE: Left Behind-The Movie is now on VHS & DVD. Also take a look at my other reviews written on the Left Behind series to follow this exciting most talked about series-just click on my name above.)
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Summary: Pure entertainment...
Review: After reading another novel based on the tribulation prophecies of the Bible ("Conquest of Paradise" by Britt Gillette), I was driven to begin reading this series because of its overwhelming popularity. From page one of "Left Behind", I found myself hooked. Instantly, the reader cements a personal bond with the characters, especially Rayford Steele and Buck Williams. The chaos of the rapture is illustrated in a manner reminiscent of the old Godzilla films. Although it's borderline silly in its portrayal of the real world, the novel continued to force me to turn each page as if some unknown force moved my hand. The author kept dropping tidbits of suspense onto each page, just enough to hook the reader and make him want more. This a novel that is definitely worth the hype, the only problem I have is the author's totally ridiculous outlook on international politics. The idea of the emerging one world single currency and the "secret group of financiers" seemed a bit cliched, like something you would read on conspiracy websites. But the simple story and the reader's relationship with the characters makes up for the lack of realism.
I look forward to reading the other books in the series, and I encourage fans of the books to pick "Conquest of Paradise: An End-Times Nano-Thriller" in addition to "Left Behind". It's the book that got me into this series. What "Left Behind" lacks in realism, "Conquest of Paradise" adds in abundance. Less subtle than "Left Behind", the antichrist isn't readily identifiable in the first chapter. In fact, since I wasn't expecting to read a tribulation novel, it totally blew me away. The prose is more advanced than "Left Behind" and the international politics is 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 a novel that deals with the deeply important subject of molecular nanotechnology, and no one can afford to miss it. As for myself, I believe we are in the time of the end. I just hope I can finish this series before then! And I hope the rest of the "Left Behind" books are as exciting as book one. I highly recommend "Left Behind" for fans of suspense and international thrillers...
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Summary: An exciting story that lacks any real spiritual message
Review: I really enjoy these novels. I think that they are interesting, exciting, and well-plotted. However, the truth is, that despite all of that, when I read a Christian novel, I am not reading it so much for the plot or for excitement, but rather, I tend to read it hoping to come to a more fully realized understanding of Christianity. These novels fail to deliver on that level. Again, I have enjoyed all eleven novels very much, so I would strongly recomend that you buy them if that is all you are looking for. The problem that I have with them is just that every time I finish one, I put it down feeling empty, feeling like the authors never really took advantage of the oppertunity to talk about our faith in a meaningful way, in a way that would help Christians become better Christians and help non-Christians have a better understanding of what it means to believe in Christ. If you are looking for a novel like that, I would recomend trying Brian Caldwell's novel WE ALL FALL DOWN. It is not the most pleasent novel in the world as it faces the horror of the Apocalypse full on, but I have never read a book about Christianity that so fully and completely explored the ramifications of the faith. When I put Caldwell's novel down, I was left with a new perspective on my faith and felt like I was the better because of it. I have re-read it three times so far and come away with something new each time. If you're looking for something a little more substantial than LEFT BEHIND, I would definitly recomend picking it up.
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Summary: Great portrayal of the rapture...
Review: Second only to "Conquest of Paradise: An End-Times Nano-Thriller" as my favorite novel chronicling the Great Tribulation, "Left Behind" is a novel that draws the reader into its world of chaos and religious mystery. The novel begins when characters Rayford Steele (airline pilot) and Hattie Durham (stewardess) experience the disappearance of millions of raptured Christians in the middle of a routine flight. When their plane lands, the whole world stands in chaos, twenty-car pile-ups on highways, missing family members, etc. The novel then follows the experiences of several characters at once, most notably journalist Buck Williams and pilot Rayford Steele, as they come to grips with the tragedy that has struck the earth. In the midst of this catastrophe (which the majority of people do not realize was the rapture), an influential politician rises through the ranks of the world's elite, slowly becoming a figure of prominence. Nicolae Carpathia, soon to become the antichrist, emerges as a major player on the world scene. Throughout the story, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins weave a wonderful tapestry of suspense based on the scriptural prophecies of "the end of days". Although a bit simplistic and unbelievable at times, the writing plants so many tidbits of suspense that readers are forced to turn each page to find out what's next. Although I felt "Conquest of Paradise" was far superior in its portrayal of end times events, "Left Behind" is a forceful story in its own right. The book truly makes you wonder, "What would I do if I was left behind"?
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Summary: Left behind
Review: Left Behind, a novel by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins is awesome! This book is about the apocalypse according to the book of revelations, the last book in the New Testament. It revolves around Rayford Steele, an airline pilot, Buck Williams, a newspaper reporter, and Bruce Barnes, a pastor. This book describes the awful confusion, pain, and sorrow that were felt after the rapture of the church. This delightful fiction is 468 pages long, so it's not something you would pick up one day and finish in a couple of hours. If you have the time though, it is a great read. This book is interesting to the point that it makes you curious and want to go read the book of revelations to see exactly what the characters are talking about.
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Summary: The Last Chance
Review: Left Behind by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins is a book that will make you jump right out of your seat. This book is a great book about six people. Four who were not believers of Christ, but when there family members where missing, they all remembered the lesson they told them " Except Christ you don't want to be left behind." The one character, the "evil" one [Anti-Christ] creates peace in the world. The flight attendant Hattie Durham is confused and is a misguided woman who goes on to join the Anti - Christ Nichole Carpathia. The 4 new believers they face the seven years when Satan will rule the world.
The characters are believable in this book. This book was very emotional you could fell the pain Chloe and Ray had when their family disappeared. You just want to comfort them but you cant. I give this book a rating five out of five
This book was the best book I have ever read. It is great book even if you don't like to read non-fiction have ever read. This book gives you a glimpse of what happens when Jesus comes back. Every one needs to read this book, it will put a question in your head, "Will I be LEFT BEHIND?"
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Summary: Loner
Review: A Review by Robyn Rayford was flying his plane home when the strangest thing happened; people started to vanish! What was he supposed to do? People were panicking and there was nothing that he could do. After the plane landed, there was chaos all across the world. Rayford comes home to realize that his wife, and son, Raymie, have vanished and he and his daughter, Chloe, are still alive. They will later find out that millions of people, including them, have been left behind. I really liked this book because it had a lot of suspense. For example, when you hear about all of these people disappearing and you don't know what happened, you are really excited to find out what happens. I think that my favorite character has to be Raymie because he is so little and innocent. He doesn't really have a big part in the book, but I think that his character is still important. He really makes his family about what all they have, and how little time they really have. I liked how this book didn't have too little action, or too much. There was times that it was boring, but at the same time, in the next chapter, there would be just enough action for you. For example, when all the action of people disappearing is happening, you turn to the next chapter, and it's a bunch of dialogue between Buck Williams and government people. Overall I really liked this book and I plan to continue reading the rest of the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good suspenseful book. Even though it is a Christian based book, it is still a good read. This book has a lot of interesting things that happen in it and as long as you like to try to figure things out or like your books to be suspenseful, then this would be a good read for you.
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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.
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Summary: A craze, a hype, a book
Review: This is the book that set off a world-wide obsession with the Left Behind series. This is the book that started the audio drama series, the kids' series, the movies, the board games, the website. This is the book whose following sequels hit and continue to hit the top of the New York fiction bestseller list. So what's the big deal about Left Behind? While it differs from many denominational theologies and ideologies, even those who disagree on the Second Coming of Christ still enjoy reading these books. Why? Because it chronicles the fictional yet realistic events following the Rapture of Christ's people from the earth. Here's the plot for this first book: Rayford Steele is an commercial airline pilot whose life is going okay. So okay, in fact, that he's pondering a potential deepening of his relationship with one of his online flight attendants, Hattie Durham. This, despite his happy marriage to his beautiful wife Irene, and their two kids, Chloe and Ray Jr. Meantime, famed journalist Cameron ("Buck") Williams is on Rayford's plane. Williams gained fame and renown by covering a massive air assault in Israel, one in which all of the enemy forces attacking were killed by a strange firestorm, and yet no casualties resulted on the Israeli's side -an event predicted by the Bible. Both of their worlds - and the real world - are shaken as, in the blink of an eye, millions of people disappear, simply vanish out of their clothes, and out of this world. Rayford lands his plane safely, despite chaos on the ground, and rushes to his home. He finds that his suspicions are confirmed: his wife and younger child Ray Jr. have disappeared with the rest. Rayford searches for answers at the church that he had never before enjoyed attending with his wife. He finds the assistant pastor Bruce Barnes, who has been left behind, at the church, watching a video recorded by the church's pastor, describing THE VERY EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED. The video tells of the disappearances predicted in the Bible, the path to salvation, and foretells of the events to come, according to the Bible. Rayford, his daughter Chloe, Bruce, and a small congregation of others searching for answers find their salvation in Jesus Christ. Meantime, Buck Williams searches for answers too, as he watches a charismatic Romanian leader rise quickly to the head of the United Nations. He learns from Bruce Barnes' teaching that this leader is predicted in the Bible, and in the video tape. Buck must discover the truth for himself, before it is too late. BAD: I enjoy this series a lot, but for those whose theology doesn't line up, it's not an extremely critical aspect of the Christian life as to what manner Christ will return in. The authors, Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye rely on the Bible for their opinions, and the Bible makes it clear that Christ's return is imminent, and that it will occur "in the twinkling of an eye". Even if you don't agree with the pre-tribulation Rapture of Christ's church, this series is still quite enjoyable. Compared to some books I've read, this particular one isn't very violent, but for picky readers, you should know that there are some violent things that take place in the book: a double-murder described in rather gory detail, as well as the chaos and violence that occurs following the disappearances. (Drivers who disappear cannot stop their cars from plowing into houses, people, cars; people cooking on a stove that disappear leave burnings stoves behind them; even other airline pilots who disappear leave their passengers pilotless, to crash and burn) GOOD: Jesus Christ is the Messiah, that's the main message of this book. Those who were raptured were taken by God to be spared his great wrath and judgment. Many come to repentance, and faith in Him after the disappearances, and follow His leading thereafter. This book is very enjoyable to read, and it's quite the craze nowadays too. THOUGHTS:
Jenkins' writing style isn't the best you can find, to be honest. It's the plot that keeps you enthralled. In fact, some of his writing skills seem to deteriorate in later books of this series. Still, the book is a good read, and you should read it some time. But be prepared to buy a boxed set, or perhaps the rest of the series, because you'll want to know what happens next, and there's 12 books in the series! Also check out the Left Behind movies, and the dramatic audio editions.
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Summary: I have to say that the Spirit did not move me...
Review: ...while reading this book. Part of the problem was the writing, which seemed more on the level of a young adult novel (and not a particularly well-written one), part was the lackluster characterization, and part was the fact that the story just wasn't very compelling. Two things in particular bothered me... (1) The relatively small disruption that the Rapture caused in the world, since people seemed to pick right up and carry on, as though nothing of import had happened. (2) The lack of power in the descriptions of various individual conversion experiences. I've done more spiritual soul searching when I started a diet than these people appear to do before repenting and accepting Christ. I also thought the names were pretty silly, as someone else noted, and that Nicolae was a boring villain. I won't be reading any of the sequels.
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