Left Behind (Left Behind #1)

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Summary: Left Behind makes you become more aware
Review: I enjoyed this book so much. It made you really think about what happens when the Lord really does come and how he will come. It's a real eye opener about life and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Enjoy, be prepared, and pray you are ready...

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Summary: Are YOU Ready?
Review: "A man and wife asleep in bed, she hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone. I wished we'd all been ready. Two men walking up a hill, one disappears and one's left standing still. I wished we'd all been ready." --D.C. Talk

Are you ready to be caught in a whirlwind adventure? From the very beginning this book locks you in tight for a provocative ride of events of literally "biblical" proportions.

This book is simply written so younger readers will have no problem following. Yet, readers of all ages should enjoy this book. It'll have you asking yourself "Am I ready?"

Give it to a friend that may not be sure if they are ready for this event we call "the rapture".

Very enjoyable book. I loved it.

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Summary: Scare tactics to save "religion" from spiritual awareness
Review: After completing the Conversations with GOD series I clearlysee this series as a way to scare wavering church going christiansback to their pews rather than allow them the relationship with God outlined in the CWG series. I knew when Walsch stated that you may have to leave your church to find God that someone would rise up and create a eternal threat to resurrect fear-based religion. "Religion " never had any other way but fear to keep its churches and bank accounts full. Please know that our one all loving,all caring, all accepting God will never damm you for eternity for coming to him on your own. Try unconditional love,acceptance,and accessability,leave your fear, and create yourself anew with knowing faith in a good God. God bless you.

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Summary: Admittedly, I haven't read all of this book...
Review: ...but I don't have to. Just from the few chapters I read in the bookstore, I can tell it's written at a juvenile level, with very poor character and plot development. I won't be reading the rest, either.

I also don't recall (maybe I missed it) anywhere in an introduction where the authors admit that this is how THEY've interpreted the book of Revelation. It's a book of the bible that has confounded thousands of scholars and believers over the millenia, and has been misused by thousands more as a means to frighten folks into accepting Christ. That seems to be the thrust here, and I find it very irresponsible.

NO ONE has EVER interpreted the end times fully, and even God said no one will know the time. I've never understood why Christians waste their time on the negativisms of Christianity (hellfire and brimstone) when there's so much to celebrate and cultivate (peace, brotherhood, scientific achievement).

And one last thing... Why have most Christians failed to realize that prophecy is NEVER set in stone? God called Jonah to prophecy to the people of Ninevah that they would be destroyed unless they repented. They did and GOD CHANGED THE PLAN! They WEREN'T destroyed! Who's to say that ANYTHING in the book of Revelation will come to pass? Which is why I think it's a tragedy that many Christians would use "prophecy" as some sort of evangelism tool.

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Summary: Left Behind #1
Review: This book is absolutely spellbinding. This helps clarify the book of Revelations and will make clear the path for those on the edge.

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Summary: For book lovers, a must. For literature lovers, a bust.
Review: Apparently I entered this book with the wrong mindset. After reading hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon, I bought it hoping to recieve a good book. The novel can be critiqued in two areas; plot and style.

The plot was well written. It is blatant and complete. Obviously, it lacks originality, but that is another story. Although it seemed to take some parts of Revelations out of context, it was well crafted.

My main problems with the book were stylistic. The authors lacked the writing skills to pull the plot off. No offense, but their word choice and sentence structure seemed rather elementary to me.

Left Behind is a good (not great) book. I will probably read the rest of the series. However, literature lovers beware, this is weekend reading.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: This is an awesome book. It explains a lot about the earth's last days. Revelations was kinda hard for me to understand but this book makes it clear on what will happen. I'm not much of a bookworm, but this book I couldn't put down!

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Summary: Despite juvenile writing, this is a thought provoking book
Review: Without giving away where I am in MY personal relationship with Christ... :-)

I offer the following observations: First of all, after reading so much fiction in which the forces of evil are given a staring roll (Stephen King, et. al.) it is refreshing to read a novel where a greater good exists and is given the focus. I'm not sure I understand the people who complain that they can't buy the premise of the whole book. We never have that problem with horror novels do we?

Secondly, the authors, admirably, don't succumb to the temptation of using sex or profanity to make the story more appealing to the average reader. I applaud them for this. I also applaud them for striving to keep the "story" true to their interpretation of scripture. Again, you might not agree with their vision of the rapture and the end-times, but if you let that get in your way, then you've missed the point.

That said, the authors don't have the writing skill to draw the average reader (meaning someone who didn't know this was a "Christian novel") in without either boring them or offending them with some pretty hard core scripture interpretation presented as part of the story. Catholics beware. Jews beware. Muslims and Hindus beware. There is a high risk that you will be offended, especially if you continue to read the series. On the other hand, you might come away with a better understanding of where fundamentalist Christians are coming from.

The authors had a wonderful idea and even have a great outline of a story. Unfortunately they lack the skill to make it work on anything more than an elementary level. There are far too many holes in their writing. For some reason, I keep comparing "Left Behind" with Stephen King's "The Stand" which also deals with a battle between good and evil and the decimation of the human race. King's writing left me with mental images of the destruction and horror those "left behind" had to face. I wasn't left asking myself, "Mmmm, I wonder how they cleaned up all the bodies and wreckage from the car wrecks and plane crashes the "Left Behind" authors merely allude to. I also cared about Stephen King's characters. The characters in "Left Behind" are incredibly one dimensional and stereotypical. At the very least, I wanted to know more of the thought process each went through prior to his or her conversion.

There was also a whole lot of suspense and believable conflict between people in King's book. I can't say that about "Left Behind." It's very predictable, and oftentimes quite implausible: What journalist, let alone one with Buck's reputation, would ever bring a woman he's known for two days into a meeting with a world leader just to introduce her?

The folks who are writing the glowing reviews for "Left Behind" are no doubt born-again believers. But they are the choir! The authors could have reached the masses!

For many many reasons I wish the authors were better writers.

Rating:
Summary: Best book I've ever read!
Review: I couldn't put it down! I'm back at Amazon.com to get the next book in the series. I highly recommend this book. It even has a lesson that might help you make some changes in your lifestyle and, most importantly, your committment to God.

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Summary: Will you be left behind? Not if you read this!
Review: My mother insisted I read this book. I have always considered myself a Christian, but ever since reading this book I want to be sure! I'm not afraid to admit this book scared me to death! As it said on the back cover, this book will change your life! It has mine! I have raced through each book of the series and am impatiently waiting for the rest! Mr. Lahaye & Mr. Jenkins, thank you for changing my life and bringing me closer to God. I know now He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life"!