Rating: 
Summary: Assassins
Review: I have read the series from book one on. Each book I soard through getting more addicted as I went. My husband even is interested in the series due to my constant reading. I loved each book until this one, number 6, in the series. I started this book enthusiastically and it went down hill from there. I took me months to finish this book, very agonizing months. I could skip pages at a time and not miss anything. The story plot seemed to drag and it was possible to predict who would die and who would not. I don't like the fact that the authors repeated things from the other books. I read them and I remember them. I debated weather or not to buy the next book in the series, number 7. But, in the end I did, hopping it was a better book and worth my money, time, and effort. It was. They redeamed themselves in the next book. I highly recomend the next book in the series even if this one is very boring.
Rating: 
Summary: Explosive Ending
Review: Assassins starts off slow just like the all the other Left Behind books. I find that the first 200 pages is just filler. The interesting part of the first half, is the rising of the horde of 200 million demonic horsemen. They slay a third of the population which leaves only half of the world's original population. The Tribulation Force tries hard to keep themselves unrevealed to the Global Community as they also have to deal with each other. As Nicolae prepares for a "global party," Rayford is feeling tremendous rage against all the appose the word of God. I went straight through the last 100 pages in a few hours. As Nicloae's party in Jerusalem starts, the book really begins, and it is hard to put down.
Rating: 
Summary: Review of Assassins
Review: My overall opinion on Assassins was that it was a great book. It had realistic characters and a ralistic setting. Also it had a captivating plot.The best part of the book was when Rayford makes an attempt to assassinate Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist. In order to do it, he contacts Albie to purchase a high-powered weapon, and then goes to New Babylon. At the end of the book, he shoots at, and supposedly kills, Nicolae. The best two aspects of the book are the characters and the setting. The characters are realistic for several reasons. One of them is that they think like real people. Also the characters act and feel like real people. What I mean by this is they feel pain, sorrow, and anything a human feels, plus they react like anyone would to situations. The setting is realistic too, because it has real cities, real climates, and the author describes the places in as much detail as possible.
Rating:
Summary: This series is quite possibly one of the best ever written!
Review: This griping tale about the struggles of the Tribulation Force durring end times will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Full of plot twists and a thrilling storyline, you won't want to put this book down. Nicolae Carpathia, the power-hungery Antichrist is still gaining power and adoration. Though Satan's minion, he continuously hints that he might be the Messiah, which only drives the world to worship him even more. Always humble, he can easily convice people that he is a holy deity, and Leon Fortuno, his right hand man, doesn't hesitate to preach that to the world. After all, Carpathia did raise him from the dead. But in the midst of Carpathia's rise to the top, he still has enemys. And one of them is deadly. The prophesies say that halfway into the tribulation, he will die of a fatal head wound. Only a few days earlier, however, he will commit two murders of his own: it's also the due time for the witnesses. To celebrate their deaths, Carpathia throws a great party, a Gala. Little does he know, however, that Rayford and Hattie both have sickening obsessions to slay him. In fact, Rayford has even bought a gun, a costume, and has carefully planed every step of his murder. But can Rayford kill a man? Does he have the courage? And why had Chaim suddenly taken up the hobby of knifemaking? So many questions will be left unanswered until you read The Indwelling, but so many suspenseful and spectacularly written situations will also unfold. I recomend this book to anyone who is in search of sensational Christian fiction--or just a plain old good book. It is impressive and breath-taking!
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Summary: What has happened to this series?
Review: I am an avid reader and a Christian, so I was totally enthralled when reading the first of this series. And I admit I still care about what happens to a few of these characters and whether they will see the Glorious Reappearing. But, honestly, there is so much wrong with these books I can't decide whether to continue. The core characters go on, but since this is the tribulation time, somebody has to die, so we get a parade of new believers who help the force only to be killed off later, like the Tuttles. Ben-Judah serves to interpret the meaning of the endtime prophecies for the world, but his interpretations seem to be verbatim text from Revelations. How convenient that so many of the Trib Force can fly planes, so they can be at all the key events of the world. Rayfords new attitude, Hattie's unlikely release, etc., combine to give us a host of possible suspects to take Carpathia out. But this book ends without revealing who Carpatia's murderer is, a cliffhanger to get you to buy the next book. Frankly, I have read better written children's books. With their simple sentence structure and often trite and corny dialogue, I zip through these books in a couple of days. These authors had a good idea, but just simply not the abilities to carry it off. It's a race now to see which comes to an end first, this series or my patience with it.
Rating:
Summary: Christian actions?
Review: I have read the previous five books in this serial...each getting more away from both characters and my own views. In Assassins (it really started back in Appollyon) the thought of justification of killing because the person being killed was the Anti-Christ came to reality. What became of the fifth commandment? Even if you gloss over that little problem, what about characters that are consistent. It is somehow not right that Hattie should bear a hatred and wish to kill the Anti-Christ yet it is condoned when (it is believed) that Rayford did so. We go even further to Chloe thinking seriously of killing her own child (of course with the rationale of "saving" him.) These are scary thoughts. Does anyone dismiss the devil in our midst today? Is it right to murder abortion doctors? How about a person sleeping with your spouse? Where do we draw the line? I am truly truly troubled by the direction this book and series has taken. We lost good characterization and indeed lost Christ. I wish Mr. Lahaye and Mr. Jenkins the best.
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Summary: Great premise-poor workmanship
Review: I must admit, I am as enthralled with the "Left Behind" series as many readers have become. However, with each book, I find the writing to become sloppier and sloppier. I have found that I have had to flip back several pages to find who's talking to whom and when someone is recounting a situation or actually experiencing it. "Left Behind" caught my attention immediately in the book store and I have found the premise to be most engaging. Indeed it has helped me along in my spirituality as well. However, it is important that the authors take responsibilty for incoherent and irresponsible writing practices. If this series is to survive and its intent is to captivate those who border on the edge of spiritual awareness, the authors must be articulate and convey a clear and flowing storyline. It is becoming more work to deal with the technical aspects of the work than it is to actually read it; and I am in no way a professional writer!
Rating: 
Summary: The tribulation "force"? ...
Review: Please. I admire Mr. LaHaye and Mr. Jenkins, but surely, this is the poorest written series, ever. I've gotten this far only because I was curious to find out what happened to one character. The writing is silly and implausible at times. None of the "force members" even remotely resemble some of the saints we read about in the Bible. The truth be told, these are the sorriest set of "believers" I've ever encounted. They are portrayed as lacking power and faith. You will find yourself wondering what they have actually accomplished since the Rapture. The series itself gives no actual insight into end times and is no doubt in favor of the pre-tribulation rapture. It makes no room or argument for a mid or post tribulation rapture. If you aren't a student of the Word you must not rely on any of these books to give you a clear or unbiased teaching on what believers can expect as we wait for Christ to return. I wouldn't recommend these books to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: A great Christian Read
Review: After having read all 8 of the left behind series books over the last 3 weeks I can only say with a short word, WOW! I have read some people reviews criticizing the books for being to bland and written for a young audience. Most of what is written in these books comes from a book that is often referred to as bland and not very exciting, this book is affectionately known as the Bible. Do I have problems with these books I would have to say yes, consider if you would the cost of jet aircraft and jet fuel for said aircraft would be astronomical. Planes somehow being able to fly great distances (Israel to Illinois is over 5000 nm) without refueling stops add to the disillusion of the story. But this is why this work is referred to as fiction and not non-fiction, if it were based on more factual data the story would have more realism yes but it would be no less entertaining. There are portions of the books that do seem to drag along but for the most part books keep a good pacing and a wanting from the reader. I read from other readers that there is no cussing and other sins committed by these new believers, for this I can only state that sometimes people can radically change with God in their lives and perhaps that is something that these writers are attempting to convey with their writings. One thing that does bother me is the fact that the writers have now decided that 1 book a year will be all the put out for the series, is there a guarantee that there will only be another 4 books in this series? After all the first 42 months of the tribulation consumed 7 books and anyone who has read revelations will tell you that the next 42 months of what will be known as the Great Tribulation will be twice as intense as could every be imagined in the first 42 months. So is it possible that without an increase in the size and material explored in these next books that the series could become 15 or more books? If that is the case the rapture may occur before this series is every completed. I personally think some people are taking these books to replace the bible, instead of what these books are intended to be. And for those who still consider these books so poorly written let me point to you two of the most poorly penned books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. The author of these two books is Dr. Robert Davis, they are titled; The Plutonium Murders and the Doomsday Kiss. You may follow this link to The Plutonium Murders: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890248002/qid=982641815/sr=1-2/ref=sc_b_2/107-4919486-4567762 You may follow this link to The Doomsday Kiss: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890248029/qid=982641674/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_1/107-4919486-4567762 Do I think the likes of Stephen King, Tom Clancy, John Grisham or others I will not list here have something to be frightened of by these authors the answer I am ashamed to say would be no. The vast majority of people in the world will never know these books as great writing or entertainment. I give the books a 5 star rating although in actuality I would say for character and plot development it would receive a 1 Star, for writing quality a 2 Star, for a reasonable plot and research a 2 Star (this being generous) but for overall being something I would recommend to others for the pure entertainment of everything I give the books my full recommendations.
Rating:
Summary: The Trib Force Saga & the End Times Continue
Review: This is the continuing saga of the Tribulation Force and the members readers first met in LEFT BEHIND. In this installment, the authors Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins continue to inform readers of what the end times will look like for believers and non-believers alike. Some reviewers here have stated that they think this series is being dragged out too much. I won't dispute that opinion because at times, I have had it myself. Despite some reservations, I have become hooked like so many others who have followed the story of Rayford Steele, his daughter Chloe, Buck Williams, Tsion Ben-Judah, Hattie Durham and the Anti-Christ himself, Nicolae Carpathia. What I especially liked about this book was that the authors show the Trib Force members as believers who are still all too human. In ASSASSINS, the period of trial is rapidly approaching the middle of the treaty period between the GLOBAL COMMUNITY and the state of Israel. As readers know, this means that the two prophets in Jerusalem will be killed and later resurrected. The time is also coming when the GC Potentate will be killed and "indwelt" with the living embodiment of Satan himself. This will come in a future installment (THE INDWELLING-which is already available, as is THE MARK). In this, the sixth book in the series, the 200 million horseman apocalypse foretold in Revelations has arrived and 1/3 of the survivors of all the previous disasters have been slaughtered. Believers live through this tribulation unscathed but they know they face worse to come. I think the authors, rather than unnecessarily dragging this series out are providing just the right degree of pacing to keep this series alive and fresh. The plot elements move along in a progressive way and the fact is, the title comes from the desire of many to end the not so benevolent rule of the GC Potentate. Despite his leadership role in the "Trib Force," Capt. Rayford Steele has become sickened by the abuses, death and suffering he has seen around him and only wants to hasten Carpathia's demise. That makes him human and understandable. He is no marble saint on a pedestal. After reading this far in this series, I can say that I have been entertained and have also been forced to consider my own faith. I don't think that anyone can really ask for more from these books. I do look forward to reading THE INDWELLING and THE MARK. The two writing partners have kept me going this far and I'm sure they won't disappoint me in those two volumes. While these are not literature in the sense that Tolstoy's writings are, they are a good way for believers and non-believers to re-evaluate where they stand on the issues of faith, salvation, redemption and what comes after death. These books are a literalist approach to the Bible, told through the medium of fiction. If you take them that way, and read with an open mind, you might be surprised with how these stories make you feel. While they are fiction, it's also pretty obvious that readers who know anything about the scriptures are hearing the Lord's message. For those who haven't discovered this series, my main recommendation is go back and start at the very beginning. You may have a lot of catching up to do, but I think you'll enjoy the reading and the ride. Paul Connors
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