Customer Reviews
nearing the end of the series - By: Joe Sherry, 17 Aug 2004 
Book 11in the Left Behind series.
When I began reading this book, I was a little hazy on what had happenedin the previous books. I still remembered the major events, but some minor events of importance I was lost on. I didn't remember a couple of the characters (ones that had been recently introduced). After 50 pages I remembered what I needed to & the context filled mein on the rest & the story started to really get going.
I've noticed complaints about the actions of some characters. The only one who I think acted out of character was Chloe. Her actions at the beginning of the book were both stupid, & I think a little out of character. It served the plot, though, so we can gloss over it. There were some surprisesin character action near the end, but these were explained well enough that I don't feel as if they were misplaced.
The usual complaints about the series apply to this book. The quality of writing is not that great, I still have problems with naming one of the primary characters "Buck", & much of the books seem to be heavy handed. However, when I'm reading the book I forget all about that & I can't put it down. There is something incredibly compelling about the Left Behind series. Maybe it is seeing God take such a prominent rolein a popular novel. Maybe it is just how quickly & easily the series reads, but there is something about it that makes me want to keep reading & gets me involvedin the story. Maybe it is God working through these books, if such a thing is possible.
The story begins latein the Tribulation. A plague of darkness & pain is on the city of New Babylon, the capitol of the Anti-Christ, Nicolae Carpathia. There are questions of whether or not the Safe House is still safe & Chloe Steele-Williams gets captured by the GC (Global Community) troops. Believers must get out of New Babylon as God's further judgment is coming. As the book progresses, the story jumps several months & the final judgments from Revelation are unleashed. More than one major character is killedin this book, so there is some shakeup going onin the cast of characters. Which ones &in what way I will leave for the reader to find out.
I am not blind to the flaws & faults of this series, but as I read the books, the flaws & faults simply do not matter. I won't pretend that these should win awards for the craft of writing, though. I think that one reason why the Left Behind books are so compelling (this one included) is that we get to see one possible interpretation of how the Book of Revelation may play out. I am a Christian, so I do believe that Revelation is true, but I don't claim to have any interpretation of it myself nor do I believe that this is necessarily the correct interpretation. It does helpin imagining the End Times, though. The next book is to be the last book, & I am curious as to how Jenkins will write the second coming of Christ (LaHaye is the theologian, Jenkins the author).
-Joe Sherry
A Good Read - By: , 07 Jan 2004 I have enjoyed this book & the othersin the series. They keep you entralled & on the edge of your seat. It has helped to have knowledge of the Holy Bible especially the book of Revelations. Unlike some reviews I am not tired of this series & look forward to the next book outin late 2004.
