Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides (Left Behind #4) Reviews

• Christ Clone Trilogy is SO MUCH BETTER

  
  By A1UZZIHMT0TPZ2 on 2001-09-01
  I stopped reading this series after #4 (Soul Harvest). I kept reading Left Behind hoping it would get better. It didn't. I also read (actually started reading) We All Fall Down, but there the foul language was SO EXCESSIVE I couldn't keep going. Finally I read the books of The Christ Clone Trilogy (why do I feel like Goldilocks here?) and it was "just right!" Actually it was GREAT! So if you're tired of Buck and Rayford playing James Bond, and all the females in the LB world cooing, have a look at The Christ Clone Trilogy.
  
  

• Another in a great series...

  
  By on 1999-10-16
  After putting my wife off for several months to read 'Left Behind,' I have quickly raced through the first four books in the series, ending recently with Soul Harvest.

  This book matches the intensity and excitment of the prior three installments, using the environment outlined in the Book of Revelations to tell the continuing story of Rayford Steele, Buck Williams and the rest of the Tribulation Force.

  Without giving anything away, this installment has enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested from start to finish. Oddly, being a Christian and knowing where all of this is going, does nothing to dull the excitement of following the story as it develops.

  The vivid writing of Lahaye and Jenkins makes it possible to visually put yourself into the scene and almost experience the subject matter firsthand.

  If you are a believer and have not read any of these books, you are not doing yourself justice. These are great writings and do a great job of bringing the Word of God to life in a new and vibrant manner.
  
  

• It's not Horrible

  
  By A2BAFQNBV2AKKW on 2000-11-21
  Now, you've heard from every other reviewer, that these books aren't very well written. Well, they're right. But you've heard enough from them about that, so I won't bore you with how bad the writing was. I really don't think these books are too bad. I only have one problem, well actually 2 problems: 1: I don't think these books need to be dragged out past 8 books. If the writers were good, then I'd say the heck with it, go ahead. But the fact is they aren't good writers. Look at the Harry Potter series. There will be seven of those, but the author is a great author. Also, there was a mistake in interpretations in this book. It was the first I've come across, but it's a big part in the story. If you're familiar with the story, you know that all believers get a mark on their forehead so they will be recognized as Christians. Well, in Revelation, chapter 7, It says that only the 144,000 witnesses will get that seal on their heads. Out of all the things that happen in Revelation, that has to be the most understandable. I don't see how the authors could have missed something like that. Anyway, these are just my opinions. Also, if you have questions about the "End Times," don't worry about it just yet. Every Christian should be more concerned about how to live their lives right now, than worrying about what is going to happen in the end times.
  
  

• Slow, boring, dumb

  
  By A3VHW9PESLU9RB on 2001-09-25
  This book starts off as Buck and Captain Ray search for their wives on opposite sides of the Earth, following the gigantic "Wrath of the Lamb" earthquake. It takes nearly 300 pages for Buck to locate his wife, while in all that time Ray does nothing but convert his co-pilot and arrange to get ahold of some scuba gear to see if his wife died in a plane crash into the Tigris River. What's my point? All of this "action" could very well have taken place in the first chapter alone. The pacing in this book is about as fast as your average glacier. Anyway, things pick up a bit in the last third of the book. Buck and a pilot friend go off to Denver to rescue Hattie, and nearly get killed. Ray finally gets to dive in the wreckage of a 747 to look for his wife. Carpathia plots against the fake Pope, Peter Mathews. And God sends a humongous 1000-mile wide asteroid to crash into the Earth. Two, in fact, one of sulfur and one of rotten wood.

  OK, so this book [is bad]. Thank God I got it at the library for free. Un-Christian though it may sound, I tend to suspect the authors and the publisher are in cahoots to drag this series out as long as possible, to milk every last dollar they can out of the chumps who actually spend their own money to read this stuff. Furthermore, the writing is rife with basic factual errors. Considering that several of the main characters are pilots, the authors make little effort to learn anything about aviation. For instance, when Buck and his pilot friend Ken try to fly to Minneapolis in Ken's Learjet to locate Buck's wife, they take off from a golf course! Any pilot will tell you this is absurd, even in a landscape that hasn't just been ravaged by an earthquake. And a 1000 mile wide asteroid would have become visible hundreds of millions of miles from Earth, not a mere few hours before impact as described in the book. Finally, the whole plot line has an aura of unreality to it. Despite having just suffered the worst disaster in the history of the Earth, within a few days of the earthquake Buck is flying into Minneapolis St. Paul Airport, talking to air traffic control and arranging a rental car, all as if nothing of import had happened. Of course they also seem to have no problem buying food and taking care of their other basic needs. At no point do we get the sense that people have just survived a truly devastating event, instead it seems that life gets back to "normal" very quickly.

  But all this pales in comparison to the basic premise of the "Left Behind" books. And that is this: We are expected to believe that we should love and revere a God who is basically a sadistic psycho. I mean, the whole Tribulation is God's way of getting us wayward humans to love, accept, and follow him. For seven years, according to these books, God will win our affection and loyalty by unleashing a series of horrors upon us. God is basically like a sick stalker; if we refuse to love him then he will terrorize us until we do. When humans act this way we put them in jail or an insane asylum. It would seem that humankind is more evolved and civilized than the God described by Messr's Jenkins and LaHaye .....
  
  

• Not complex, but enjoyable

  
  By A1584X8URGB452 on 1999-12-21
  Before I read this book, I spent a good deal of time looking through the reviews--mainly the 3 stars and less, as I was interested in the downside of this novel. I'm glad I did, because I read it with a more critical eye than if I'd chosen to read the serie's cheerleaders' reviews. I must admit, I enjoyed this one as much as any of the others. If you read it for escapism, as is the intention of most series, you don't really want a lot of details bogging down the flow of the story. The authors accomplish this feat. Their point, I'm sure, is to both entertain and inform. It is far more accessible and understandable to the layman than is The Revelation. It will also be an aid to those who actually sit down and read the biblical version. The authors, though at times in the previous books tend to make the main characters superhero-like, have done a good job with showing the vulnerability of the big three in this one. Poor Chloe has been beaten up pretty badly two books in a row! Doesn't matter how she looks, Buck loves her just the same. The books are addictive, and I'm probably going to have to run to Sam's Club and get the next one. I can't wait to decode Amanda's correspondences with Nicolae. I had a funny feeling about her in the previous book.
  
  
• It's Going to Happen
  By A3D6UBXGLN4I3T on 1999-11-17
  To all those criticizing the writing style, you're missing the point. For years, men have ignored the Book of all time. LaHaye and Jenkins have woven a story of intrigue that would reach all ages and levels of intelligence. But the bigger picture is that they're telling the story in modern-day terms because the days are short. This has made the book of Revelation live for me as never before and I was raised in the church. I'm sure it has gotten the attention of many who are re-thinking their values and getting their lives in order. A big thank you to the authors for making it so plain!
  
  
• Oh God, Book 4
  By AOIY1KRJ668QK on 2000-07-11
  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BECOME BETTER WRITERS SO I CAN AT LEAST JUSTIFY MY ADDICTION TO READING ALL OF THESE BOOKS!

  Having now read 4 of these books I can at least say that it is easier to look past the trite, simplistic and hackneyed writing. The dialogue is still like listening to 3rd graders play make-believe and the situations the characters get themselves into are sadly contrived. However, with each book it becomes easier to look past that and enjoy the serial-style excitement these books offer. The vapid characters have become less-annoying, like any friend that occasionally gets on your nerves.

  The storylines become more complex as we make our way to the Glorious Appearing heralded in the final book. This complexity is due largely to the fact that we have so much back story now, and that may be another reason I continue to enjoy these books. Don't get me wrong, these are NOT complex books. One just becomes numb to the egregious flaws in the writing and carried away by the world proffered in this scenario.

  This book tends to be a bit more blatant in its preaching, but the messages are not bothersome. While they do seem to be dropped into the middle of a chapter like a commercial for Jesus during your favorite soap opera, you are willing to role with them.

  This book could have easily been cut in half (as they all could) especially since each of these books covers only about 1-2 weeks of story time. The authors waste so much time describing each character's actions, I often feel as if it is being done on purpose to stretch the series out for another book. Are they trying to get the message out there about God or are they trying to sell more books? You decide. The Tribulation is 7 years, and we get to read about it one day at a time.

  From the other reviews I've read here the Christians that read these tend to believe they are the greatest books ever written (outside of the Bible, of course). To them, please read something by Steinbeck or Maughum and appreciate the Left Behind books for what they are: a fun repast that fictionalizes and dramatizes a very frightening and unknowable biblical event.

  The non-believers tend to find them drivel. To them, lighten up! Find the nut buried in the sand. Your preaching is far more offensive because you have NO foundation to preach from. Have you ever stopped to wonder about the idea of Faith?

  I simply wish the Christian faith could have been better served by good writing. Bad writing will alienate this message from getting through to so many people and further the cause of those who make fun of the faithful.

  And yet, I will continue to read every single one of these books. I give it two stars solely because of the writing. If there was another rating for message and content, I'd give it 4 stars. laredarel@aol.com
  
  

• Malicious filth -- but the best so far
  By on 1999-10-06
  I have to admit I'm hooked... reading these ridiculously bad, foolish, and just plain mean-spirited novels is like watching an old Ed Wood movie. It's so horrible that there's almost a genius to it; there's an element of fascination that just grips you. The fourth book has had the most action so far, and the scene where two characters dive into the Tigris river to search a downed plane is great.

  I've never read anything quite like this series in my life, and I like to consider myself an avid reader of all kinds of fiction. I've never come across characters so static, so contradictory, and so poorly executed that they're almost brilliant in themselves. Pope Pontifax Peter Mathews, evil world leader Nicholae Carpathia, his right hand Leon Fortunado, ex 747 captain Rayford Steele, and Cameran "Buck" Williams, the abstruse and world renown journalist (who couldn't write a decent church marquee if his static life depended on it) are all so poorly crafted and unbelievable that they deserve an underground cult following of college students who pride themselves on devouring B movies. But unfortunately that would never happen because the theme of the series is so hostile and inhuman that no one in his or her right mind (I'm crazy myself) would continue reading after the first book.

  I have never come across anything that so grossly downsizes and eliminates so many necessary human emotions. For example, the characters (who are initially presented as intelligent) never doubt their faith and wonder why they'd want to spend an eternity doing nothing but worshipping and worshipping and worshipping... in a sense, becoming a Borg, the cyborg-like species from the Star Trek series. Eternity in itself is a paradox: without time and the passage and flow from past to present to future, eternity has no meaning because there is no past, present, or future. And they never ponder why so many great women and men who inspire us, teach us, or make us laugh are cast into an "eternity" of hell while they, who seal off their minds and become belligerent to any form of world peace and world government, get to spend eternity with their god away from many of their "unsaved" loved ones. No, there is never a mention of doubt or retrospect, nor any form of sexuality (I applaud them for using no curse words -- a tremondous accomplishment-- but the word breast isn't even used in the whole series), or any of the depth of emotion that makes us human.

  Plus the series has no basis in reality whatsoever. Apparently, the renegade evangelist-rabbi can preach via the Internet on a "Central bulletin board" that apparantly everyone has access to and can hold unlimited messages. Oh yeah, it's entirely anonymous too! Where can I find this wonderful place? I want everyone to hear my message, I want to get hundreds of thousands of responses to my writing. Oh yes, I also want to have the ability to post new items in this mire of congestion and have everyone know it's instantly me and not some imposter or one of the millions of replies. Anyone who's ever touched the Internet or has a working mind knows this is ludicrous nonsense... although I will admit it's not as dumb as the world moving the U.N. to Iraq, or everything being pretty much back to normal a month after a global, ten pointer earth quake.

  I was horribly disturbed by a passage in this novel, one of the rabbi's messages on the central bulletin board. You can find it on pages 323-330. While it does have a Nazi propaganda-type beauty to it, it's a threat against any proposal of any kind of disarmarment or world peace. It's even written, and I quote, "I have never hidden that I believe the very idea of a one-world government, or currency, or especially faith is from the pit of hell." Now I consider this an insult to any intelligent pacifist. What the characters in the novel want is in fact a one world-government, one world currency, and one world faith, but instead of it being free for all people and ideas, it's a dictatorship where one religion exists and any thought that goes against the bible's doctrine is eradicated. That is a church directed communism, ladies and gentlemen.

  [Speaking in context of the book] If the one world government was led by someone other than Carpathia, who is corrupt and evil (though not as evil as this dangerous hostile thinking), the main characters would be terrorists, their goal to plunge the world into a new dark age where knowledge and thinking are restricted. Of course, I'm leaving out the supernatural elements of the rapture (which are all way out of chronological order by the way) so I'm not entirely being fair to the work.

  I think a lot of people are forgetting that this is merely fiction, a form of conjecture. I don't know the future. You don't know what's going to happen. We only live in the now. Nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so, as Shakespeare said. I challenge those of you who swallow this dogma to be like Huck Finn and run away with the slave -- risk the chance of hell to see the truth of our universe.

  Regardless of my parallel views, I'm a fan of the series and look forward to the next release.

  I'd like to close this review with something by Osho, a truly enlightened one who I will see in hell along with billions of others, yet I'd much rather be there than spend an "eternity" (think about that) with people like Pat Robertson and James and Tammy Bakker and David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz. Bear with me, I'm paraphrasing.

  A missionary approached me one day. "God created the world," he said.

  "Who created sin?" I asked.

  "The devil did."

  "Then who created the devil?"

  "Why, God of course," he replied, though he was at loss.

  Now who is the original sinner?
  
  

• Good intentions, horrible execution.
  By on 1999-11-16
  I think it is great that a Christian Book series is doing so well in the secular market place and I thought the first book (Left Behind) was great. But it is all downhill from there. If you except that the authors get all of the facts straight about the end times (which I do) then you are still left with horrible story telling and unbelievable.

  First, a 30-year old (Buck) marrying a 20-year old (Chloe). I don't think so. Why is Ben-Judah the only person in the world that knows anything about Revelations. There is no way that the entire Christian world would have to rely on Ben-Judah for teachings, and if they did, there would be no way they could all communicate with him.

  How can a group of six people be called a Force. The six people in the Tribulation Force are not unique. I have no doubt that there will be thousands of groups like the Tribulation Force when the rapture comes. Not just one that is the center of the end times universe.

  Why does Buck rescue Chloe from the hospital. She was not in danger. How could he take care of her. He couldn't. She should be dead now.

  In soul harvest, Rayford wants to die when he sees Amanda is dead. He says he wants to die so he can spend eternity with his "love" (or something to that effect. Did he mean his first wife which he totally ignored and almost cheated on, or his second wife that was probably a spy for the Anti-Christ (I don't know if she is since I have not read the next book.)

  Two more things. First, do not listen to the book on tape. That guy drives me insane. He acts out the voices of every person. Why couldn't he just read the book and let us figure out who is talking. It is not that difficult.

  Finally, when a normal book is published, it comes out in hardcover for about $25, and then in paperback for about $7. Why are the paperbacks in this series the size of hardcovers with large print and the biggest margins in history and a cost of $13. the print is so large and the margins are so wide. Normal books are twice as long and cost half as much.
  
  

• My take on end-times books
  By AZXFZ1NZMGMA6 on 2001-08-30
  The comparisons between end-times novels which have been made by other reviewers is probably useful, so here's my take on the matter.

  Last Day makes no attempt at all to adhere to scriptural prophecy. It is, in fact, less accurate scripturally than The Omen movies or End of Days. If you want a fun read and don't care whether the story has any connection to scripture, it's okay.

  Left Behind is an action adventure written primarily for Christians with a huge cross-over into the secular market. It sticks very closely to scripture and to prophecy of the time during the Tribulation. There is never any doubt of the authors' position and which characters are good and which are bad. Beyond that, there's been so much said about Left Behind by other readers that probably every possible opinion has been expressed. Some love it. Some hate it. Personally, I like the Left Behind series a lot.

  The Christ Clone Trilogy, my definite favorite among the list, is written for a secular audience with a big cross-over into the Christian market. Through most of the 3 books you don't know what the author's position is or which (if any) of the characters speak for him. Only in the last book do you find out he is a Christian and that he is using his story telling ability to reach the lost with the Gospel and the danger that faces them if they do not accept it.

  We All Fall Down is a story of a man forced to make decisions about himself and God when faced by undeniable evidence that the Bible is true. It's an interesting exploration in character but the author's development of the events of the Tribulation is muddled and very thin. The thing most Christians object to about We All Fall Down is the non-stop use of extreme profanity by the main character. It was hard for me to get past all the f-words, and I certainly would not say I enjoyed it, still it made me think.
  
  

• There are better Rapture novels
  By on 2003-06-02
  I did not find this story as believable as I think it should have been. Probably the best Rapture novels on the market right now, at least in my opinion, are "In His Image" (book one of the Christ Clone Trilogy) and "Conquest of Paradise", both of which I read several months ago. These books display the realism, intensity and suspense that make for incredibly exciting and unforgettable stories. The Left Behind Series, on the other hand, peaks the reader's interest, but doesn't seem the slightest bit realistic. If you liked "Nicolae," "Tribulation Force," and "Left Behind," you'll enjoy The Christ Clone Trilogy and "Conquest of Paradise" even more.
  
  
• Terrible, slow, and WAY too preachy.
  By A29WWK2ST4QV1X on 2001-12-09
  I've long been enamored with apocalyptic literature; something about a world slowly dying simply captivates my interest. So I was excited to hear of the Left Behind series.

  The problem, however, is that the series gradually turns into more of an evangelizing text than a quality novel. Long, boring religious asides take up pages at a time while major apocalyptic events are expressed in merely a few paragraphs. Three trumpet judgements seemed to breeze through in mere pages.

  While I enjoyed the first three books of the series, Soul Harvest seems to be sending it down a slippery slope, degenerating into a long religious tract. At the moment, I am reading Apollyon (book #5), and find it just as slow paced. However, I continue to read in hopes that it will pick up.
  
  

• Good fiction?
  By AO4A961ZKHJPL on 2000-07-12
  If you are going to read #4 in the series any review you read will be of little benefit as by now you are hooked in and will read it anyway. If you're new to the series this is by far one of the more exciting books, in a fantasy sort of way. Afterall good fiction should entertain and you shouldn't question the credibility of a good story if you're into it. There is lots of international intrigue that would make a good action type thriller. Of course a good script that would embellish the efforts of LaHaye and Jenkins would make it all the better. My main problem with the series is that it is is written at a juvenile level. Maybe the intent was to reach as many readers as possible or maybe there are just that many poor readers but I do wish the content was a little more geared beyond the 8th grade. The message as you know deals with the authors interpretation of the Bible but the preaching is minimal in this one as the action takes over much of the plot. A pretty easy read for believers and non-believers alike.
  
  
• The Unchristian Adventure
  By AYR85AUEIT5KO on 2000-09-19
  Although Biblicly based, the Left Behind series of which I have now read the first three, celebrate white male supremacy (the protagonists are Buck Williams and Rayford Steele) and they demonize foreigners ( the antichrist is named Carpathia from Romania and his number two man is named Leon Fortunato). The women in the story although Christian are wives, lovers, secretaries etc. There are no female heroes so far. Hattie Durham, the blonde bombshell who almost hit it off with Rayford Steele is pregnant with the child of the antichrist and since abortions are not a possibility with this group I am curious as to how L&J deal with this issue.

  This is an action adventure series and L&J provide the necessary tension to keep you guessing. It is however written at about the 8th grade level so you will not need a dictionary.
  
  

• THIS BOOK. . .
  By A2VYK77GNFJDMS on 2002-02-14
  . . .concerns me for a number of reasons.

  Reason One) The writing is really poor. For someone like myself, who grew up reading the Classics -- and who was always challenged to "reach" and to "strech myself" with regard to my reading, the quality of the writing (or lack thereof) was a significant "turn-off".

  Reason Two) The character development is virtually non-existent. While great writers (Charles Dickens comes to mind) frequently used "flat characters" as a literary device, the authors of this
  series seem ONLY to use "flat characters". The "Left Behind" characters seem to be "all good" or "all evil" and make the "jump" from evil (or unsaved) to good with a minimum of struggle. I don't see this as realistic. As the series progresses, the only truly interesting character -- and the only character who seems to be developing a personality is Nicolae! (And I don't think that it is the intent of the authors to promote sympathy for the bad guy!)

  Reason Three) The theology presented is presented as "the" correct interpretation of Revelation, embraced by all "true believers". This is nonsense. The theology of Revelation propounded in this series is a 19th century invention, accepted by only a very small minority of Protestant Christians. It does not represent what most Christians (regardless of denominational affiliation) have believed about Last Things for the entire history of Christianity.

  Reason Four) I find the underlying anti-Catholicism derogatory and offensive. If the authors have theological disagreements with
  Catholicism, I freely respect that. However, Catholicism is not accurately portrayed here -- rather, it is caricatured. Again, the identity of the "false prophet" is clear; the concept that the "false prophet" will be Pope is also clear -- and that Rome (and specifically the Vatican) will be the headquarters for the new "World Religion" is also clear. As a student of history and theology, I find this offensive in the extreme.

  I note that Amazon.com has, in the past, posted disclaimers with regard to certain openly anti-Semitic material available. I wish that similar disclaimers were posted with regard to antagonistically anti-Catholic materials as well.
  
  

• Best of the first four in series
  By on 2003-05-10
  A Review by Jessica

  As prophesized events continue to be hurtled toward the Tribulation Force and the rest of the world, Buck Williams and Rayford Steele are on a search for their lost wives. Just as they had expected, they are now becoming the main target of the Anti- Christ. The Tribulation Force will have to out smart the Anti- Christ's powerful guards, have secrecy among fellow believers, and go into hiding all in order to protect or even save their own lives.
  
  I loved the amount of action in this book. The authors keep you on the edge of your seat the time. An example of this is of the first seven or eight chapters while Buck and Rayford are continually looking for wives, Chloe and Amanda. Only problem with this is that they are wanted be every Global Community guard and cannot get caught. I also enjoyed reading about each character. Even though they are the same characters as in the first three books, the authors continue to add attributes to each character that keep you hooked on them. The relevance of this book is another thing that influenced me to give this book five stars. Everything that happens in this book is an interpretation of anything that could happen during the actual Tribulation. Although only a fiction story, everything that happens in this book gives you a piece of mind of what Hell on earth might be like.

  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an action-packed book with non-stop suspense or to readers who are looking for a good Christian story.
  
  

• Exciting stories but poorly written
  By on 2000-02-29
  So far I've read the first four books of the series and have found the story lines very enjoyable. My only regret is that the books are very poorly written. The writing in Left Behind was so awful, I almost didn't finish it. As an example of this poor writing, it took four books before we are given a description of what Chloe actually looks like. However, if you are not looking for great written works of fiction you should find that the story lines and chase scenes are quite exciting and I am looking forward to completing the series. As far as those who want to debate prophecy, none of us really know exactly what will happen so it is no need to take the authors interpretations so seriously. I am reading the stories strictly as fiction with the hope that I gain a little insight and understanding to some of the more difficult passages of Bible prophecy.
  
  
• Get ready for a few surprises in this one!
  By AIL4HD8BRUHV9 on 2000-08-13
  Perhaps you feel that the series has been somewhat predictable. Soul Harvest had a couple of twists and turns of the plot that made it extra-good reading. I do believe I enjoyed this one somewhat more than Nicolae.

  I enjoyed the two new characters in this book - both Rayford and Buck gained a new Christian brother that helped them in their adventures. The idea of the sign of the cross on the foreheads of believers (which is visible only to other believers, but not oneself!) was very interesting.

  The whole series follows a "Pre-Trib" point of view. The word pictures that Jerry Jenkins paints remain vivid in the reader's mind. The characters and the events which are SO memorable really "flesh out" the events described in Revelation. The potential problem is that people could think that this is exactly how things will happen. While it is a widely-held point of view, and a well-respected one, the series is still fiction.

  I have studied the book of Revelation before and I know that as a result of this series, I'll definitely be studying it again soon!

  I would encourage anyone who is enjoying the Left Behind series to check out the authors' non-fiction book about end times Revelation theology. It's called "Are We Living in the End Times?"

  These books ALL leave you hanging at the end - a good reason for reading them one right after another!

  WARNING: the end of this book is somewhat gruesome; however, I read very few little fiction of any kind, and gory stuff almost not at all!

  Please check out my other reviews of Christian books and Christian music.
  
  

• soul harvest
  By A1CXZ6RFVHZ3XR on 2000-01-12
  out of the first four books, this is the most exciting one
  
  
• Grace of God Alone
  By on 2000-04-28
  Even as my eyes are glued to the last few pages of this book, I have become increasingly convinced that these characters exist by the grace of God alone, since they are all such extraordinary idiots! Tsion Ben-Judah alone, among the believers, is a character worthy of respect.

  I am fascinated by the plot and have been cross-referencing my Bible to more clearly understand what Revelation, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Isaiah actually state, though I echo a reviewer of _Nicolae_ who lamented the egregious absence of intelligent Christian fiction. Have we seen the last of such writers as C. S. Lewis?

  Mr. Lahaye and Mr. Jenkins, with all due respect, please credit your readers with more resourcefulness, intelligence and sense of humor in your future books. Please do not bore us with unnecessary recaps of past books or overexplain technology. Realize that the characters' histrionics are more laughable than their lame attempts at humor. I must admit that I was glad when Hattie went to the "dark side," since it would constitute considerably less dialogue for her.

  By all means, however, please continue to deliver your interpretation of the end times events, and please continue to use the Scriptures as your guide. You have a vast audience of readers hungry for the message but who are frustrated by wading through such careless writing.
  
  

• Fiction-lite
  By A2C0T2D2IU08S0 on 2000-10-28
  If you're in need of Sunday-school remedial lessons you may find something of value in these incredibly light-weight novelettes. Stretched out to garner as many sales as is feasably possible, each of these commercial exploitations is a very superficial and unsophisticated read. In contrast, read Glen Kleier's complex and spiritually satisfying supsense thriller THE LAST DAY and you will see how much gold can be mined from this rich topic of the End of Time. For my money, there has to be more to a novel than simply a validation of fundamentalist Bible interpretations. I'm also looking for a story, characterization, and theological insight. These books are very disappointing in that regard.
  
  
• Taking Sides....
  By A69Z3F9A2ILNP on 2001-12-26
  I have now officially taken sides on the issue of this immensely popular series. While I probably will finish the series, it is not worth all of the hype that it has received. There are plenty of other Christian fiction novels that are better written, more inspirational and have characters that are more true-to-life.

  In this 4th installment of the series, the story gets a little bit out of hand. The events of the book of Revelation become very turbulent - lots of people dying in catastrophic events - and so many people seem to ignore the presence of God. More troubling to me however was the way so many of the main group of characters suddenly became believers. With no prior faith and comparatively little information they all of a sudden are giving their life to God. while I feel this would be wonderful it did seem a little bit far-fetched to me.

  The main circle of characters we are used to reading about seems to be all we get to read about. I would have been interesting in knowing more about what the general population seems to think about the events in the book, but apparently the authors don't (or aren't creative enough to give life to the masses). The characters don't seem all of that concerned about others either. They are not evangelizing (with the exception of Ben-Judah) and are hiding their faith. This doesn't make me want to be proud of my faith and would not convince an unbeliever that Jesus is Lord.

  Why 3 stars?: The series is losing steam. Long passages could have been cut out of this book (and its predecessors for that matter). The characters are getting more and more fantasized and less like real people. A disappointment, though I have to admit I probably will grit my teeth and finish out the series.
  
  

• Several engrossing mysteries introduced
  By A2M3KCY7DG8KNR on 2000-03-11
  Faster paced than the previous books in the series, this book shows our heroes in serious, life-threatening situations. The good guys vs. the bad guys become more evident and active than in the previous editions. New mysteries are revealed that will virtually turn the pages for you, screaming for answers such as the real story behind Bruce's death and what will be found on the bottom of the Tigris River. But the most memorable and humorous line in the entire series so far can be found in this book - One of the characters says, "If this is the 'Wrath of the Lamb', then I think I better make friends with that lamb!"
  
  
• Wonderful...so good, I almost want to convert!
  By A21W0Z3OZ8CHO4 on 2000-01-08
  I think that this is my favorite of the Left Behind books so far. This novel basically covers what hapens immediately before and after the 'wrath of the Lamb'--the great global earthquake and the sixth seal judgement. If you're just looking at this book, read Left Behind, Tribulation Force, and Nicolae first to get the full impact. Fabulous book; can't wait to read the next one!
  
  
• Interesting, but�
  By on 2000-01-12
  "Left Behind," (the series,) was an easy read, with an also too easy to follow plot. I preferred Jerry Furland's view of a more realistic turn of future events in his novel, "Transfer: The end of the beginning." It has a more believable scenario, is less opinionated, and is more intelligently written than "Left Behind." "Transfer" left me wanting more, and thankfully there is-it is the first novel of a trilogy. I recommend it highly!
  
  
• Atheist's point of view
  By on 2000-09-12
  Seems like most of the reviewers of this series are Christians, so I thought I would contribute a non-believer's view--it may surprise you that this series is one of the most addictive I have ever read.

  So why would an atheist like this overly preachy, poorly written book series? Because it's a great story--it's that simple.

  The book of revelations has always interested me--I especially liked Stephen King's The Stand, and The Omen movie series, but this series of books has taken a more literal interpretation of the Bible, which is intriguing. I like the idea of following a small group of people through the Tribulation, seeing how they deal with the wrath of God, etc. All great stories have conflict--and what could be a better conflict than good vs. evil?; throw in earthquakes, firey hail, and general mass chaos and this is a perfect recipe for a good book.

  By the way, this book has NOT made me more of a "believer;" as a matter of fact, I am probably more of an atheist now than ever...the more I read and learn about the Bible, the less I believe any of it actually happened. That doesn't mean it isn't interesting, though. I will continue to read and study the Bible and its messages--after all, we atheists don't have ANY book to follow.
  
  

• That's it, I can't take it anymore.
  By on 1999-11-05
  It seems to me that every book following "Left Behind" is merely a repitition. I found this book so hard to get into, I had to force myself to finish it. Why are all these great reviews coming forward?
  
  
• Excellent
  By A7OJXI7U45UEK on 1998-08-03
  After reading through many of the other comments, I must agree that it will be hard to wait for an entire year for the next release. I was almost hysterical at the end of Nicolae and told my pastor, who knows Tim LaHaye, to tell Tim that he had no right by letting us hang, not knowing what happened. Once again, he has left us hanging. As an avid reader, usually of murder mysteries, I am thrilled when a book grabs my attention and I can't put it down. This has happened with all four of these books. I read Left Behind in 24 hrs, staying up till 3 in the morning to finish it. Tribulation Force was 48 hrs and Nicolae a few days. Soul Harvest I finished in two days, reading it at every chance I got. I've heard people say that friends and family members are getting saved because of these books. I eagerly look forward to number 5 to see what happens. (I must say that every book I read, I am relieved that I won't be here on earth to experience it. I'll be one of those that disa! ppears during the Rapture...)
  
  
• What a wonderful time to be a Christian lover of literature!
  By AOYKZHA8QR31R on 2001-11-08
  For so many years, a Christian's only real option to read quality Christian literature was to read the marevelous C.S. Lewis. I feel blessed in the the last couple of years with the outpouring of quality literature now available. What's more, the different books are all very different. Left Behind is a wonderful introduction to the theology behind the End Times and a great series for all ages. We All fall down is a great book for more mature, intellegent Christians who wsnt to explore the individual ramifications of the End Times and the one on one relationship of a man who has fallen away from God. The Christ Clone Trilogy is a thrilling, Tom Clancey like look at these events, full of unexpected twists and turns. I know some people like to argue the various merits of these books as compared to each other, but I think they are all worth reading and feel lucky to finally have such a wide variety of GREAT Christian literature available.
  
  
• Very fast read
  By A1B05INWIDZ74O on 2005-09-21
  This is the fourth book in the Left Behind Series. It continues just after wrath of the Lamb--a global earthquake in the 21st month of the Tribulation. Our two main characters, Buck and Rayford, are once again the ones the story is built around. But this time you want to keep up with both stories as they work to see who is left alive. We watch them both try and find their spouse's. We also see that the world population is starting to realize they need to take sides...choosing to align with Christ or the Anti-Christ.... At the end of this book we see the beginning of the Trumpet Judgments.
  
  This is the best written of the four book yet. There is actually a couple of twist in this book, which is nice. And once again the story does flow. That and the large print, I was able to read this book in a single afternoon. For the first time, I will go directly to the next book in the series and follow the story line.
  
  
  

• Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist (Left Behind No. 3)
• Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5)
• Assassins: Assignment: Jerusalem, Target: Antichrist (Left Behind No. 6)
• Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama of Those Left Behind (Left Behind No. 2)
• The Indwelling: The Beast Takes Possession (Left Behind No. 7)