A Novel of the Earth's Last Days (Left Behind - Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins)

Member Name: Tail_Feather

Product:	Left Behind - Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Date:	08/07/09 (19 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quite an exciting read

Disadvantages: Some poor character dialogue

'Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days', is the first book in a series of sixteen, by authors Tim LaHaye (also a minister) and Jerry B. Jenkins.

The cover of the book is simple but striking (and the rest of the 'Left Behind' series follows with similarly themed covers) with the title and author's names in bold letters, against a mainly black backdrop, apart from a flash of orange where we see a faint image of the earth.

The story centres around the sudden disappearance of millions of people across the world; unborn babies vanish from their mother's wombs, all children are taken, and millions of adults inexplicably fade away, leaving behind piles of clothes and jewellery; vehicles are suddenly left without drivers, causing cars to collide and planes to fall out of the sky, all inducing worldwide scenes of devastation. Before long we realise that the disappearances were part of 'The Rapture' - Christ taking his believers to heaven.

The book follows two main characters; Rayford Steele, a middle aged airline pilot, and Cameron 'Buck' Williams, a young, confident journalist; as well as the two protagonists we are also introduced to several other characters which unfortunately made things a bit complicated; with so many people involved in all sorts of conspiracies, it's sometimes a bit hard to follow.

While Rayford's story arc concerns itself with mainly religious aspects, Buck's story involves a bit more mystery, especially when he comes across a curious individual called Nicolae Carpathia.

As I bought this book in a local Faith Mission shop, I assumed it would only appeal to people with an interest in religion, however after reading it, I believe it could be appreciated by anybody who enjoys an exciting, intriguing story.

'Left Behind' has been a huge success and has spawned TV/movie versions, as well as child-friendly editions of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this, despite the writing being a little tedious sometimes (especially in relation to the character of Hattie Durham) and I now intend to read the rest of the series.

Summary: Whether you buy into the religious aspect or not, give it a try.