Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #234784 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Synopsis
All armies of the world, including the Tribulation Force, head for the Middle East to engage in one massive battle, as the world becomes even more dangerous to live in with death, mistrust, and treachery all around.

Customer Reviews

The Final Countdown Has Begun
The final year of the tribulation has begun. Chang is hoping to use the oppressive darkness that has fallen on New Babylon to set up remote surveillance and then escape to Petra. The contingent in San Diego finds itself in danger when Global Community forces start nosing around their compound, compromising Chloe. But that's just the beginning. Carpathia is planning the ultimate battle combining all the world's forces in one final push to finally destroy the Judah-ites and others who still oppose him. What can the Tribulation Force do?

Like the last book, this book starts out with lots of action that will keep you glued to your seat anxiously turning pages. There are several different storylines going, and the action jumps quickly from place to place. However, the last part really bothers me. While it was still interesting and action packed, almost all the characters starting doing things that made no logical sense given the previous few books. This led up to a final chapter that didn't need to happen. I guess the authors felt the pressure to have some action, and couldn't come up with anything else to do, but it left this long time fan disappointed. Also disappointing was the fact that several characters were given nothing to do. While the cast of characters has grown too huge to properly handle, several were only mentioned in passing, and I missed hearing from them. There's only a couple scenes with Carpathia and his henchmen (usually highlights of the books), but they are some of the best in the series. I especially liked the one where he announces his plans for the battle.

The writing style no longer really bothers me when I sit down for these books. As always, there is nothing here that will change anyone's mind about the series. And those of us committed to finding out what happens next will read it no matter what. I'm looking forward to watching everything brought to a conclusion in the final book. If done correctly, this could be a finale that blows the other books out of the water.

nearing the end of the series
Book 11 in the Left Behind series.

When I began reading this book, I was a little hazy on what had happened in 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 and the context filled me in on the rest and 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, and I think a little out of character. It served the plot, though, so we can gloss over it. There were some surprises in 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", and much of the books seem to be heavy handed. However, when I'm reading the book I forget all about that and 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 role in a popular novel. Maybe it is just how quickly and easily the series reads, but there is something about it that makes me want to keep reading and gets me involved in the story. Maybe it is God working through these books, if such a thing is possible.

The story begins late in the Tribulation. A plague of darkness and 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 and 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 and the final judgments from Revelation are unleashed. More than one major character is killed in this book, so there is some shakeup going on in the cast of characters. Which ones and in what way I will leave for the reader to find out.

I am not blind to the flaws and faults of this series, but as I read the books, the flaws and 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 help in imagining the End Times, though. The next book is to be the last book, and I am curious as to how Jenkins will write the second coming of Christ (LaHaye is the theologian, Jenkins the author).

-Joe Sherry

Number 11 - nearly there!
Having read this book I felt compelled to write about it.

I found the book extremely good - building on the previous 10 books and developing the characters found there. I had wondered if, at this late stage in the series, things would be skimped.

I suppose I cannot honestly say whether it is a 'good' book in its own rights or whether it is just that I have enjoyed the series and therefore enjoyed this one.

How can I tell though?

I couldn't put the book down - as I have found with all the books so far.

I am amazed that the authors can write 11 books and still be able to produce such quality.

I am especially struck by the amount of research that goes into the writing - from the Biblical prophecies.

My only downside is that I really feel that this series is being stretched out. Having got so far into the 7 year timestretch it seems to me as though they could perfectly well have ended the series with this book.

It seems to be stretching things a lot to have another book following this and I have to say I wonder what can come next that will fill a whole book - I wait with baited breath to find out.

Again, I read this book from cover to cover without wanting to put it down and am upset that I'll have to wait a year for the next one.

I would not say this is a literary classic in its own right but, as part of the series, it is as good as ever.

What more can I say.