TITLE: Left Behind
AUTHOR: Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
COPYRIGHT: 2000
TYPE: Christian
PAGES; 352
SERIES: Yes

REASON FOR READING: My mom’s been trying to get me to read this series forever!

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Piloting his 747, Rayford Steele is musing about his wife Irene's irritating religiosity and contemplating the charms of his "drop-dead gorgeous" flight attendant, Hattie. First Irene was into Amway, then Tupperware, and now it's the Rapture of the Saints--the scary last story in the Bible in which Christians are swept to heaven and unbelievers are left behind to endure the Antichrist's Tribulation. Steele believes he'll put the plane on autopilot and go visit Hattie. But Hattie's in a panic: some of the passengers have disappeared! The Rapture has happened, abruptly driverless cars are crashing all over, and the slick, sinister Romanian Nicolae Carpathia plans to use the UN to establish one world government and religion. Resembling "a young Robert Redford" and silver-tongued in nine languages, Carpathia is named People's "Sexiest Man Alive." (This reviewer, a former People writer, finds this plot twist plausible.) Meanwhile, Steele teams up with Buck Williams, a buck-the-system newshound, to form the Tribulation Force, an underground of left-behind penitents battling the Antichrist.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
I thought this is a good book talking about the end of times. Most people tend to forget that this is fiction which means two people set down and wrote it. However, they based it off of facts in the Bible the book of Revelation. So with that in mind this is a Christian book and while it seems unbelievable to some to me it is what I would envision happening. And personally makes me hope I go in rapture so that I’m not sticking around to watch this happen to the world.
The book starts off with a pilot who is thinking of cheating on his wife only before he can he realizes people are missing from his plane. As they get closer to home they realize that millions of people around the world are missing. They just disappeared in the blink of an eye. All the children are gone as well which frightens those left behind.
Hence the title. Anyway this book sets up the series of what will occur on Earth before the Lord returns. I think it had some pros and cons. I do believe if you are curious as to what the whole rapture thing is about then I suggest checking out your bible then reading this book

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it going to see if I want the rest.

SCORE: 8 out of 10
*******
100+ Book Challenge

53 / 100 books. 53% done!

Okay I really haven't talked about this book and I feel bad for that. This is one of those books that you either enjoy or don't. It is a religion book which I have never read before but thought that since I am growing as a Christian and exploring new areas of my faith that reading Christian literature might be a good step. So what did I start with? A book about the the end of times. Yeah very scary stuff.

So far we have delt with 2 main characters and a few minor characters. We now know who is the anti-christ and how easily he will win the world over. Rapture has occured (for those of you unfimilar with this that is when God will call back his people and in a blink of an eye they will be gone) And now the world is wondering why they were left behind, who stole the people and what is going on. Those that had been to church realized it was Christ's hand while others are doubtful and looking for any excuse.

Rayford one of the main characters is left behind. His wife and son were taken and now Rayford realizes that he was left and who is responsible. He is coming to find the Lord while at the same time hoping his daughter Chole finds him as well. Rayford is also starting to realize all of his sins and how that hurt him in the long run.

The other main character is "Buck" a young reporter who is unsure of what is going on but is so enamored with his job he isn't looking for any particular reason. Buck is the one that will become close to the anti-christ and is helping him by making him a major story.

Somehow these two stories will either come together or fall apart. I can't wait to see which. Left behind is the 1st of 7 I think and I am about done with it. I will post a review when I finish.

Has anyone else read this series? Did you find yourself with goosebumps while reading it?