It’s hard for me to believe that I started this series a little over a year ago.The Remnant is the 10th book in the series. It picks up right where DeIt’s hard for me to believe that I started this series a little over a year ago.The Remnant is the 10th book in the series. It picks up right where Desecration left off- with everyone’s favorite Antichrist getting ready to bomb TF out of the believers at Petra.
Acting like a child on Christmas morning, Antichrist is estatic about the slaughters of millions of believers. He launches his most aggressive attack finishing it off with a missile that is promised to wipe Petra off the map for good… but the believers at Petra have God on their side and are not harmed. The flames that engulf their bodies cause them no pain at all.
Antichrist and his collegues cover it up in the media stating that the missile missed its target. But Buck Williams is still publishing his online magazine- The Truth- and makes sure the masses know what really happened.
Meanwhile we have some members of the Trib Force off on secret recue missions. We have some falling in love. We have some in such dire need of help it makes your stomach knot up in anticipation. The safe house in Chicago becomes compromised and our Trib Force is forced to search for a new place to stay.
As I continue to tell you all as this series goes on, the action DOES NOT STOP. Ever. The writing is garbage. The characters are pretty cookie-cutter, only occasionally do you see any sort of development in them before it’s back to the mold. But there is just something addictive about them…like how you think you’re only going to have a couple more Doritos and then suddenly the whole bag is gone. They’re exciting and fun.
These books have not turned me into a believer- nor will they. (Maybe if ¾ of the poplation disappears I might consider it.) They are a neat take on a Dystopian world that keep a quick and relentless pace. If you’re looking for life-changing literature, this is not it. If you’re looking for an entertaining read that goes quick, look no further. ...more
These books do not slow down. Since word one in the first book right on down the line, they have been nonstop action and adventure. I can’t stress enoThese books do not slow down. Since word one in the first book right on down the line, they have been nonstop action and adventure. I can’t stress enough how exciting this series has proven to be. It’s definitely a new look at the dystopian genre.
The Mark of Loyalty is officially put into effect. Worldwide, believers are losing their lives. They would rather give their lives in the name of their God than take the mark of the beast and spend an eternity in Hell. The Antichrist is on a mission to eradicate the Jews and Judah-ites alike. He no longer tries to hide his evil ways. Now that he has dubbed himself God, he can do as he pleases, and his word is all that matters.
The believers are being flushed out of hiding and being held in concentration camps before being beheaded. The story has definitely taken a much darker tone as the end of days approaches. And I have to say- I’m loving it. When times are darkest, your faith is tested and that’s what we see here. We see our Tribulation Force facing trial after trial and still, their faith remains as strong as ever.
The Antichrist plans to take up a new Kingdom, reclaiming Jerusalem as his new home. He has big plans for his arrival to be as disrespectful and obscene as possible. He plans to ride a giant pig down the walkway and have its throat slit on the holy temple. But the one true God strikes back with the next Bowl Judgement, inflicting painful boils all over the bodies of those who take the mark of the beast willingly.
We see a lot of true miracles happen. And they are really neat interpretations of the biblical prophesies. I love how the authors have put this story together around those prophesies. It’s amazing to me that they can have the mind to create such a vivid and believable story. Even “knowing” how things are going to play out(because it’s all been foretold), you still don’t really know anything. You don’t know who will make it through until the end, who will play what role in any of it, or how some of your favorite characters will survive the next 10 pages!!
These books just continue to keep a fast pace that makes it nearly impossible to put them down. You find yourself so immersed in this world, you forget these people aren’t real and the events are not actually happening. There is no greater feeling than that when reading! ...more
The Mark is the eighth installment in the Left Behind Series. I started this series about a year ago and haven’t regretted it at all. While this is myThe Mark is the eighth installment in the Left Behind Series. I started this series about a year ago and haven’t regretted it at all. While this is my first endevour with Christian fiction, it is not my first with dystopian. Not being a religious person myself, I was worried coming into it that I would struggle with the context of the story. Luckily, that has not been the case. I find the story to be compelling, interesting and very exciting. They have all been quick reads as well, which is nice.
Nicolae Carpathia has been resurrected and granted powers by Satan himself. That’s right, people. This is not a drill. The title “antichrist” is official. Due to his belief that he is now God, Carpathia mandates that statues be constructed in his image and that the masses worship those images at least 3 times a day. And he also introduces the Mark of Loyalty which has been prophesied already in the bible.
What is the Mark of Loyalty? It’s the Mark of the Beast. One needs to have it in order to trade or buy goods. And if one does not have said mark, they are given the choice of taking the Mark or losing their heads to the “Loyalty Enforcement Facilitator” which is a fancy way of saying guillotine. Obviously the days of accepting other faiths are gone. Our Tribulation Force is forced to go underground if they hope to stay alive to see the Glorious Appearing.
We run into some old friends that we thought were dead or serving the antichrist. We find new believers and lose some friends to the cause along the way. The story just continues to roll on and every time you think there’s no way it could get more exciting, it somehow does. Our main core of believers get into these crazy situations but manage to find a way out. Knowing that not all of our faithful believers won’t make it until the end leaves you on the edge of your seat every single time.
I think the writers do a great job creating a very believable scenario around the biblical prophesies. The characters get a little more depth each time you encounter them. The shifting perspectives make for a suspsensful reading experience and keeps those pages turning! ...more
While things get harder and harder for our Tribulation Saints, the story gets darker and darker. Each trial and tribulation is proving to test our groWhile things get harder and harder for our Tribulation Saints, the story gets darker and darker. Each trial and tribulation is proving to test our group members in different ways forcing them to search for a strength they don’t know if they have. If you plan on picking this series up, I would stop reading this review because there are potential spoilers ahead.
In our last installment Rayford was having an internal struggle with himself. Dealing with grief and anger he decided the only way to appease these feelings was to murder the Antichrist. Leaving both Leah and Buck stranded in different parts of the world, he goes rogue and purchases a gun on the black market. Not just any gun, but one that is guaranteed to have devastating effects on its target. This gun, coincidentally, is the same on the Antichrist used to murder the two witnesses in Jerusalem.
Rayford, having made up his mind, attends the Gala with the intent to kill Carpathia. Only the gun won’t fire when he has an open shot. Then he gets bumped by someone- was that Hattie? Couldn’t be! She’s been captured by the GC and is being held against her will! The gun goes off. Chaos ensues. There is madness everywhere as people flee the area. Assassins left off with us not knowing who actually killed Carpathia. As there were a few different people with ample opportunity to pull the proverbial trigger, it’s the ultimate cliffhanger and whodunit.
Unfortunately, the Indwelling does not come right out and give away all the secrets. The first few chapters go over the details of what may or may not have happened. Then as the story unfolds, it is finally revealed somewhere in the middle of the book. But the GC is still spinning its own web of lies and laying the murder at the feet of Rayford Steele. After all, there is video evidence of him aiming a weapon at Carpathia.
As everyone else is out on secret missions, Chloe and Tsion are tasked with holding down the fort. The two of them are caring for Chloe and Buck’s son, Kenny. Trying to make sense of all that is being played out on national television about the murder of Carpathia and Rayford being the accused, Chloe comes to a very difficult decision. She informs Tsion of her intentions and asks him to carry out her plan in the event that she is unable to. So distraught at the mere thought of her son being taken into GC custody, she intends to kill her son and then herself if their safe house is discovered.
The GC community is planning for the grandest of all funerals. The Tribulation Force is once again scattered everywhere. There is an extreme amount of pressure and stress on all of them for their own reasons. On top of that they are concerned for their brothers and sisters who are spread so wide. The time is coming where the believers are going to be forced into hiding because they will require a mark to make purchases in the GC. Those that are hiding their identities as believers are coming to terms that their lives are soon to be turned upside down.
We have some major revelatory moments in this one. An out-of-this world experience for one of our believers. An almost-rebirth of another. A fresh start for two. And a brand spanking new believer. But amidst all of this, we lose yet another valued member.
These books continue to captivate me. Right time, right place kind of thing? Who knows? All I know is that I am enjoying the ever-loving shit out of them. I had to take a brief hiatus while I read another book with some pantsless people but I can’t wait to get back into it. As I have already said before, I am excited to see where the series goes. ...more
With Origin, Dan Brown went back to his roots and it is a beautiful thing. His last two in the Robert Langdon series were mediocre at best. They left With Origin, Dan Brown went back to his roots and it is a beautiful thing. His last two in the Robert Langdon series were mediocre at best. They left most of his readers with a bitter taste in their mouths knowing he could do better. Now, I know I do not speak on behalf of all fans of the series, but I am merely speaking from my own encounters.
Robert Langdon has been asked to attend an event at the bequest of billionaire scientist Edmond Kirsch. Kirsch is a former student of Langdon’s who as gone on to do truly remarkable things. He is a futurist and an atheist. He claims to have found the origin of life. This is a pretty bold proclamation. And one that will have some pretty big repercussions.
Where do we come from? Where are we going?
This is the recurring theme throughout this book. It is during the presentation that a shot rings out ending the life of the brilliant scientist. The promised discovery of life’s true meaning is left unsaid. As chaos ensues, Langdon of course makes his way out.
And on we go. You guys know the deal. Langdon and a beautiful woman. This time her name is Ambra. She is the fiancé of Spain’s royal family and a good friend of Edmond Kirsch. She also was the curator for the museum in which the event took place and was the sole organizer for this event. They go on a wild goose chase to find Edmond’s discovery so that they can share his legacy with the world.
There’s bad guys with guns. There’s a shootout or two. There’s an international story being broadcast on every television screen pointing fingers at Robert Langdon. There’s science talk. There’s the good old debate of science vs religion. And there is a damn fine and satisfying ending, I must say.
I did figure it out. I kind of said it in my head jokingly and then was right which kind of sucked. But shit happens. And it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book at all. And while I was right about the who I was wrong about the how. It was nice to see Dan Brown get back to writing books that are satisfying. They are fun and exciting even if the details aren’t 100% accurate. ...more
Book 6 shows us a much different side of Rayford. Rayford is consumed by rage. Where is this anger coming from? From all the loss. He lost his first wBook 6 shows us a much different side of Rayford. Rayford is consumed by rage. Where is this anger coming from? From all the loss. He lost his first wife and son to the rapture, his best friend and confidant, his second wife and a few other members of his Tribulation Force. It seems to never end, and he has had enough. He knows who is responsible. It’s the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia. And Rayford, filled with the grief and rage he feels, knows what he must do. Being the leader of this group means he must burden himself with the murder of Antichrist.
Rayford is short with his friends and family. He is rude and ruthless. His temper is near the breaking point. All the strain and stress of the last couple of years are weighing him down. But who can he turn to? Tsion is leading an online following in the millions. Buck and Chloe are new parents dealing with their own problems. He is mistrustful of their newest member. There is no one whom he can unload this burden on. This is his problem and his alone.
We have two relatively new believers who are acting as spies in the Global Community. One a pilot and the other a computer whizz. Between the two of them, the Tribulation Force is able to know what is going on, what is being plotted and what has actually transpired. The world is now filled with fake news, propaganda if you will. The Global Community is spinning stories out to explain away things that they do not want to believe happened.
While on a mission together, Rayford and new member Leah, encounter the sixth Trumpet Judgement. The Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These horsemen carry death with them in the manner of fire, smoke, sulphur and deadly snake strikes. Only the believers can see these deadly horsemen though, leaving the Global Community pointing fingers at the Tribulation Force and their followers.
The Global Community wants to celebrate its success over the last couple of years by hosting a Gala in Jerusalem. A wild party filled with sinful behavior. Imagine a nudist hippie festival turned orgy if you will. Drugs and sex and all sorts of dancing. Our Tribulation Saints are obviously appalled by this going-on. Things at this Gala get a little crazy. There are 4 murders that transpire as is prophesied in the book of revelations. I won’t go into the details too deeply here, but I will say that there is a truly remarkable moment. Some members of the Tribulation Force get to witness first hand the resurrection of two of the murder victims. This one will leave you with the mother of all cliffhangers.
Have I told you how fucking exciting these books are yet? I mean, come on already! No, they’re not perfect. But aside from Harry Potter, what book or series is? Just kick your feet up and stick your nose firmly between the pages. ...more
Appollyon is the fifth book in the Left Behind Series. Things continue to pick up as the world faces more and more Trumpet Judgements. Getting furtherAppollyon is the fifth book in the Left Behind Series. Things continue to pick up as the world faces more and more Trumpet Judgements. Getting further into the Tribulation-the period after the Rapture but before the Glorious Appearing- the world’s surviving population is facing yet another large blow to its numbers.
With the so-called blessing of the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia, the great conference of witnesses is scheduled to occur in Israel. After being exonerated of earlier accusations of the murder of his family, Tsion Ben-Judah is given “permission” to come back to his homeland of Israel to speak to the 144,000 witnesses prophesied about in the book of revelations.
Carpathia, not wanting to be outshone, makes a special guest appearance. Here he tries to assure everyone of his open and passive nature. He does not see any reason for open hostility. He wants everyone to practice the religion they believe in but wants this group to join the One World Faith. What he gets instead is a crowd that refuses to listen to him. It is then that Israel’s water supply turns to blood… at least for nonbelievers that is.
It is on the last day of this conference that all hell breaks loose. There is a Global Community attack which forces the Tribulation Force to flee. They head back to Chaim Rosenweig’s house that is basically an old fortress and is equipped with a helipad. But their escape back to the States does not go as planned. As they are running from the helicopter to the plane that will fly them to safety, one of our beloved members is shot and killed. Buck is unable to make it onto the plane at all leaving him injured and stranded in Israel. This is bad news for Buck since he is an international fugitive from the GC.
Meanwhile Hattie is rushed to the hospital. She is pregnant, but battling a severe illness, or more likely she is suffering from being poisoned by Carpathia. Will her baby survive? Will she? Do we want to know what the child of the Antichrist looks like?
Buck, still trying to get home to the States, finds his way back to Chaim Rosenweig’s where he can bide his time until arrangements can be made. The fourth Trumpet Judgement makes the stars, moon and sun 1/3 less bright causing temperatures to drop significantly. Now that everything is running on solar power, courtesy of the Global Community, this complicates Buck’s plans for rescue even further. The worst part? Chloe goes into labor while he is in Israel.
Once again this book is one hell of a page-turner. It’s nonstop action and excitement. You find yourself wondering if our Tribulation Force will ever catch a break knowing fully well that they will not. Not until they die and meet their maker or until the Glorious Appearing where they will be rewarded for their efforts. Their burden gets stronger by the day. They must save every soul they can and the window of opportunity is getting smaller and smaller.
I am so glad that I made the decision to pick these up this year. I have been fully immersed in this world that LeHaye and Jenkins have created. There is almost nothing I enjoy more than an end of the world tale. Death and destruction. Chaos. I love it. And this is proving to be a super fun and exciting series. ...more
Book 3 ends with a bang…or better yet, an earthquake. Not just any earthquake, the mother of all Earthquakes: the Wrath of the Lamb. This is a world-Book 3 ends with a bang…or better yet, an earthquake. Not just any earthquake, the mother of all Earthquakes: the Wrath of the Lamb. This is a world-wide earthquake that wipes out nearly a quarter of the world’s already depleted population. With our Tribulation Saints scattered world-wide, the need to know where everyone is will have you picking up book 4 without a moment’s hesitation.
Rayford’s new wife, Amanda, is MIA. The last anyone knew she boarded a plane to land at headquarters in New Babylon…but that plane crashed after having to pull out of their landing due to the earthquake. Surely Amanda can’t be lying dead at the bottom of the Tigris River. He’s already suffered the loss of his son and first wife to the rapture, his beloved leader and best friend. Has he now lost his second wife?
Chloe was last seen running out of the safe house. Buck goes there and tears the place apart, what’s left of it anyway. The streets are filled with carnage. Houses lie in heaps. There are lines down everywhere. Chaos ensues. Will Buck be able to track Chloe down while thousands of others are searching for their own lost loved ones?
Hattie, pregnant with the child of the Antichrist, is said to be at an abortion clinic. Is attempting a rescue safe? Can our Tribulation Saints risk running right into a trap? Especially when Hattie is refusing to accept Christ into her life? Is it fair for the Tribulation Saints to turn their back on non-believers?
The second and third Trumpet Judgements are threatening to wipe out yet more of the world’s population. We’ve got asteroids, poisoned waters and disease, people. It’s the fucking END OF DAYS and there is nothing you can do to stop it. And atop all of this, our Tribulation Saints are being asked to convert as many followers as possible.
These are merely a few of the things happening in this book. I can’t stress enough how exciting, fast-paced and action-packed these books truly are. It’s amazing how much gets squeezed between the covers. The split narrative makes for anticipation and excitement that is unrivaled. ...more
After completing the first book in a reading frenzy, I couldn’t wait to start the next one. And I didn’t. I picked up Tribulation Force without a momAfter completing the first book in a reading frenzy, I couldn’t wait to start the next one. And I didn’t. I picked up Tribulation Force without a moment’s hesitation. We pick up with Rayford, Buck, Chloe and Bruce Barnes who are all feeling the weight of their roles.
They know what is coming. They know who the Antichrist is. They know they must set themselves against him. But how can they do that when said Antichrist has more wealth than all those left behind combined? He now owns all the media. He is the head of UN and has even gone so far as to rename it the Global Community. He takes things one step to far according to our Tribulation Saints when he proposes a One World Religion.
But these Tribulation Saints know what they’re up against; what they stand to lose. So, what exactly are Tribulation Saints? Anyone who converts to Christianity after the Rapture, generally speaking. It is their duty to spread the word of Christ and convert as many people as they can.
When the Antichrist asks Buck to head the new Global Community-owned news outlet, Buck is left with no choice but to agree. And who better to fly the Antichrist than good ol’ Rayford Steele. Is this a mere coincidence? Or is Hattie Durham, secretary and plaything to the Antichrist, behind all of this? Faced with the moral dilemma of working for the Antichrist, both men agree they have no other option. To give themselves up believers means announcing that their boss is the Antichrist. Neither can afford to take that risk just yet. Besides…it never hurts to have an inside guy on the job, right?
How do relationships work in the world when you know there are less than 10 years left? Is it worth falling in love, getting married and having a child if you know you’ll be subjected to horrifying trials and tribulations? If you know you’ll literally be at war? This is yet another dilemma facing our little group of believers.
This was another exciting and suspenseful read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Listen, these books aren’t winning any literary awards by any means. The writing isn’t anything awe-inspiring. The characters tend to be one-dimensional and unwavering. So, what is it that keeps drawing me in for more? The story is fun. I can’t help it. It’s an end-of-times like I’ve never encountered, and I’m intrigued enough to keep turning those pages. I want to see who lives, who dies, what happens, if God actually comes down to Earth for the world’s biggest battle of Good vs Evil. This was a nice follow up to the first one, though the fast-forwarding of the time line kind of annoyed me.
All around, I quite enjoyed it and give it a solid 3 star rating....more
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