I recently read Left Behind by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. It’s the first in a series of books about what happens when The Rapture comes and all the “real” xtians are taken off to heaven and the rest of us are left behind to deal on our own.
It’s not the kind of thing that I’d usually read but I’d seen it mentioned in a number of places so I decided to give it a go. But don’t worry, I did’nt check my brain at the door at there’s most certainly no chance of me becoming a “born yesterday” xtian.
I thought some people might be interested in the review I’ve posted at Amazon.
This is certainly an interesting book. Not least because it can be viewed on at least three different levels.
On the first level, you can look at it as an action/adventure novel. In this way I guess it’s competing with things like Tom Clancy. The series it reminded me most of was Patrick Tilley’s “Amtrak War” books. The authors also try to inject a bit of political intrigue but this fails as they obviously don’t know much about politics – for an example they think that the European Union is still called the Common Market and that the single European currency is the Mark. At this level the plot is interesting enough, although to anyone brought up on a diet of science fiction there’s nothing particularly new and exciting here. Also, the authors aren’t actually very good writers. The characters are all very one-dimensional and the plot moves forward in a very pedestrian manner.
At the next level, you need to realise that the book is based on prophecies taken from the christian bible. Of course, basing a novel on the “holy books” of a major world religion isn’t new either. Take Roger Zelany’s “Lord of Light” or Salman Rushie’s “The Satanic Verses” for example. When done well (as in the previous two examples) it can make for very interesting reading. In other cases it just looks like laziness on the part of the author – they have to do a lot less work on making up a plot if they are stealing it directly from other people’s work.
But it’s the third level that is the most interesting (or, perhaps, the most scary). The authors of the book (and most of the readers if the reviews here are anything to go by) believe that the book is based on events that are sure to happen in the not too distant future. I’m not sure whether the main reason for the book is to reinforce these beliefs in existing converts or to bring new converts into the religion. If it’s the former then that probably explains why the authors haven’t put much effort into the “literary merits” of the book. If it’s the latter then I really think they are wasting their time. Like one of the characters in the book, I’d feel “intellectually dishonest” if I allowed myself to be drawn in by such unmitigated nonsense.
As an action/adventure novel it works pretty well. I’ll probably read some more of the series (but I predict I’ll get bored after a couple more) but if you really think that there’s anything more to it than that then you have my sympathy.
This is not about the review, your views of xianity, or indeed your oddball leftie viewpoint. :)
All I wanted to say was the I loved ‘The Amtrak Wars’ when I were wee, but was totally disappointed by the last book in the series. It sucked. I think. I guess I will pull then all out and read them again. Having said that, I loved ‘The Saga of Exiles’ more. Which I recall reading at the same time, and well worth a look if you fancy taking J. Random’s word for it.
The books were written before the european single currency. You obviously didn’t read the book thouroughly enough because it says that in the past (from the point of view of the book) all world currencies were merged into three. The mark, the dollar, and… erm… the yen I think.
“The books were written before the european single currency.”
Amazon shows it as being published in April 1996. I agree that’s before the introduction of the Euro, but it was common knowledge that it was on its way.
“You obviously didn’t read the book thouroughly enough…”
Oh, I read the book thoroughly enough. It’s not like it’s a particularly complex or difficult read.”
… because it says that in the past (from the point of view of the book) all world currencies were merged into three. The mark, the dollar, and… erm… the yen I think.”
Exactly my point. If you wanted to give an element of reality to this fantasy then instead of the mark you’d say that the European currencies were replaced by the Euro. It’s a small point but it would have made the book that little bit more believable (if a book like this can every be described as “believable”).
Don’t ask how I came across your page because I have no idea, but I do like the Left Behind books and what’s not to believe? What if it does actually happen? Even tomorrow, I certainly wouldn’t want to be left behind.