Customer Reviews

Apocalypse Burning: The Earth's Last Days: The Battle Lines Are Drawn (Left Behind Military)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mel Odom took on a double-edged sword by agreeing to a "militarized Left Behind" series. He got an instant audience, but also accepted the constraints of the simplicity, comic-book like action, and straightforward preachiness of Lahaye-Jenkins.

EXCEPT, that he did not abide by those constraints. Three books and over 900 pages of Odom's story line has been a treat of character-depth, very human emotions and complex grappling, plus episodes of action that seem necessary, rather than contrived to spice up the tale.

In my review of Book Two of this Apocalypse series I granted four-stars with the hope Odom would break out of possible meandering (such as plagued the middle books of the Left Behind series). Mel did more than free himself--he found his voice. We are only one week into the Tribulation, and I feel I've read through several lifetimes. Deep, powerful, realistic stuff! Bravo!

Bottom-line: Left Behind: Apocalypse Book Three is the breakaway novel in this series. Odom will outdo the original series! A definite buy!

Mel Odom has achieved what few Authors do! CONSISTANCY and STRENGTH in bringing to life the emotion and VERY REAL heated decisions that face each Character. YES INDEED WHAT IF IT WAS REALITY FOR YOU.

I get the point by the last posting that it was a Character rip off - it doesn't matter (it is in names only) - no new thing under the sun mate anyway. I believe it does not ruin the storyline. Let the boys who made Top Gun turn THIS one into a best seller!!

IT is passionate with a lot of unbridled faith! IN THIS the 3rd in the series we find the Characters strengthening and the plot also carrying this 3D consistant flow.

I reccomend this 120% - the 2nd book was a let down but HE has come back with the 3rd and hopefully Mel will succeed in bringing the 4th one around...

If you want a good read that will challenge every inch of Faith in you grab this one and Read it - support your local Christian Bookshop!!!! Or by it from Amazon.

The disappearance of millions of people around the globe which includes all the children under twelve years old fails to stop the latest Middle East flare-up. When Syrian forces attack the Turkish city of Sanliurfa US Ranger Captain Cal Remington vows that this engagement will not derail his career so he eagerly accepts help from the soon to be appointed Secretary General of the United Nations Nicolae Carpathia, who sends his minion to abet the ambitious American soldier. First Sergeant Samuel Adams "Goose" Gander realizes that his friend has aligned himself with the forces of evil, but has no idea what he can do about this but he is not willing to give up on Cal.

Goose is unaware that at Fort Benning, Georgia fighters are skirmishing in a different battlefield. His son Chris is one of the children that vanished and his stepson Joey is nowhere around. His wife Meg, a post counselor is being charged with dereliction of duty for failing to inform an abusive father that his son was hospitalized; depriving him of their last minutes together. He plans to sue Meg and the Army in civil court if she is found guilty.

APOCALYPSE BURNING follows the trials and tribulations of Goose and Meg as they cope with war, the disappearance of their child, and evil forces that want to destroy them. Goose remains an admirable leader of soldiers especially in contrast to Cal who will use murder to further his career. Using two fronts and a global backdrop, Mel Odom has written an exciting war and legal thriller that focuses on two decent people trying to do the right thing in a world heading towards its final countdown.

Harriet Klausner

The Military Left Behind Series is/was written much better than the original - I checked with the publisher to find out when the next volume would be printed and was told that the series was cancelled. They told me "the original contract was for three books and when he completed those he went to another series".

Maybe if enough of us complain to them they will see the light and get this rolling again.

So I finally got to the third novel in the Apocalypse series titled Apocalypse Burning. This is a related series to Left Behind, only told from a military perspective of the Rapture and tribulation period. Now when I started this series, I was thinking it was probably a trilogy. The last one was published in 2004 and the first three were pretty close together. But having finished this installment, I must say I'd probably not recommend it, as I don't know if/where they go from here...

Goose Gander is still over in Turkey. He's more convinced that the mass disappearance was really the Rapture spoken of in Scripture, and he's coming to grips with how that affects his faith. He's also at odds with his commanding officer based on some secretive maneuverings which is causing Gander to go into missions and conflicts without all the information he needs. He's also teaming up with a OneWorld reporter who has a lead on a major story that might be the cause of people getting killed. Goose's wife Megan is finally put on trial for dereliction of duty surrounding her two failed attempts at stopping two different teen suicides. The case has no foundation, but the Army is following through with it to prevent a civil suit from targeting them. Megan believes that the Rapture has occurred, and this puts her at odds with nearly all the leadership on the base. Their son Joey is still doing the runaway thing, and has fallen in with a really nasty crowd that could land him in jail for murder. And finally, Delroy is back in the town he grew up in, and he's found his father's church in complete disrepair. Reluctantly, he rediscovers his faith and pretty soon the church is back on track and he's the default pastor. He's also made contact with his estranged wife, and who knows where that might lead?

So what's wrong with all this? The writing is fine, and it's an enjoyable read from a Christian end-times perspective. But we've now gone three books deep into the series and we've covered *maybe* a month of calendar time. Way, way too slow. And while there's been minor spot resolutions of personal crisis points of each character, there's no real sense of where things are leading with any of them. Finally, the lack of a fourth installment after two years makes me wonder if there are any plans to continue it. Odom's still writing books, but none of them (that I know of) are continuations of this series.

The story would be fine if it went somewhere... But it hasn't progressed much over three books, and there's no promise that it will continue at all. Major "plot-us interrupt-us" going on here, and I've got better ways to spend my reading time...

Millions of people have disappeared, leaving behind their loved ones. First Sergeant "Goose" Gander is in Turkey, where the fighting is intense and the intrigue level is high. His wife, Megan, is at Ft. Benning, fighting for both her career and her freedom while his stepson, Joey, is running astray. Meanwhile, Chaplain Delroy Harte has returned home to Alabama. How will they all fare as events are speeding headlong towards Armageddon?

Wow, the third book in this series really takes off! Mel Odom sets a fast pace that never stops. It's hard to decide which storyline is more fascinating as each of the intertwining stories is chock full of action and suspense. The spiritual battle is beginning to truly emerge in APOCALYPSE BURNING as Mel Odom depicts a battle that is more than just one on the surface. Delroy's story in particular highlights the dark enemy that all the characters will soon be facing.

Megan's character is perhaps my favorite, however. Her story hits home with me since her occupation is so similar to my own. Her anguish and inner struggle are conveyed so clearly that I felt her pain as if it were my own. Her trial would be ludicrous if it weren't so easy to envision it truly happening. I cheered and cried for Megan throughout APOCALYPSE BURNING. Highly recommended!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

In the days and weeks following the Rapture, First Sergeant Samuel "Goose" Gander and his 75th Army Rangers have held firm while the Turkish/Syrian-border skirmish erupted into full-scale war. As the Syrian army surrounds Sanliurfa, Turkey, the Rangers' base of operations, Goose begins to suspect he faces enemies within the city as well. Someone in his circle works for the Antichrist, and whoever it is won't stop until Goose is destroyed.
Back home at Fort Benning, Georgia, Megan Gander fights all the judicial resources of the U.S. Army. Megan sidestepped the chain of command in her quest to help teens orphaned by the Rapture, and the army wants her to back down, to stop talking about the good news of Jesus Christ's abiding love. Her refusal launches a spectacular court battle where everything she holds dear is at stake-including her freedom.
This book is clearly geared towards christians, predictable and the writing is a little lazy.

This whole series is a must read.
I love this book!
When you really get into a story it is like TV in your head.
The graphic descriptions if all the accounts in the story make me feel like I am really there in the battle.
My heart feels for the people involved in the plot as well!

Mel Odom outdoes himself once again in this third book in the left behind military series. I was captivated and on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading this book. I would even say this is better written than the original Left Behind series. I also wish that there were more books in this series!

This is book 3 of the "Left Behind: Apocalypse" series by Mel Odom. It is a look through the eyes of the 75th Army Rangers before, during and after the Rapture and the oncoming Tribulation period. Just as exciting as the "Left Behind" series and is a companion to it as it brings in many of the characters from the popular "Left Behind" series. If you like "Left Behind", you will like this series as well.