Customer Reviews

Soul Harvest (audio CD)

5 star:		(224)
4 star:		(75)
3 star:		(38)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(39)

 

 

After putting my wife off for several months to read 'Left Behind,' I have quickly raced through the first four books in the series, ending recently with Soul Harvest.

This book matches the intensity and excitment of the prior three installments, using the environment outlined in the Book of Revelations to tell the continuing story of Rayford Steele, Buck Williams and the rest of the Tribulation Force.

Without giving anything away, this installment has enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested from start to finish. Oddly, being a Christian and knowing where all of this is going, does nothing to dull the excitement of following the story as it develops.

The vivid writing of Lahaye and Jenkins makes it possible to visually put yourself into the scene and almost experience the subject matter firsthand.

If you are a believer and have not read any of these books, you are not doing yourself justice. These are great writings and do a great job of bringing the Word of God to life in a new and vibrant manner.

I stopped reading this series after #4 (Soul Harvest). I kept reading Left Behind hoping it would get better. It didn't. I also read (actually started reading) We All Fall Down, but there the foul language was SO EXCESSIVE I couldn't keep going. Finally I read the books of The Christ Clone Trilogy (why do I feel like Goldilocks here?) and it was "just right!" Actually it was GREAT! So if you're tired of Buck and Rayford playing James Bond, and all the females in the LB world cooing, have a look at The Christ Clone Trilogy.

To all those criticizing the writing style, you're missing the point. For years, men have ignored the Book of all time. LaHaye and Jenkins have woven a story of intrigue that would reach all ages and levels of intelligence. But the bigger picture is that they're telling the story in modern-day terms because the days are short. This has made the book of Revelation live for me as never before and I was raised in the church. I'm sure it has gotten the attention of many who are re-thinking their values and getting their lives in order. A big thank you to the authors for making it so plain!

Before I read this book, I spent a good deal of time looking through the reviews--mainly the 3 stars and less, as I was interested in the downside of this novel. I'm glad I did, because I read it with a more critical eye than if I'd chosen to read the serie's cheerleaders' reviews. I must admit, I enjoyed this one as much as any of the others. If you read it for escapism, as is the intention of most series, you don't really want a lot of details bogging down the flow of the story. The authors accomplish this feat. Their point, I'm sure, is to both entertain and inform. It is far more accessible and understandable to the layman than is The Revelation. It will also be an aid to those who actually sit down and read the biblical version. The authors, though at times in the previous books tend to make the main characters superhero-like, have done a good job with showing the vulnerability of the big three in this one. Poor Chloe has been beaten up pretty badly two books in a row! Doesn't matter how she looks, Buck loves her just the same. The books are addictive, and I'm probably going to have to run to Sam's Club and get the next one. I can't wait to decode Amanda's correspondences with Nicolae. I had a funny feeling about her in the previous book.

Now, you've heard from every other reviewer, that these books aren't very well written. Well, they're right. But you've heard enough from them about that, so I won't bore you with how bad the writing was. I really don't think these books are too bad. I only have one problem, well actually 2 problems: 1: I don't think these books need to be dragged out past 8 books. If the writers were good, then I'd say the heck with it, go ahead. But the fact is they aren't good writers. Look at the Harry Potter series. There will be seven of those, but the author is a great author. Also, there was a mistake in interpretations in this book. It was the first I've come across, but it's a big part in the story. If you're familiar with the story, you know that all believers get a mark on their forehead so they will be recognized as Christians. Well, in Revelation, chapter 7, It says that only the 144,000 witnesses will get that seal on their heads. Out of all the things that happen in Revelation, that has to be the most understandable. I don't see how the authors could have missed something like that. Anyway, these are just my opinions. Also, if you have questions about the "End Times," don't worry about it just yet. Every Christian should be more concerned about how to live their lives right now, than worrying about what is going to happen in the end times.

I did not find this story as believable as I think it should have been. Probably the best Rapture novels on the market right now, at least in my opinion, are "In His Image" (book one of the Christ Clone Trilogy) and "Conquest of Paradise", both of which I read several months ago. These books display the realism, intensity and suspense that make for incredibly exciting and unforgettable stories. The Left Behind Series, on the other hand, peaks the reader's interest, but doesn't seem the slightest bit realistic. If you liked "Nicolae," "Tribulation Force," and "Left Behind," you'll enjoy The Christ Clone Trilogy and "Conquest of Paradise" even more.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BECOME BETTER WRITERS SO I CAN AT LEAST JUSTIFY MY ADDICTION TO READING ALL OF THESE BOOKS!

Having now read 4 of these books I can at least say that it is easier to look past the trite, simplistic and hackneyed writing. The dialogue is still like listening to 3rd graders play make-believe and the situations the characters get themselves into are sadly contrived. However, with each book it becomes easier to look past that and enjoy the serial-style excitement these books offer. The vapid characters have become less-annoying, like any friend that occasionally gets on your nerves.

The storylines become more complex as we make our way to the Glorious Appearing heralded in the final book. This complexity is due largely to the fact that we have so much back story now, and that may be another reason I continue to enjoy these books. Don't get me wrong, these are NOT complex books. One just becomes numb to the egregious flaws in the writing and carried away by the world proffered in this scenario.

This book tends to be a bit more blatant in its preaching, but the messages are not bothersome. While they do seem to be dropped into the middle of a chapter like a commercial for Jesus during your favorite soap opera, you are willing to role with them.

This book could have easily been cut in half (as they all could) especially since each of these books covers only about 1-2 weeks of story time. The authors waste so much time describing each character's actions, I often feel as if it is being done on purpose to stretch the series out for another book. Are they trying to get the message out there about God or are they trying to sell more books? You decide. The Tribulation is 7 years, and we get to read about it one day at a time.

From the other reviews I've read here the Christians that read these tend to believe they are the greatest books ever written (outside of the Bible, of course). To them, please read something by Steinbeck or Maughum and appreciate the Left Behind books for what they are: a fun repast that fictionalizes and dramatizes a very frightening and unknowable biblical event.

The non-believers tend to find them drivel. To them, lighten up! Find the nut buried in the sand. Your preaching is far more offensive because you have NO foundation to preach from. Have you ever stopped to wonder about the idea of Faith?

I simply wish the Christian faith could have been better served by good writing. Bad writing will alienate this message from getting through to so many people and further the cause of those who make fun of the faithful.

And yet, I will continue to read every single one of these books. I give it two stars solely because of the writing. If there was another rating for message and content, I'd give it 4 stars. laredarel@aol.com

If you're in need of Sunday-school remedial lessons you may find something of value in these incredibly light-weight novelettes. Stretched out to garner as many sales as is feasably possible, each of these commercial exploitations is a very superficial and unsophisticated read. In contrast, read Glen Kleier's complex and spiritually satisfying supsense thriller THE LAST DAY and you will see how much gold can be mined from this rich topic of the End of Time. For my money, there has to be more to a novel than simply a validation of fundamentalist Bible interpretations. I'm also looking for a story, characterization, and theological insight. These books are very disappointing in that regard.

out of the first four books, this is the most exciting one

A Review by Jessica

As prophesized events continue to be hurtled toward the Tribulation Force and the rest of the world, Buck Williams and Rayford Steele are on a search for their lost wives. Just as they had expected, they are now becoming the main target of the Anti- Christ. The Tribulation Force will have to out smart the Anti- Christ's powerful guards, have secrecy among fellow believers, and go into hiding all in order to protect or even save their own lives.

I loved the amount of action in this book. The authors keep you on the edge of your seat the time. An example of this is of the first seven or eight chapters while Buck and Rayford are continually looking for wives, Chloe and Amanda. Only problem with this is that they are wanted be every Global Community guard and cannot get caught. I also enjoyed reading about each character. Even though they are the same characters as in the first three books, the authors continue to add attributes to each character that keep you hooked on them. The relevance of this book is another thing that influenced me to give this book five stars. Everything that happens in this book is an interpretation of anything that could happen during the actual Tribulation. Although only a fiction story, everything that happens in this book gives you a piece of mind of what Hell on earth might be like.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an action-packed book with non-stop suspense or to readers who are looking for a good Christian story.