CindyJean's Full Review: Tim F. Lahaye - The Remnant: An Experience in Soun...
Confession Time
Hi, my name is CindyJean and I’m a ‘Left Behind’ addict. I never imagined when I picked up the first book of the series, also named “Left Behind,” that I would actually become so engrossed with the series that I would actually pay hardback price to get my hands on the newest installment.
Having begun the series in December of 2001, this was the first time I was forced to await the release of a sequel, and it was quite a torturous wait.
Yesterday I found myself at Barnes & Noble paying more than I’ve ever paid for a book in my life and not batting an eye. It was July 2, and “The Remnant: On the Brink of Armageddon” had finally reached its release date. Yes, I have finished it (they never take me more than 24 hours) and am submitting this review to assist you readers.
Characters/Story
Note: Since “The Remnant” is the 10th book of a series, I will write this review assuming that the reader has some familiarity with the established characters. If you have not read any of these books, you should not read this review because some information will be given away.
Rayford Steele
Rayford Steele has always seemed to me like the type of person I would want to be around in a time of great stress. He’s usually cool and collected, but human at the same time. He has worries and fears just like everyone else. Rayford is a natural leader, though humble at the same time.
Rayford is in the middle Petra for the bombing and missile attack by the Global Community (GC) forces, afire but not burning. Amazed by what God has delivered him through, he wonders how there can still be anyone undecided about God.
As leader of the Tribulation Force, Rayford seems astounded that Chaim Rosenzweig (Micah) and Tsion Ben-Judah would seek his counsel. Should the Tribulation Force abandon their safe house and scatter?
Cameron “Buck” Williams
There are a few references in “The Remnant” to Cameron, and every time he is referred to as such I have to stop and think, “Who’s Cameron?” I have gotten so accustomed to the usual references of Buck that his ‘real’ name is almost foreign sounding.
Buck actually plays a surprisingly secondary role in “The Remnant.” He actually stays behind at the Strong Building to watch his son, Kenny, so that Chloe can go out on a Tribulation Force assignment.
Chloe (Steele) Williams
For the first time in a long time (speaking of the series as a whole), Chloe takes on a major role in “The Remnant.” Rayford has assigned her, as one of the few remaining unrecognized Tribulation Force members, to assist in the rescue of a man who had been working for the Tribulation Force and gotten captured.
Chloe’s inner strength is tried when she had to pose as a GC officer and even more so later when their cover had been blown and she had to keep her wits about her to keep her life.
Chloe’s work with the international co-op of believers is also piled on top of what Chloe must get accomplished, and I wish I were half as organized and intelligent as this woman. She really seems to ‘do it all’ in this novel.
Tsion Ben-Judah and Chaim “Micah” Rosenzweig
I put Tsion and Chaim together because in “The Remnant” the two are seldom, if ever, spoken of individually. They have truly joined forces and work together the majority of their time.
Tsion still teaches the worldwide believers via the Internet and in Petra, and Chaim has taken charge of the community at Petra keeping order and civility going.
George Sebastian
What book/movie/story would be complete without your young, strong hero-figure? Well, George Sebastian fits this bill.
A young man (mid-20s), George is former military and has gone through extensive hostage training. His training is called upon when he finds himself a captive of the Greek GC forces and used as a pawn to extract information about the Tribulation Force and their safe house.
Just when it appears that George is going to be rescued, a set-up is detected. The Tribulation Force members have no idea where George is or how to get to him, so he is left to his own to try to get out.
Others
“The Remnant” is filled with a laundry list of characters, some who lived and some who died. In an ongoing series such as this, ‘expendable’ characters are needed to (hopefully) avoid the deaths of central characters.
Leah Rose is around and as annoying as ever. Who says that all good Christians are necessarily likeable? She seems to have quite a crush on Tsion, but does nothing inappropriate with her feelings.
Albie is another sideline player in this novel. He’s always shuttling someone somewhere, flying is his game.
Mac McCullum is a part of the Greek rescue attempt, taking a larger role than is usual for him in the ‘Left Behind’ series. His character comes across as old-fashioned and almost (though not) sexist, but in a most likable way.
Steve Plank/Pinkerton Stephens is alive and well, keeping his ears out for information that may be of use to the Tribulation Force as an insider in their Denver office. He has thus far escaped the edict of taking the mark of loyalty because of severe physical deformities, and is privy to top-secret information.
My Thoughts
“The Remnant” contained several surprises that had me reeling. One of the biggest surprises was the fact that Georgiana Stavros was listed in the character synopsis at the beginning of the book. She was the girl who Buck sprung from the Greek GC prison before the mark was to be administered to prisoners. The mention of this girl led me to wonder what part she might play in this novel.
Another surprise, or rather change of pace, in “The Remnant” was the author keeping Buck home at the Strong Building in Chicago watching baby Kenny while Chloe was out on a dangerous assignment. I’m not a feminist, but those who are will get a kick out of this.
I found “The Remnant” to have an odd pace. It started off with a bang—literally—having bombs dropped on the innocent and a dangerous rescue attempt at the beginning of the book. However, the action slowed dramatically just after the halfway point of the book and the story then focused on the plagues on the unbelievers. The seas had already been turned to blood, but this book includes some new and increasingly awful plagues.
“The Remnant” is not short of sermonizing, but it was usually appropriate to the circumstances. The dialog also rings true in this novel, at least more so than in some prior novels.
My Recommendation
While this isn’t my favorite novel of the ‘Left Behind’ series, it is one of the better novels and I recommend it highly.
I do suggest that if you haven’t read the first nine books of the ‘Left Behind’ series that you read them prior to “The Remnant” because things will make more sense then.
Nuts & Bolts
Authors
“The Remnant,” and in fact the entire ‘Left Behind’ series of novels, is written by Jerry B. Jenkins with the help of Tim LaHaye.
Publisher
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. of Wheaton, IL, is the publishing firm behind “The Remnant.”
Miscellaneous
“The Remnant” bears a copyright date of 2002 and contains just over 400 pages in hardback form.
The incredible tenth book in the international best-selling Left Behind series is now available in paperback. The Great Tribulation unfolds as the for...More at Christianbook.com
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