CindyJean's Full Review: Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins - Assassins: An Ex...
Introduction
The book “Assassins” is the sixth book in a multi-part series, and I will be reviewing it under the assumption that you have read the prior books.
I know that this book could stand alone, but it is much more enjoyable when read in order as part of the series. I would highly recommend that you read the first five books before you even read this review, as I will be discussing the characters in a familiar form and it would give away quite a bit of the prior novels.
Also, this book is only these authors’ interpretation of the book of Revelations from the Holy Bible and how they feel the events could unfold in our world. They are in no way Biblical facts, just the authors’ interpretation of Scripture.
With that out of the way, I will now get on to the body of my review.
Nuts & Bolts
Authors
Tim LeHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins have collaborated their efforts to co-author the entire ‘Left Behind’ series of novels, which includes the book “Assassins.”
Publisher
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. publishes the book “Assassins” as well as the rest of the ‘Left Behind’ series of books.
This series has sold millions of books worldwide.
Miscellaneous
This book bears a copyright date of 1999 and contains 413 pages.
Characters
Rayford Steele
Former pilot to the Antichrist, Rayford is reduced to the role of pilot for the international co-op of believers. He’s the unofficial leader of the Tribulation Force, but in this book he goes through a funk and becomes almost obsessed with being God’s tool for the assassination of the Antichrist.
There is also a new resident in the safe house, and for some reason Rayford simply cannot speak to her without behaving horribly. There is a definite difference of personalities there, and Rayford becomes a bit more agitated.
When the ‘due time’ for the Antichrist’s death approaches, Rayford makes his way to Jerusalem with the hopes of killing him. When the time comes will Rayford be able to go through with it? Is he even the one that God wants to use?
Cameron “Buck” Williams
Formerly one of the most read newspaper writers in the world, Buck has become a fugitive from the Global Community and publishes his own underground paper, “The Truth,” via the Internet.
Buck is married and has a child, but that doesn’t stop his desire to be involved in the active work of the Tribulation Force. He makes a few trips to Israel, the first one being to visit Chaim Rosenzweig (a dear old friend) and try to win him over to the Lord. The second trip is to visit Chaim after he’s had an apparent stroke and is hospitalized.
Trips to the Holy Land are dangerous, especially for an international fugitive, but on these trips Buck doesn’t encounter any of the major mishaps that have struck his earlier travels.
Chloe (Steele) Williams
Buck’s wife and Rayford’s daughter, Chloe is a mom and the CEO of the international co-op of believers. She runs this business while taking care of a young child, and as a mother I can tell you that it would be a tough job. Chloe has always been portrayed as a strong and independent person, and that image holds up in this book as well.
Chloe is actually quite peripheral in this story, not taking center stage in any way.
Tsion Ben-Judah
The spiritual leader of the Tribulation Force, Tsion’s role in this book is fairly limited. He basically just writes his sermons that he delivers via the Internet to believers around the world. Tsion does an important job, but he has a small role in this book.
Mac McCullum
Mac used to be Rayford’s co-pilot, and he became a believer after the ‘Wrath of the Lamb.’ When Rayford became a fugitive Mac stepped into his job, not letting on to the Antichrist that he was a believer.
Mac is one of the Tribulation Force’s inside men, in a position to gather intelligence for the Force that they otherwise would not have access too.
Mac gets his share of adventures in this book, including be ambushed in his plane by anti-Carpathia forces.
David Hassid
Another Tribulation Force insider, David is the Global Community tech specialist and has the ability to keep the Global Community forces from finding the stateside Tribulation Force members.
Leah Rose
Leah Rose is the new addition to the safe house, through a series of unfortunate events that links her to the Tribulation Force. She steps into the role of group medic, as she is a nurse with many years of experience.
Leah and Rayford can’t seem to get along, despite their best attempts. They do a few jobs together though and work reasonably well as a team.
Just my opinion here, but I feel like the authors are setting the readers up for a relationship between Leah and Rayford in a future book. I haven’t read past this one yet, so I really don’t know for sure.
Peripheral Characters
Dr. Floyd Charles was previously the Tribulation Force’s doctor, but his exposure to cyanide poisoning when he delivered Hattie’s miscarriage proves to be his undoing. He dies early on in the book.
Abdullah Smith becomes Mac’s new co-pilot by plan of the Tribulation Force, as he is a fellow believer. He is a good pilot and a believer.
Nicolae Carpathia is the Antichrist, praying to Satan for strength and power. He makes a big show of eliminating the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem (whom he calls the Jerusalem Twosome), but little does he know what is in store for him.
Hattie Durham is the only unbeliever living in the safe house, and she makes her escape. She is angry with Carpathia for killing her baby, and feels responsible for Dr. Charles’ death as well. She’s one of the many who want to be the one to kill the Antichrist.
Chaim Rosenzweig is a Jewish scholar, but he also knows the truth. He knows it with his brain but he just can’t seem to accept it with his heart. Dear to the Tribulation Force, much effort is put forth to make him see the light and accept Jesus as his Savior. With his apparent stroke, the Tribulation Force worries that they may fail their friend and not show him the Lord in time.
As always, the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem play a very noticable role. As their (and the Antichrist's) due time approaches, people will come to realize them for who they truly are!
My Thoughts
“Assassins” is one of the slower paced novels in the ‘Left Behind’ series. There isn’t as much heart-pounding action and intrigue as is so common in the majority of the novels that come before it. I actually enjoyed this slower book, though it is not my favorite novel of the series by far.
There were some good action scenes in “Assassins” though, such as Rayford and Leah’s attempts to contact Hattie in Europe and Mac and Abdullah’s ambush aboard the Condor 216 in Africa. These scenes counteracted the ‘character development’ storylines that were so commonplace in this book.
This book contained its fair share of ‘sermons’ in the form of Tsion Ben-Judah’s messages to the believers post to the Internet on an almost daily basis. This may put off some readers who are not Christians but wish to read these books as sci-fi.
Recommendation
Overall, “Assassins” was not the best book thus far of the ‘Left Behind’ series. It was good, however, and is well worth your time to read it.
I would recommend this book highly to those who have read the previous novels of the series.
If you’ve not read any of the other books I would recommend you read them prior to reading “Assassins.” You can read it as a stand-alone book if you want to, but it just won’t have the full effect it otherwise might.
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