CindyJean's Full Review: Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins - Soul Harvest
Introduction
Yes, I did it. I read the next installment of the ‘Left Behind’ series of books that has been so wildly popular, “Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides.” Having read the first three novels of the series, how could I not?
I have enjoyed all the books of this series, for the reason that it gives a potential scenario for the end times. Anyone who has read the book of Revelations from the Holy Bible will tell you, if they are being totally honest, that this book is very confusing and difficult to interpret. I know that this is certainly the case for me.
This series of books gives readers one possible interpretation, that of the authors. These books shouldn’t be taken as being truth, they are merely works of fiction. These novels represent what these two authors believe will happen during the End Times.
Nuts & Bolts
Authors
Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LeHaye have combined their efforts to co-author the ‘Left Behind’ series, which includes the novel I am reviewing—“Soul Harvest.”
Both authors are well known in the world of Christian writing, even before this series.
Publisher
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. of Wheaton, Illinois is the publishing firm behind “Soul Harvest” and every other novel within the series.
These books have done well for Tyndale and the authors, having sold multiple million copies around the world.
Miscellaneous
“Soul Harvest” contains over 420 pages. While this seems like a lot, it’s a remarkably quick read if you are a ‘Left Behind’ addict like I am. As with the previous novel, “Nicolae,” I had the book finished within 24 hours of beginning it.
This book bears a copyright date of 1998.
Characters/Story
Rayford Steele
In “Soul Harvest,” Rayford starts out angry. He is completely disgusted with Nicolae Carpathia and only wishes that he could be part of the Lord’s plan for the death of the Antichrist.
Rayford is in Baghdad trying to find news of his wife after the worldwide earthquake, but things are so grim. One quarter of the world’s population has been decimated, so can he hope against hope that she will be found?
Rayford also finds himself witnessing, albeit nervously, to his co-pilot (Mac McCullum) of the Condor 216, Carpathia’s plane. He wonders whether Mac is genuine in his quest for the truth or if he’s a Carpathia ‘plant’ to get enough dirt on Rayford to bury him. Rayford asks for a sign, and the Lord gives it. Actually, the Lord had planned this sign all along. Mac, along with all other believers, bears a mark on his forehead visible only to other believers. Of course, Rayford bears the mark as well.
Rayford finds bits and pieces of information about his wife, and none of it seems to be good news. First, he finds out that she may or may not have been a plant of Nicolae Carpathia’s to infiltrate the Tribulation Force. Next he finds that she’s dead at the bottom of the Tigris River.
Can he find her body or will he be able to prove she’s still alive, as his heart wants him to believe? Either way, how will he clear her name?
Cameron “Buck” Williams
This book finds Buck on a search for Chloe. Loretta’s house was totaled in the earthquake, but he can find neither Chloe nor her body anywhere.
Through a lot of effort and hard work, Buck is able to locate Chloe. The problem is, the Global Community (GC) has also located her and wishes to use her as a bargaining chip to get Tsion Ben-Judah returned to them.
With quick thinking and the help of some well-placed friends and fellow believers, Buck is able to locate Chloe before the GC people can take custody of her. Buck’s ‘abduction’ of Chloe from the hospital, with the help of ‘Dr. Airplane’ (pilot Ken Ritz), is a rather amusing scenario.
Buck now has his wife back, but it’s time to rescue another damsel in distress. He attempts to retrieve Hattie Durham from a reproductive clinic (she has asked him for his help), but when he’s mistaken for Rayford Steele all heck breaks loose.
Supporting Cast
In this novel, Rayford and Buck are far and away the main characters. This, however, does not mean they were the only characters of importance.
Chloe (Steele) Williams is wounded in the great earthquake and taken to a hospital were her unrealized pregnancy is discovered. Buck rescues her from the hospital just before GC people were to take custody of her, though she’s still severely injured. Still fiery and determined, Chloe’s injuries slow her down only physically, and only for a time.
Amanda (White) Steele is most conspicuous by her absence. Is she Carpathia’s plant? When it comes to the attention of some of the Tribulation Force’s members that her mother’s maiden name was Fortunato (one of Carpathia’s top officials) the evidence looks worse and worse.
Mac McCullum is a pilot and also a friend of Rayford’s who is one of the millions of souls won for Christ after all the events of the Tribulation that happen as told in the Bible.
Hattie Durham has ‘escaped’ from Nicolae Carpathia, only to be located in Denver at a reproductive clinic. She has formed a bond with her baby and really isn’t sure she wants to do what she knows is expected of her, and calls the only people left who care about her, the Tribulation Force (namely Chloe). Alive, though just barely, Hattie Durham is privy to information that the Tribulation Force needs.
Nicolae Carpathia is his usual vile, evil Antichrist self in this novel. It becomes more and more obvious to people that he isn’t the great man they once thought he was, especially to those close to him. As foretold in the Bible of the Antichrist, Nicolae raises a man from the dead in this novel—Supreme Commander Fortunato. Now Carpathia starts to say that he isn’t sure he’s not the Messiah, as some have said of him.
My Thoughts
I must admit that it took me a chapter or two before I was really hooked into “Soul Harvest.” The first few chapters start out slowly and fill in some background information for those who may not have read the previous installment for a while, so it was redundant to me as I had just finished the prior novel, “Nicolae: The Rise of the Antichrist” less than a week prior to picking up this one.
Once I got hooked, I couldn’t put the book down! This book is very fast paced and action packed, leaving the reader little time to relax before the Tribulation Force tackles another daring and dangerous mission.
I was especially intrigued by the subplot of whether or not Amanda was a plant of Nicolae’s. I have always had an uneasy feeling about her, but I thought it was from a lack of proper introduction since she came into the story during the 18 month ‘gap’ in the second novel of the series, “Tribulation Force.” The question isn’t answered in “Soul Harvest,” which draws readers to the next novel in the series.
“Soul Harvest” has extensive ‘mini-sermons’ inside, and that may be a turn off to some. These are done in the form of showing the reader Tsion Ben-Judah’s messages posted to an Internet message board. He is considered one of the main spiritual leaders in the world, and he posts these messages to his protégés.
My Recommendation
I would highly recommend “Soul Harvest” to any fans of the ‘Left Behind’ series, and to fans of Christian writing in general. “Soul Harvest” is best read after the prior three of the series, but a reader could pick up this book and enjoy it as well.
The only people for who I would not recommend “Soul Harvest” are those who are not willing to even consider the possibility that the Bible may be truth.
Heres what youve been waiting for! The spine-tingling sequel to Nicolae opens just after a devastating earthquake has rocked the planet. As Rayford St...More at Christianbook.com
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