Audible Book Review: The Remnant (Left Behind #10) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins

I was surprised how I jumped right into the story.

The Remnant
(Left Behind #10)
by Tim LaHaye
Narrated by: Jack Sondericker
Series: Left Behind [Abridged], Book 10
Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
Abridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-05-15
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Genre: Christian, Inspirational, Religious Fiction
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

The Great Tribulation unfolds as the forces of evil and the armies of God prepare for mankind's ultimate battle. Millions of Christians are protected by God as the anger of the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia, burns against them.

Review:
The Remnant is the 10th book in the Left Behind series. The series begins with a handful of characters who are left behind when their loved ones disappear with many other Christians. That is when the star characters realize that the Godly messages they were told, but didn’t believe, were true. Many of them gather together establish the Tribulation Force to fight the coming lawlessness and rise of the antichrist.

The Remnant picks up right where the last book, Desecration, left off. The personable and powerful Antichrist, Carpathia, is gleefully about to eliminate the believers at Petra by dropping nuclear bombs on them. The Christian leaders, known as The Believers, are still involved in spreading the message of God’s salvation. They are prepared to die if that is what God has in store for them.

The antichrist team is unaware that there is a Christian spy in the New Babylon headquarters. This one man is able to coordinate aid to the believers who are spread around the world. His inside information may save the lives of many although even he can’t stop a bomb. But someone he knows can -- the supernatural hand of God.

It really has been years since I read the early books in the series. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly the characters and plot were brought back to my mind. I like the action that is a large part of the story. There were scene shifts, for example from Jordan to Chicago, which are only distinguished by the change in characters. I had to get used to recognizing those changes. This would be more difficult to follow for anyone not familiar with the series, but I would recommend this to those who have read the series.

Audio Notes: Jack Sondericker does a fine job with the narration. He provides distinct voices for the characters. This version was abridged and there were occasional moments in the presentation that seemed to jump from one scene to another which I suspect were portions of the longer story bypassed. That did not hurt the story for me. I was fine listening to the abridged audio.

Source: 2003 Audible. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Book Review: Blackout (A Riley Covington Thriller Book 3) by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

This is a fast-paced Christian suspense thriller.
Blackout (A Riley Covington Thriller Book 3)
by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Series: A Riley Covington Thriller (Book 3)
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (January 1, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-1414331720
Genre: Christian, Suspense Thriller
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Riley Covington is still reeling from his father’s brutal murder when he learns he’s been traded. Meanwhile, the counterterrorism division has detected a plot to detonate electromagnetic pulse bombs that could leave the U.S. without power, communications, and transportation—right down to dropping planes out of the sky. CTD scrambles to stop the attacks, but they run out of time. Amid the fallout, Riley, Scott, Skeeter, and CTD must regroup to make sure the second bomb doesn’t reach its destination.

Review:
Riley is a professional linebacker and a young man who served a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Then he became a hero fighting a terrorist threat on his own turf in American with his special ops team. (Book 1: Monday Night.) The team dealt with a second wave of terrorists that strike directly at Riley and his loved ones. (Book Two: Blown Coverage.) Riley is surprised and confused when he is traded from his beloved Colorado team to a team in Washington, D.C.

Before Riley can even get settled in with the new team he is injured. That doesn’t stop his new bosses from using him for promotional purposes. The situation also intrigues a female friend from back home who sees Riley as a way to journalistic stardom. She is prepared to push her career forward even if it exposes Riley’s covert operations.

Once again Riley’s football career is interrupted as he is drawn back into the special ops team to help track down terrorists who have stolen nuclear weapons. Riley and his team have previously briefed the Whitehouse on the dangers on an EMP strike. Now that threat seems imminent if Riley and the other warriors don’t stop the terrorists.

This is a fast-paced thriller with danger and consequences resulting from an EMP strike over a major city. I enjoyed meeting the team Riley works with, including his personal security guard, his superior, the geeky, genius computer tech “Gooey”, the doctor, Khadi, and others. Khadi holds Riley’s interest, but he has to keep his distance because he is a strong Christian and she is not a believer. This creates conflicts and problems they both are aware of. There are other Christian friends from Riley’s Colorado football team who end up with challenges of their own during this adventure (or misadventure) as they find themselves in the city after all power goes out.

I had a little trouble sorting through the characters at first and this might not have been a problem if I had read books 1 and 2. Still, most of my ladies book club really enjoyed this and a couple will get the other books. I picked up the boxed set so I could go back if I wanted and have book four too. I recommend this to reader’s who like action packed Christian Thrillers. You might want to start with book 1.

Source: Print 2017 for Ladies Book Club; I picked up the boxed set on Kindle 2019.  I’m going to count this towards 2019TBR goal.

Book Review: Ransomed Dreams (Side Roads Book 1) by Sally John

This is a very good portrayal of PTSD in an invalid and his caretaker and life issues they face.

Ransomed Dreams (Side Roads Book 1)
by Sally John

File Size: 4545 KB
Print Length: 402 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 16, 2010)
ASIN: B003VWBXW8
Genre: Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Sheridan Montgomery leads a charmed life as the wife of Eliot, U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. But an attack on their lives cripples Eliot, and they retreat to a remote Mexican village. As Sheridan quietly cares for her husband, she sees her dreams slipping away. Luke Traynor shatters their reverie when he arrives to tell Sheridan of her father’s heart attack and the evidence implicating him in a conspiracy. Sheridan returns to Chicago to untangle the web of her father’s past and is forced to confront her feelings for Luke, a trail of deceit, and the truth about her marriage.

Review:
Sheridan and her husband are traumatized by an attack that has left Eliot crippled and in pain. They have hidden themselves away in a remote Mexican village. Sheridan serves as secretary for the few hours he works on his memoirs and as caretaker in his frustrated, angry moments. The rest of the time Eliot withdraws into his own world or sleeps for hours in a drugged state. Sheridan tries to accept the situation, but she is becoming tired of being isolated and frustrated that Eliot will rarely leave their home. At least she finds solace in prayer and talks with the wise local Padre.

Their quiet, hidden life is disrupted when Luke, the CIA agent who saved her during the attack, hunts them down. Luke and Sheridan formed a fragile friendship as her ‘angel Gabriel’ supporting her at the hospital while they waited to see if Eliot would survive and then helping her make the transition to the secluded life. Luke was not supposed to come back into her life, but he arrives with a message from Sheridan’s sister: their father is dying. Sheridan has reason to not want to go to her father’s side. Still, she cares enough to go to share her sister’s pain.

Sheridan again leans on Luke as she makes the traumatic trip back to Chicago. There she learns that her sister has uncovered evidence that their politician father has secrets of years of corruption. As Sheridan tries to regain her balance in the ‘real world’, Eliot surprisingly travels from the house with the Padre and begins to show unexpected improvement in his condition.

Sheridan doesn’t understand why her leaving has helped Eliot’s condition. Eliot is afraid that Sheridan won’t return … especially if she learns of a secret in his past. Will their marriage be able to survive the strains of their PTSD and revealed secrets?

The story circumstances lead to the need for forgiveness and restoration in several relationships. I was very impressed by the author’s clear handling of complex emotional and physical issues. She does a good job portraying both the patient and caretaker struggles and frustrations. I liked how the levels of faith of the characters helped them deal with the real-life situations and temptations they faced. The faith elements are shown through the lives of the characters and are not just preachy add-ins.

My ladies book club all agreed this was engaging fiction with good messages. I recommend this to readers who like stories that deal with family and faith issues.

Source: Kindle 2011. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Alphabet goals.