The Regime: Evil Advances / Before They Were Left Behind

Whenever I begin reading a new book in the mega-selling Left Behind series, I find the experience like reconnecting with an old friend. While it has been more than six months since the last release, the opening page plunges me back into the story. Each new book reveals new insights about the motivations and background of the various characters.

In the opening paragraph of this second prequel (following THE RISING), Nicolae Carpathia has turned 21 and the reader learns more about how Carpathia rises to power in his country of Romania. Through subtle manipulation and corruption, Carpathia reveals his style of leadership as he runs against parliament incumbent Emil Tismaneanu for his seat. Nicolae plans Tismaneanu's "accidental" death and the power of his evil action grows with the turn of every page. During these formative years, Carpathia meets an Italian, Leon Fortunato, who teaches cadets international diplomacy. Fortunato joins Carpathia's team as a key advisor and continues to play a prominent role throughout the Left Behind series.

From the opening pages, two primary storylines are created that switch back and forth. The second story involves Rayford Steele, the Pan-Con Airline pilot who is climbing to the senior levels of Pan-Con Airlines. In THE REGIME, we learn more about the spiritual struggle between Rayford and his wife, Irene. The Steeles belong to a church that is more of a social club than a Bible-believing church. Often Rayford prefers to play golf with his friends on Sunday than attend church. Even if he isn't attending, Rayford insists that his family remain at this lukewarm church. Through the faithful Christian witness of her friend Jackie, Irene has discovered a personal relationship with Jesus. In her infant newfound faith, Irene longs to attend the spiritually alive New Hope Church. Mirroring the division between husband and wife, the Steele family also has a growing spiritual divide between older daughter Chloe and young son Raymie. Chloe balks against anything spiritual while Raymie possesses a simple childlike faith in Christ.

Toward the last third of the book, Rayford Steele meets Abdullah Ababneh, a young member of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, known affectionately as "Smitty." While raised Muslim, Smitty has a nominal relationship to Islam that is confronted when his wife, Yasmine, becomes a Christian.

As the story progresses, a third strand is woven into this book about Cameron Williams. Immersed in his newspaper writing as a journalism student at an Ivy League school, Cameron gains a reputation for going around any rule or system. The nickname of Buck Williams sticks. He uses his school involvement to delay going home to see his ill mother; when he does arrives, it's too late, and he must attend her funeral instead. Toward the conclusion of THE REGIME, Buck has landed his dream job with the newsmagazine Global Weekly.

Because the scenes switch back and forth between Nicolae Carpathia, Rayford Steele, Buck Williams and others, the book becomes a fast-paced reading experience. These well-done stories are fascinating as a stand-alone book but contain even greater importance because of the role each one will play in the overall series. I loved the clear-cut spiritual drama that played out here. When readers reach the final pages, each character is "relatively safe." THE REGIME is another outstanding addition to the Left Behind series and is highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin, writer and editor in Scottsdale, Arizona. His latest book is BOOK PROPOSALS THAT $ELL, 21 SECRETS TO SPEED YOUR SUCCESS (Write Now Publications). [...].

In this second book of the prequel series to the "Left Behind" story, Nicolae Carpathia continues his ascendance in his home country of Romania, while in the United States, Rayford Steele and his wife Irene are having problems over religon and church.

Nicolae, now a young man in his mid to late twenties, has continued his rise in both the political and business world. Nicolae's company is worth millions, and he has now set his sights on running for the lower house of the Romanian parliament. But, the incumbent candidate is very popular among the voters. To help him in the election, Nicolae has hired Leon Fortunato, an Italian businessman and former student of religion, to become his closest advisor. But the solution he and Nicolae come up with for Nicolae to win the election is very shocking to say the least.

Irene Steele has become a Christian through the help and counsel of a friend from New Hope church, a family-oriented church which teaches straight from the Bible. Rayford Steele much prefers to play golf on Sunday mornings, and the Steele's children, Raymie and Chloe, don't seem very interested in church, either. Irene is left on an island by herself while her family drifts further and further away from the church. To make matters worse, Irene and Rayford's marriage is suffering due to the difference in their beliefs. However, through some gentle counseling from Irene, Raymie eventually accepts Jesus. As for his job as a pilot, Rayford has risen quickly through the ranks, and is now at the top of his profession. He is chosen by the CIA to fly to the middle east to meet a Jordanian fighter pilot who is to help Rayford develop defense tactics against rebel groups who may have acquired SAM missiles to shoot down airliners.

Cameron "Buck" Williams has continued his journalism career at Princeton and has won numerous awards. However, he discovers through his brother Jeff that his mother is dying of cancer in Arizona. He tries to make it out to see her, but he fails to arrive before she passes away. Despite the loss of his mother, he lands a plum job at the Boston Globe, where he quickly ascends the ranks. His dream job is to work for the magazine "Global Weekly". He finally lands his job there and even gets to interview the President. But is Buck's life really what he wants it to be, or is he missing something?

I've enjoyed reading both books of the prequel series, and I'm looking forward to the third installment. It's been interesting to watch the development of the characters that brought the "Left Behind" series to life, especially Buck Williams. As with all of the "Left Behind" books, this offering is loaded with action as well as biblical verses and teachings. I highly recommend this book, as well as all of the others of this fine series. If you haven't read any of them yet, you'll be in for a treat. If you're a reader like myself who has read all of them, this book is just a fine continuation of the previous storyline. Either way, you'll surely be drawn in to the "Left Behind" story.

I just wish he had written these prequels before the Left Behind series. Having the background of the characters is great. This book is as well written as the others.

I was a bit skeptical after reading the first pre-quel, but the authors have done a masterful job of "fleshing out" the raptured characters for us and giving an insight into the reasons the key characters evolved into the people they did. Bravo! Keep them coming!

I only recently started this book but I have the whole set (all 16 books) and the first one was great- I'm sure I will not be disappointed.

The entire series is spellbinding and I cant wait until I see new books in the series. I must admit I was surprised when I saw a prequel but now it makes sense!

You ask if this (Tribulation) is true, than why bother being a Christian , you can live how you want and then get your 2nd chance in the Tribulation after the Rapture. Well, I assure you, a 'pre-trib' rapture is by FAR the most believed of the three (incl. mid-trib rapture or no rapture...just the Second Coming) The most blatant,obvious proof in scripture of a pre-trib rapture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 : 'For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout,with the call of the archangel,and with the trumpet call of God. First,all the Christians who have died will rise from the graves.Then,together with them,we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever.(NLT)

There is a very good reason to accept Christ NOW before this happens . God promises tomorrow to NO ONE. If anyone that hasn't accepted Christ should die tonight, there IS no second chance, they'll spend eternity in hell and then the lake of fire(unbelievers judged at the Great White Throne Judgement will be cast with Satan into the lake of fire..Revelation 20:11-15) after Christ's 1000 year reign on earth. Even if you choose to deny Christ until after the Rapture and intend on turning to Him during the 7 year Tribulation, it won't be a picnic. Christians will be persecuted and hunted down day and night and be killed, most likely beheaded for their beliefs.The worst of the years will be the final 3 1/2 years which will culminate with Armagedden.As God said in 2 Corinthians 6:2 TODAY is the day of salvation" I'm looking SO forward to that day when the Lord will come for me and all born again believers that we won't HAVE to endure the tortures during the Tribulation.

Please don't confuse the writings of LaHaye/Jenkins with the many writings of the TRUE false prophets of this age. The Da Vinci Code, The Jesus Papers just to name a couple of the blasphemous writings that Satan has unleashed. God bless Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins for spreading the Truth!

This book makes you think of how much we do not think about what is going to happen to us when we die. I am reading the full series and they are very good. Should be read by every one.

LIKE ALL OF TIM LAHAYE'S BOOKS CONCERNING PROPHECY, THIS IS EXCITING

READING AND A MUST FOR OUR LIBRARY. GET A SECOND TO GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO

IS "SEEKING".

You must read this book to find out about Buck, Rayford, Carpathia in their beginnings growing up. The sneaky "Leon Fortunato" and Aunt "Viv".Find out what Leon was before he was Carpathias right hand man, and also "WHO Aunt Viv really is. I would call THE REGIME, THE RISING , and THE RAPTURE as "prequel books, to the LEFT BEHIND series. Book 13 of the classic LEFT BEHIND series is coming out March 2007.