It’s a lazy choice, and one that reveals the authors’ target market and underlying assumptions. This is apparently sufficient to explore a global phenomenon that would raise questions about identity and faith. The book focuses on the experiences of two middle-aged, middle-class, culturally-Christian, straight, white, American men. The Left Behind series falls into both categories, so I thought it would be my kind of thing, or at least entertainingly bizarre. One is exciting, and the other has a rare flavour of simplicity and sincerity. I quite enjoy both apocalyptic and Christian fiction. Only those who have studied the Bible know the real truth: the Rapture has occurred, God has called his faithful into heaven, and the apocalypse has begun. Some think aliens are behind it all, others blame bizarre meteorological phenomena or electromagnetic buildup. Humanity is in shock, struggling to deal both with the aftermath of the disappearances and the resultant chaos. The clothes they were wearing are left piled behind them any vehicles being driven have crashed. All across the world – from beds and cars and aeroplanes – people are just gone. ©1995 by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B.Suddenly, without warning or explanation, people are missing. And rising political icon Nicolae Carpathia seems to be at the center of it all. Buck suspects secret meetings between international power brokers are somehow connected.

Theories abound, from Christian Rapture to alien abduction.

Among the passengers still left is star reporter Cameron 'Buck' Williams, who just got the assignment of a lifetime: find out what happened and why. Rayford and the others left behind must deal with mass chaos on top of personal loss. Pilot Rayford Steele is contemplating adultery with a young flight attendant when over 100 of his passengers simply vanish, leaving vacated clothes and bewildered companions. Narrator Richard Ferrone's unusually deep and hypnotic voice will keep you right in the middle of this not-unimaginable end of the world nightmare. What would happen if millions of people around the world suddenly disappeared one day? In this fascinating apocalyptic thriller, best-selling Christian inspirational authors LaHaye and Jenkins pool their considerable talents to answer that question.

Left behind series book 1