Product Description

Dynamic Romanian multimillionaire Nicolae Carpathia's sphere of influence steadily grows as he parlays his looks, charm, charisma, and intellectual brilliance into success in business and politics. But is it mere coincidence that those who oppose or offend him suffer to the point of death? Meanwhile, a young Buck Williams begins his journalistic career. Pilot Rayford Steele gains more responsibility at work and at home. Scientist Chaim Rosenzweig begins work on a secret formula that could change the world. All three go about their daily lives, unaware of each other or of the powerful young man from Romania. Around the world, the stage is being set for the cataclysmic event that will change the world forever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17219 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781414305776
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Among the best-selling fiction books of our times--right up there with Tom Clancy and Stephen King." -- Time

From the Inside Flap
Dynamic Romanian multimillionaire Nicolae Carpathia’s sphere of influence steadily grows as he parlays his looks, charm, charisma, and intellectual brilliance into success in business and politics. But is it mere coincidence that those who oppose, offend, or even slight him suffer to the point of death?

Leon Fortunato, a self-proclaimed kingmaker, takes on his life’s challenge, coming alongside Carpathia during his most formative years.

Pan-Con Airlines captain Rayford Steele has settled into an uneasy truce with his wife while worrying that he has already ascended as far as he can in his career. But when he is tapped for consultation by the CIA and the Defense Department, his star begins to rise as well.

Irene Steele struggles to grow in her embryonic faith, careful not to offend her husband, who is uncomfortable with her level of devotion.

Cameron Williams becomes a celebrated journalist, his career skyrocketing from an Ivy League education to newspaper reporter, then columnist, then magazine feature writer.

Abdullah Ababneh, a young member of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, revels in his role as security adviser to the United States through Rayford Steele while facing the loss of his wife to a strange new religion.

Six lives inexorably destined to intersect at the most pivotal moment in the history of mankind . . .

From the Back Cover
Dynamic Romanian multimillionaire Nicolae Carpathia’s sphere of influence steadily grows as he parlays his looks, charm, charisma, and intellectual brilliance into success in business and politics. But is it mere coincidence that those who oppose, offend, or even slight him suffer to the point of death?

Pan-Con Airlines captain Rayford Steele has settled into an uneasy truce with his wife while worrying that he has already ascended as far as he can in his career. But when he is tapped for consultation by the CIA and the Defense Department, his star begins to rise as well.

Cameron Williams becomes a celebrated journalist, his career skyrocketing from an Ivy League education to newspaper reporter, then columnist, then magazine feature writer.

Three lives inexorably destined to intersect at the most pivotal moment in the history of mankind . . .

Customer Reviews

Just Before They Were Left Behind
As part of the Left Behind series, this is one of the two prequels. This one picks up where The Rising left off and ends before the events in Left Behind. We basically have five stories interwoven together.

First, we read of Rayford Steele's climb at Pan-Continental Airlines. Hattie Durham appears in the background. This story blends with Irene Steele's desire to join the New Hope church with her family. Here, the writers show us the mounting tension between Irene and Rayford as well as between Irene and Chloe. The arguments we read are arguments we hear (or use) every day. This helps connect us with the book's message.

Rayford's professional life will blend into the sotry of Jordanian fighter pilot Abdullah "Smitty" Ababneh and his black market business. We learn that he and Rayford have a history, the extent of which isn't quite pointed out in later books.

The fourth story is about the continuing climb of Nicolae Carpathia. His rise to power is the other main story, and it parallels Rayford's professional rise. Aunt Viv's character seems already to be on Nicolae's nerves, which is odd given her position in later books. Also, Leon Fortunato enters the scene, but he seems more powerful, trusted, and intelligent than depicted in later books.

Nicolae's story blends slightly with the last story: Cameron "Buck" Williams' rise as a journalist. We also see his getting the nickname. A discussion with Buck's brother shows a problem with the narration in that all the characters have the same "flow" to their speech as well as the same basic vocabulary. I would like to see more variation in character voices to help differentiate between them.

Although the prequels don't follow a biblical timeline like the other Left Behind books, I would recommend this book if you have already read the others. This book does not stand on its own.

better then the first pre-qual
The first prequal book dealt mostly with Carpathia's frumpy mother and while it was fun to read the conspiracy thoery behind the whole plot surrounding her and her son Nicolae, you have to admit there wasn't much to connect with the original series. This prequal deals with Carpathia and you can see his true nature before he masquerades as a good guy to the world, in the original series. We get to see Rayford and Irene's married life and how stressful it really was. We get to see how good Buck really is at writting, so much so, a girl won't date him because she feels he is too in love with his carrerr. Buck's mom dies and Buck does not make it until her funeral which upsets his family, esp. his brother. Someone said this book didn't have enough action, but I am not sure what they were expecting. this book takes place before billions of people dissapear, before God pours out supernatural judgments, before the Antichrist is possesed by Satan and wants all the Christians slaughtered. All of these events are very supernatural and exciting and cause for a very gripping story. Still, I don't see how you could expect to see the same type of action in the prequals, at all. It doesn't make sense. This story is about the personal lives of the main characters before the end times events occur, and while intriuging, they aren't full of too much action and suspense. It is unrealistic to expect anything more then that and for what we got from Jenkins is very well written and realistic story. I say good job, Jenkins. I really wouldn't care if he wrote a new book every year, you can get them for $12 at Sam's Club. After all this time, call me crazy, but I feel I know the characters. That doesn't happen when you read just any book, that is a sign that the author is an excellent author and can make you connect with the characters. Again, A+ for Jenkins.

Only useful if you're a fan of the series...
Now that the Left Behind series has finished, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins have gone back to the time prior to the first book. The Regime: Evil Advances picks up from the first prequel and continues the story to a point close to the original Left Behind installment. While much better (in my opinion) than the first prequel, this one still didn't do a lot for me. If you're a fan of the Left Behind series, then you'll probably want to read it to understand the characters and their motivations more completely. If you haven't read the series and have no intention to, then this isn't a book you'd care for. It starts off with an assumption that you read the first prequel, and it leaves you hanging in a strange place at the end. The only way this book makes any sense is if you keep reading into the next installment.

Ultimately, I still think the series should have stayed finished without the additions to the prequels...