Facing the Future (School & Library Binding)

Our four teen heroes--Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan--are still spooked after the amazing events of The Vanishings (the first book in the Left Behind: The Kids series), when Christ called back millions of his faithful in the blink of an eye, leaving these kids who hadn't accepted Jesus as "instant orphans." Facing the Future continues the cliff-hanging ending of the third book, Through the Flames, where the kids successfully pull off a sting on the man who murdered Lionel's uncle and convert countless others to life with Christ. But they soon realize they have even more to worry about: Bruce thinks he's fingered the great deceiver, the Antichrist, a man named Nicolae Carpathia. The Left Behind kids break out their Bibles to form the Kids Tribulation Force, while Bruce outlines why Carpathia has taken over the instrument of all future evil, the United Nations, and a secret meeting with an eyewitness to evil confirms the kids' worst fears.

The Evangelical Christian science fiction series Left Behind: The Kids is a youth-oriented story line based on Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye's bestselling Left Behind. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Grade 6-9-Facing the Future continues the post-Rapture adventures of four adolescents left behind after Jesus Christ, to use the book's term, "snatched" all those who believe in Him. In a blink of an eye, the Christians of the world disappeared, leaving non-believers behind to face a world of confusion and crime. Rich kid Judd, trailer park dweller Vicki, African-American Lionel, and scared young Ryan have accepted Christ as their personal savior now, but must deal with the loss of loved ones and await the rise of the Antichrist. The book's first section deals with the kids pulling off a sting operation on those responsible for the murder of Lionel's uncle. This subplot has a surprisingly violent, unappealing tone involving shootings and the kids being encouraged to lie to help nab the criminals. Such elements are perplexing in a novel about faith and values. Narrator Scott Shina slips into an uncomfortable African-American dialect when reading the parts of the men and the girl involved in the crime. The book's most interesting characters, a cyncial non-believer cop and his wife, add some spark to the story. Co-authors Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye are more interested in hammering home an Evangelical Christian message than developing their characters. Although Judd and Vicki develop a friendship that crosses economic barriers, the authors reinforce stereotypes by describing Vicki's lower class trailer park neighbors as "loud and destructive," and Judd's mansion as being filled with meaningless materialism. The characters engage in the same conversation about faith over and over again. By the time a supporting character whips out a flip chart to lecture the young heroes about the Book of Revelations, some listeners wishing for stronger character development and more graceful storytelling might be long gone. However, the series' many fans will appreciate the book's message, and find the figure of the Antichrist (a seductive Romanian named Nicolae Carpathia, head of the UN) chilling. Narrator Scott Shina keeps the action moving, even in the book's clunkier moments.
Brian E. Wilson, Evanston Public Library, IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.