The Beast Takes Possession (Left Behind) - The Indwelling

for a used book it was acceptable. there were no signs of wear on cover or pages. i had a different experience with another vendor where the pages of the book were all yellow, i was half expecting the smell mold.

Wonderful continuation in the left behind series. A must read. Start from the Left Behind, No. 1 and make sure to read all the books in the series. They are very enlightening, each time you read them, you will find something that you might have missed in the last reading. I have highlighted all the quotes from the Bible and checked them with my own Bible. Very good

This book helped me visualize events of Reveleations that I otherwise do not think I would have gotten the full effect. I am throughly enjoying this series. I feel that I am closer to God after reading this book.

I found myself skipping parts of the book. There's too much boring detail of the characters on the run and I start to get confused who's what and where. It just makes the story drag on. It's a fascinating story, Just wish it was condensed.

Fantastic! This book is the 7th in the Left Behind series, based on the book of Revelation in the Bible. They are all wonderful. I have trouble putting them down. In this book Nicholae Carpathia is assassinated are resurrected as satan. I find this series interesting and helpful in understanding the book of Revelation prophesies.

Left Behind series- mind blowing! I read all twelve books within two weeks. I've never read anything so fast in my life, and I have Dyslexia (very hard for me to read and comprehend), but these writers are amazing. These books are advertised as fictional, but they follow the Book of Revelations amazingly accurate. I now read more of my Bible and have become closer to my Lord and Savor than ever before.

I have read quite a few somewhat negative reviews on this series; and it seems the further I get into it the worse the reviews get. I have to admit - I don't understand the problem. I also have to admit that I have not yet read the "Christ Clone Trilogy" I have been hearing so much about; therefore I am unable to compare the two. Once I am done with The Left Behind series the trilogy is at the top of my list.

Now, with that out of the way...
As always "The Indwelling" was more action packed than the last. Many "Judah-Ites" risked their lives and lived to see another day, while others risked and lost their lives in the name of Jesus and their fellow "brothers and sisters." Carpathia has been murdered, and the big question throughout the book was "who did the deed?" I was surprised when I realized who it was; but looking back now the signs were definitely there. As prophesied three days after the murder of Carpathia his body reanimated and he came back to life; this time stronger than ever and possessed by the devil. The worst days are definitely yet to come! I can't wait to jump right in to "The Mark" next.

The best thing I am getting out of this series is knowledge of the Bible and the stories inside it. I know the Left Behind series is fictional and it is only based on a very small fraction of the Bible but it's a start. I have all of these questions now; which I think is pretty cool. It has given me a little ambition to get out there and find those answers. The only problem I have at this point is "where do I start?"

The Indwelling had some really interesting plot twists in it: Where IS Hattie, anyway? How did Carpathia actually die? Who is going to be martyred this time? While we search for the answers to these questions, we also take a spiritual journey with Tsion, straight to the gates of Heaven itself. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is still in turmoil, and millions gather to mourn the death of Carpathia at his grand funeral. For those misguided enough to make the pilgrimage to New Babylon for the memorial, the resurrection of the Antichrist is a terrifying reward.

The character development in this novel seemed to be a little deeper than in some of the other novels. Rayford is more or less forced to come to grips with his own pride and selfishness; Chaim finally makes the decision of whether he is going to accept Jesus as his savior or walk away forever; David and Annie examine the future of their relationship; Chloe finds herself pondering what she will do if she and Kenny are arrested by GC forces. Throughout these difficult times, the characters remain very flawed and very human: not perfect saints, just sinners saved by grace.

My main complaint with this book, and the series in general, especially the more I get into it, is that there just seem to be way too many details. About 400 pages per book times 7 books = about 2800 pages for this one story, which could probably be condensed into about half of that if you skim off the fluff. At this point, the suspense seems to be only barely there, and the story tends to drag. I still like the series and will continue reading, but I'm not really in the "I can't put it down" state of mind any more.

Although I have been a Christian since I was five, this whole series has made me look again at my relationship with God. It will make you seriously question your faith. I personally think that Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins are gifted writers and researchers, and that they just get better as the saga continues. With each word I read, I wanted to find out more about the people who had been left behind. I was thouroghly engrossed in their triles and tribulations that I was exclaiming out loud whenever something exciting happened (which was often).
Nicolae Carpathia is dead. Was he shot? Was he slewn? Did Rayford do it? These are the questions that you are left with at the end of the last book, _Assasins_. It was enough for me to be waiting on pins and needles for the next book to come out. As soon as I had time, _The Indwelling_ was in my hands and was quickly devoured. The whole Tribulation Force is once more throwwn into turmoil. Rayford is stuck in New Babylon, the murder of Carpathia seemingly on his hands. Buck is desprately trying to find his old friend, Chaim Rosenzweig who is lost in the crowd at the Global Gala (a celebration of the Antichrist, kind of like a bigger version of the World's Fair). Chloe fights thoughts of killing her baby, Kenny (I'm sure they ment no reference to South Park)to keep him from entering the enemy's lair. Tsion has strange out of body experiences that make him question his sanity. And, David and Annie, two believers on enemy ground, try to avoid being discovered. There is also Hattie, who is thought to be in prisson in Brussles, but who is really running free through the US, which threatens the safety of the safe house. Meanwhile, Carpathia is being prepared for his funeral and his body size is multiplied twenty four times to make a bronze sculpture of him. Can the troupe survive all of this? Will Carpathia ever come back from the dead to be indwelt by the devil himself? Read this book to find out.
I was very happy with the attention that was put into detail this time around. Some of the other books seemed rather rushed so that the author's could fit the whole Tribulation into seven books. But, with the change to twelve total books, they seem to be much less hurried, and put more attention to detail and good writing. This series has really put Revelation into much easier terms for me. When I looked at the book (Revelation) itself it was hard to understand each thing. Of course, these books are just interpertations of what might happen, but I still understand better. All of the characters stood out for me, and I was excited to turn the pages and find out what happens. At some points, I was wondering, along with the characters, if some people were good or bad, and eventually if Nicolae was really the Antichrist. I can't really express how good this book is to you unless we were face to face, so let me just say that this whole series is worth reading and it will spiritually influence your life. I can't wait to read _The Mark_ coming out this fall.

I began to read the series because someone gave me the first book for a gift. What began as a slight interest in reading has become an intense addiction! These books are very well written and challenge the reader to examine his or her own spiritual life. It is clearly a fictional characterization of future prophetic events that (on the broad scope) will truly happen. This book does begin with a redundant passage that detailed the events of stories in the previous book whose outcomes were already known. I'm not sure why so many pages were dedicated to re-telling the previous book! That was my biggest disappointment, but in all, it still captured my attention and drove me to examine the prophecy in the Bible and its application to my own life. The redundancy was interesting and seems to clarify the activities that were blatantly missing in the previous book--it seemed at times that characters just magically jumped from crisis to cure, and this book told us about the interim events. It is a compelling series, and each book certainly complements it's predecessor. I started this book at 9PM and was finished by 5PM the following day! It is almost impossible to put this series down. If you haven't read the first six books, you shoudn't get this one yet--start at the beginning with "Left Behind." It is a fun journey of action, laughter, tears, and moments that are spiritually uplifting. You will quickly become addicted to the series as you can easily relate to the human emotional and spiritual relationships within the pages of the text. Although this was originally slated a 7-book series; I am glad that the authors have expanded it to 12. This will give great opportunity to build more realism into the characters and the events, and allow the reader to get to know the story . . . it will be exciting to see what happens next . . . even though we already know the end of the story . . . JESUS WINS!!!!!!

After having read all 8 of the left behind series books over the last 3 weeks I can only say with a short word, WOW!
I have read some people reviews criticizing the books for being to bland and written for a young audience. Most of what is written in these books comes from a book that is often referred to as bland and not very exciting, this book is affectionately known as the Bible. Do I have problems with these books I would have to say yes, consider if you would the cost of jet aircraft and jet fuel for said aircraft would be astronomical. Planes somehow being able to fly great distances (Israel to Illinois is over 5000 nm) without refueling stops add to the disillusion of the story. But this is why this work is referred to as fiction and not non-fiction, if it were based on more factual data the story would have more realism yes but it would be no less entertaining. There are portions of the books that do seem to drag along but for the most part books keep a good pacing and a wanting from the reader.
I read from other readers that there is no cussing and other sins committed by these new believers, for this I can only state that sometimes people can radically change with God in their lives and perhaps that is something that these writers are attempting to convey with their writings. One thing that does bother me is the fact that the writers have now decided that 1 book a year will be all the put out for the series, is there a guarantee that there will only be another 4 books in this series? After all the first 42 months of the tribulation consumed 7 books and anyone who has read revelations will tell you that the next 42 months of what will be known as the Great Tribulation will be twice as intense as could every be imagined in the first 42 months. So is it possible that without an increase in the size and material explored in these next books that the series could become 15 or more books? If that is the case the rapture may occur before this series is every completed.
I personally think some people are taking these books to replace the bible, instead of what these books are intended to be.
And for those who still consider these books so poorly written let me point to you two of the most poorly penned books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. The author of these two books is Dr. Robert Davis, they are titled; The Plutonium Murders and the Doomsday Kiss.
You may follow this link to The Plutonium Murders: http://www.the store.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890248002/qid=982641815/sr=1-2/ref=sc_b_2/107-4919486-4567762
You may follow this link to The Doomsday Kiss: http://www.the store.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890248029/qid=982641674/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_1/107-4919486-4567762
Do I think the likes of Stephen King, Tom Clancy, John Grisham or others I will not list here have something to be frightened of by these authors the answer I am ashamed to say would be no. The vast majority of people in the world will never know these books as great writing or entertainment. I give the books a 5 star rating although in actuality I would say for character and plot development it would receive a 1 Star, for writing quality a 2 Star, for a reasonable plot and research a 2 Star (this being generous) but for overall being something I would recommend to others for the pure entertainment of everything I give the books my full recommendations.

C'mon people! Let's remember that these books are to provoke thought, lead people to examine Christ, and provide some Christian world-view entertainment.
I find it hard to believe people who say they can read this series of books and NOT be caught up in the story and the characters. Are these books the best literature ever written? WHO CARES? They're fascinating, addicting, thought-provoking, action-packed, spirit-filled fun!
The only complaint I have is the whiplash I sometimes feel by whirling back and forth between characters and their scenes. But the writing is very understandable, the dialogue believable, and the situations - given that none of this has happened yet - plausible. The storyline represents a FICTIONALIZED account of PROPHESY that has yet to take place - it's not supposed to be a roadmap! How do any of us know how these scenes will really be played out in the future? Sure, some of the characters and plot happenings are convenient ... and yes, sometimes I think there should be more Carpathians who are more technically savvy. But these books are good, addrenline-pumping, heart-stopping fun. They give you the "You Are Here" feeling.... like being inserted directly into an action-adventure movie!
Writing is a craft. The ability to write fiction and so cleverly and wonderfully weave prophesy, scripture, faith, human fraility, forgiveness, and hope together in a way that compels people to keep reading ... well, I'd call that a GREAT SERIES OF BOOKS!

C'mon people! Let's remember that these books are to provoke thought, lead people to examine Christ, and provide some Christian world-view entertainment.
I find it hard to believe people who say they can read this series of books and NOT be caught up in the story and the characters. Are these books the best literature ever written? WHO CARES? They're fascinating, addicting, thought-provoking, action-packed, spirit-filled fun!
The only complaint I have is the whiplash I sometimes feel by whirling back and forth between characters and their scenes. But the writing is very understandable, the dialogue believable, and the situations - given that none of this has happened yet - plausible. The storyline represents a FICTIONALIZED account of PROPHESY that has yet to take place - it's not supposed to be a roadmap! How do any of us know how these scenes will really be played out in the future? Sure, some of the characters and plot happenings are convenient ... and yes, sometimes I think there should be more Carpathians who are more technically savvy. But these books are good, addrenline-pumping, heart-stopping fun. They give you the "You Are Here" feeling.... like being inserted directly into an action-adventure movie!
Writing is a craft. The ability to write fiction and so cleverly and wonderfully weave prophesy, scripture, faith, human fraility, forgiveness, and hope together in a way that compels people to keep reading ... well, I'd call that a GREAT SERIES OF BOOKS!

Yes, this book contained less action than some of the others, but it was also focused over a period of just a few days (3 actually), rather than over a span of several months like the previous books.

Did Rayford kill Carpathia? Will Buck and Chaim escape New Babylon? Is the safe-house no longer safe? Read to find out!

I especially liked Leon Fortunado making a complete a** of himself in this book. True, he looked prestigious to those around him and he has an aura of confidence around him, but I had to read his part in this story with a smug smile on my face. I can't wait to see what happens to him. And Carpathia? What a copy-cat. Come up with some lines of your own, my friend, and stop quoting the God that you not only deny, but claim yourself to be.

One last thing....These reviewers still downing and obliterating this series. What gives? This is the 7th book in a 14 book series, half way through. If this story is so putrid, why are you still reading it? Put down the book, and go find something else that will fill your time. Don't read on, continuing to demote and put down the series. If you don't like it, stop reading it. And get over it.

The Indwelling, as well as all of the other books, was very good. Unfortunately, in the last couple of books, the first third to half of the book starts off sort of slow, but then picks up to a dramatic end. It is not one of the best but is still very good.
Im so glad these books came out because I have never really understood the book of Revelation. True, this is fiction, but the events that lie behind the characters is as nonfiction as you can get.
I don't understand why people can bash this series. The books are some of the most popular in the country. Im sure that out of the millions of people reading the books some have become believers. We should be thanking the authors for writing such a popular series and praising God that it happened instead of bashing it saying that they have become too slow or that it has become one big money maker for them. Personnaly, I think that the Left Behind craze is only beginning and by the time the last book comes out in 2003 there will be some new faces in church on Sunday.

When I finished Assassins several months ago, I was left hanging. To fill the void, I watched the Left Behind website chats to see if I was on the right track as to who killed Nicolae. I couldn't wait for The Indwelling to come out and I bought it as soon as I could. The beginning offered an opportunity to reaquaint myself with the main characters. I realized just how far Rayford had sunk into his depression. The part of the book that held my attention were the "dreams" that Tsion had. The language in those sequences were obviously biblical, but they were also reminiscent of Dante's journey in The Divine Comedy and the fall of Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost. The authors "allowed" Tsion to react as any person would--by having him reference his documents. That part of the book was worth the price of the book. The authors have not totally disappointed their readers---there are still some questions that need to be answered, and will be answered in the next segment--I can hardly wait.

I'm getting ready to read the latest installment in the "Left Behind" series so I thought I'd review this one. I've reviewed all the others I've read. A side note. When "The Beast" came out I was looking it over in a bookstore and a lady says "I read it, its a good book". Mind you it had only been a day or two in the bookstores, man, I can't stand smug people! I immediately put it back least she think she influenced my purchase. Face it if you've read the others why stop now? This one is full of suspense and intrigue. Is the bad guy dead or will he rise up? Can good overcome evil? Who will be left? The question of who shot Carpathia is more intriguing than who shot JR. The grassy knoll and the Warren Commission have nothing on this story. Was it the lone gunman, better check the video tape. Just be sure Fortunato(Carpathia's heir apparent) doesn't ask you to look into his eyes first, he is more wicked than Bela Lagosi in a vampire movie. These are just some of the questions that are raised in this seventh installment in the controversial series. There are more safe houses than 7 elevens in Chicago now so be on the look for the mark, just make sure it doesn't erase. It really does move along very nicely but as it has been my complaint all along it is a little drawn out and anti-climatic at times. A good book for believers and non-believers alike, think of it as a piece of fiction. Be careful though, as they say, truth is stranger than fiction. Enjoy the ride, there are no paths to enlightenment in this preachy book just questions that may help one live a better life. Easy to read, this is the kind of book that doesn't require a dictionary. Recommended for those who like their suspense and Bible lessons rolled into one. Worth reading if you've made it this far, but you probably know that already.

While this, the 7th volume of the Left Behind series, is good, it's becoming like an episode of Dallas minus JR and the bedroom scenes!!! In a previous book, Rayford Steele has lost his 2nd wife in an airline crash and he seems to be getting attached to another lady already! This should have been titled "Who Shot Nicolae?" (though he wasn't actually shot it turns out) as it takes until the very end of the book for Nicolae (The Anti-Christ) to raise from the dead and be indwelt by Satan.
Now for those who would critize this series on the basis of it's pre-millenial rapture-the Bible plainly says that will be what happens. Dr. Jack Van Impe and Rev. John Hagee explain this very well. The Bible says we are not appointed unto wrath, so why would any believing Christiain not be taken away?
For those who critize the book for no use of foul language-do you see foul language in the Bible? Now, I am not so naive to think that there won't be cursing in the Kingdom of the Anti-Christ, but this is a CHRISTIAN series and, like it or not, cursing does NOT have a place in a Christian's life.
I do agree that this book is being drug out for the purpose of making money-the whole plot could've easily fit into less than 12 volumes as is now planned, but it's still good reading.

It's interesting after finishing the 7th "Left Behind" book to read some of the other people's comments about the book.My opinion has pretty much stayed the same throughout he course of reading them. I still feel that from a technical standpoint they're probably the most juvenile books I've ever read. That in a nutshell is my biggest complaint. Despite that rather large flaw which I know discourages alot of people from continuing, I have to say I've enjoyed them. Are the books the way I'd imagine the Rapture to be? Probably not, and based on what alot of other comments I've read say, others would play it differently as well.But it's their story. The one they've imagined with the parts of the Bible they feel best suits the tale they're telling. I think people that are looking for a witnessing tool should have figured out before book seven that that's not the primary goal of these book. At least not the way I see it. They entertain. They excite, they thrill, they elicit emotion in their readers.And perhaps most importantly they get their readers talking. They get them asking about the Rapture, curious about the book of Revelations, hungry to find out more.And if that's done through a character in a story that someone's grown fond of, then that's some good story telling.Many of the people who are reading these books may not be ready for the fire and brimstone approach to the Apocalypse. I'm sure there are many people who aren't aware that Tyndale's a Christian Publisher.They just want to know if Rayford and Buck and Chloe will survive, if the Antichrist will create havoc, and if Hattie will be saved.And there's nothing wrong with that. Incidently this was my favorite one yet.

While book 6, Assassins, led to a climactic ending whereas Nicolae suffers a fatal blow to the head and many other events were set in motion, I expected much more out of The Indwelling.
Much of the cast stays the same with some second string characters meeting their demise. However, the introduction of a few new characters keeps the overall story fresh and moving along and keep this very long series entertaining.
My biggest disappointment with this installment was the lack of overall action. After a great cliffhanger in number 6, I expected this really to pick up after we have reached the midpoint in the series. Not really. Though I understand this is fiction based on fact, and I truly believe this book is doctrinally sound, I wanted this to be a real page turner.
It was not until the end where the indwelling of the antichrist actually takes place, and while dark, I wanted something much more ominous. The events described are indeed scary, but with only pages left before this episode ended, I felt like there was something missing.
There is some character development of Rayford Steele here as he comes to grips with his internal struggle and faith. Also there is a search for a new safe house along with the engineered deaths and cover-ups of some believers by the Global Peacekeeping Forces.

I found this installment of the series to be superior to most, especially book 6 Assassins, much to my surprise.
It's not for everyone. The writing shifts quite a bit. Only 3 days of time pass and very little of the book of Revelation, the guideline for the series, unfolds. Think of this as "half time" in a football game before the bigger, badder you ain't seen nothing yet anti-christ starts to run wild. There's a lot of action but not as much of the earth shaking variety that some readers have come to expect. Mostly the action is in getting everyone back together. That's pretty much the theme of this book. The characters get back together geographically and get themselves back together on a spiritual level and on an emotional level with each other. There's a lot of soul searching and repentence and a lot of questions, not all cut and dry. The level of spirituality is deeper.
I also appreciated that there was no big cliffhanger. Too many cliffhangers, especially since the books only come out once every 6 months, can be frustrating. The devoted readers of this series can relax until the next installment.
As with previous books there are character deaths, mostly as a consequence of a single action, and we get to see those consequences. I'm more intrigued with this series after seeing the authors on Larry King Live and learning that only 1 character will survive to the end. That was shocking. I expected it to be out of the old Star Trek mode where there are lots of deaths, usually the guest star for that episode, but never the big four. This book will take a different, more realistic tact based on the time of the writing -- the end times.
I look forward to seeing what will happen.

Potentially the best book of the series, though it doesn't have a whole lot of competition - especially from the last 4 books. The characters are still flat, the dialog is still stilted, and the action is still largely predictable. However, Jerry Jenkins has thankfully stopped repeating himself so much. Books 3-6 were so full of repetition (filling readers in on the backstory, either because readers hadn't read previous books or they're too empty-headed to remember past plot elements) that they became almost unreadable. Expanding the series from the original 7 books to now 12 books was a horrible blunder, as books 3-6 really could have/should have been one book and very little would have been lost - and much clarity would have been gained.
The plot has picked up with this book, and it was a good read. Still unquestioningly pulp with very little literary value, it was an enjoyable quick read that required little thinking. Good beach book, good lazy afternoon book. Do yourself a favor, though, and get this one from the library - you probably won't want to read it more than once, and you can pound through this in just a few days (my wife did it in one day, I did it in 3).
A 3 star rating, though I was tempted to give it 4 stars just because my expectations coming in (after that past 4 books) were so low. This did exceed my expectations - though that's more a reflection of my expectations than of the book.