Left behind? Not this book series

NEW YORK — The books are ready for shipment, fans are waiting breathlessly for the final installment, and tables in bookstores across America will soon be piled high with stacks of the newly published thriller. But we're talking heaven, not Hogwarts.

This week, "Kingdom Come," the 16th and last novel in the hugely successful "Left Behind" evangelical series, will be released, and the publication marks the culmination of a sea change in the American book world. Before the first installment in Tim LaHaye's and Jerry B. Jenkins' modern-day stories based on the Book of Revelation appeared in 1995, Christian fiction was typically tucked away in Christian bookstores. Now, 43 million books later, the Left Behind titles have paved the way for these books and others like them to be sold in chain outlets, discount stores and big box retailers.

And while more secular readers, and even some evangelicals, may find the novels off-putting, their cultural stamp is unmistakable: A 2005 episode of "The Simpsons" satirized the Left Behind books. The series was a question on "Jeopardy!" As George W. Bush's faith-based presidency has boosted the visibility of evangelical thought in American political life, the books' themes have echoed in the wider culture — Mel Gibson's smash-hit "The Passion of the Christ," for example, followed the path blazed by the series.

It has all been a blessing to the book world, where a variety of Christian genres is flourishing. Rick Warren's inspirational book, "The Purpose-Driven Life," has sold more than 25 million copies, making it one of the largest-selling hardback books in U.S. publishing history. New Christian titles in fields as far-flung as chick-lit, science fiction and weight loss are appearing all the time. And Tyndale House Publishers Inc., the Illinois-based house that produced the Left Behind books....

A couple of interesting snippets from another article heralding the latest arrival. I had begun to suspect that the series was intended to be much shorter when the quality of writing fell after the first few books, and now my suspicions are confirmed...

The Left Behind series was originally meant to be limited to six books. Such was its popularity with America’s army of evangelicals, however, that a further ten were written and spin-offs have included video games, Christian music CDs, calendars and a scripture service for mobile phones.

If you're unfamiliar with LaHaye's dispensational views, understand that only the Evangelicals manage to get raptured. Curse that John Hagee, for not evangelizing the Jews!

Jesus then returns for the Second Coming and slaughters nonbelievers including Hindus, Muslims, Jews, atheists, as well as many Catholics and mainstream Protestants.

And then there was this revelation (pun intended) from LaHaye, which you know you saw coming...

LaHaye, who helped to set up Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority organisation, told a television interview last week there were many signs that the world was coming closer to the end. “I’ve come to the conclusion that the world cannot last more than 25 to 50 years,” he said.

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