I found this one harder to get through; I don't know, I just had a harder time getting into it. But still, three stars from me. ( )

Revelation 12:12: Rejoice, O Heavens! You citizens of heaven, rejoice! Be glad! But woe to you people of the world, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.

Carpathia lands two atomic bombs right over the Petra refuge with the million Jews. But, God had promised them protection through the rest of the Tribulation. The archangel Michael appears at the forefront, as an army of 500,00 GC’s is seen in a storm of dust headed towards Petra. They reach to just 10 feet of Petra when the ground shakes with a great earthquake. A wall of earth opens up and away, swallowing the entire army. It immediately closes. As soon as the dust settles, GC planes flying over had lost the army. There was no telltale sign of it anywhere, nor ever having been there. The protected people of God were burning, but were fully protected, just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were protected in the burning furnace in Daniel 3:23.

5 years into the Great Tribulation…

Revelations 16:8-9: Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl in the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

As the sun rose one morning, the heat of the day was becoming extremely intensified. Anyone out in the sun, without the mark of God's protection, burst into flames. It became so hot that tires on cars and windows began busting. Buildings everywhere began to burn, things melted, burned up, or dried up. The believers had a bit of freedom to move about during the day because Carpathia’s GC army were all incapacitated. They could only get out after dark. This curse and judgment ended in the 6th year just as the water returned to normal. Carpathia and his army believed they were back in business. Things returned to normal for 3 days. Meanwhile, Carpathia was planning the “the war of all wars”, the Armageddon, against the Jewish people and others still refusing to worship him, but especially against the millions of saved Jews at Petra. But, on the third day, the 5th bowl was emptied by the 5th angel.

Revelations 16:10-11: Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of their pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

Total darkness consumed New Babylon, the place of Carpathia’s headquarters and throne, for 24/7 and for days. No stars or moon. Everything had gone pitchblack. The only ones affected were the ones with the mark of the beast, which was pretty much everyone but one lone insurgent, Chang Wong, who was still working undercover for Christ. This blackness allowed Chang to arrange for a plane to fly in and rescue him and to haul out his computers so he could continue with God’s work elsewhere. The believer's lights were just turned down, much like the light of a dimmed chandelier, even they could only see about 20 feet ahead of themselves in this area. The people with the mark of the beast began itching and writhing in excruciating pain. It was so unbearable, many committed suicide or begged for death. This went on for days. Once again the GC were totally incapacitated, allowing the believer's to carry on God's work in bringing the last remnants of unbelievers, still without the Antichrist’s mark, to God.

Carpathia was also affected by the heat and the blackness, but not to the extent of his followers. He did strip his clothing and was seen by Chang Wong bathing in the sun while others were down in the basements trying to stay alive. Also, he did emit a very small amount of light in his aura, but he could only see within that light. So, the believers that flew in to bring Chang and his computers out of New Babylon could maneuver around him, and all the others, without being seen.

Carpathia insists proving to the world that he is king of his world, and as his anger towards those million Jews sitting there at Petra continues to grow, he declares to use every resource available to annihilate them. World War III, the Armageddon War, is imminent! ( )

On the brink of Armageddon.

As the battered earth reels under judgments from heaven, Global Community leader Nicolae Carpathia tightens the screws on anyone who refuses to proclaim total allegiance to him. He has a million of his enemies just where he wants them: massed at Petra and within striking distance of devastating firepower. Meanwhile, the Tribulation Force is compromised, forcing Rayford Steele, Buck Williams, and the others to run for their lives. ( )

Tenth in the 'Left Behind' series. Fast-moving, but once again too many characters with little personality development. Hardly any emotion other than mild fear, and I couldn't make myself care for any of the people involved. Strong Christian theme throughout. ( )