Apocalypse Unleashed: The Earth's Last Days: The Battle Rages on

"Unleashed" continues the action that was unveiled in the first three books of the series. It keeps the story intact but loses some of the intensity of the first and second books. There is a major plot twist at the end of the book but that twist is totally in keeping with the subject that is the basis of the story. Unfortunately, words on paper cannot accurately describe the horrors and terrible atrocities that will take place when the actual events occur. I doubt that any author would really want to try.

It looks like Odom is tired of this series and is stopping it without giving closing or understanding of the outcome of many of the characters introduced in the earlier books of this series. Enjoyed all four but disappointed at length of time between issues and the ending of the last edition.

In the not too distant future, one third of the world's population disappeared including all children under the age of thirteen; US Army First Sergeant "Goose" Gander's son was one who vanished. Goose is with his Rangers unit in the Mideast trying to prevent Syria from conquering Turkey. The Syrians are making deep inroads as Captain Cal Remington and his squad cannot repel the invaders. While protecting a supply train, he notices a fire and goes inside to rescue the two teens trapped. The convoy gets ambushed because the fire was a deliberate distraction. Goose gets the men to safety, but afterward Remington places him under house arrest. That is short lived as the Syrians arrive; Goose breaks out to help in the evacuation. However, he and two other men fall behind enemy lines with assassins everywhere targeting Goose while the enemy methodically tightens its noose. This is the long awaited final tale in the Apocalypse Left Behind Military saga (see APOCALYPSE DAWN, APOCALYPSE CRUCIBLE and APOCALYPSE BURNING); fans will feel the trial and tribulations of waiting worth the time as APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is an enthralling pulse pumping tale. Besides Goose looking cooked, his wife Meg at Fort Bragg and other dependents of the entrapped Rangers establish a support group. Readers will learn what the CIA knows and does, and what Carpathian plans and also who obsesses over killing the hero and why. Fans will relish the tribulations military sidebar quartet as Goose running on empty is out of time. Harriet Klausner

Vanished! Much of the world has disappeared and those who are Left Behind are dealing with their losses in various ways. First Sergeant "Goose" Gander lost his youngest son when the vanishings occurred and now he finds himself far away from his wife, Megan, and stepson, Joey. Chaos is reigning in the Middle East and Goose finds enemies at every turn, some even supposedly on his own side. Meanwhile, Megan and Joey have their own battles at home to fight. How will Goose, Megan, and Joey fit into God's plan in the midst of the Tribulation? APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is the final chapter in the Left Behind: Military series. It can easily be read as a stand alone, particularly if, like me, you've read the Left Behind series. My only regret is that I'm only now discovering this series as it's ending... and yet it's impossible to truly complete the series because of the overall story arc. Mel Odom does a spectacular job at making APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED conclude successfully, however. I think it's a tribute to his skills as an author that he manages to do so when the series was obviously intended to be much longer. APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is jam packed with action. From start to finish, there is nary a dull moment as the pace of the story serves to intensify the sense of danger and urgency surrounding Goose. The story alternates between the Middle East and Fort Benning, Georgia, as Mel Odom takes readers into the heart of a military family in the middle of the biggest war the world will ever see. APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is a phenomenal story and one that will appeal to fans of Christian thrillers. Readers of the Left Behind series will enjoy seeing this aspect of the military as the events of the Tribulation unfold. Mel Odom has hooked me as I've already ordered the three prior books. It's not often you can find a book with both a great plot and a great message but APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is just that sort of book. Highly recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

A third of the Earth's population, including every child under thirteen, has vanished. Some claim that this is a sign that the end times are here, that God took those who'd accepted his love to heaven. Others seek to use the unrest for gain--or conquest. US Rangers in Turkey are under attack by Syrian forces--and lack the air support and numbers they need to survive. Meanwhile, local warlords and bandits are everywhere. Sgt. "Goose" Gander tries to stand against the attacks, to help those innocents whom he can, and to come to grips with what's happened. His commanding officer, Capt. Remington, sees Goose's popularity as a threat to his leadership--and to his intended rise in the military. He's put Goose in postion to be killed, but Goose seems not only to survive, but to become more of a hero--thanks partly to the reporting of spunky Danielle Vinchenzo. Although Goose's efforts in Turkey don't seem to mean much in the deteriorating world God's rapture has left behind, he's actually at the focal point of major efforts. A sinister leader, Nicholae Carpathia has used his charisma to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. He's willing to send UN troops to back up Remington's US Rangers, but his goals don't seem quite in tune with those of Goose and his fellow soldiers. Even more than Remington, Carpathia sees Goose as a danger. Also a danger--the secret agent who penetrated the Syrian terrorist organizations and believes he's found a link between them and Carpathia himself. Author Mel Odom writes a fast-paced thriller. While Goose tries to stay alive and work within his own system of honor, the world is falling apart. Back in the States, Goose's wife and step-son struggle with their lives--and with the knowledge that Goose might die at any moment. Their lives are complicated by the fact that Goose's son vanished--and his wife had been, at least temporarily, suspected of kidnapping another child. Capt. Remington is a surprisingly complex and sympathetic antagonist. He and Goose entered the army together and while Remington entered officer training, he still sees Goose as a good soldier and a friend. Still, his ambition makes him susceptible to Carpathia's offers. APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED is published by Tyndale, and targets the Christian rather than secular reading market. As such, it sometimes bogs down into discussions about whether ordinary Church attendance is sufficient, or whether a more personal commitment to God is required. Secular readers may choose to skip through these. I would also have liked to Goose's ultimate decision at the end of the novel to have been more of an existential leap--as well as a physical journey. I doubt, however, that the target audience will be bothered by these--indeed, that might be a key part of their enjoyment. Odom writes great action scenes. For me, APOCALYPSE UNLEASHED really came alive when Goose was battling warlords, Syrians, and CIA assassins. It was a hard book to put down.