Israel features, both technologically advanced and yet somehow barbaric, although it is glossed over There is one somewhat-key Jewish character, and they are something of a stereotype, but it’s a Mel Brooks comedy stereotype rather than a Protocols of the Elders of Zion one. Diversity is absent rather than frowned upon – a couple of telling comments suggest that the overall paradigm is not that inclusive, but characters of different races, creeds, and sexualities are conspicuous by their absence.
There’s always a risk, when reading Christian fiction, that it comes with a side-order of retrogressive right-wing attitudes, but that’s not as much the case as you might think. “Provincial” is probably the best word to cover it – provincial and wary of outsiders. It’s very American in the same way that low-budget action films are the world outside the US is seen as a lawless wasteland where everyone is openly corrupt and acts of loud and horrific violence are commonplace.
This limited worldview extends to the overall narrative as well as character choice.
The premise – a specific religion’s apocalypse comes true – cries out for a wider range of characters and cultures to be displayed, but this book is almost defiantly bound within a specific context. It’s a lazy choice, and one that reveals the authors’ target market and underlying assumptions. This is apparently sufficient to explore a global phenomenon that would raise questions about identity and faith. The book focuses on the experiences of two middle-aged, middle-class, culturally-Christian, straight, white, American men. The Left Behind series falls into both categories, so I thought it would be my kind of thing, or at least entertainingly bizarre. One is exciting, and the other has a rare flavour of simplicity and sincerity. I quite enjoy both apocalyptic and Christian fiction. Only those who have studied the Bible know the real truth: the Rapture has occurred, God has called his faithful into heaven, and the apocalypse has begun. Some think aliens are behind it all, others blame bizarre meteorological phenomena or electromagnetic buildup. Humanity is in shock, struggling to deal both with the aftermath of the disappearances and the resultant chaos. The clothes they were wearing are left piled behind them any vehicles being driven have crashed. All across the world – from beds and cars and aeroplanes – people are just gone. Suddenly, without warning or explanation, people are missing.
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