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Shattered: The Vanished Series
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August 24, 2026
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
I’d give Shattered about a 3.7/5.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I’m definitely invested enough in the series to want to continue, but I also came away feeling like the execution could have been stronger.
My biggest issue is the balance between setup and payoff. Vanished used a very similar structure: spend almost the entire book building toward the major event we know is coming, then finally unleash it at the end. That worked for the first book because the anticipation of the Rapture was part of the premise. With Shattered, though, I went in expecting to finally experience more of what life during the Tribulation would actually look like.
Instead, much of the book feels like another long setup.
We follow four primary storylines and gradually see how each character connects to Vilks, Trident, Israel, prophecy, and the changing world. I understand why all of that groundwork is necessary, but sometimes it felt like we spent hundreds of pages preparing for the story I actually wanted to read, only to get a few chapters of the major events themselves.
Even some of the supposedly enormous events, such as the earthquake, didn’t always feel as massive on the page as the book told us they were. I wanted to experience more of the worldwide consequences—the panic, infrastructure failing, governments reacting, people trying to survive, and believers figuring out what to do next.
That’s ultimately what interests me most about this series: how ordinary people would actually navigate the Great Tribulation.
How do believers survive when the world becomes increasingly hostile toward them? How do they obtain food, shelter, medicine, and communication? How does Vilks consolidate power? What happens when refusing the system has real consequences?
Those are the parts I’m hoping the next book explores much more deeply.
I also had mixed feelings about the characters.
Saul and Li Fan were probably the strongest for me, despite having less page time than some of the others. Their storylines felt purposeful. They came into the story, fulfilled a specific role, developed enough for me to understand them, and were positioned naturally for whatever comes next.
Haggerty is interesting, but I think some important pieces of his internal journey are missing.
Vanished already established Haggs’ complicated relationship with his father, so I didn’t need Shattered to explain that relationship all over again. What I would have liked, though, was for the book to revisit more of that history as Haggs’ struggle with faith became increasingly important.
Most of the spiritual reminders Haggs experiences in Shattered seem to come through Caleb—Abigail’s father and Haggs’ best friend who disappeared in the Rapture. Haggs remembers Caleb’s words, Scripture, warnings, and moments of comfort. I actually thought those scenes worked really well because they feel natural. People really do hear the words of someone they’ve lost in their head during difficult moments.
But I wanted more of Haggs himself wrestling with what those memories meant.
We know from Vanished that his relationship with his own father shaped him, and I think bringing some of those memories back into Shattered could have added another layer to his spiritual journey. Caleb can remind Haggs what he once heard about God, but Haggs still has to confront his own history, anger, doubt, and resistance.
That would have made moments like the Holy of Holies scene feel much more earned.
When Haggs kneels and prays before entering, I understood why the moment mattered, but I was also surprised that he had already reached a point where praying was something he would instinctively consider.
I wanted to feel more of the progression leading there.
What if Caleb was right?
What if everything Haggs dismissed before the Rapture was actually true?
What if God really is behind what is happening?
What does that mean for everything Haggs believed before?
I wanted more of that doubt, resistance, realization, and internal conflict. The pieces are there, but I don’t think the book always connects them as deeply as it could have.
My biggest disappointment, though, was Abigail.
I never really felt like I knew her.
The Worldwide Way is presented as this incredibly important underground Christian network with a highly protected server—secure enough that even Saul has difficulty accessing it—but the book never clearly explains what the organization actually does.
Are they simply keeping a database of believers?
Are they holding underground church services?
Are they creating safe houses?
Stockpiling food and medicine?
Helping Christians escape persecution?
Developing communication networks?
Planning survival communities?
The concept feels much bigger than what is actually explained.
Even near the end, Vilks essentially describes it as a database of believers, which explains why he would want access to it, but still doesn’t explain what the Worldwide Way means to the believers themselves.
I also struggled with Abigail’s dialogue. A lot of it felt overly polished and theological rather than like the way a real person would naturally speak.
Interestingly, the book handles similar moments with Haggerty much better. When Haggs remembers something Caleb said or recalls Scripture through those memories, it works because Caleb was someone extremely important to him. Those moments feel like memories carrying forward after losing his best friend.
Abigail, however, often feels like she is there to deliver the Christian message of a scene rather than exist as a fully developed person.
Because of that, I think her storyline ends up feeling far less important emotionally than it should.
There were moments where I honestly wondered whether Abigail needed to be such a major character at all.
Caleb’s memories could have continued bringing prophecy and Scripture into Haggerty’s story, while Saul could have discovered the Worldwide Way as this mysterious encrypted network of post-Rapture believers.
That might actually have made discovering the organization more interesting.
Alternatively, if Abigail was going to remain central, I wish we had actually watched her build the Worldwide Way.
Imagine it beginning with a handful of frightened believers simply trying to find each other after the Rapture.
Then they realize their communication isn’t secure.
Then someone needs somewhere to hide.
Then someone can’t get food or medicine.
Then Christians begin disappearing.
Suddenly Abigail realizes this is no longer just a network of believers talking to one another—it needs to become a functioning underground community.
That could have given her an incredible character arc while also answering the question the book never fully answers:
What does the Worldwide Way actually do?
Without getting too specific about the ending, I also think the final confrontation involving Abigail, Haggerty, and Vilks would have carried significantly more emotional weight if I had been more invested in Abigail as a character.
The ending is intentionally ambiguous, and I liked that aspect of it. But whatever ultimately happened in that room, the moment would have hit much harder if I felt like I truly knew Abigail, understood what she meant to Haggs beyond being Caleb’s daughter, and understood what she had actually built through the Worldwide Way.
Instead, I understood why the scene mattered to the plot more than I actually felt why it mattered emotionally.
All of that said, I did enjoy the book.
Vilks is becoming a much more interesting and unsettling character, especially because the story shows how someone like him could convince ordinary people to accept increasing control by presenting it as security, stability, unity, and the reasonable solution to chaos.
That may actually be one of the strongest aspects of Shattered.
The Antichrist isn’t simply portrayed as obviously evil from the beginning. You can see how a frightened world could gradually accept him because he appears to have answers.
The final stretch also brought several of the storylines together in satisfying ways and made me very interested in where Saul, Li Fan, Haggerty, Vilks, Abigail, and the Worldwide Way go next.
So while I enjoyed Shattered, I wouldn’t say it was significantly better than Vanished.
Both books have a similar structure:
build, build, build, then finally deliver the major event near the end.
That structure worked better for me in Vanished because the Rapture itself was what everything was leading toward.
After the Rapture, though, I wanted Shattered to spend more time showing us the world that came afterward.
Instead, we get pieces of four different lives and how they gradually intersect with Vilks, Trident, Israel, and the prophetic events happening around them.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that approach, and I enjoyed much of it, but it sometimes felt like the series was still preparing for the Great Tribulation rather than actually allowing us to experience it.
After two books, I’m ready for the series to move beyond preparation.
The pieces are on the board.
Vilks is rising.
The Tribulation is underway.
Now I want to actually live in that world with these characters and see how they survive it.
3.7/5
I’d give Shattered about a 3.7/5.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I’m definitely invested enough in the series to want to continue, but I also came away feeling like the execution could have been stronger.
My biggest issue is the balance between setup and payoff. Vanished used a very similar structure: spend almost the entire book building toward the major event we know is coming, then finally unleash it at the end. That worked for the first book because the anticipation of the Rapture was part of the premise. With Shattered, though, I went in expecting to finally experience more of what life during the Tribulation would actually look like.
Instead, much of the book feels like another long setup.
We follow four primary storylines and gradually see how each character connects to Vilks, Trident, Israel, prophecy, and the changing world. I understand why all of that groundwork is necessary, but sometimes it felt like we spent hundreds of pages preparing for the story I actually wanted to read, only to get a few chapters of the major events themselves.
Even some of the supposedly enormous events, such as the earthquake, didn’t always feel as massive on the page as the book told us they were. I wanted to experience more of the worldwide consequences—the panic, infrastructure failing, governments reacting, people trying to survive, and believers figuring out what to do next.
That’s ultimately what interests me most about this series: how ordinary people would actually navigate the Great Tribulation.
How do believers survive when the world becomes increasingly hostile toward them? How do they obtain food, shelter, medicine, and communication? How does Vilks consolidate power? What happens when refusing the system has real consequences?
Those are the parts I’m hoping the next book explores much more deeply.
I also had mixed feelings about the characters.
Saul and Li Fan were probably the strongest for me, despite having less page time than some of the others. Their storylines felt purposeful. They came into the story, fulfilled a specific role, developed enough for me to understand them, and were positioned naturally for whatever comes next.
Haggerty is interesting, but I think some important pieces of his internal journey are missing.
Vanished already established Haggs’ complicated relationship with his father, so I didn’t need Shattered to explain that relationship all over again. What I would have liked, though, was for the book to revisit more of that history as Haggs’ struggle with faith became increasingly important.
Most of the spiritual reminders Haggs experiences in Shattered seem to come through Caleb—Abigail’s father and Haggs’ best friend who disappeared in the Rapture. Haggs remembers Caleb’s words, Scripture, warnings, and moments of comfort. I actually thought those scenes worked really well because they feel natural. People really do hear the words of someone they’ve lost in their head during difficult moments.
But I wanted more of Haggs himself wrestling with what those memories meant.
We know from Vanished that his relationship with his own father shaped him, and I think bringing some of those memories back into Shattered could have added another layer to his spiritual journey. Caleb can remind Haggs what he once heard about God, but Haggs still has to confront his own history, anger, doubt, and resistance.
That would have made moments like the Holy of Holies scene feel much more earned.
When Haggs kneels and prays before entering, I understood why the moment mattered, but I was also surprised that he had already reached a point where praying was something he would instinctively consider.
I wanted to feel more of the progression leading there.
What if Caleb was right?
What if everything Haggs dismissed before the Rapture was actually true?
What if God really is behind what is happening?
What does that mean for everything Haggs believed before?
I wanted more of that doubt, resistance, realization, and internal conflict. The pieces are there, but I don’t think the book always connects them as deeply as it could have.
My biggest disappointment, though, was Abigail.
I never really felt like I knew her.
The Worldwide Way is presented as this incredibly important underground Christian network with a highly protected server—secure enough that even Saul has difficulty accessing it—but the book never clearly explains what the organization actually does.
Are they simply keeping a database of believers?
Are they holding underground church services?
Are they creating safe houses?
Stockpiling food and medicine?
Helping Christians escape persecution?
Developing communication networks?
Planning survival communities?
The concept feels much bigger than what is actually explained.
Even near the end, Vilks essentially describes it as a database of believers, which explains why he would want access to it, but still doesn’t explain what the Worldwide Way means to the believers themselves.
I also struggled with Abigail’s dialogue. A lot of it felt overly polished and theological rather than like the way a real person would naturally speak.
Interestingly, the book handles similar moments with Haggerty much better. When Haggs remembers something Caleb said or recalls Scripture through those memories, it works because Caleb was someone extremely important to him. Those moments feel like memories carrying forward after losing his best friend.
Abigail, however, often feels like she is there to deliver the Christian message of a scene rather than exist as a fully developed person.
Because of that, I think her storyline ends up feeling far less important emotionally than it should.
There were moments where I honestly wondered whether Abigail needed to be such a major character at all.
Caleb’s memories could have continued bringing prophecy and Scripture into Haggerty’s story, while Saul could have discovered the Worldwide Way as this mysterious encrypted network of post-Rapture believers.
That might actually have made discovering the organization more interesting.
Alternatively, if Abigail was going to remain central, I wish we had actually watched her build the Worldwide Way.
Imagine it beginning with a handful of frightened believers simply trying to find each other after the Rapture.
Then they realize their communication isn’t secure.
Then someone needs somewhere to hide.
Then someone can’t get food or medicine.
Then Christians begin disappearing.
Suddenly Abigail realizes this is no longer just a network of believers talking to one another—it needs to become a functioning underground community.
That could have given her an incredible character arc while also answering the question the book never fully answers:
What does the Worldwide Way actually do?
Without getting too specific about the ending, I also think the final confrontation involving Abigail, Haggerty, and Vilks would have carried significantly more emotional weight if I had been more invested in Abigail as a character.
The ending is intentionally ambiguous, and I liked that aspect of it. But whatever ultimately happened in that room, the moment would have hit much harder if I felt like I truly knew Abigail, understood what she meant to Haggs beyond being Caleb’s daughter, and understood what she had actually built through the Worldwide Way.
Instead, I understood why the scene mattered to the plot more than I actually felt why it mattered emotionally.
All of that said, I did enjoy the book.
Vilks is becoming a much more interesting and unsettling character, especially because the story shows how someone like him could convince ordinary people to accept increasing control by presenting it as security, stability, unity, and the reasonable solution to chaos.
That may actually be one of the strongest aspects of Shattered.
The Antichrist isn’t simply portrayed as obviously evil from the beginning. You can see how a frightened world could gradually accept him because he appears to have answers.
The final stretch also brought several of the storylines together in satisfying ways and made me very interested in where Saul, Li Fan, Haggerty, Vilks, Abigail, and the Worldwide Way go next.
So while I enjoyed Shattered, I wouldn’t say it was significantly better than Vanished.
Both books have a similar structure:
build, build, build, then finally deliver the major event near the end.
That structure worked better for me in Vanished because the Rapture itself was what everything was leading toward.
After the Rapture, though, I wanted Shattered to spend more time showing us the world that came afterward.
Instead, we get pieces of four different lives and how they gradually intersect with Vilks, Trident, Israel, and the prophetic events happening around them.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that approach, and I enjoyed much of it, but it sometimes felt like the series was still preparing for the Great Tribulation rather than actually allowing us to experience it.
After two books, I’m ready for the series to move beyond preparation.
The pieces are on the board.
Vilks is rising.
The Tribulation is underway.
Now I want to actually live in that world with these characters and see how they survive it.
3.7/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2026
Title: Shattered
Author: Dr. David Jeremiah and Sam O’Neal
Narrated by: Roger Wayne
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Length: Approximately 10 hours and 58 minutes
Source: Purchased from Audible.com with a physical book review copy from @drdavidjeremiah @thomasnelsonfiction @TLCBookTours. Thank-you!
What is the last action-adventure book that you’ve read or one that you would recommend?
Shattered starts right where book one, Vanished, ended and tells the story of what happens for the first three year after the rapture. The story continues to follow Dr. John Haggerty as he seeks vengeance for the loss of his wife and daughter. It also follows Abigail who recognizes her own failures and has turned to Christianity. She is gathering the Christian believers still left that are now turning to God. As the Antichrist takes over, will Abigail and John be able to stay true to God?
My thoughts on this novel:
• This book was an action-packed thriller.
• The book contained a lot of Biblical prophecy and interpretation of the prophecies.
• It has a different take on the rapture and prophesies than the popular Left Behind series and is worth reading to see this different story.
• This is Book #2 is the Vanished series. I enjoyed Book #1, Vanished. You should read this series in order to know what is going on.
• It was interesting to ponder in this book after the rapture when so many have disappeared, how will the world react?
• It was an interesting look into misinformation and how evil can use misinformation to tell people that it was not the rapture. People are already conditioned to listen to false information and believe it. It’s a sad, but true commentary on our current state of affairs in the world and how it can be used for evil.
• It was an intense story and not a happy one.
• It was an exciting audiobook to listen to. I liked the narrator’s voice.
• This book ends on a cliffhanger.
Overall, Shattered by Dr. David Jeremiah and Sam O’Neal was an exciting end of the world thriller.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
Author: Dr. David Jeremiah and Sam O’Neal
Narrated by: Roger Wayne
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Length: Approximately 10 hours and 58 minutes
Source: Purchased from Audible.com with a physical book review copy from @drdavidjeremiah @thomasnelsonfiction @TLCBookTours. Thank-you!
What is the last action-adventure book that you’ve read or one that you would recommend?
Shattered starts right where book one, Vanished, ended and tells the story of what happens for the first three year after the rapture. The story continues to follow Dr. John Haggerty as he seeks vengeance for the loss of his wife and daughter. It also follows Abigail who recognizes her own failures and has turned to Christianity. She is gathering the Christian believers still left that are now turning to God. As the Antichrist takes over, will Abigail and John be able to stay true to God?
My thoughts on this novel:
• This book was an action-packed thriller.
• The book contained a lot of Biblical prophecy and interpretation of the prophecies.
• It has a different take on the rapture and prophesies than the popular Left Behind series and is worth reading to see this different story.
• This is Book #2 is the Vanished series. I enjoyed Book #1, Vanished. You should read this series in order to know what is going on.
• It was interesting to ponder in this book after the rapture when so many have disappeared, how will the world react?
• It was an interesting look into misinformation and how evil can use misinformation to tell people that it was not the rapture. People are already conditioned to listen to false information and believe it. It’s a sad, but true commentary on our current state of affairs in the world and how it can be used for evil.
• It was an intense story and not a happy one.
• It was an exciting audiobook to listen to. I liked the narrator’s voice.
• This book ends on a cliffhanger.
Overall, Shattered by Dr. David Jeremiah and Sam O’Neal was an exciting end of the world thriller.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Shattered by Dr. David Jeremiah is the second book in The Vanished series. This book takes over after the first ends, so it is best to read them in order to get the full story. This story focuses on what happens after the Rapture, especially the first three years. This book is so interesting, it uses Bible scripture to make it so real, while focusing on prophecy and redemption of those left behind.
In this story we follow along with John as he works for President Vilks to get vengeance for the loss of his wife and daughter. And, Abigail as she makes an online Christian ministry to help support others through this time. The story also contains scientist as they work through events that are happening and the rise of the Antichrist. I found inspiration in those left behind that turned to God and refused to follow the Antichrist.
It is so well written, I struggled at times knowing events similar to those describe with someday happen.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book; this is my honest review.
In this story we follow along with John as he works for President Vilks to get vengeance for the loss of his wife and daughter. And, Abigail as she makes an online Christian ministry to help support others through this time. The story also contains scientist as they work through events that are happening and the rise of the Antichrist. I found inspiration in those left behind that turned to God and refused to follow the Antichrist.
It is so well written, I struggled at times knowing events similar to those describe with someday happen.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book; this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book did not disappoint. In fact, I think it was more engaging that "Vanished" While this book can be read without reading the predecessor, you will miss some of the subtle nuances that are given. The author does give some background information, but it's better if you read "Vanished" first. These books tell about the second coming of Christ and the Tribulation Years. Dr. Jeremiah does take a different point of view than the Left Behind series, but his view is no less terrifying. If you are a Christian, you may think, "How could people be so gullible?" Trust me. The situation will be so subtle that it will make sense to the unbeliever. I don't know if there will be more books in this series or not. "Shattered" could be the end, but the story is open enough for another book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In terms of an action-packed thriller, this book delivers, reading like a news report with biblical prophecy woven in. This post-Rapture setting takes it to extremes that somehow seem unbelievable and yet not entirely infeasible. It's a harrowing state to exist in and one that shows what a truly godless and corrupt world could look like. One of the main characters, Dr. John Haggerty is presented as a very conflicted man questioning everything that he has known. Readers who enjoy end-time prophecy will find Shattered to be a realistic and futuristic sequel just read the series in order to see the full story and character development.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio for providing me with an ALC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio for providing me with an ALC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Very good book. For those familiar with the "Left Behind" series, this offers some different, plausible scenarios for some of the situations told in prophecy. I don't want to share to give it away, you should read it for yourselves. Be sure to read "Vanished" first. The characters are realistic. Haggs, who is so filled with anger and doubt. Abigail, who recognizes her failure at not being Raptured and tries to do something to help all the people left behind. The villain and his henchmen (and women) who is suspected as the antichrist and is more evil than they even suspect.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for letting read and listen to this book. I am a big fan of Dr. David Jeremiah and was excited to get this advance reader copy. This book did not disappoint! It was a very compelling and potentially realistic story of what the rapture or "Great Disappearance" would do to those left behind. It was so well written and thought provoking, the characters in the story were wonderfully developed and the way they all connected to the overall storyline was impactful. I would highly recommend this book!
August 16, 2026
I enjoyed the #2 book in the series very well. “Hags” frustrated me a great deal. The ending is the only reason I’m giving this a 4 and not a 5. I know these kinds of things will happen during the tribulation period… but I just didn’t feel like Abigail’s character fully was fulfilled, I guess to say. It made me sad.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This hard-hitting apocalyptic novel begins the story where the first book in the series Vanished ended, so I highly recommend that you read the series on order. In this book John Haggerty and Abigail take center stage as the opposition to the appearance of the Antichrist and the destruction that he and his minions want to reap on the earth. The story is not totally Biblical but it is definitely Biblically based, with fiction interspersed with scriptural truths. If you have read Matthew 24 and Revelation, you will notice that the events of the end times are well and mostly accurately portrayed. The characters are realistic and relatable as the ones left behind after the Rapture. The action is fast-paced and mostly centered around Israel. There is a great deal of use of technology to spread the word about the “rebels” and this rang true to me even though it isn’t specifically in the Bible because technology is rampant these days already so I can see how it could be used for both good and evil during the time of the Antichrist. The book is intense but a completely clean read and a must-read for those who enjoy stories about what will happen before the end of this age.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
July 1, 2026
This series gets better and better with each book. Following Haggs and Abigail through the tribulation in the Vanished series is not only just entertaining, but informative as well. I received a reader’s copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2026
Excellent writing. However, it was a slow start.
September 6, 2026
It was interesting at certain points of the story, but at times too much detail and difficult to follow.
*This was an audiobook.
*This was an audiobook.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews