Apocalypse Dawn

Left Behind: Apocalypse #1

by Mel Odom

From the decks of U.S. Navy carriers patrolling the Mediterranean to Fort Benning, Georgia, and the dusty sands of the Turkish-Syrian border, this new suspense thriller runs side by side with the phenomenal series that has sold more than 50 million copies. New characters and situations are added to those from the already explosive Left Behind series to raise the tension to a fever pitch. With technical accuracy from the same people who create best-selling military thrillers, this new series will satisfy the fans of the original Left Behind series who are looking for more.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Dystopia, Religion, Post Apocalyptic, Fantasy

442 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

aka Jordan Gray

Mel Odom is a bestselling writer for hire for Wizards of the Coast's Forgotten Realms, Gold Eagle's Mack Bolan, and Pocket's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel book lines. His debut SF novel Lethal Interface made the Locus recommended list . The Rover was an Alyx Award winner. He has also written a scientific adventure of the high seas set in the 19th century entitled Hunters of the Dark Sea. He lives in Oklahoma.

Reviews

[Elaine and Tess the Springer. I won’t be on GR for a bit. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars.

I haven't read anything from this author before. It was the title, Apocalypse Dawn, that I saw and because that's been my favourite genre for a while now, I wanted to give it a try. I thought this book was brilliant and even though it's military, it is not boring in the least. It’s a powerful book, and the amount of action is astounding, it held me and kept me reading. There was so much going on and the pace was so fast that I had to slow my reading down to be able to process everything. It is a great book and I would recommend it to my friends.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being an avid reader of Christian fiction, I am not a fan of the Left Behind series. I tried reading it, and it became unbearable by the sixth book. However, I had read Mel Odom's spinoff books some years ago, and really enjoyed them; when I saw some of them at a local used bookstore, I thought I'd reread it...and I enjoyed this one much more than the original novels. The writing is better, and the story is rather gripping. Fans of "end times" fiction should definitely check these out, even if they didn't care for the original Jenkins/LaHaye books.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Apocalypse Dawn", written by Mel Odom, is a great take off on the Left Behind Series. Odom takes another approach, whereas he follows a second set of characters in the form of a military family, "The Ganders", during the Tribulation. Goose is in Turkey during an unprovoked attack by Siria on Turkey. The millions of disappearances all over the world, leave all remaining with doubt and wonder, as to what really happened. This purely fictional accounting is a wonderful work of imagination and who knows, it may be just like the story says at the End Times.
For anyone reading this series, it may actually push the unsaved into coming to Christ and accepting Him as their Savior. I pray that it will help those to come to Christ.
As the story begins, Goose Gander as stated earlier is on the front lines of an undeclared war, while his wife and children are back in the states dealing with their own situations. Megan is a counselor dealing with a troubled young man, and her son Joey is dealing with his own feelings. Chris his younger brother is one of the missing. This is a must read Christian book. Thanks too Mel Odom.

[Timothy Dooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent

I found this in my library and didn’t have another book to read. I will continue reading the series. I think they have potential to be good. I like that the author followed the original series with a new storyline.

[Carrie Milkanin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The military side of left behind. If you like airplanes, helicopters and munitions described in detail, you will love this book. That aspect, for me, kept it from being a 4 star rating. I am NID (not into details.). As a bible believing Christian, this book is accurate. For that reason, I enjoyed this work of fiction. If it does nothing more than cause non-believers to get out a bible and read Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation....than it has done an excellent thing. God promises that His word won't return void.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, it makes you think, I better have my house in order. He coming!

[Peter Brimacombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters were great Goose, Megan his wife and their two sons Joey (17) and Chris ( maybe 4). I like the technical details of weapons and military jargon. Goose is on the Turkish border with Syria when war breaks out. The premise is totally believable. I liked Megan's struggle as a councillor on a military base ( Fort Benning, Georgia ), very believable.

Chapter 13, people start to disappear. Goose's fellow soldier Bill just disappears.

Chapter 15, Megan had been councilling a young boy Gerry. He just disappears.

The premise that God simply calls people and they disappear is not satisfying. Catholics ( like me ) believe that the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven. Bodily. So you could say that the premise of the book is simply an extension of my existing belief but I don't believe it. I think God's work on this Earth is more mysterious than that.

I need to keep recycling my books. I'm taking this to Value Village

[Mariella Esquivel Tello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not even finished reading the final books to Jerry B Jenkin's Left behind book series (and the kids series either), and I've completely devoured this book.

I finished read the next two and I'm still anxious to get my hands on the final book ASAP.

We meet the heroes of the story: Goose, his family and the military Chaplain - each of them will have to face what look like impossible odds. In the case of the Chaplain not only is he faced with self-doubt but apparently a dark entity is harassing him as he tries to explain the truth to his superiors.

Overall it's got the right amount of suspense and fells that left me wanting more. If you're a fan of military heroes, the left behind books - this is for you.

[Theresa Petoskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed the Left Behind series and enjoy military novels this one is for you fast enough paced to keep you on the edge of your seat but not deep enough into the military jargon that you'll get lost. Set on the Turkey Syria border at the time of the rapture it follows the story of an Army Ranger's squad along with the other units around him on the border and his family at home during the same time period and what happens when the world as we know it ends in one sudden moment. I read this book as part of a 10 novels in 5 months challenge for the category of a books set in a post apocalyptic world

[Pianosue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is good. It ends at a weird place and there is alot of strategy information.
Sargeant Samuel "Goose" Gander is serving in Turkey on the Syrian border when he is ordered to help extract a CIA agent. When he does they Syrian army attacks Turkey. Now it is a battle to survive. Then hundreds of people vanish in the blink of the eye. What is this?
Back in the US Megan Gander is trying to help a young child who is being abused by his soldier father. While trying to help him, he vanishes as well as all the other children 12 and under on base including her son, Chris. What is happening? Now the child's father is accusing her of kidnapping his son! Will the madness never end?

[Jamie Gatchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apocalypse Dawn: The Earth’s Last Days: The Battle Begins

From the beginning of this book until the end, I found myself gripped by the personal struggles of the characters who were left behind when Jesus raptured His Church. It’s a well written story and definitely worth reading.

[Ryan Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool spin off of the Left Behind Series. It brings a neat perspective of the events that happen in the first Left Behind books and by a different author. Some parts ar a little cheesy but wasnt horrible. Not quite as good as Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lahaye but still entertaining. I do look forward to Mel Odoms next book in this series

[Lee Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting read, and if you haven't read the original Left Behind series you'll probably like this more. While it is excellent storytelling, I feel I've already been here and experienced this in the previous novels of this series.

[Patrice Suggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I thought I'd get lost in all the military strategy, but I cared so much about the characters and the plot was well done, so I had to keep reading. Anticipating the next one in the series.

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good for those in the military who like the Left Behind series. If I had a military background, I think I would have appreciated this book more. I’m going to pass it to my neighbor who is retired military. I think he will really enjoy it.

[Virginia Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apocalypse Dawn book one

Apocalypse Dawn: The Earth’s Last Days: The Battle Begins (Left Behind Military Book one. A powerful book more so than any other book I have read. Very believable, stable characters. Thank you

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome on so many levels. Adventure. Human struggle. Faith growth. I couldnotstop reading once I actually got started.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will continue the series.

[Joe Oaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the left behind series and felt this was a reasonable addition to this. It has new characters but from a different perspective. I will finish this series

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a religious book. You will be abandoned or punished if you don't believe... That's exact the reason I don't like this kind of religions---by threatening.

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story of the left behind.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was well written. I loved the God-sightings the characters experienced!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Richard Dowling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Left behind series verrrry predictable infused unnaturally with Biblical references

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given the series a 3.5 across the board (ok, 4,4,3,3) but for the ending. 75% through the book, I was sure there must be one more in the series. Other than that, I enjoyed reading it.

[David Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

This is a great book to read in conjunction to the Left Behind Series, especially if you have military experience.

[Faith Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

apocalypse dawn

What a totally amazing book to read. I had thought it might be boring with all military information, but the book held me captive from beginning to end.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Apocalypse Dawn", the first book in the "Left Behind: Apocalypse" series, is a (mostly) wartime military thriller that takes a different look at the end-times troubles, as portrayed in the "Left Behind" series (by LaHaye and Jenkins). It mixes a LOT of military war machine details (vocabulary, acronyms, weapons, etc.) with the sudden unexplainable (to most people) disappearances which signal the Rapture and the beginning of the End Times Tribulations period.

First Sergeant "Goose" Gander certainly believes in God, just not as strongly as he might, and he is as thunderstruck by the disappearances as everyone else -- until he starts to realize that a lot of his men (and the rest of the world) were "Raptured". This viewpoint is definitely not shared by his commanding officer, causing friction between them.

His wife (Megan), 17-year-old stepson (Joey), and 5-year-old son (Chris) are dealing with their own problems back in Georgia in a side story told in chunks that keep interrupting the main story. (I did finally figure out how to deal with this somewhat irritating "book within a book" series of viewpoint changes; I ended up reading the two stories separately and contiguously as if they'd been written that way.)

Anyway, a pretty interesting book. 4 stars.

[Micah Weatherl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced, personal, entertaining, and God focused! This book is the first book of the Left Behind Apocalypse books and starts out in the middle of a war. There is plenty of action that keeps the reader in suspense, and we also see the personal lives of the characters. Goose (one of the main character's nick name) and his step son are the main characters. His son lives on a military base with his mother and step brother. He grows rebellious because of his jealousy. He thinks that his step dad loves his actual son more. But, as both plots continue, Goose in the heat of battle and his son at home, the rapture happens! The whole world is in chaos. Tension keeps rising throughout the book. Although I have only read the first one, I would recommend reading this series! It is a hard book to put down. :)

[Jodi VanMeter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really interested in reading this as it was a spin off of The Left Behind series.... This book was very well written, but it think it is written more for a man.... I honestly say I didn't finish it... The story line is good but it was just way to technical for me and moved very slow. I lost interest quickly and found 12 chapters in I was skipping parts and had to make myself read it. I hate hate hate not finishing a book but I was so bored. I give the actual writing a 4 and if it wasn't so bogged down with explaining every thing down to detail I would have enjoyed it more. Sorry to say I won't read the rest of the series. I am going to try the other spin off by Neesa Hart and hope they are better!