The Rising


 * Name - The Rising: Before They Were Left Behind
 * Image caption - First edition cover
 * Author - Timothy LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
 * Country - United States
 * Genre - Christian fiction
 * Series - Left Behind series
 * Publisher - Tyndale House Publishers
 * Release date - March 31, 2005
 * Media type - Print (Hardback & Paperback)
 * Pages - 350 pp (first edition, hardback)
 * Isbn - ISBN 0-8423-6056-5 (first edition, hardback)
 * Followed by - The Regime

The Rising: Before They Were Left Behind is the thirteenth novel in the Left Behind series and the first prequel. It was written by Timothy LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 2005. The paperback edition has the title and subtitle as The Rising: Antichrist Is Born / Before They Were Left Behind.

Plot introduction
The Rising is Prequel 1 of 3 in the books leading up to the events mentioned in Left Behind itself. It focuses 27 years before the main Left Behind series starts.

Marilena Carpathia has only one dream: to be a mother. So when a mysterious clairvoyant promises the fulfillment of this dream, Marilena does not hesitate. Through genetic engineering and the power of the Prince of Darkness himself, Marilena is about to become a chosen vessel, one who will unknowingly give birth to the greatest evil the world has ever known.

Halfway around the world, God's plans are subtly being carried out too. Young Ray Steele is determined to avoid one day taking over the family business. Instead, Ray sets his heart on becoming a pilot.

Soon Carpathia and Steele's lives will intersect. And good and evil will clash in an explosion that will shake the world.

Plot summary
The Rising deals with Rayford Steele's childhood and college days, and how he nearly married another woman. Also featured is the birth of Nicolae Carpathia, who would later rise up in Nicolae as the Antichrist. Meanwhile, also is a conflict between father and son as Rayford decides to become an airline pilot against his father's wishes.

Marilena is a simple Romanian woman who is overcome by the need to have a baby. Her husband, Sorin, does not love his wife anymore and has turned homosexual. Thus, Marilena reads an ad for a group to find something "Beyond themselves", and meets Viviana Ivansova, later known as Viv Ivins.

Vivian is a Russian who talks with the spirit world. She is a Luciferian, and says that loyalty to her lord can bring Marilena the baby she wants so badly. However, this baby comes through genetic engineering with the best traits of two sper mixed into a hybrid sperm, which is fused with the egg. It is unknown who Nicolae's two biological fathers are. Later, they are found out to be Sorin and his lover, and Nicolae orders them executed and the secret covered up. After giving birth and realizing the amazing talent her son possesses, while showing no concern for her, Marilena discovers Viv's plans for the prodigy child.

Jonathan Stonagal is the financier of Nicolae's education. However, Marilena disagrees with these plans so much that she is finally executed; however, Nicolae is the one who plans her execution through poisoning.

Once Nicolae has become a powerful businessman, he is taken by a demon to the desert, where he is forced to remain without food or water for forty days. In a contrast to Jesus' temptation, Nicolae falls to all three temptations. After this, Nicolae is returned to Romania.

Meanwhile, Rayford Steele deals with his father, who is determined to have Ray take over the family business. Ray has his own dreams of becoming a pilot, and joins ROTC to attend college, where he meets and almost marries Kitty. However, Ray has second thoughts about the latter, and breaks up with her. Furthermore, he later dates his friend Irene, and they get married after a while. Chloe Steele is born during this time as well. After befriending a woman named Jackie, Irene slowly begins to feel something is missing in her life. Jackie, a Christian, lays out God's plan of salvation, and Irene accepts Christ.

Characters in The Rising

 * Rayford Steele
 * Nicolae Carpathia
 * Sorin Carpathia
 * Marilena Carpathia
 * Viv Ivins
 * Reiche Planchette
 * Jonathan Stonagal
 * Irene Steele
 * Chloe Steele

Release details

 * 2005, USA, Tyndale House (ISBN 0-8423-6056-5), Pub date 31 March 2005, hardback (First edition)
 * 2006, USA, Tyndale House (ISBN 0-8423-6193-6), Pub date ? September 2005, paperback