Rapture [NOOK Book]

I had requested this book from a Goodreads book club, but I prom

I had requested this book from a Goodreads book club, but I promised the author an honest review in return for the free e-book. I had put it away and quite honestly, forgotten about it. But the author remembered, and sent me a reminder. I opened it up and was lost! This book was VERY GOOD! I loved the mix of spiritual and paranormal. This book has demons, angels, betrayal, love, action galore - anything and everything you could want. Sam is a man half in one world, half in the other. His inherent goodness keeps him going when nothing is right. He is fantastic, and so is this book! If you are interested in the Bible, the Rapture, or just a fun book about half-bloods, pick this one up. I'm glad Phil reminded me, cause I would have hated to have missed this one!

Although I don't believe in them, books/movies of Heaven and Hel

Although I don't believe in them, books/movies of Heaven and Hell, angles versus demons, are often my favorite (think "Legion" and "Constantine"). So when I picked up "Rapture," I was hoping for another exciting tale into a world that fascinates me.

The book didn't disappoint. "Rapture" is exciting, has interesting characters, and takes readers into a future that is both frightening and intriguing. I like that Sam isn't the typical perfect male specimen who gets all the girls and can do no wrong. He's flawed, he's hesitant, and it makes him even more real to the reader.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen is a bit more detail with the actual Rapture. There was a lot of buildup to the actual moment, and it seemed to be over with in a few paragraphs. Anyone who knows me, knows I love a lot of detail, especially with exciting events like that. I look forward to following Sam's journey in the following books.

Rapture is a demon-filled road-trip through Hell. After the ap

Rapture is a demon-filled road-trip through Hell.

After the apocalypse, Sam is on his own to try to assist what is left of humanity with the demon problem on their hands. Luckily, Sam has been training his entire life for just this - he's an expert swordsman and fighter. Additionally, his demonic side has given him a couple of extra "gifts" that assist with his journey. Along the way, Sam meets a few people that he's able to befriend, meanwhile stumbling across confusing spectacles in the middle of the desert.

Rapture really has a bit of everything - action, suspense, mystery, and mythology. The fights are intense and the demonic lore is interesting. The novel is written with flashbacks of how Sam was raised by Hikari with Aimi and trained to become a warrior. These were interesting, amusing, and gave great insight into Sam's background.

The one and only thing that bothered me at all? Children do not speak, think or act the way they are depicted here! A little more time spent with kids may have been needed for those brief sections. (And I might add that they are brief and really not that bothersome!)


Rapture is a very engaging and entertaining read. Anyone with an interest in action, paranormal beings, or post-apocalyptic settings are sure to enjoy this

This book really surprised me as to how good it was. It is a cap

This book really surprised me as to how good it was. It is a captivating story with non stop action and a kick ass character. I thought is was very well written and easy to follow. I hated to put this book down for a second but unfortunately life got in the way a couple of times but when I picked up where I left off I would be totally emerged in this story immediately. I was so sucked in each time that everything around me would fade away and I felt like I was inside of Phillip's world. This hell on earth full of despair and destruction, trying to survive in an unforgiving place where only the unbelievers and sinner where left behind. This book is truly scary to a non believer like me. Maybe that is why I was so mesmerized by it. It was fascinating to see this point of view of the end of the world.

Sam is the main character and he has one goal. One very important mission to fulfill. Kill the antichrist. Ya, easier said than done. Especially with so many obstacles in his way and incapacitating feeling of utter despair of losing the only two people, Hikari and Aimi, he loved to the Rapture. But he pulls himself together because Hikari, his sensei and care taker, would demand it of him. Every night since the rapture he fights the demons that come for him because this is what he was trained to do. Once he is somewhat prepared he leave Jacob's Ladder and heads out on his journey to find the antichrist in Los Angles. This trip is long and treacherous but Sam never gives up. When he finally arrives thing start to look up for a bit but then he is faced with an unimaginable situation. Safe the girl you love more anything or save the world? Oh and did I forget to mention that he is half demon himself. Yes it is quit the scandal.

Phillip took dystopian in a different direction than most other authors have and it work out well. It does have a strong religious theme or base but it is not preachy. I don't do well with books like that and will but them down immediately if I fell they are. I felt it was about our choice to believe or not and what the effect could be. Rapture is such a great story with action, love, and demons. As a dytopian junkee this one is high on my recommendation list. I will be watching out for the next installment of this series because now I'm hooked. Make sure to check this one out guys. I'm sure you will enjoy it!

Rapture immerses you in the world during the time known in Chris

Rapture immerses you in the world during the time known in Christianity as tribulation (the seven year time period of hell on earth before Jesus returns). All of the righteous have gone to Heaven while the nonbelievers and the damned have been left to their own devices on an earth that has been ravaged by hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The story follows a half-human/half-demon teenager named Sam across the U.S. as he fights to save the souls that have been left behind.

The main character is actually…likeable. Sam’s narrative and voice is riveting; he does not whine or moan or complain about the crappy hand he has been dealt in life. Instead he perseveres and overcomes his challenges and continues to do good even though he has no chance of entering Heaven. I did not feel as if I was being author tried to coerce me into thinking that Sam was strong and honest, loyal, reliable, and courageous- I was shown this through his actions. He was everything I love in a book boyfriend despite being digital. The rest of the characters are also agreeable, if a bit predictable.

The plot is something I worried over prior to reading the story. I have had the displeasure of reading several novels centered on the Christian rapture and have either been unimpressed or scared out of my mind. I was deeply afraid that Rapture would be among those of the former or be overly preachy. It was neither, and that’s all I have to say about it. But, and this may not even be a bad thing, I felt as if I could survive in Simpson’s post-apocalyptic U.S. I’m the proud survivor of 43 end of the world predictions. I know there are others walking this earth that can say they have survived more, but we’ve yet to survive the doomsday spoken of in the book of Revelations. Has anyone read that? Scary stuff. I felt like the tribulation in Rapture was far too…easy.

The climax of the story was something intriguing even if a bit cliché. I’m honestly not sure how I missed who the Anti-Christ was going to end up being! I was so wrapped up in the story itself that everything I should have seen coming I missed completely.

I don’t know how much more I can say without giving major plot points away so I’m going to go ahead and sum it up:

Plot: Different in a good way in that it’s not too preachy which makes it easier to appreciate by those that practice different religions. It is relatively uncommon in YA so it also counts as a breath of fresh air.

Characters: Round, dynamic, vibrant, and interesting. Something we all hope for and are in short supply in YA. There are a handful that I found had no place in the story- one girl, whose name escapes me, in particular was only there so Sam and modern day Judas Chris could (view spoiler).

Setting: Mid-west to western United States. I’m not sure of the layout of most of the cookie cutter states in the Mid-West but I think it was probably a little too easy for Sam and his band of buddies to cross over the Rockies and plains. I think it would’ve been perfect for them to struggle even more there. It was the tribulation after all.

Writing: Enthralling and everything you ever want it to be. I never had an issue trying to keep up with what was going on or getting bored and skimming pages. Perfect for readers 14 and up.

Overall I give Rapture a legit and well-deserved 5 star rating!

Please excuse any grammatical and/or punctuation errors you may have come across in this review.

Well thanks to the author I was given the ebook as a gift to rea

Well thanks to the author I was given the ebook as a gift to read and write a review on and I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy, eery and a little scary, but at times there were some touching moments full of tender and purity. It felt like I was watching an episode of Supernatural, but without the constant wit and banter of Dean LOL and if you all know me you know how much I love that show and Dean LOL.

The story is centred around Sam, a half-demon, who was left in the care of Hikari and raised with his daughter Aimi. He grew up training with his Sensei in the fine arts of fighting, endurance, swords and meditation so that when the Rapture occurred, Sam would be well prepared for the mission at hand. You see, he's main purpose in life is to fight for the innocents that were left behind for seven years during a time called the Tribulations and kill the anti-christ after the Rapture takes place. Not a small feat for an 18 year old but it's the reason he was born. The story jumps back and forth to events that happened before the Rapture, focusing on Sam's life and his training for his mission, and back to the present, where he is in the middle of all the action slaying all kinds of demons and fighting for the good of humankind.

The moments it would jump back to his past were a little heartbreaking to read because you can see how much Sam loved his Sensei and especially how much he loved Aimi, and the thought of them being taken up to Heaven when the Rapture occurred was devastating to read. I really felt Sam's pain and anguish over this and the fact that he would never see them again well brought tears to my eyes. Such a burden to carry but one that was necessary. And they too never faltered in their faith in him. And that's the main theme of this story...FAITH and HOPE. Being a half-demon really did not instantly make him evil, in fact you would say he had more love and faith in God and humankind than human's did. And he was fighting for the HOPE that good will conquer evil even though he knew that he would spend eternity in HELL...such a SACRIFICE to make for those who hated him.

I have to say that I really do recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good story about the themes I have previously mentioned and to take heed that the book is not overly religious to the point that it's in your face, but enough because it's important to the story being told. BRAVO Phillip Simpson who have a winner on your hands here.

YA Fantasy readers will love

Rapture is a story about a half-demon trying to protect and save the innocent after the "Rapture" occurs. Along with flashbacks to his past, you see the main character Sam, and how he gets to be on this journey, and all the things he has to deal with.

I found this book, which is obviously slightly religious, may offend certain people if taken too seriously. I also thought it started off quite slow, with a lot of action scenes. They are very well scripted, so you feel like you are there, however after awhile it felt monotonous, reading them over again. However by the end, I was excited to see where the story led, and what happened to Sam.

Overall, depending on the person, this should be a favourite with most YA readers.

Great Read!

I have always read books about raptures..but never before I encountered one, where the story was set after the rapture.. and my verdict is it’s really great!

The cover is oh –so eye-catching… if ever I’ll pass in the bookstore, I’ll definitely grab this book.. what with the flames, the hooded boy with scorching eyes looking back at you, plus swords…lol… Probably the best cover concerning the theme I’ve ever laid my eyes into.

For me, this is another light regarding heroes.. a hero who is not perfect at all, someone who has the tendency of making big mistakes, giving in to temptations, but still has a strong will power.

Mr. Simpson made a wonderful job in giving us glimpses of both Sam’s past and present.. It’s good that we not only know what it is he’s facing now, but how he grow up and about the past before he was even born. It made us see who Sam really is…

It’s a good mix of Japanese principles and culture, and of course Christian beliefs… Fast-paced and engrossing, I find myself facing demons all around and learning to trust other people just like Sam did..

The battle for me, is more like an inner turmoil for Sam, it should have been really hard to be thrust in a fate, you didn’t do anything to deserve..and even if there are things it would seem easier to give in to his true nature, but remembering his master’s word, he continues to do anything for the greater good. Sam is a very likable character… I feel in love with him instantly, even with his horns and inhuman eyes.:D

Although this book, is based on the prophecies of New Testament, basically Revelations, it has nothing to do that would drive non-believers away.. It’s a book for all readers out there who enjoyed a bunch of actions and demons..:)

Mr. Simpson presented a lot of twist and turns in the story, that even if you think where you’re going, you’re suddenly surprised by the exciting happenings. He wrote the book, with so much details that it’s easy to picture Sam with his swords, fighting all those demons and saving the innocent people left on earth.

I also loved the verses in every beginning of the chapter, it’s enlightening and a mirror of what lies ahead… actually, it’s in the end part of the book that I begin to realize it’s a trilogy, with all the climax happening, it just couldn’t fit into a one-chapter end.. So, here I am, left wanting for more!.. I’m overly excited about the next book, and how Sam’s life would go…

Overall, Rapture, is a good-starting book, filled with actions and vivid descriptions of the post-apocalyptic world… Good job Mr. Simpson..:D

Rapture by Phillip W Simpson, A hell blazing Apocalyptic Earth

The rapture has happened, the tribulation has begun. And we meet Sam, short for Samael, our leading male and taken in , adopted at a early age. He is a half-demon ,18 years old, alabaster skin and living in the mids of a devoted catholic Japanese sensei and daughter,Aimi [Hikari¿s daughter]

You immediately start to feel affection towards Sam and to care for him and taste his sorrow and loneliness at times. His family is gone, gone with the rapture and he is left behind to defend the innocence left behind. And those who need to protected are cautious of him.Honestly I would be to ,he is a half demon but still one for Pete¿s sake

In Ya parental figures are almost not in the picture. But in the moments that Hikari is there is a model father figure. A REAL parent.

Love appearsin Rapture,between friends,parental love and little bits and pieces of romantic love between him and Aimi. But the latter is not the main plot in the book. I like that however maybe in book 2.

Every chapter begins with a bible verse.It looks somewhat religious but not preachy at the same time.The use of bible verses is new to me.It is told in 3th person perspective and told in time slots, before the rapture, after it and the present. And it¿s not jarring at all or confusing. It all fits perfectly. I read it at free periods, while doing a doo doo on the toilet, yes even there basically everywhere I could. Not the bathroom, ha ha.

Not a single scene felt like a drag or filler. WOW, the fighting scenes felt fresh and not repetitive at all. The monsters are¿ you guessed it's demons. I¿m no expert but I lke to add Phil did his research. The plot twist, the betrayal , I honestly did not think that person who¿d be the betrayer . The bad guy was a Baddie, lol.

I encourage everyone to get this one and read it.

Eagerly awaiting book two called Tribulation of the trilogy

No text was provided for this review.