Review – The Remaining

Do you remember great high school and college friends, the kind you bond to and don’t ever want to let go? Dan, Skylar, Allison, Tommy, Lauren, and Jack are six buddies who want to be friends forever. But what if things change, go horribly wrong, and ruin their lives?

Skylar and Dan have just tied the knot. They are as happy as anyone can be. Lauren wants to enjoy herself, but secretly fears the terrifying visions she has been having that promise imminent disaster. Tommy, the resident comedian and would-be cinematographer videos the whole event, cracking jokes all the while. He wishes he and Allison were more than friends, but hasn’t admitted it since she and Jack have been dating for years. Jack may be a leader, but he’s afraid of commitment, and hasn’t done the one thing Allie wishes he would do—propose.

All of the sudden, many of the guests die, bodies lifeless around the wedding party. One of them is Lauren. Skylar’s parents are also gone. But why? Explosions rock the building, people running around like crazed lunatics. Outside it’s even worse. What is happening? As the friends find out, it’s only going to get worse, and they may not live long. They may not want to.

Travis Thrasher has given us a good, easy to read, novelization of this horror movie. Yes, it’s horror, though at first glance, it may seem to be another Left Behind or other apocalyptic thriller. Actually, it’s like nothing I’ve ever read. Because it’s only very loosely based on events in Revelation, Christians need not look to this for doctrinal accuracy. However, enough preachiness is present to make unbelievers uncomfortable. Heck, most everyone should be uncomfortable, no matter their beliefs. It’s pretty scary.

I didn’t like how abruptly the book ended, but I imagine Thrasher was just going along with the conclusion of the movie. The pace starts a little slow, engrossing us in the characters’ relationships, but then ratchets up fast and stays exciting.

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I plan to, because it’s set in Wilmington, North Carolina, where I live. And I was a background extra, so maybe my scene will be on screen (here’s hoping). Many of the described landmarks seem accurate, though names of hotels, bridges, and streets were changed.

If you like mild horror, end times stuff, or Travis Thrasher, you will like The Remaining, the novel. Otherwise, I’m not so sure, but the writing is good enough to hold it’s own, no matter the story line.