SEDUCTION OF THE HEART: How to Guard Your Heart from Evil

Although LaHaye's smashing success with the Left Behind series has made him a household name, it's unlikely that this poor resource manual on fighting evil (which the authors assert is lurking behind every shadow) will enhance his reputation. He and Hindson offer worn and blasé hints on fighting the spiritual battles that they say are endemic to humanity. They open with stories of spiritual struggle: a spouse who is unfaithful, a teacher who gets involved with a student and a counselor who is as confused as her counselees. Then their four-part diatribe on fighting spiritual evil begins in earnest. Drawing from current television offerings, contemporary music and questionable reading materials, they urge Christians to guard their hearts against both subtle and overt ungodly influences. While many sincere Christians already adhere to this philosophy, and rightly so, LaHaye and Hindson offer no fresh insights about why they should. Rather, a doom-and-gloom prophetic future is cast on page after page. One bright exception to this tired litany is the chapter detailing specific Scripture verses that proclaim Jesus Christ's deity, and explaining their prophetic fulfillment. This is a key selection of biblical promises upon which Christians base their fundamental belief in Christ as a risen Savior. LaHaye and Hindson would have done better to continue in this vein, shedding some of the negativity that mars the overall flavor of the book and providing hope rather than contagious pessimism.(Apr.)

Forecast:Despite LaHaye's unprecedented success with the Left Behind series and the much-ballyhooed $45-million contract he just inked with Bantam Dell for a new fictional tetralogy, this book is bound to disappoint even his ardent fans, and sales may suffer as a result.