Books like Left Behind Series Gift Set

I thoroughly enjoyed the series -- some volumes more than others -- so I felt the need to rate each one individually, but summarize here. I do believe that: (1) The series "dragged" on much longer than it needed to; the same story could have been covered in, perhaps, eight books with fewer characters. Toward the end I felt as though the profit motive may have overwhelmed the authors. (2) While some of the better scenes are downright chilling, there is also a bevy of superfluous and unrealistic dialogue (ie. some of the conversations in heaven seemed ridiculous -- this is heaven, not the post office). (3) Overall, I think the authors included too many unrealistic character traits among the central characters -- the pilot who almost cheats on his wife, the international news reporter who is a virgin at thirty. I would have preferred to see more "sinners" than saints, and I think it would have made the heartbroken moments deeper. Christians have messy, upended, broken lives just like everyone else, and maybe the more that is communicated the more people will be open to Christ. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, He cannot force anyone, he can only woo.