The Testament

Rating:
Summary: Good action and plot
Review: I cannot argue against the fact that this novel is definitely a page-turner and very fast paced, which makes it gripping and exciting. However, I was bothered by Grisham's ways of degrading the country in which most of the story took place. I am not from Brazil or the US, but I do sympathize with the Brazilians because Grisham has made a definite point of making it look low, poor, dirty, and full of disease. He described its people as being isolated from the modern world - and I'm not referring to the tribes, but to the cities - and living in the past. Stating the facts is one thing, but deliberate lingering over the negative details was a turn-off. There is also a general negative tone that is carried throughout the story, but it is quickly overridden by the fast pace of the action.

It is a good story, interesting enough by taking place in the jungle, but I don't see why Grisham wants to spread a negative viewpoint about Brazil; there are other ways to make a story interesting without degrading other countries.

Rating:
Summary: Did Not Meet My Expectations
Review: John Grisham started with an interesting story, he just didn't follow it all the way through until the end. I expected much more from him, as I have loved his other books.

The jungle part of the book had me intrigued, although it was a bit slow. The law part was confusing- too many lawyers and children to keep straight. The character development was weak- no one had any depth except for Nate O'Riley, and he was superficial.

If you're a John Grisham fan, you will read the book no matter what I or anyone else says (like I did!!) If you are just discovering him, I recommend that you start with one of his other books.

Rating:
Summary: The Testament
Review: The Testament starts out very well, with an excellent idea: an old man, disgruntled with his children, makes a will giving his 11 billion to a illegitimate child who lives in the jungle. The lawyers for the children of the recently deceased all fight to get money out of the will. Meanwhile, Nate O'Riley goes into the jungle of South America. Unfortunately, I like the law more than I like escapades into the jungle. It just took too long in the middle of the book to keep me interested in the law part. I grade books by how long it takes me to read them and be interested: this one took me 5 days. Every other grisham i have read took me 1. I think this is his worst novel, but he made a strong comeback with The Brethren.

Rating:
Summary: Boring, Boring, Boring!!!
Review: I own and have read all 11 books by John and personally feel this was far from his usual standard.Perhaps the pace of a book a year, ala Danielle Steel is too much for many writers -- even a great one like John Grisham. I have read a lot of criticism regarding "The Brethern", however I enjoyed it much, much better than "The Testament".

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: The ideal story of legal works, I'd say the more the better

Rating:
Summary: Grisham's best work
Review: I just started reading John Grisham Novel's. I read them from the vary first one,to the current one, which I just finished. Out of all of them, I thought "The Testament" was the best. From the very first page, I was hooked. I would encourage any new reader to select anyone of his books.

Rating:
Summary: The Testament
Review: This was not my favorite Grisham book but it still held my interest right to the end. I was a little concerned when he introduced a christian missionary in, for me, an unexpected twist but he handled it nicely and made it work. I liked this book and any Grisham fan will.

Rating:
Summary: Grisham gets a F on this one.
Review: The book was very unrealistic. The main character, a drunk lawyer, is unable to solve his drinking problem by the use of spiritual principles suggested in 12 step programs; however, he solves his problem by merely accepting some trite religious dogma which has consistently failed to work with drunks.

Do your research John!

Rating:
Summary: FINALLY GRISHAM SHOWS HIS COLOURS AS A CHRISTIAN!
Review: Though Grisham's books have all been bestsellers, "The Testament" is one of his finest achievements.

When compared with works of other contemporary fiction writers, Grisham's novels stand out as cleaner, and more original. His plots never fail to surprise and entertain.

Grisham is supposedly a Christian but it is not noticeable in most of his books. "The Testament" is an exception in its vivid depiction of a contented missionary in contrast with the emptiness of North American materialism. As such, this novel not only entertains, it also brings a hard hitting thought-provoking message, that should cause us all to examine ourselves, and ask ourselves whether the emptiness in the lives of the characters in this book is manifest in our own life. Conversely, if we seek peace and contentedness in our own life, it is found in the same place where Grisham's missionary protagonist finds it - in Jesus Christ and the God of the Bible.

It is this theological message underlying "The Testament" that distinguishes this novel from most of Grisham's others. Not only is this book an entertaining page-turner, it also will leave you thinking about the purpose and meaning of life.

Other Grisham favorites include "The Client", "The Pelican Brief", and "The Rainmaker".

Rating:
Summary: A move upwards
Review: Thankfully, The Testament is a much better read than The Street Lawyer, Grisham's previous book (which is quite awful). The Testament leaves out all the bleeding-heart liberal b.s. that bogged The Street Lawyer down, and instead spins an intruiging tale of a disgruntled billionaire who bestows his vast personal fortune to a long-lost daughter. The battle that ensues between the old man's living relations is obviously intense, but the real struggle is left to the recently-out-of-rehab lawyer assigned to track her down in a very remote part of the Brazilian jungle. His assignment is to not ony find the heiress, but to convince her that even if she wants no part of the fortune for herself, to bestowe it to anyone but her abysmal half brothers and sisters.

Grisham finally returns to interesting story lines and well developed characters, something that was severely lacking in The Street Lawyer. This is a good, but not great, book. People who have enjoyed Grisham's work in the past should enjoy The Testament.