Rating: 
Summary: Anticipation!!!
Review: John Grisham continues to write books that not only inform you of the law, but he makes it interesting.
I had just lost my father when this book was released. So it was funny, reliving some of the same emotions shared by the characters in this story. You never know why the dead leaves things has they do, but there is always a good story behind them. That can only be told from the grave. I love this book, find out where the inheritance was hide, who took it, and who got it in the end. Try to figure out, where it all came from. Why it was never utilize? Questions that can only be answered when you read the book! Buy it you will love it!
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best effort
Review: Like some of the reviewers who posted earlier, I really liked how the book began and was very intrigued. Hell, I was thinking this one can also be made into a movie. I really am impressed with his geographic and description of locations, they truly place the reader there. Also, Grisham did a nice job of keeping the reader in limbo throughout the beginning - as is typical of his style. However, I think he then took a wrong turn in Albequerque. The pages became heavier to turn and I found myself yawning quite a bit. I did not think the title of the book would mean I would receieve a sermon. I flat out hated the ending and was left dissapointed at the prospect of what could have been. I felt like Cathy Bates in Misery. Mr. Grisham, WRITE ME A NEW ENDING!
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Summary: John Grisham, need I say more?
Review: Troy Phelan is very rich and very old. And dying, or so it is said. His family can't wait for him to die. They're greedy and can't wait to take a share of his 11 billion dollar pie. And the will does give them all an even share. Or so they think. Because even from the grave, Troy knows how to make them all squirm in there Armani suits. He leaves all of his money to an unknown heir and illegitimate child, Rachel Lane. And where is Rachel? Of course, she happens to be one of the hardest people on the planet to get in touch with. Nate O'Riley is sent to inform Rachel of her father's death and also that she is now the richest woman in the world. Nates journey will take him deep into the Pantanal, where the dangers he may face are dangers he hasn't even thought about yet.It grabs you at the beginning, sends you at flying speeds right until the end where it gently sweeps you away. This book does not disappoint. But then again, Grisham rarely does.
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Summary: Snakes, Dengue Fever, Back-Stabbers and Redemption
Review: Seventy-eight-year-old, Lonely, sad and unloved billionaire Troy Phelan is preparing to meet with a roomful of lawyers and shrinks, in his fourteenth floor office, who are supposed to determine if he's of sound mind, because he's worth eleven billion dollars and he has three ex-wives and six children who are after a piece of his pie. Phelan correctly answers a series of questions and signs a will giving a large amount of his assets to his children. And then, after his miserable bunch of relations depart, he pulls out an envelope containing three sheets from a yellow legal pad. It's another will. He signs it, then jumps to his death. The new will leaves his children enough money to pay off their debts, but nothing more, and it leaves nothing to the ex-wives. The vast bulk of his estate he leaves to his previously unknown illegitimate daughter, Rachel Lane. It also instructs his attorney to keep the new will quiet for a couple weeks. Of course, the miserable bunch of relations begin spending the money they think they're going to inherit, buying expensive cars, bigger homes. Meanwhile Phelan's attorney decides to send former legal star Nate O'Riley to find Rachel. Nate is finishing his fourth stint in detox. He's got a couple ex-wives, estranged children and legal problems of his own. However, he soon finds himself headed for Brazil and the adventure of a lifetime in the Pantanal, the largest wetlands in the world, and what he finds there will change his life. This story is a super adventure type novel with twists and turns. I especially loved reading about Nate's incredible journey, including a plane crash, snakes, dengue fever, a horrible third world hospital. The back-stabbing relatives were interesting too, as were the conniving lawyers. I guess you could say Mr. Grisham put everything you need into this book to make a first rate thriller and he succeeded gloriously.
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Summary: The Testament
Review: I loved this book it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. If you haven't read it you should!!!
Rating:
Summary: It's one of the best books I've ever read
Review: John Grisham is one of today's best-selling authors. He has written over 2o books & has gained kudos for his outstanding works. John Grisham is an ex-lawyer & normally his books take its readers through courtroom dramas or other legal excitement but in one of his latest books, The Testament all such legal proceedings take a "back seat" behind an interesting & fascinating adventure which the main character of the book makes to the core of Brazil. The author tosses the reader back & forth between the courtrooms of Virginia & the jungles of Brazil & this change of scene makes reading this novel even more exciting. For me the plot of the book was highly intriguing & I couldn't keep from staying up till 2 o'clock a .m. to finish it.
The story begins in a plush Virginian office where the 10th richest man in America, Troy Phelan is furiously rewriting his last will. Phelan's three ex-wives, his six children & a legion of lawyers, several psychiatrists, who they hired to examine him & declare that he is of sound mind, wait breathlessly for his last decision. The whole procedure is taped & after that he gets out of his wheelchair & jumps from the 14th storey of his company Head quarters. The possible heirs to his fortune don't even feel like showing grief-they are glad they can at last put their hands on the money.
Josh Stafford, the Phelan's lawyer, is the appointed executor of his holographic will & he is in a kind of dilemma as Troy Phelan leaves his fortune of eleven billion dollars to an illegitimate daughter Rachel Lane. Now Josh is to find who Rachel Lane is & fight against Phelan's children who want their piece of the cake & hire a bunch of lawyers to contest the will. The only clue to where Rachel can be is a note saying she is a missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil. So Josh finds an old friend of his to find her.
Nate O'Riley is a litigator who worked for Troy's company for some time but then began drinking hard & became an alcoholic. He got divorced twice & surely his children weren't happy about that. He seldom meets them & they aren't really eager to & besides he spends a lot of time in rehabs. Now he is currently in a new rehab trying to beat once more his drinking problem. But he knows that there always is a crash after the treatment. He accepts Josh's offer to go to Brazil to get away from his troubles. And he crashes through Brazilian jungles, enters the world where money means nothing, where death is just one misstep away , to find a woman who holds a stunning surprise of her own & is herself pursued by enemies & who after all doesn't want to be found.
Nate overcomes a lot of difficulties & hardships & twice or thrice gets a near escape from death during the storms & from dengue fever. His encounter with this woman changes his life & makes him believe in high powers & in God. Seeing Rachel helping the Indians fight for life, Nate starts to revaluate his life values & realizes that he can lead a normal life now without crashes & hangover afterwards. Will Rachel take the money? Do the greedy heirs get their share? - you keep guessing throughout the book. And while Nate is trying to settle this legal matter with Rachel , the heirs start a vicious legal battle & we see that they are a group of vultures fighting for their "catch".
To be honest I believe this is a highly entertaining read .Moreover the book is almost flawless. It's one of the best books I've ever read . Grisham writes with the inside knowledge & the descriptions of Brazil (Pantanal) where he has been twice & the legal gambit which is so familiar to the author seem to be extremely realistic & up-to-date. The Testament has adventure, love, romance, friendship, readily readable plot, everything that makes a book absorbing, thought-provoking & truly moving. The author knows how to "slip" suspense in his novel smartly & explores the questions of being & faith in it. I personally believe it's the best novel in years, & the pages almost turn themselves. The book is beautifully written & has timeless descriptions of Brazil which are so vivid that you feel you've almost visited Brazil after reading this book. I'd certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for adventure & suspense along with serious considerations of life.
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Summary: An adventure
Review: Troy Phelan has 11 billion dollars and is about to sign his final and last will and testament. All of his kids are in debt and watching him sign it. They celebrate after he signs it because they know that they will be out of debt finally. Then Phelan secretly does something else that can change everyone. Nate O'Reilly is in rehab where he is trying to lose his addiction to drugs and alcohol. His old boss, Phelan's lawyer, gets him out faster only to send him deep into the Brazilian jungle. When he gets there he realizes it's basically a wild goose chase, trying to find Rachel Lane who is a missionary there. I think that this book is very good. This book snatches you from the beginning. When Troy Phelan does something so bizarre that you will never believe it.
Rating:
Summary: The TESTAMENT IS FANTASTIC
Review: This is by far the best book yet by John Grisham. It had me hook
line & sinker from the first page & I could not put it down untill it was finished. Although Fiction, it could well have been based on fact. I know quite a few people in reality who are
very much like the characters in this book, full of greed. This is one book which is a must have and can be read over and over again.
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Summary: WOW
Review: I had seen John Grisham's work put onto screen, in A Time to Kill, which was a very moving story. I decided to grab The Testament out of the school library. I never put it down after that. The first chapter hooked me, with the old man killing himself leaving elven billion dollars to an mysterious unknown heir. I kept turning page after page, amazed myself of how fast I was going through the book. After every chapter I would read the first line of the next chapter only to find that i couldn't stop. As Mr. O'Riley was trying to find Rachel Lane, the greedy childre, ex-wives, and lawyers were becoming more and more anxious to find where the money was being placed. I think the end was a well needed twist and top it off just perfectly, with everything turning out just right.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite typical Grisham
Review: A millionaire dies leaving his ethically-challenged children and grandchildren with only enough to pay off past debts and leaves the rest to an illegitimate child who is apparently in the Brazilian jungle.
A recovering alcoholic is sent to seek her out and have her sign the appropriate paperwork. He learns some life lessons of his own in his search for her.
This book slightly departs from his typical legal thrillers. The book addresses at least somewhat greed, ethics, and religion. I would recommend this book to anyone.
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