Rating: 
Summary: Drifts you into Brazil
Review: Needless to say, John Grisham is very popular even here in Japan, too. As a non-native speaker of English, I'm a fan of his masterpieces. The elements of the adventures in this book made me foget to have a lunch break. The ending of the story is what you might expect to happen.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Interesting enough to finish
Review: This novel had a strong beginning -- even if somewhat implausible -- about an eccentric who is about to screw all of his heirs out of his billions and leave it to his unknown illegitimate daughter who has become a very holy missionary.I got as far as the alcoholic lawyer (likeable, of course) finding the missionary and finally turned to the end of the book to see if my suspicions about the plot were confirmed. One question: why were all the heirs so stupid as to agree to such a huge contingency fee for the lawyers?
Rating:
Summary: Not good ending, but good reading
Review: Although I really don't see a single reason for John Grisham to be the bestselling author of the world, I have to say that in this book, he has done his best. I have some things to say about it, anyway. The plot is perfectly sewed, the action really belongs to an adventure and he knew exactly how to deal with it. And although his characters seemed to be people made of cardboard (you start and end the plot without know not even a bit more than you knew when you begun the reading), it doesn't matter much, since the plot is well developed. With pleasure, I'd say that the beginning is one of the best I've ever read, and I'm thankful I was able to read a whole book by Grisham. Since that one, I started three other books by Grisham and didn't finish any of them. But with that one things worked different, and it just amazing that it happened. This is by far Grisham's best book, believe me. Well, to end what I have to say about it, just take it and have fun! Even not finding nothing special with Grisham, and personally finding Lisa Scottoline, who writes his same genre, much better than him, with that one, he showed me he had something good to offer at least. And, although this book lacks at the end (I've already heard he's not good with endings) THE TESTAMENT is great fun. Enjoy! Marco Aurelio.
Rating: 
Summary: Great characters make up for the lack of "legal thrills"
Review: I guess, like everyone, I picked up this book expecting a typical John Grisham super thriller. I was pleasantly suprised to find out I was wrong. This is a book about a man and the life changing experiences he has with the people he meets while he's on his little legal mission. This is also a book that speaks a lot about Faith in a very real manner and I applaud Grisham for including it. It seems to pull it off without being "preachy". The legal stuff with the family in the book is fun reading, Grisham certainly knows how to keep the reader's intrest when it comes to matters of the law. That's why he's paid the big bucks. But it is Nate O'Reilly and his journey that gives the book it's life. This is a guy who's about had it when he meets this extroidinary missionary and how it makes him question every thing he's ever known. Perhaps there is something better out there for him. I really don't know what else to say. There's really no edge of your seat Grisham stuff here, just great characters. It's a book that when I finished reading, I feel there is still hope for people. They just have to choose to change, choose their faith in God, and that's what this book is all about.
Rating:
Summary: A deep study of the inner life of a man
Review: I am an avid John Grisham reader as well a member of the legal profession. I find that although Mr. Grisham adds a little more salt than the everyday legal experience, I have also found that truth is stranger than fiction. What is truly striking is that at the center of a gripping plot that will not quit, Mr. Graham explores the struggles of a man with life itself. This is likely to be the masterpiece of a good, solid writer's career. I will confess that I am a christian. I am surprised that even though up to one third of the US population has "found religion", so few books even broach the subject and almost never in a positive light. Throughout his books truths of the human spirit have been woven. This is the mark of timeless literature. As cultures and issues rise and fade, human nature is constant from the beginning of time until the end. Thus literature that records the nature of man accurately rings true to a soul regardless of time and place. Such a record written today will only prove true when someone in the year 2300 will pick up this book and find their experience on its' pages. I believe Mr. Grisham will accomplish that.
Rating:
Summary: A fine mix of two worlds
Review: Actually would have liked to give this 4.5 but it's not on the list. Only a bit off the usual storytelling of Grisham. So often he takes you inside the legal world of many shades. Here he takes you into shaded tropical jungles as well. The contrast between the two worlds is compelling, especially Grisham's sensitivity to the plight of the native population. Descriptions are quite fine, story-line is great but could have been shortened, I think. I think characterizarion could have been stronger - more on some of the peripheral characters and one the reluctant heiress to keep interest - you do get a bit tired of our jungle travelling, alcoholic as the only big character. However, as the first Grisham I read (and I have read five others now to compare this to) it was fine enough to send me hurrying to Amazon to buy everything else he ever wrote!
Rating: 
Summary: great beginning, disappointing end
Review: The beginning just takes the breath out of you but towards the ending the suspense is lost and the pace slows. The action and the intrigue found in his other novels is missing. Despite this it does have a good storyline.
Rating:
Summary: Anticlimatic, Yes. Touching, Yes.
Review: I have to admit that the Firm kept me up through a fast, uninterrupted reading. With the Testament, however, there were times when I had to wonder where he was going with the story, especially during his boat trip in Brazil. In fact the book felt like two different books, one set in Washington D.C. with a bunch of unethical lawyers and their money-hungry clients, and the other set in the languid Brazilian river with the main character attempting to overcome his alchol addiction. His tendency to summarize and condense scenes made me wonder if he was in fact writing a treatment for a screenplay. I kept hoping for a big showdown with the "good" lawyers and the "bad lawyers" but that never happened, as though Grisham decided to fast-track the "thriller" aspect (this was the anticlimatic part for me) and opt instead to portray one man's struggle with the meaning of life. And interestingly enough, before I knew what was happending, Grisham did manage to utimately make me care for the protagonist Nate O'Reily. So when the true climax came in his second trip to the Brizilian river, I was touched by the unexpected events surrounding Rachel Lane, who become the catalyst in transforming Nate's character. If non-stop, heart-pounding thriller is what you're looking for, which I was, this isn't the book. But by the last page, I didn't feel betrayed by the author at all; I gained new respect for him for his valiant attempt (and succeeding) at delving deeper into character transformation. It's worth reading despite its flaws.
Rating:
Summary: Food for thought & the soul
Review: Having read other Grisham books that are easy reading summer fare, I was surprised by the turn of the book midway through the story. It stopped being about law and lawyers. It became instead a journey of questioning and finally redemption for the main character. I found the book much more thought provoking than other Grisham books. And thus very pleasantly surprised. A must read for anyone going through their own mid-life or spirtual crisis.
Rating:
Summary: Quite a disappointment
Review: Decent plot and a change from Grisham's ususal formula, but very disappointing. Too much rambling on and on about characters that he does not make us care about. Very little dialoge between characters and a very uninteresting sub plot. Makes us wait to the last twenty pages for a glimpse of some excitement only to be let down by an abrupt and uninteresting ending. If your looking for mystery, intrigue and juicy characters this book will be a bitter disappointment.
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