Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Not up to Grisham's earlier efforts. None of the usual plot intricacies which have marked his other books. The main character was interesting but neither he nor any of the others were as developed as I would have liked. I felt the book "stopped" rather than ended. Very unsatisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: Thought-provoking, but fun to read!
Review: It's a little unusual for a book to be thought-provoking and fun to read at the same time, but this book is both!Lot's of adventure and suspense. A good look at life...as it is and as it could be.
Rating:
Summary: Could not stop listening to the tapes.
Review: A wonderful story with a lot of starch in it and obviously a lot of research went into the story. By far his best.
Rating: 
Summary: Huge disappointment. Weak story and weak characters
Review: I have read all of Grisham's books. This one, in my opinion, is not of the same caliber as previous books. The characters are weak. There does not seem to be a clear direction for the story line. It is like the author has been "reborn" and this is an attempt to incorporate these beliefs into a best selling novel. I will certainly wait before purchasing his next novel until readers have shared their opinions.
Rating: 
Summary: Grisham gets religion--and tries to force it on his readers
Review: This book should have been placed in the "Religious" section. The initial chapters were among the most compelling I've read in quite a while, but the pace fell off badly after that. While the premise was fairly intriguing, the heavy-handed emphasis on religion spoiled it for me, and I found the radical changes in the main character's attitude and motivations highly implausible.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham's latest shows maturity and world concern
Review: John Grisham appears to be a wealthy author who also walks the walk. More and more his books have been extensions of his value system and it looks to me like that value system is remarkably durable. Combined with what appears to be a reluctant faith in the essential goodness of people, Grisham's values come through with a sort of missionary zeal in "The Testament". This will likely be far from his most popular offerings because he makes the usually unforgivable move of turning the spotlight on the most wretched of Western pursuits - inheriting well - and contrasting it with less-than-third-world Brazilian rainforest culture. In anybody else's hands, this would have been preachy but Grisham does a masterful job of pulling it off. And, as usual, he does it with a twist. Bravo.
Rating:
Summary: For the first time, Grisham left me wanting...
Review: Grisham's lack of character development in this mulit-continent, far-fetched, legal travelog left me wanting much more. I have read all of his previous books and usually enjoy climbing inside each character. With 'Testament' he gives the reader some teaser information and then fails to deliver. I wanted to know more about Nate and Rachel. I felt the reader was introduced to a splattering of characters, but was left feeling most were superficial and 2D, very unusual in a Grisham novel. I was left wanting more.
Rating: 
Summary: I wanted to give 3 and a half stars but...oh well.
Review: "The Testement" is a mediocre story told brilliantly. A jungle adventure? Didn't Anaconda spoil all that? More sleazy lawyers and legal wranglings? Hmm. Hasn't Grisham done that before? A christian redemption story? Sounds intriguing. Surprisingly the first 2 elements of the story work brilliantly but the more interesting, original arc is the one that doesn't quite work. I was amazed at how I kept turning the pages, returning to the book long after my I should have been asleep. The jungle adventure is great and it is set-up perfectly. Gators, big snakes, and jungle fever all work as great set-pieces. And the antagonists are so repulsive you can't help but root for Nate to take em' down. The fact the villans are so easy to despise drives the law element. But then Grisham tries to incorporate God into the story...and in the process turning Rachal Lane, the heir to 11 billion nothing more than a plot device. This part of the novel seems forced. But-HEY!-2 out of 3 ain't bad. Put this one on your list of great entertainments. Even though I can't believe Grisham made it work. submitted by fearless reviewer- Sam Raimi, Chicago, IL.
Rating:
Summary: great read
Review: This was a nice change for Grisham ....his books have been too commercial for too long. A Time To Kill will always be my favorite but this has to be second. Couldnt put it down!
Rating:
Summary: Feel it may have startling effects on his own last testament
Review: A reader from Warm Springs State Hospital Library, March 23, l999, agrees with reader who doubt John Grisham wrote "Testament" all on his own. His move from home base and college surroundings in Oxford, Mississippi to grand estate in Virginia possibly near McLean and exploitative political and church pressure was not for his moral good. In an interview in news magazine, fetching photo in full color on cover, he stated he would not continue this line of "legal" best sellers if God did not direct.. Apparently, as an another reader suggests, his last flutter, "The Street Lawyer" brought pressures from greedy publishers? Obviously he did not carry through on his own initiative. So it does appear a mixed bag. Maybe even with purloined material from a state where lawyers will sell any name, location or ideas. In conclusion, apparently he did not consult God even if he leaned on a friendly Baptist minister or new evaluation of women like Rachel Lane at last convention. More sweet honesty next time will make the "medicine" go down, John
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