The Testament

Troy Phelan, a 78-year-old eccentric and the 10th-richest man in America, is about to read his last will and testament, divvying up an estate worth $11 billion. Phelan's three ex-wives, thei r grasping offspring, a legion of lawyers, several psychiatrists and a plethora of sound technician s wait breathlessly. However, the magnate shocks everyone with a bizarre, last-gasp attempt to redi stribute the spoils, setting in motion a legal morality tale of a contested will, sin, and redempti on.

Nate O'Riley--a washed-up, alcoholic lawyer with two ruined marriages in his wake and the taxman on his tail--is dispatched to the Brazilian wetlands in search of a mysterious heir named in the will . After a harrowing trip upriver, he encounters Rachel Lane, a pure-hearted missionary living with an indigenous tribe and carrying out "God's work." Rachel's grave dedication and kindness impress the jaded lawyer, so much so that a nasty bout of dengue fever leads him to a vision that could cha nge his life.

Back in the States, the legal proceedings drag on and Grisham has a high time with Phelan's money-hungry descendents, a regrettable bunch who squandered millions, married strippers, got druggy, and befriended the Mob. The youngest son, Ramble, is a multi-pierced, tattoo-covered malcontent with big dreams for his rock band, the Demon Monkeys. Will Nate get straight with Rachel's aid? Do the greedy heirs get theirs? What's the real legacy of a lifetime's work? The Testament is classic Grisham: a down-and-out lawyer, a lot of money, an action-packed pursuit, and the highest issues at stake. It's not just about great characters; it's about the question of what character is. --Rebekah Warren

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About 100 pages too long - Rated
This was the first Grisham I ever read. It must have been good because since then I've read 5 others. However, it really drags in the middle, it felt as though he was padding it out. The plane crash episode could have been left out with no difference to the plot.

The ending felt rushed and was disappointing. At the end I felt "was that it?"

A Nutty Billionaire, Hapless Heirs, Greedy Lawyers, a Brazilian Search for Livingstone, and Redemption - Rated
Troy Phelan, worth $11 billion, loves his business and hates his ex-wives and children. Rumored to be suffering from terminal cancer, Phelan calls the family together to sign a new will. The heirs cooperate by providing psychiatrists to observe and verify that Phelan is in his right mind. That's the apparent game plan, but Phelan has a second and more shocking one. Thus opens The Testament.

Probate law isn't very exciting, and John Grisham decides to dress it up with a cast of characters that are almost parodies of parodies, so much so that they didn't resonate with me. As a result, the "exciting" beginning bored me.

The bulk of the story eventually shifts to recovering alcoholic and drug addict, attorney Nate O'Riley, who is sent straight from rehab to Brazil to find a missing heir, Rachel Lane, who is a medical missionary to the indigenous people there. His journey is harrowing and tests his limited strength to the limits. But the journey also is a beginning of his personal redemption through receiving Salvation for the Lord, Jesus Christ. As soon as the redemption part of the story begins, the book vastly improves. Without that element, I would have rated this as a one- or two-star effort.

It's unusual for a secular writer to put a major Christian theme in a popular work of fiction. I applaud Mr. Grisham for doing so.

May God bless you, Mr. Grisham!

Snakes, Dengue Fever, Back-Stabbers and Redemption - Rated
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.

A Page Turner - Rated
John Grisham has done it again. I had read this book originally a year after release. And I just finished my second read. And though it all started to come back to me as I read it...It was still an exciting page-turner as it was the first time. That says a lot about this book.

A self-made billionaire, the tenth richest man in America, has all his heirs come in to prove he is sane and competent before signing his last Will and Testament. Which he does, right before he commits suicide in front of those still present. And of course as he leaves out each and every known heir from his will. And as you learn how greedy and selfish they are, you are pleased he did.

He does pay off all his children's debt and leaves the remainder of his holdings to his illegitimate daughter no one knew he had. Nor does anyone know where she is. His law firm sends a drug/alcohol addict just out of rehab for the fourth time to find her. He finds her an M.D. who has dedicated her life to God and is working deep in the jungles of Brazil.

I found the book a very fast read that has some plot twist and is well written. Well worth the read.

Page-turner - Rated
I have not read any other Grisham books, though I have watched the Firm, Pelican Brief and Client as films. This book is everything I expected it to be - a real page turner, keeps you guessing all the way. I enjoyed it a lot.