Customer Reviews

The Bormann Testament (Paul Chavasse)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Regular readers of The White Rhino Report will recognize the fact that I have become a big fan of Jack Higgins's page-turners of spy craft and adventure. In the past few months, I have offered brief reviews of several of his books, including "Dark Justice," "The Wrath of God" and "Without Mercy."

http://whiterhinoreport.blogspot.com/2006/04/mini-review-dark-justice-by-jack.html

http://whiterhinoreport.blogspot.com/2006/01/mini-review-wrath-of-god-by-jack.html

http://whiterhinoreport.blogspot.com/2005/10/calling-all-jack-higgins-fans.html

"The Borman Testament" offers an interesting backstory. During the Cold War, Higgins served in Berlin as a member of the Royal Horse Guards. In addition, an uncle of his had been held by the Nazis as a prisoner of war. Higgins developed a fascination with the Third Reich, and particularly with Hitler's right-hand man, Martin Bormann. Out of that fascination, "The Bormann Testament" was created in 1962. At that politically charged time, Higgins' publisher was reluctant to publish a fictional work about Bormann, so the character of Bormann was changed to an entirely made-up Nazi leader by the name of Schultz, and the novel was published under the title, "The Testament of Caspar Schultz."

Times have changed, the Berlin wall has fallen and Higgins felt it was time to republish this work in its original form. The action and plot of the book center around the premise and rumor that Bormann escaped from Hitler's bunker during the final days of the war, and has been living in hiding ever since. Word comes to a British publisher that Bormann has written his "Testament," naming names of Nazi collaborators, and is looking for someone to buy the manuscript through an intermediary by the name of Muller. Special agent Paul Chavasse is sent to Germany to find the manuscript, and to bring Bormann to justice - if the ex-Nazi is indeed still alive. Along the way, double agents, Israeli Nazi hunters, German police and neo-Nazi terrorists lead Chavasse and his colleagues on a merry chase. The stakes are high, since many influential business and government leaders fear that they may be named in the book as Nazi collaborators.

In his inimitable and straightforward way, Higgins dishes out death and double dealing at a double-time pace. After reading a Jack Higgins novel, I always feel as if I have completed a mad dash through the pages of the story, since I find it hard to put the book down until the last loose end in the plot has been tied up.

"The Bormann Testament" is not only a good novel; it is also a helpful reminder of the forces of human nature that made the Third Reich and the Cold War such perilous times. It is a quick and worthwhile read.

Enjoy.

Al

A reprinting of "The Testament of Caspar Schultz" by Martin Fallon is now called THE BORMANN TESTAMENT published under Jack Higgins' name. Since 1962 the book has lost little of its impact, being very readable. Giving evidence of what Jack Higgins was as an author then and how he has fallen off a bit in older age.

This novel takes off right from the start, and if one isn't aware of historians generally agreeing that Martin Bormann, though in the Furher bunker at the end, met his death only a few hundred yards away as he and others, after Hitler's death, tried to break out. Knowing that, however, takes nothing away from this splendidly crafted novel, for it reads as non-fiction.

I am one who prefers WWII novels from Mr. Higgins, his recent string of 5 books all of series, gets on my nerves. They have gone on far too long, and poor Hannah, as myself, just couldn't hold out. I do hope, as other reviewers too have hoped, that he returns to his earlier type writing offering us a 'dirty dozen' style WWII novel. Afterall until THE EAGLE HAS LANDED not many readers or reviewers took much note of Mr. Higgins. I always feel you need stay with what you do best.

This particular novel moves along smoothly, and is a joy to read. However, the template Mr. Higgins uses for most of his other writings is in place. We have his boss, we have the token love interest, we have the Israeli agent who works with him, and we have a plethora of bad guys, who all get theirs in the end.

Escape reading at its best, so pick up this formulaic WWII novel and enjoy a couple night's reading from the pen of Martin Fallon, er, I mean Jack Higgins. Or do I mean Harry Patterson; you know after all these years of reading Mr. Higgins's works, I am still unsure of his correct name!

Semper Fi.

Jack Higgins has a way of developing his characters with simplicity. I thoroughly enjoy his books when there are Nazis involved. And I also love his superhuman main character. In this book it is Paul Chavasse, who takes on the Nazi underground. This book is one of my favorites by Jack Higgins.

Although this is a rewrite. I absolutely loved this novel. The plot was Paul Chaveese hired to find the Bormann Testament which is the key to the Nazi organization and those who hiding behind the scenes. The novel has everything suspense,romance and tragedy. You will not be bored with this novel.

Martin Bormann's memoirs are about to be published- exposing Nazi collaboration at levels of European society.Paul Chevasse is a British agent sent to Germany to track the manuscript down and return it to England. Obviously, the manuscript is of interest to Israeli Nazi Hunters - and Chevasse joins foces with them to fight the Nazis who are seeking to keep the manuscript from being published. Bormann's secrets must stay secret. Overall, this is one of Higgins better and quicker reads that deals with the Second World War. For a brief, mindless piece of entertainment literature it has suprisingly good character development.

Weak. Written originally in 1962 and shows it. A formula type thriller that was popular back then. I know I read enough of them. Sadly, not as interesting as an Ian Fleming, "James Bond" type espionage, suspense thriller. Very weak on plot, suspense, and character development. By the end of the first chapter one pretty well has it all figured out. Very little substance relating to the title. I mean the Bormann testament was all in passing and we never did get to know the who, what, and where. In other words, "Where's the beef"?
Sorry, Do Not Recommend. The chapters are short, the printing is big, the plot is thin, the dialog is middle school, and the spies are weak. In other words save your money, unless you are bored on the commuter train and need a quick 2 hour read so you do not have to look at the other passengers!!

I've recently started reading Jack Higgins books and enjoy them very much. I was able to purchase this book for a great deal less than in a book store. I will continue to check Amazon for my purchases. It arrived in a timely mannor and was in good condition.

The book showed up on time and in the promised condition.
It wasn't a very good story but the seller can't do anything about that!
Will not be afraid to order again from this dealer

This is my first reading of a Jack Higgins novel and assuming that the rest are as bad as this one, I will not pick up another. I read the entire book sitting on the airplane for a total of about 6 hours, so I gave it a fair shot. But, clearly, Higgins' writing reminds me of my days long ago reading the HARDY BOYS!! The three main characters (the good guys) and the villians appear to be so inane that you may wonder if "real world" spies make such stupid decisions.

The story and character development aren't just weak, they don't exist at all. Higgins' work on this particular book cannot even come close to comparing with the work of Forsythe, Follett, Craig Thomas, Ludlum and the others who carefully develop the characters, the story and plotline, the intrigue, and especially the dialog. Whatever you do, don't waste your time on this one.

This is Higgins at his best. Even as an updated and slightly different reprint, the protagonist of the story is as proud, dashing, and strong as ever. Like always Higgins wastes no time getting off to a fast start, and the speed he uses doesn't stop until the very end, not one line is wasted on giving the reader fluff.

The work is action pact and there is even a very poor attempt at romance to entice the reader's emotional strings. Unfortunately, for those looking for something a little more literary in style or believable in context, they best look somewhere else.

Higgins has always had a special place in my heart because he can get the point across in a matter of seconds, but when you read him you must come prepared to suspend disbelief. Even as an avid smoker myself, I think i would have a tough time sucking down all of the unfiltered fumes, not to mention the fact that I wouldn't be able to see straight from the never ending stream of Irish Whiskey. But these elements only add the the idea that is a Higgins' hero.

If you are looking to take your first ride with Higgins, this is a great book to start with, or if you are simply wanting to read a story where the plot is thin, but the action big, you couldn't ask for a better three hours of time spent in the pages written by a master.