Customer Reviews

Testament

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book is very disturbing. Early in David's career he wrote stories where the hero didn't always win, and the line between the heros and the villains was much less easily seen.

Interestingly enough this book is somewhat 'hypothetically autobiographical' (I think I made that up). The story involves a character who is a writer who has studied survival skills for his first book (like David did for First Blood) and is then put into a situation where his life and his families depend on those skills. And it's not just survival skills like living off the land and finding shelter, it's dealing with weapons and booby traps and also how to evade a pursuer.

Considering the somewhat disturbing turns of events in the book it makes the autobiographical nature seem a little odd. Suffice it to say that I understand that David's wife did not like that the book depicted them so well in light of the direction the story takes. I think for that aspect the book is fascinating.

FYI, this book was not actually written in 1993 as the publication date suggests but was actually written in 1975 and was David's second book after First Blood.

If you like good suspense and action, and David always delivers on both fronts, then you should try this book.

This is the first time I have ever reviewed anything on the internet, I gues I never felt the passion that I feel about this book. There seems to be alot of mixed review of this book which surprises me. I remember the first time I ever read this book, I was interrupted by an exam I had to take and had to set down the book for several months. After finally getting back to the book months later, I picked up where I left off, to my surprize I remembered every last detail. It is just one of those books that creaps up on you and won't let you be. It has been a good 7 years since I read it and I have to say it is still the best novel I have read to date. I am a big fan of David Morrell, but this novel is the leader of the pack. To start off it has by far the most shocking oppenner I have ever read in any book and the ending leaves you thinking. Out of all the books I've read this one stands out the most, definately Unforgettable. I still to this date remember the book, and every scene vividly.

This book is extremely fast paced and somewhat disturbing. It is one of those page turners that keeps you up all night reading and tired at work the next day. The introduction by Morrell makes you wonder about the stories ending. It's ending is unexpected and if you go back and read the last 2 or 3 paragraphs of the introduction, you have something that keeps you thinking about the book for 2 or 3 days. I highly recommend this book and any other book written by Morrell

This thrilling and captivating story caught my interest after the first sentence.This is truely a great story of a man struggling to keep himself and his family alive and away from the wrath of a 'violent enemy'. This book is very well written and at the turn of each page you remain spellbound! So involved with this book, I found myself regretting to put it down. You soon find yourself getting wrapped up in David Morrell's plot and you may end up putting off everything in your life just to find out how Reuben Bourne intends to keep his family safe, without being able to trust a living soul....

From the first few pages this book draws you into a story that will haunt you at night and make you check on your children at all hours "just to be sure". A roller coaster ride of emotions and anger that will leave you wanting to put the book down, but unable to stop.

The ending is at once disturbing and unexpected. A departure for Morrell but one worth experiencing.

From the very first page, literally, this was the best book I have ever read. Totally "unputdownable"!!! The ending may not be what you like, but it's unexpected, and good. This book, as well as any so called "classic", does a superb job of exploring the human condition from many different angles, religion, race, love, loyalty, desperation . . . It is also NONSTOP ACTION. Read this book, and miss a night's sleep . . . it's worth it!!!

This book starts off real strong.......then it gets a bit unbelievable as the main character, a writer, becomes the best frontiersman ever...comes across a ghost town no one knows about ...... complete with a stranger who lives there of course ....... then the ending falls completely flat. Disappointing for a book that did start off with such a compelling (if disturbing) beginning, especially for a reader with a older daughter and a baby son.

Just Incredible! I recommend this book to anyone who has a tough time getting fictionally jolted, this one will shake you up and turn you inside out! THIS...THIS IS POWERFUL LITERATURE! Thank You Dave

This is a depressing and disappointing book from a really great author. I'm sorry I read it. If you want to believe that there is good in the world, or that adversity can be overcome, do your self a favor and read any other book by David Morrell. Skip this one.

This is Morrell's second novel, written in 1976 following his debut masterpiece First Blood (which was later filmed as Rambo). It's not as good as that novel, or later works such as The Brotherhood of the Rose, The Fraternity of the Stone, Burnt Sienna and others but it's still a worthwhile read. The main character, Rueben Bourne is simply but well written, a writer who is an expert knowledge wise of killing and survival through the research undertaken for his articles and books who will need to test those in the real world to protect his family. What aren't written well are his other family members, a wife who is pretty much just referred to and something to protect, tell what to do and look after. Likewise his daughter, we don't really get to see much of her personality either. Both these women and maybe it reflects the time is was written but they are more possessions of Rueben's than characters who standalone or bring anything themselves to the storyline.

The novel is a bit slow to begin with and the first half doesn't contain the usual compellingness to keep turning the pages that Morrell is known for. The second half when the family relocate to a new more wilderness location gains the want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens factor a bit more but it's never really strong.

Basic plot, is a writer by interviewing an informant, has angered a crime lord with deep pockets and resources that seem endless. We never learn a great deal about this man or the organisation other than they will stop at nothing to kill Bourne and his family. Bourne can't trust anyone, even the police, he has no idea if anyone he comes in contact with is genuine in what they say they are or a plant. Any food product is questionable if it is poison, and these sorts of factors plays on Bourne's mind quite a bit. Eventually Bourne knows he must take his family and flee into the wilderness to survive.