Customer Reviews

Testimony

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Felicia Mason has fleshed out an interesting topic and turned it into a novel. What is it like behind the scenes of a gospel choir that is seeking superstardom? There is plenty of drama to go around.

The main character is Roger McKenzie the choir's leader (think Kirk Franklin, Kurt Carr). Roger is convinced that the message in his music should be earning his choir "The Triumphant Voices of Praise" Grammy and Dove awards. The book is divided into four parts that begin with the choir's ill-fated tour. During their journey we learn that Roger has a dark secret from his past that is coming back to haunt him. Other main characters include Roger's cousin Tyrone and his wife Georgie, choir members Margaret and Glenna, soundman Marcus, and the spiritual leader of the group Reverend Vince, among others.

The books one flaw is that each character has a storyline that the reader is drawn into and must follow to keep up with the book. These include unrequited love, a troubled marriage, a serious illness, gambling, and numerous personal conflicts between the choir members. To assist with discussion for a book club, questions are included at the end, as well an interview with the author.

"Testimony" did hold my attention and was enjoyable. This book was refreshing on another front; Ms. Mason did not have to resort to cursing, violence, or gratuitous sex to make her book a good read. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars on a scale of 5, and round up to 4 because of an original idea.

Reviewed by Sandra

This is the first novel that I have ever read by Ms. Mason. I was very impressed and am looking forward to reading her other books.

I was happy to see that Ms. Mason did not alone everyone in the book to live happily ever after but kept the book very realistic.

Even though this were members of a choir they each had their own situations to work through. This book dealt with everything from murder to HIV. You name it and it was in the book.

I am happy to say that I would recommend this book to anyone.

Well done Ms. Mason.

Testimony was the wrong title of this book it should have been call "confessions" I understand that christians aren't perfect, but testimony in christian circles explains to a lost and hopeless world that no matter what trouble faces you that God has a better way/solution because he is a redeeming God. The way this book ended didn't symbolize the hope that is born from a true testimony. It just laid out the "confessions" of some lost people who maybe didnt really know God, or maybe that was the author's intent.

Wonderfully written and definally a page turner. There is a need for a sequel if only for Margarget's selfish behind and for the sake of the choir. Good job Felicia Mason.

The way things appear to be is not necessarily the way things are. Never has this been more apparent than in Testimony by Felicia Mason. This book made me exclaim several times "How did that happen?" and that's a good thing. The plot twists were so wonderfully woven throughout the book that I kept turning pages, excited to read what would happen next. Testimony is the story of a struggling choir, The Triumphant Voices of Praise, as they attempt to launch a CD tour. There are a number of mishaps along the way and things start to crumble and people start to unravel. Ms. Mason has done a wonderful job of character development so that each of the players tells parallel stories in their own voice.

This version of the choir is another of Roger's brainchildren. He's gone through a myriad of choirs and ensembles to get to this point and just when things start to go forward; a tour has been lined up; CDs have been pressed disaster strikes. Choir members are facing uncertain futures - choir members fall ill; there is infighting, backbiting, and utter chaos. Certainly disaster looms. Recognizing the inadequateness in preparation, people are forced to examine themselves. Is this the right place for them to be? The relationships are complex enough that each character has value. I'm really impressed with the way Ms. Mason tells a story. So much so that I want to go back and read her previous works. I'm hoping the level of writing maturity she demonstrates in this book, isn't new. Each person has a testimony. Through a strange turn of events, you will find that you're caught up in the lives of at least 12 different people and though that sounds like a lot to keep track of, you'll be enthralled. This is a Christian Fiction category but it's not preachy. As a reader, you're not overpowered by religious overtones you're free to enjoy a story that recognizes that some other power has ultimate control and a sense of right and wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed Testimony, as it reminds us that things aren't always what they appear to be and everyone has a story to tell.

I enjoyed this book. It was refreshing,good and clean, and though you had some drama and issues come up,(AIDS,murder,blackmail,romance,unrequited love),it was realistic enough. My only beef with the book is small and that is the way they let Margaret go out like that and the fact that Glenna's was initially so secretative. Like you had to guess first. Other than that,the book was a good pleasant read.Now Roger had demons to work on, but

Roger McKenzie founder and director of the Triumphant Voices of Praise Gospel Choir. He loved singing,directing and writing the music.Roger has a eighteen year secret.Read how the relationships between the choir members affect their performances. I liked how the author
devided the book in four parts Ensemble,Solo,Odeum and Requiem. This is my first read by Ms. Mason

Everyone has something in their past that they would like to change, but what can be done with the baggage? Is it held onto as a secret, with a daily prayer that it isn't found out or do you let it go and use it as a personal testimony to show others where God has brought you from? This is a central theme in Felicia Mason's novel Testimony.

From the moment you start this book, you get a sense that things are not quite as they seem. The Triumphant Voices of Praise and their director, Roger, are going on a tour that will hopefully help them garner the national acclaim that has been out of reach for so long. Through the course of the book the reader follows the choir's tour and the events that follow. In the process, we get to know several of the characters on a more personal level and discover the secrets that they are hiding. We see the choir members struggle to become a better group, but also to become better Christians.

This was my first book by Felicia Mason, but it will definitely not be my last. I am so impressed with how she brought a fresh new voice to the world of Christian Fiction. The plot of this story moved beyond the typical relationship issues while delving into serious emotional and personal issues. Mason keeps the plot flowing as she reveals secrets and introduces all kinds of twists and turns in the plot. Will the characters chose to follow God's plan for their lives or continue trying to do their own thing? Check out Testimony and find out for yourself.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay

The bags are packed and the Triumphant Voices of Praise are getting on the bus, ready to go on tour to sing the praises of the Lord. However, the choir members are fighting amongst themselves and with other demons that can ruin the tour, and prayer and counseling does not seem to work.

The choir director, Roger, is having nightmares because of an accident that happened years ago and he keeps getting notes that make him believe his secret is no longer safe. His cousin and right hand man, Tyrone and his wife, are having marital problems and it seems Roger may be in the center of it all. Then there is high maintenance Margaret who has been with Roger since college. She is unhappy, lonely and lovesick.

Reverend Vince is the counselor and spiritual advisor to the choir. He convinces Roger that it may be best to end the tour, and let the members return home and work on their problems. While the choir looks good, harmonizes well and sounds good, the blessings of God may not be upon them for this endeavor.

The description of the choir is kind of how I felt about this book. The writing is good, the storyline is good but it lacked cohesiveness. It seems as if the ending was rushed. Since this was a relatively short book, I wished the author would have taken another 25 pages or so to give us some insight on things that were mentioned in the epilogue.

Actually I rated this book a 3.5, but because I felt there was a need for more information, I could not raise the rating to a 4.

Jeanette
Apooo bookclub

Testimony started off alright but it seemed like she just threw an ending together because she didn't know how to end the story. She definitely needs to write a sequel because there are too many loose ends characterwise and storywise. In the short interview she did in the back of the book she said that she's not writing a sequel but that if she was, she said that the only two characters she would want to explore are Roger and Margaret. What about Tyrone? Marcus? What exactly happened with Scottie? Does he get in over his head with his numbers running? What were the ramifications to the choir after Roger's secret was revealed? How did the church react? The remaining members of the choir? Who leads the choir now? What about Camille? What about the family of the woman from Roger's secret? What exactly did Margaret do to her boss before she left? What happened after she moved? There are so many unanswered questions and so many other storylines that could be explored. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book and will be donating my hardcover copy to my local library.