From Publishers Weekly
Gently stripping the life of Jesus bare of its mythical trappings, Ricci (The Book of Saints, etc.) presents a lyrical, searching version of the biblical tale, grounding his work in the historical realities of the time and telling Jesus' story from four different perspectives. Two of the novel's narrators, Judas and Jesus' mother, Mary, eschew supernatural explanations of Jesus' ministry and describe him as an eccentric, depressive genius. The other two narrators, Mary Magdalene and a shepherd named Simon of Gergesa, witness moments in Jesus' ministry that they believe to be otherworldly. Set against each other, these four accounts reveal the ways in which ordinary acts come to seem miraculous, through repetition and suggestion. The biblical interpretation of key events is re-examined, too. In Ricci's novel, the pretext for Jesus' arrest and eventual crucifixion is not his betrayal by Judas, but his association with him, since Judas is part of an insurrectionist group. And when Jesus' body disappears from the tomb, Simon of Gergesa assumes this has to do with the practice of paying Roman guards to look the other way while family members claim crucified bodies. At a deeper level, Ricci seeks to present Jesus as a man whose powers spring simply from great compassion and the ability to see beyond appearances. Ricci's lucid, thoughtful storytelling and his ability to shed fresh light on an oft-told tale makes this a valuable entry in the annals of fiction inspired by the Gospels, from Renan's Life of Jesus to Jim Crace's Quarantine.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Ricci is Canadian, but his renown is international, based on his best-selling trilogy of autobiographical novels, The Book of Saints (1991), In a Glass House (1995), and Where She Has Gone (1998). His latest book is a stunning historical novel that will only enhance his high reputation. Basically, it is a reconstruction of the life of Jesus. That said, what Ricci does is build an absolutely beautiful, rigorously intelligent, fiercely thoughtful fictional biography that views the historical Jesus from the perspective of four individuals who knew him: Judas, Mary Magdalen, his mother, and a young fictitious shepherd. Historical novels, to be successful, must create an atmosphere appropriate to the times ("historical plausibility," as Ricci refers to it) and understand the psychology of living in that particular time and place. Ricci accomplishes both splendidly, from seeing Judas' role as a participant in a liberation movement against Rome (which is the basis of his view of Jesus) to Mary's rape by a Roman soldier, which resulted in the birth of the boy she called Jesus. Ricci's interpretation will spark controversy among readers with a background in religion; those who simply enjoy well-grounded historical novels as well as a lovely prose style will appreciate it for its fictional merits alone. Expect demand based not only on publicity but also word of mouth. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
"Carefully researched and richly imagined . . . Ricci skillfully brings this historical milieu to life."


Book Description
A stunning fictional biography, Testament presents the earthly life of Jesus from the perspectives of four fascinating figures. In powerful accounts colored by their own beliefs and desires, the following men and women tell the captivating story:Yihuda of Qiryat (Judas Iscariot), a freedom fighter working for Rome"s overthrow who is drawn to the charismatic teacher; Miryam of Migdal (Mary Magdalene), a disciple who finds in Jesus' presence the intellectual stimulation that society has denied her; Miryam (Mary), the mother of Jesus, who has a complex relationship with her precocious son; Simon of Gergesa, a plainspoken shepherd who travels to Jerusalem and witnesses the last days of the Jewish preacher.With exquisite detail, Nino Ricci offers a vivid and provocative portrait of the historical Jesus, an ordinary man living in a time of political turmoil and spiritual uncertainty.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Set in a remote corner of the Roman Empire during a period of political unrest and spiritual uncertainty, Testament is a timeless story of how the holy man we know as Jesus alters forever the course of human history." "We come to know Jesus through the eyes of four dissimilar people. First is Judas, a committed political fighter who is invigorated by his discussions with Jesus about a sovereign nation for the Jews - a place Jesus imagines as a philosophical rather than a physical kingdom. Second is Miryam of Migdal, through whom we learn of Jesus' controversial teachings as the two travel through Galilee and Jesus encourages the masses to question the teachings of the powerful few. Through Jesus' mother, Miryam, we learn of his all-too-human vulnerability, the rigor of his conviction, and his unfailing compassion. Finally, it is through Simon of Gergesa, a Syrian shepherd, that we witness the last days of the Jewish preacher as he journeys to Jerusalem. Though Simon is uncertain about how to assess Jesus' legacy, he now sees beauty where before there was none." Covering overlapping portions of Jesus' life, Testament tells the recognizable story of the four Gospels but without recourse to miracle. The naturalism of the novel is based on extensive research and is utterly convincing, and yet there is indisputably something profound and even holy about the man and his teachings. As the novel progresses we begin to see how his story, filtered by different eyes and desires and subject to countless retellings, will be transformed into myth.

FROM THE CRITICS

The Los Angeles Times

Testament, by Canadian author Nino Ricci, introduces us to a different, more earthly Jesus. Following in the footsteps of the best historical-fiction writers, Ricci re-imagines the life of Jesus, steeping his narrative in highly detailed, well-researched background. By weaving together a plausible tale based on fact, he illuminates Jesus as a flesh-and-blood human with foibles and idiosyncrasies who lived his life in a specific time and place. In a way that the New Testament accounts, employing their hagiographic tone, cannot accomplish, Ricci ("The Book of Saints") immerses readers in the visceral details, making the familiar account blossom anew and the story of Jesus tangible. — Bernadette Murphy

The Washington Post

Ricci's command of his historical material is first-rate. He shows the shifting allegiances and constant undercurrents of intrigue among the various political, ethnic and religious groups -- Jews, Samaritans, Pagans, Romans, Greeks -- who compose both Yeshua's followers and his enemies. Throughout, Testament's prose is marked by an elegant understatement, which gives dignity and restraint to Ricci's tale. — Elizabeth Hand

Publishers Weekly

Gently stripping the life of Jesus bare of its mythical trappings, Ricci (The Book of Saints, etc.) presents a lyrical, searching version of the biblical tale, grounding his work in the historical realities of the time and telling Jesus' story from four different perspectives. Two of the novel's narrators, Judas and Jesus' mother, Mary, eschew supernatural explanations of Jesus' ministry and describe him as an eccentric, depressive genius. The other two narrators, Mary Magdalene and a shepherd named Simon of Gergesa, witness moments in Jesus' ministry that they believe to be otherworldly. Set against each other, these four accounts reveal the ways in which ordinary acts come to seem miraculous, through repetition and suggestion. The biblical interpretation of key events is re-examined, too. In Ricci's novel, the pretext for Jesus' arrest and eventual crucifixion is not his betrayal by Judas, but his association with him, since Judas is part of an insurrectionist group. And when Jesus' body disappears from the tomb, Simon of Gergesa assumes this has to do with the practice of paying Roman guards to look the other way while family members claim crucified bodies. At a deeper level, Ricci seeks to present Jesus as a man whose powers spring simply from great compassion and the ability to see beyond appearances. Ricci's lucid, thoughtful storytelling and his ability to shed fresh light on an oft-told tale makes this a valuable entry in the annals of fiction inspired by the Gospels, from Renan's Life of Jesus to Jim Crace's Quarantine. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Canadian-born Ricci-author of the best-selling trilogy of autobiographical novels The Book of Saints, In a Glass House, and Where She Has Gone-here undertakes an ambitious task: to imagine and reconstruct the life of Jesus from the perspective of four people: Judas, Mary Magdalen, his mother, and a fictitious shepherd. The man who eventually emerges from this carefully researched and richly imagined work is charismatic, contradictory, sometimes inscrutable-and also very human. Ricci intentionally avoids engaging the most sensational and hotly disputed aspects of Jesus' life-his possible divinity and his ability to perform miracles. Instead, he focuses on the ordinary, everyday activities of his life and work: speaking to crowds, dealing with political functionaries, and managing his increasingly large, demanding, and often quarrelsome group of disciples. We know that Jesus lived and worked within a complex and extremely dangerous political environment, and Ricci skillfully brings this historical milieu to life. Ricci's Jesus is very much a man of flesh and blood, seeking to effect powerful social and spiritual change simply by championing the values of compassion and humility and by challenging ancient prejudices and traditions. Though some readers may find this portrait of Jesus unsatisfying or troublesome, others will no doubt find it quite compelling. For all libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 1/03.]-Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews