“Ricci is a fantastic storyteller, and the four testimonies he's bound in Testament comprise an unsettling book.” — The Christian Science Monitor
From Nino Ricci, one of Canada's greatest literary voices, comes a remarkable novel, astonishing in its grace, intelligence and scope. Set in a remote corner of the Roman Empire at a moment of political unrest and spiritual uncertainty, Testament is the timeless story of how a holy man of enormous charisma and passionate belief alters forever the course of human history.
We come to know Yeshua through the eyes of four disparate people. First, through Yihuda, a committed political fighter who is invigorated by their discussions about a sovereign state for the Jews-a place Yeshua imagines as a philosophical rather than physical kingdom. Through Miryam of Migdal we come to learn of the controversy of Yeshua's teachings as the two travel through Galilee-Yeshua encouraging the many to question the teachings of the powerful few. Through Miryam, his mother, we learn of Yeshua's all-too-human vulnerability, the rigor of his conviction and his unfailing compassion. Finally, through Simon of Gergesa, a Greek shepherd that witnesses the last days of the Jewish preacher that he calls Jesus.
Provocative, intelligent and brilliantly executed, Testament brings a modern perspective to the greatest story ever told. It is Nino Ricci's most ambitious book to date, one that is certain to be delighted in, talked about, and even argued over.
Click here to read an excerpt from Testament.
Click here for an essay by Nino Ricci on the writing of Testament.
~ Praise for Testament ~
“In the beauty of its language, its rich detail of place and character, its humanity and grace and sense of wonder, Nino Ricci’s Testament both transcends and revalidates the so-called historical novel. Religion aside, history aside, this is a lovely work of fiction.” — Tim O’Brien, author of July, July
“A hypnotic, deeply lyrical presentation of four gospels . . . A writer of impeccable craft . . . recreating, in his incantatory prose, the very aroma and the wild, sorcery-filled world through which Jesus walked.” — Pico Iyer, Los Angeles Times Book Review
“[Ricci's] latest book is a stunning historical novel that will only enhance his high reputation . . . An absolutely beautiful, rigorously intelligent, fiercely thoughtful fictional biography.” — Booklist, starred review
“Nino Ricci pulls off a genuine tour-de-force. Testament's last 50 pages are grisly, wrenching and utterly absorbing -- Yeshua's all-too-human suffering and death have a real and terrible power, unrelieved by lightning flashes of divinity or miraculous interventions.” — The Washington Post
“Testament is a remarkable retelling of the Jesus story, doing what great art always does — making what is familiar suddenly fresh, daring, challenging. You will never think of the characters of the gospel accounts in the same way again, which is the good news of this stunning novel.” — Reverend Stephen Kendrick, senior minister, First and Second Church, Boston
“A bold and brilliant premise for a novel, and Ricci doesn't disappoint. His
spare, lyrical prose reflects the extreme terrain of Palestine under the Romans
. . . and the rugged psychological landscape that the narrators traverse . .
. With this novel, Ricci deserves legions of new readers.” — Montreal Gazette
“The sum of these various reminiscences makes a highly readable narrative .
. . There is, moreover, an element of suspense that is sustained throughout
the novel despite — or even because of — the universally known outcome of Jesus'
career.” — Toronto Star
“Ricci has given us a contemporary Jesus. Like a palimpsest, with each fresh
image superimposed on earlier images, Ricci's Jesus testifies to the inexhaustible
power of story, reminding us that enduring myths are not windows through which
we view objective truths, but mirrors framing our own evanescent mortality and
morality plays.” — Globe and Mail
“Testament, a refracted biography of Jesus, becomes too an examination
of storytelling itself, for what is Jesus of Nazareth if not a teller of stories?
. . . From the good book Ricci has fashioned a great story.” — Quill and
Quire
“Compelling . . . balances history and parable, political conflict and religious
faith.” — Ottawa Citizen
"Covers new, daunting, and unexpected territory. . . Much of this retelling accumulates a mysterious power of its own, even as it roils the reader." — Commonweal
"A uniquely down-to-earth treatment of the life of Christ that plunges the reader into the sounds, smells, and emotions of his Jewish world." — Utne
“Ricci transcends the stale confines of 'the historical Jesus' debate and invites us into that imaginative region where Jesus finds a living context.” — Dr. Bruce Chilton, director, Institute for Advanced Theology, Bard College, and author of Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography
“This is a remarkable work — immensely savvy
about the nature of human longing, compassionate about human failure, and illuminating
about the trajectory of the hero. It's beautifully written, an endeavor both
humble and risky.” — Barry Lopez, author of Arctic Dreams
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Available in paperback from Anchor Books in Canada and from Mariner Books in the U.S.
