The Godfather Returns: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – August 30, 2005

Like the majority of the human race, I loved the Godfather. So one day I said, what if his other stuff is just as good? And so the journey began. I'm a slow reader. The thing is, that this book was so well written, I read it in three days, a personal record. I hope the rest of humanity sees this review and reads his other work. Sometimes what you think is someone's best work turns out to be good but not as good as the rest. This is a case of that.

I give this four stars because I'm not done with it yet...five might be on its way.I always considered The Godfather to really be about family, not even famiglia necessarily, just family. Puzo's writing examined the characters' relationships much more than it did to explain things they did or experienced.Winegardner's writing focuses much much more on the details of certain events that Puzo only alluded to. His writing seems almost authoritative in his exploration of well known characters. It's kind of like being told all your family secrets you knew existed but were glossed over. In some ways, somewhat because of some lack of drama and trying to fit the story in with existing ones, the book kind of feels like it's an addendum rather than its own novel.For those scared off by the caffones who suggest no one should ever read this book without wearing concrete shoes, let them sleep at the bottom of the ocean.For those that have read the book, I'd encourage you to read this as well. However, if you've only seen the movies, pick up the first book and read it a few times, then read this to fill in some of the wholes.

If the plotting and intricate betrayals are what hooked you into "The Godfather" trilogy, this book will be for you. Lots of intricate planning of betrayals and covering up the traces. A lot more on Tom Hagen, who is one of my favorite characters and gets shorter shrift in the series (not in Film 3 because Robert Duvall asked for more pay and was paid back with the "oh yeah? well, you're dead and you get no backstory" for his temerity.) Nick Geraci is a key figure and well drawn. Son of a low level mob driver in the Cleveland organization, he combines massive physical strength, boxing prowess, and a high degree of smarts with survivor skills. Fun to follow him.The novel is long. Which suits me.

Mark Winegardner crafts an interesting addition to the Corleone saga in THE GODFATHER RETURNS, which fills in some of the gaps in Mario Puzo's three "Godfather" novels. Nearly all of your favorite wiseguys are in here (and more besides), with Michael Corleone angling icily to make his Family predominant in the country. In the process, he betrays a devoted ally who consequently becomes his bitter enemy.There are so many Machiavellian double-crosses, triple-crosses, and other treachery in RETURNS that it's sometimes hard to determine who's on first. The author's voice is authentically Puzo-ish, and the reversals of fortune are kind of fun if you discount the theoretical human cost. In my opinion, however, Puzo was far superior in making us care about his characters. Everybody in this novel is sleazy and dislikable to some degree, with poor Fredo the most sympathetic of them all. Unless you're a fan intent on consuming all available fiction in the Godfather universe, I'd recommend staying with the original trilogy.

First off, this novel is well written, which may stick in the craw of your average Puzo reader... Secondly, this is a novel--not a movie. If you are comparing the movie versions to the novel, then you really don't understand how things work in hollywood. I am always stunned by people who mix genre in reviews--are you totally deranged? How do you compare literature to the spit out drivel of the movie versions? Ultimately, this may be too much within a literary vein for most fans of Puzo--Mr. Winegardner's only mistake was to write at a higher level than most people can understand. This is a great filler for those lost years in Puzo's novels, and sets us up (hopefully) for some more great returns in future novels. Don't believe the grade school reviews out there--this is a fine novel that may have been poorly marketed by the press.

Good read if you are into the movies. This book is in between part I and II. As well as before part 1 and a little bit of after part II

is how well it imitates the original. This has the usual intricate plot & the usual suspects, though Kay is dumber and Fredo is gay & in the closet. But Winegardner doesn't know the people he's writing about, just how they behaved. Mario's eye is missing, as are his observations & dialogue. He'd have laughed at having a ghostwriter exploit him as a corporate brand. A well made novel & entertaining. Okay for those who want more of the saga and don't care where they get it, but not the real thing, "of course"--a phrase Winegardner should banish from his vocabulary.

A big Godfather fan!! This book is a page turner and fills in things the movie glazed over or cut out for time