The Godfather Returns

A Novel

By: Mark Winegardner

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirty-five years ago, Mario Puzo's great American tale, The Godfather, was published, and popular culture was indelibly changed. Now, in The Godfather Returns, acclaimed novelist Mark Winegardner continues the story, the years not covered in Puzo's best-selling book or in Francis Ford Coppola's classic films.

It is 1955. Michael Corleone has won a bloody victory in the war among New York's crime families. Now he wants to consolidate his power, save his marriage, and take his family into legitimate businesses. To do so, he must confront his most dangerous adversary yet, Nick Geraci, a former boxer who worked his way through law school as a Corleone street enforcer, and who is every bit as deadly and cunning as Michael. Their personal cold war will run from 1955 to 1962, exerting immense influence on the lives of America's most powerful criminals and their loved ones.

Sweeping from New York and Washington to Las Vegas and Cuba, The Godfather Returns is the spellbinding story of America's criminal underworld at mid-century and its intersection with the political, legal, and entertainment empires. Mark Winegardner brings an original voice and vision to Mario Puzo's mythic characters while creating several equally unforgettable characters of his own. The Godfather Returns stands on its own as a triumph in a tale about what we love, yearn for, and sometimes have reason to fear...family.

©2004 The Estate of Mario Puzo (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The Godfather Returns is not only a real book by a real writer. It's also a real pleasure, a fine swirling epic: bitter, touching, funny, and true." (The New York Times Book Review)
"A phenomenally entertaining, psychologically rich saga that spans the entire Godfather years imagined in novel and film by Mario Puzo....A wholly absorbing novel that's written beautifully, with great skill and passion. Godfather fans will love this tale." (Publishers Weeekly)

Brick salvages a snoozer

A cinematic rehash with little new ground broken. Bricks narration is its only saving grace.

Don't mess with the Don!!!

Michael is all grown up and running the family!!! Michael is trying to go legit but he finds out that is easier said than done!! Freddy is still a mess up and the book really goes into his life, much more than the movie!! Half brother Tom runs for congress and wins but in the end he is always by The Don's side!!! Also cousin Johnny is still singing and slaying the girls!!! Sonny's kids are all grown up and the twin girls have a great roll in the book!! If you liked the first book and the movies you need to grab this book!!!! You won't be disappointed!!!! And if you don't Michael will give you an offer you can't refuse!!! Lol

Another follow up?

is there another sequel to this book like the godfather movies so I can read then?

YAWN

The book was narrated well. But, it was so boring. On and on about Johnny Fontaine and Sonny’s daughter. Vague descriptions and sub plots. No detail on pivotal parts of the story; like Fredo’s assassination by Michael. I am a couple hours away from the finish. But, I’m done listening.

Good but not excellent

The story kept going back and forth from one time to the other and getting very confusing. Not - it wasn't like the flashbacks to Vito's younger days - this was within a few years it bounced back-and-forth from present to future to past for a particular character, instead of steadily progressing on the same timeline of the book itself . Just too choppy.
& someone explain to me why in the movie & his book Michaels two kids goes from two sons to a son & a daughter ? Puzo & Coppola wrote the screen play for the movie ( GF II) , & this book written by Winegardner had to follow that basic storyline since Puzo was involved with the second movie. So , did Coppola make Puzo an offer HE couldn't refuse to get a daughter in there so Coppola could get his daughter Sofia into the next movie ? Seriously, I think it was her pathetic performance that caused the GF III to be such an unsuccessful movie.

Not as good as the Godfather, but close

This was a great sequeal to the Godfather. Although Mario Puzo didn't write it you can tell that the author spent alot of time and energy to continue the same kind of "voice".
The narrator did a great job.

If you are a fan of the Godfather you might like this.

At moments it out Puzo's Puzo

Particularly if you've been reading through all of Puzo and are hankering for the genius in details of the Godfather, this book is a fantastically satisfying romp back into the Arthurian landscape of America's 1st Family of crime, the Corleone's.

Captivating, Same Same but Different

I truly appreciate the writing by Mr.Winegardner and how he was able to continue the series in a way that is related the original but with a taste of making Michael his own Don and not a replica of his father. Michael’s brilliance is on display in this novel, and many other Don’s are brought to the table, bringing more rich detail and story to the novel.
Adding characters that were originally mentioned was excellent and exciting, the book makes you feel like the story never ended and was properly continued.

It’s not better than the original Godfather novel because the books applies its own flavor to it, and it’s flavor well added. It’s just the right amount of different while still holding on to original content.

Any Godfather fan will enjoy this novel.

Mario Puzo wrote an epic Story

The God Father was such a good book that when I was a kid, i thought the story and characters were real,none of the books that followed had the same magic 🎩.

Godfather Returns

Great read. Continues where Godfather by Mario Puzo stops. Answers a lot of questions. I could not stop listening, moves fast.