The Godfather Returns

A Novel

De: Mark Winegardner

Narrado por: Scott Brick

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.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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)

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 🎩.

Still a Classic....

The Godfather Returns isn't quite as good as the original, but this is still a classic nevertheless. A must-read and a must listen. Winegardener does a great job in continuing where the first Godfather book left off and this version does certainly explains some of the details that the movie does not go into. In fact, if they wanted they could probably come up with another movie with all of the plot lines that the movies left out. The narration is superb and in general, I would certainly recommend this book for anyone, who enjoys any of the material pertaining to the Godafather Saga!!! My only complaint... I wish the music from the movies' soundtrack with present somewhere on the audio file.

Very Good

What did you love best about The Godfather Returns?

I loved reading about characters that were just minor people in the original series.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes by doing great tie ins to the original story.

Any additional comments?

Great add on to the original story

Great all the way through

This truly a great strory that delvs into the lives of the Corleone family. Winegarden did a tremendous job with the storylines. A must read/listen for any fan of The Godfather.

Great story / Great Naration

I loved the fleshing out of the characters in this book. I liked / disliked so many characters that it was interesting to get a deep look at what they might have thought as they went through the lives that they lead.
Scott Brick is amazing, as always. He never hits a wrong note in his performances! As for Mark Gardener, I think that he was the perfect person to write this book. What a great understanding of the characters! I loved this book and performance!

Satisfying

I finally have closure! Winegardner did a great job finishing what Puzo started. He expanded the stories in a gratifying way.