Rating: 
Summary: A true classic
Review: The Godfather is an excellent novel telling the story of the Corleone family and their family business. The novel also tells the story of the Mafia and is very informative about it. The reader can learn all about the workings of the underworld crime business. More than the Mafia though, The Godfather tells the story of the people in the Corleone family. From Don Vito Corleone to his hot-tempered son Santino, the calm and cool Michael to adopted son Tom Hagen, the Godfather is full of great characters, all of them fully developed and very believable. The story follows the family as they struggle to survive in New York with the other powerful Mafia families closing in for the kill. There is plenty here for readers. The Godfather has an exciting story, great characters, and plenty of excitement throughout. The story never slows down from beginning to end, and it should not be missed. It may seem obvious, but if you like the novel check out the movie directed by Francis Ford Copola. It is rare when a movie is as good as the book it was based on, but here both are truly great. Don't miss either! Check out The Godfather by Mario Puzo!
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing. Spellbinding.
Review: I first read Mario Puzo's THE GODFATHER three decades ago, and the impact it had on me was overwhelming. Here was a rare novel that hooked the reader from the very first page, a novel to be savored and absorbed by the author's grim yet masterful prose. Through the pages of this book the reader is introduced to the shadowy world of organized crime--more importantly, to the fiercely interdependent workings of the mafia. Deeply embedded in its Italian heritage, it was a culture of unspeakable violence, but it also fostered family, honor, community, loyalty, friendship. Vengeance. If you are downtrodden, or unfairly victimized, all you need do is approach one of the "families" and request a "favor." Proclaim your devotion and friendship, the favor will be granted. And then--even though it may never happen--you must be willing to return the favor. Or suffer the consequences. Puzo's novel brings to life the Corleone family, headed by its aging patriarch, Don Vito Corleone. In post-World War II New York, Corleone faces a changing world, but he is still plagued by the relentless "turf wars" with the other major families. Intense pressure is brought to introduce narcotics to the list of "services" provided by his family--pressure that Corleone emphatically resists, to the bleak detriment of first himself, and to those he loves. The subsequent development of the story--of the Corleone's strategy, of the emergence of one of the Godfather's sons to perpetuate the family's power and considerable clout--is spellbinding. Few novels of the last thirty years have had any lasting effects on our cultural lexicon. THE GODFATHER is one of them. Highly recommended.
--D. Mikels
Rating:
Summary: The Godfather
Review: I loved this book. I read because a friend said it was a good book. I also read it because, I didn't understand the movie. This book has a lot of detail in it. This a great book, for anyone. But I would have little children read this book, because there is sex and violence. It is about the Corleone flamily. They are a New York Mafia family. It is mostly about the head of this family, Don Vito Corleone. He is dies and his son, Micheal becomes the godfather. The reason they are called 'Godfather' is because they are godfather to different people in there family. The movie were based on this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The movies are better than the book
Review: Usually the old maxim of "the book is better than the movie" holds true. I can think of a million examples, yet strangely, I'm drawing a blank at the moment. No matter, I bought this book to read on an extended vacation. I never finished it. Why? Because it's boring and poorly written. It's strange, but Coppola & company were able to add the depth to the characters that is sorely lacking in Puzo's novel. It's not even good as pulp fiction, as say a Raymond Chandler or a Dashiell Hammett is. This is a lousy book that was turned into 2 of the greatest films ever made. Why it became such a bestseller in 1969 just proves true that other old maxim: "A fool and his money are easily parted".
Rating:
Summary: A great work of literature
Review: This is one of the greatest novels ever written. If you enjoy reading in the slightest bit, you'll love this book. Some of the greatest characters ever created in literature are right here in this book. Michael, Sonny, Freddie, and Vito Corleone, all amazing characters who are gentlemen as well as members of the Mafia. As the story unfolds, showing the nice college boy Michael Corleone trying to resist the Corleone Family, yet being pulled in him, you'll be right with him the whole time. In the very first part of the book, you'll be dying to learn more about the Corleone family and its past. Believe me, you won't put this book down until you've read the very last sentence of the very last page.
Rating:
Summary: The Don of all crime-fiction lit.
Review: The Godfather is a classic. Both the movie version and the book are terrific. I was surprised to see some poor reviews on the book, because the book is very, VERY similar to the movie..except for a few lines and scenes that were included in the film.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have
Review: Romantic. Powerful. Just. Exciting. Philosophical. And more. The Godfather has it all. Its not just about the Mafia and the Italian community. Its about why men become what they are. And what makes them as human as anyone else. Its about what loyalty, principles, vengence, lust, love, fear are all about.
The book starts of with a very detailed and well thought about introduction of all the characters. Except the Don himself. Vito Corleone. The whole book has to assimilated to really know what the Don is all about. There is very little detail about what the Don really thinks and believes in. There is very little known about what motivates him. The whole book is a testament to what the Don has built and what he is. And other characters go about describing him to us by what they speak about and what they do.
The book is organized into 5 main parts. Book one gives us introductions and builds up to a great family dispute. At the end of book one we know the family structure and other details that are important to the whole book. Book two talks about how the Don became the don and more importantly how he became the Godfather. This part has awesome details about how people react to fear, and how a threat is never uttered, and what people really are. The section where the don contempates the power of Fannucci gives you a glimpse of how the Don must've operated to get on top of all the New York Families. Book three is extremely romantic and is a very good read. This is the section where Michael Corleone spends two years in exile in Sicily. Book four gives us an insight into how Las Vegas works. This is unarguably the most boring part of the book. Takes away the pace from the narrative and is totally unnecessary. Couldve been removed. No wonder this part is not a part of the Godfather movies. Book five is about how Michael becomes Don Michael. This introduces new characters and finally the end itself tells us the crux of the book. You could actually read it as the journey of a young man from being a conscientious war hero to finally ending up as the most feared Mafia Chief in the country. The book is full of delightful characters whose shades of gray have been very well brought out. There are attitudes of people that leave you wondering whether people could ever live like that. Death becomes cheap. Life's goals are ridiculously simple. Male chauvinism is taken to new heights throughout the book. There are glorious one liners like "Revenge is a dish that tastes best when cold". "You should always have friends that underestimate your virtues and enemies that overestimate your faults"...... A great book. My personal fiction favorite.
Rating:
Summary: I love the book more than the movie
Review: I read the book first, and watched the movie and its sequels few years later. The book was a page-turner and the language is smooth. But the movie...., sorry to tell you, I fell to sleep halfway although it was awarded the Oscar's Best Movie! I rather enjoyed Bruce Willis's Die Hard.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Book
Review: I had somehow managed not to ever see the Godfather movies. I guess I thought they just weren't my thing. I was glad that I had not seen them when I picked up this book on a whim in the bookstore one day, as I don't like to read books after I've already seen the movie. This book was simply excellent. The characters were all very well written, I felt like I really knew who they were, and the plot is great, it has everything, love, sex, violence, crime, action... There is nothing missing. After reading the books, I did finally watch the movies and discovered that they were as good as everyone says they are as well. I was a little surprised to find that a lot of reviewers didn't like this book as much as the movies, I can't really understand why. I would recommend reading this book regardless of whether you have seen the movie or not.
Rating:
Summary: Two and One Half Stars
Review: I read the reviews set forth here and wonder, what would the overall slant be if this book had not been made into one of the greatest movies ever made? Certainly, the reviews would not be as favorable and, most certainly, there would not be as many reviews. Everyone wanted to read the book after they saw the movie, and did. The movie is what it is, incredible, and the book is what it is, so-so. This was the first adult book that I read as a child and I loved it. I read it again only a few years ago and still enjoyed it. Mr Puzo spins a wonderful tale. The family is wonderfully defined and presented. The story is a good story, not great. Because there are no good guys in this story, the reader cheers for the Corleone family, a very bad group, that goes about doing bad things to other bad guys with a moral code that only gangsters and murderers can understand. The book loses direction in Las Vagas. What ever crossed the author's mind when writing this section I will never be able to fathom. It is boring, unsexy and too long. Might have three or three and half stars if this sidetrack was ommited. That being said, I thank the book Gods for publishing this. For if this had not hit the book stands, we would never had the the sensation of viewing what I belive to be two of the greatest films over made: The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. So my hat is tipped in reverence to Mr. Puzo. Read the book, you will have fun with it. See the movies and you will be incredibly awed.
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