Omerta

Rating:
Summary: An Offer You Might Be Able to Refuse
Review: "Omerta" is the third and final book in Mario Puzo's Mafia trilogy. (The first two were the brilliant "The Godfather" and the above-average "The Last Don.") Puzo died shortly after completing "Omerta," so this is the last we will ever read from this great American author. When I first got "Omerta," I eyed the rather slim size (only 316 pages) and the fairly large type and was worried. My immediate thought was that Puzo died before he could actually finish the book!

Once I started reading it, though, I was reassured. The book might be short, but it is good, and it is classic Puzo. The story tells the rise to power of Astorre Viola, foster son and heir of the great Don Raymonde Aprile. The Don has left Astorre in charge of his financial empire, which becomes the target of an evil alliance between a drug kingpin and rival Mafioso.

Astorre must not only defend the Aprile fortune, but his own life, as well as those of the Don's children. He is beset on all sides, just only by the mob and their contract killers, but also by the FBI, and the NYPD. His chances of success might seem slim, but underestimating Astorre is always a mistake--usually a fatal one.

I found the plot to be an interesting one, but it is not fully developed enough to be as gripping and exciting as it could be. It definitely seems incomplete in areas. For example, the book refers to Astorre's years in Sicily, but we only catch glimpses of those formative events. Also many of the characters (especially the Don's children) seem only partly drawn, never fully formed.

Might Puzo have intended to write more, to flesh out these characters and their lives? We can't know, but I suspect he did. The book would certainly be much better had he been able to.

"Omerta" is clearly the least successful book in Puzo's Mafia trilogy. It can't come close to equaling the brilliance of "The Godfather" or even "The Last Don." That doesn't mean it's a bad book. I actually enjoyed reading it very much. But when judged by the standard that Puzo set in the past, "Omerta" has to rank as a disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Operation "Omerta"
Review: A posthumous publication by a major literary figure presupposes these questions in the reader's mind: Did this author write this book? If so, how much of the book? Did this author receive any "help" in its writing? If so, then what was the form of this "help?"

Without doubt, master storyteller Mario Puzo has placed the capstone of his life's work in "Omerta," the final tale of the "Godfather" saga. At first glance, "Omerta" appears to be a continuation of the struggles between older and younger generations, between traditions of Sicily and America, between alleged crime families and law enforcement agencies. Early on, the story seems to collapse on itself because the narrator deprives the reader of the suspense of "whodunit."

Nevertheless, the Puzo "signature" of larger-than-life characters is stamped on every page of "Omerta." When Don Raymonde, the Sicilian scion of the Aprile family, is murdered, his adopted Sicilian son, Astorre Viola, steps up to enforce the Don's last wishes. Astorre is confronted by Don Aprile's daughter, Nicole, a corporate attorney who happens to oppose the death penalty. The "no mercy" tenet of Don Aprile is counterbalanced by the "mercy" obtained by Nicole Aprile through her pro bono work.

The text of "Omerta" is threaded with imagery and aphorisms: ". . . when one changes one's country, one must always change one's hat." The usual cast of characters appears, including Roman Catholic cardinals and priests. A close reading of the text will reward one with glimpses of Puzo's dark humor. Beyond his use of irony, one can sense self-parody, which is a hallmark of his inimitable style.

However, there are some textual clues in "Omerta" which lead one to suspect that Puzo may have changed his narrative style partway through the novel. After the early revelation of the "shooters" and their "contractor," the novel takes on an uncanny resemblance to a "police procedural." Indeed, the director of the Bureau asks, "And how is our operation 'Omerta'?" Further, the frontispiece defines "Omerta," using the "World Book Dictionary." A final quibble concerns the book cover, which is a minimalist European-style design: black letters shadowed onto a white background, with an oval of metallic red to dot the "i" in "Mario." My question is: where is the written accent for "Omertà?" Without "reading" too much into this "omission," nonetheless, I do find it to be an appropriate symbol of how "[t]he great Dons had accomplished their goals and blended gracefully into society . . . " (315).

Naturally, one cannot read this book without envisioning the sights and sounds of "the movie" and its "soundtrack." Bravo, Signor Puzo e mille grazie.

Rating:
Summary: A bit dodgy at times, but very good
Review: "Omerta" is everything you'd expect from a Puzo novel. There is no real distinction of who's on whose side and often, you find yourself wondering who the bad guy is, at least I do. The book is a great note for Puzo to end on, may he rest in peace, and highly recommended for any fan of "Godfather" or "Last Don".

The story follows Astorre Viola, adopted nephew of Don Raymonde Aprile, and his attempt to solve the mystery of the Don's murder and punish whoever's behind it. I found that the plot twists and turns like a man running through a mine-field. But unlike that man, the plot in "Omerta" has a sense of direction. It knows where it's going. That's what I love about Puzo's novels.

That's not to say that the book is perfect. There are a few times that I was unsure of who the characters were and found myself flipping back to find out. To me, some of the character motivations weren't clearly defined and the romantic backstory was a little confusing, especially the part about Astorre and Agent Cilky's wife. That's why I deducted one star.

But the rest of the novel is fantastic. The scenes are so well staged that I could shoot them tomorrow. I love Puzo's dialogue and the thick narrative is handled well by the author. This book is a must try for any Mafia fan or a fan of Puzo's work.

Rating:
Summary: Omerta
Review: I just got finished reading this book today, it took me a couple of days to read it and I found myself fighting to put it down. This is another Mafia story from the great Mario Puzo. This book is a great read and it left me wanting to know what was gonna happen next, so it was hard to put down.

The Godfather was an excellent book by Puzo, definitely his best. Omerta isnt as good as the Godfather but I haven't read a book yet that can top that masterpiece. If you are a fan of Mario Puzo or of Mafia/Crime stories, then I suggest you read this book, you shouldnt be disappionted.

Rating:
Summary: Not a great Puzo novel
Review: I am not going to review the story, because others have, but I will start by saying that I have read almost everything Mario Puzo has ever written. I am a huge fan! I love his work and not just the Godfather. I think the Sicilian was a great book destroyed by a poor movie.
That being said, this is NOT a great Puzo novel, heck, it isn't a great novel for anyone. There are some classic Puzo moments, but it eventually falls flat and I even had a hard time finishing it.
I am not an elitist that thinks Puzo is trash literature, just the opposite, I am a fan, but this is just not good. The story goes no where, the writing is boring and the plot has been told better in other novels.