Omerta

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After having just finished The Godfather, I looked forward to reading Puzo's last novel. What a disappointment!
None of the (way too many) characters are very likeable. The plot, if you can call it that, is both unbelievable
and hard to follow. I finally had to give it up about a third of the way through.

Rating:
Summary: Which name doesn't belong?
Review: a. Margaret Mitchell b. Harper Lee c. Mario Puzo Answer: c. Mitchell and Lee, each having written her magnum opus and realizing the small odds of ever producing another book to measure up to the first, wisely did not try. Puzo, on the other hand, has tried repeatedly to recapture the magic he possessed while penning The Godfather. I've read two of his efforts: The Fourth K and Omerta. Both fell far, far short of his masterpiece in terms of depth and breadth of plot, richness of characterization, and any other measure. It's a pity he wasn't as smart as Mitchell and Lee, who quit while they were ahead.

Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: This was not Mario's best in my opinion. It was a good book though, don't get me wrong. I just didn't like the ending, it wasn't like the "traditional" Puzo ending, it was rather bland. The story line was interesting though, and had many twists. I would recomend it to anyone, just don't get your hopes up at the end.

Rating:
Summary: Omerta by Mario Puzo
Review: Mario Puzo tells the life of one of the last remaining Mafia Don's, Raymond Aprile, in the novel Omerta. Omerta tells the story of Aprile's relationship with his children and his "nephew". Throughout his entire life Aprile keeps his children away from his business as one of the leaders of the American Mafia. He uses his power to get them respectable jobs in the fields of their choices. However he trains his nephew, Raymond Astorre, in the ways of his life, yet keeps him hidden from the world. The book takes a sudden turn when three years into retirement Aprile is assassinated for reasons that can not seem to be explained. When the children execute the will they find that the three of them were left with 49% of their fathers businesses, while controlling interest is given to Astorre. Astorre is not surprised by the will because Aprile had long been training him for this moment. The moment when he would leap into action and carry out the order's of Aprile. Astorre must protect Aprile's children (not to mention himself), when he has no idea what is trying to harm them. Astorre must get to the bottom of Aprile's murder to discover the reason why someone would risk killing one of the most powerful men in the world. This novel has a large array of characters, adding to the number of scenarios that you try to work through your head. So vast in fact that it is sometimes hard to remember whom a certain person is because you might pick them up in one scene and not see them for quite some time. However the great detail the writer goes through in expanding on the personalities of these characters makes the reader force himself to remember. Taking character notes is a must as it is much easier to spark your memory of a person with them. This book is a twisted turn of action and suspense. If you are a fan of this kind of writing this is the book for you. Puzo entices the reader to continue reading to see if their theories are correct. To see how that little character will become so large with the turn of a page. While there is a lot of Mafia slang used it is easily understood by the person with little knowledge on the subject. Do not let it discourage you, it is a great book and I strongly encourage that this be one of the next books you pick up from your local library or bookstore.

Rating:
Summary: POWERFUL, but beneath the surface a Godfather carbon copy
Review: I was amazed at how similar Omerta was to the Godfather, almost like Puzo was writing - or stuck - in the same groove of thirty years earlier. So many of the anecdotes were utterly parallel to those in the Godfather, as were so many relationships, and even personalities. We had the Michael Corleone character, the Vito Corleone, the Tattaglias, the Kay Adams...and so many more. This was a disappointment - I somehow expected him to write a more distinct and new book. This detracted from its potential fulfillment.

Book's basic strengths: a powerful plot, quick action, strong storytelling, mostly convincing characters, excellent use of detail, and at times heavy suspense... Vintage Puzo.

And weaknesses:

1) Puzo does not give insight into the character of Viola, rather, simply sets him up as a sort of superhuman demigod, flawless, powerful, brilliant. He gives no real, solid reason to explain why someone so intelligent and cunning would have the deep inner need to crave so much power, and to risk so much to get it. Any reasonably intelligent, insightful, and non-damaged person would have let go of the reins of such dangerous power, gotten rid of the banks, and walked away with a clear billion or so dollars. Yet Puzo touts Viola's near fatal flaw as a strength! Psychologically speaking, I think what underlies Puzo writing a book that hinges on this basic flaw is that Puzo is in denial of this very flaw in himself. I think believe he wishes he had been powerful enough as a child to stand up to his omnipotent and abusive parents, but not being conscious of that in adulthood, acts it out through his utterly grandiose characters who thumb their noses as death and horde power at all costs - these Dons, Violas, Michael Corleones.

2) Unlike in the godfather, where Michael Corleone WON the Mafia battle but LOST the personal one, Viola WON and Mafia battle AND ALSO WON the personal one! This double-win defeated some of Omerta's potential strength (strength that the Godfather retained), namely, letting the reader know that winning the power struggle is really no inner win at all... This leads me to infer that Mario Puzo himself has not made headway in resolving his own childhood issues in the past thirty years...and in fact has probably taken a few steps backward...

3) Some surprisingly wooden dialogue, especially early on in the book - I was surprised that Puzo would/could make dialogue so fake...perhaps he's losing his touch.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not good enough
Review: I was quite hooked on this book as I read it, but I was left feeling unsatisfied at the end - it could have been so much better. I think other reviewers are right in suggesting that this was just a first draft, because the characters were terribly sketchy and I didn't get inside the heads of any of them - even the hero.

The romantic ending was completely unbelievable and, consequently, very irritating.

Rating:
Summary: 4-1/2 stars if I could
Review: Great escapism. Stylish and well crafted, Omerta is a top-notch paperback if you want to read a different type of mob / crime book.

Puzo does an incredible job with the main character, a boy with true mafioso genes who is secretly trained in his youth to be a protector for a mob family trying to become legitemate. Puzo's description of the boy's character is very insightful and believable. He is the most favorable mob figure since Don Corleone, perhaps more so.

The story is very good, but it's Puzo's ability to create believable characters that steals the show.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT STUFF
Review: I absolutly loved this book. It was the first Mario Puzo novel I had read and I loved it.This book got me into Puzo Books and since then I have read The Fortunate Pilgram 5/5. I truly recommend Puzo books.He is a great Author. Chris Brown

Rating:
Summary: Great entertainment but lack in substance
Review: This book is great for pleasure reading. It is the first book I read by Mario Puzo, and it got me busy turning the pages. However, when I finished the book, I felt like something was missing. The characters are kind of flat and probably more attention should be given to the characters' background. Anyway, it's a great book and I've heard his masterpiece Godfather is far greater. That's what I'm planning to read next.

Rating:
Summary: Mario Puzo gets in touch with his feminine side
Review: While Omerta succeeds in many of the ways readers of Puzo's fiction expect, the book lacks much of the meat, grist and psychological complexity that made his previous novels so satisfying. And while Puzo's previous works had the sort of hard-hitting, testosterone-fueled drama that made The Godfather such a hit, this one seems to be a story that Puzo tells in a much softer voice, and in a style that doesn't seem to be quite...well...Puzo.

Omerta tell the story of Astore Viola, foster son and heir of the great Don Raymonde Aprile, and his rise to power. 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. Classic Puzo, right? Then how come the style reminded me so much of Sidney Sheldon and so little of Puzo himself? (This is not to detract from Sheldon's appeal. He's a fine writer and a gifted storyteller who's sexy, stylized brand of storytelling has made him an international hit.)

Omerta had what I can only describe as a Jackie Collins feel to it: more flash, sex and style than actual substance with the same sort of pretty girls, pretty boys and untold riches in it. What's worse, no one makes anyone an offer they can't refuse, except maybe the FBI.

Despite my complaints that Omerta has much in common with women's fiction (and no, that's not a criticism of that genre, it's just not what you expect from Mario Puzo) it's actually a good read, and, given its brevity, an easy one too. But don't be surprised if you find yourself asking, "What's next? Tom Clancy imitating Danielle Steele?"