The Last Don

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I thought that this book was a perfect vehicle for Puzo to once again write about the mob. The characters were wonderful. The plot developed slowly and with the Puzo's characteristic cleverness. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Holds nothing back when it describes gambling goals
Review: Puzo accurately describes the involvement of organized crime in the expansion of gambling in the United States. There is no question that he is right on, and that organized crime is following his script in every state in the US. Those who are concerned about casinos in their states should read this book carefully.

Rating:
Summary: Ranks right up there with The Godfather
Review: This book is a must-read for any Godfather fan or anyone interested in reading a well-written and thrilling story. This book has the added benefit of allowing the reader a glimpse into the lives of Hollywood stars and Las Vegas casino tycoons. It really is a brilliant work by a masterful author.

Rating:
Summary: Okay, but the Corleones could wipe out the Clericuzios
Review: Some people have really ripped into this book, but I found it a not entirely unpleasant diversion. Obviously Puzo is trying to clone the Godfather, but if you can accept that (the baptism scene in this book is nearly identical to the wedding scene in the Godfather, so the similarities are clear from the get go) it's not all bad. The book didn't really have a plot to speak of, it just sort of meandered around various dealings and activities of the mob, making it difficult to really get absorbed. Plus, Puzo has a very strange style of writing that had me rephrasing sentences in my head as I went along. The material about the movie and casino businesses were interesting as was the logistics of the hits that are carried out, but few of the characters were. Very bland Cross De Lena is no Michael Corleone, try as Puzo might to elevate him to that lofty level. I found it annoying that The Last Don of the title is in the book for about 50 pages and he is almost identical to Don Vito, constantly spewing "wisdom" and slavishly sticking to some sort of moral and familiar code of honor. In addition, the Don's three sons barely register as characters. I never felt as drawn into the story as I did with the Godfather even though it contains some identical aspects, such as a "Great War" fought years ago and spoken of in hushed tones, and the main character making a hit to prove himself to the Family. Much of the book was just painfully obvious. I mean, the good cousin's name is Cross and the bad cousin's name is Dante. We get it Mario! As for the movie Messalina the characters are making, I don't think anyone would go to see a feminist retelling of the history of Rome no matter how many "Bankable Stars" were in it. All in all, The Last Don is not particularly good, not absolutely horrible.

Rating:
Summary: I this book is the best book
Review: I think that this is the best book because it is like the godfather. I loved the godfather and I like this book as well

Rating:
Summary: Puzo must be stopped!
Review: Puzo has jettisoned any notions of dignity with this absolute shameless Godfather-clone. For years I always had the feeling that he wanted to write another mammoth book about a Mob family but something stopped him from doing so, so he dabbled in it in all of his books. I hope for his sake he at least got a huge advance to write this 500 page, cliche-ridden, at-times-laughably-bad "Mob" story. Don Clericuzio provides some of the funnier moments in the book since he speaks in poetic strides, spitting out wisdom along with ricotta cheese. Speaking of cheese, I wouldn't be surprised if Puzo takes the money and runs from this and retires. If he picks up his pen again he should be forced to sign a contract with the publisher that states he cannot write about his fairy-tale Mob(s) anymore. Of course, if he doesn't write a book with the Mob, what the heck is he going to do? He can't write about anything else! Everyone loved The Godfather. Puzo has never matched and if this book is any indication, he sure never will.

Rating:
Summary: Hopefully The Last Puzo too!
Review: For years after The Godfather Mario Puzo tried to write other novels. But now, all these years later The Last Don represents the full circle of Mario Puzo. Did I say full circle? I don't think he's moved anywhere actually. The Last Don is a bad Godfather clone, period. The sad part is of course that it comes from the author of that blockbuster. It pains me to see Puzo ... like this. But hey, the guy needed money I guess and figured he ain't writin' too many more 500 page novels so he might as well cash in with this and the inevitable TV movie. No secret who the Ernest Vail character represents: a bitter, disconcerted... Puzo. Hopefully this is The Last Puzo as well!

Rating:
Summary: I really liked it , but not as good as the Godfather
Review: This was a good book , i loved the plot between rose marie and her family. I at times i found the love story distracting from the potenial of a good page turner. Even though i was still kept on my feet. Cross is so cool and , I kinda fall in ,love dante the villian he's so cool. i would recommend this to anyone who wants to be surprised at all times!

Rating:
Summary: Totally shameless
Review: Mario Puzo jettisoned any and all pretensions of giving us something of substance and finally went ahead to give us another flat-out , lengthy and involved blood, guts and calamari Mafia novel. After all, the man penned the mega-seller and incredibly famed Godfather novel and films and probably hasn't a made buck off of anything else he's done. Every time he tried other things that didn't quite sell like the tales of the Corleone family he must have wondered, "what's it going to take? How can I get another huge hit?" Well, after twenty odd years or so he said to hell with kidding myself and the readers of all generations. Let me just return to what I know best: the Mob. It's like he's whoring himself to himself. Exactly what planet is the Mob Puzo writes about on now anyway? Has the guy learned anything since he wrote the Godfather about the Mafia? He writes the Claricuzio family in the near-present alomst exactly like he wrote the Corleone family in the 1940s. Mr. Puzo, you know, times have changed in organized crime JUST A BIT. Appalachia, Joe Valachi, the Chicago outfit, John Gotti, etc. Have you read anything about the real Mob? If the Claricuzio family was so smart and powerful, why, 30 years after the opening or so are they still gangsters? Are you too dumb to go legit and make big bucks all the way and buy respectability? I guess it's just that bad blood mixed in from the Santiado family that throws the whole plan of the venerable Don out of whack. Proof of the prostitution of Mr. Puzo was the immediate TV mini-series of The Last Don, which, quite honestly, for a mini-series was not bad. (Witness awful literary translations like the ABC Shining one.) Then, the absolute most shameless thing: Last year's Mario Puzo's The Last Don II, which Puzo had NOTHING to do with except that they were his characters which he probably signed over for a decent buck only to have half of them killed and the "closure" at the end of the original mini-series and novel erased for the sake of fast-food TV entertainment. Mr. Puzo, please retire quietly and put the pen down. Let the Mob of your books go out with some kind of dignity. Please please don't whore yourself off any further. It almost pains me.

Rating:
Summary: Are there two Mario Puzos?
Review: I read The Godfather in 1971--in high school--and loved it. I haven't read it since (yet), but I'll be surprised if my opinion will have changed when I do. Most of the books I loved then still hold up to a more mature re-reading. So what is with everything else Mario Puzo has written? I tried The Sicilian and thought it was laughable--something early he unearthed for his publisher when fame struck. I tried The Fortunate Pilgrim, after reading glowing reviews about his true "masterpiece." I thought it was pretentious and boring. Then this book--it reads like a novel written after a teleplay to capture a miniseries audience of non-readers. Don't bother--it's not even any fun.