Rating: 
Summary: Tolerable if you're in an airplane and REALLY bored!
Review: The Last Don by Mario Puzo is typical Puzo. His big bestseller, The Godfather, was gripping once you had seen the film, but the truth is that Puzo's style is clumsy. His sentences are unwieldy and boorishly contructed, as if he were a foreigner. I could wipe my arse with the plot, which is, to say the least, terrible. The story doesn't hang together. Puzo seems to throw a million different things together in total chaos. This book may be tolerable for lonely housewives, but for me, I'd only read it if I were really lacking amusement. I sincerely advise you not to purchase it. By the way, the TV series were even worse than the damn book.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't bother, not even on a dare.
Review: I had a number of problems with this book. First, the characters weren't believable. Each character was 'perfect' for their part (the brutally efficent hitman, the brilliant and wise don, the beautiful actress). No character inspired interest or empathy. It also seems that Puzo has had a very bad experience w/ Hollywood (specifically books being turned into movies). He uses a subplot to expound on the evil of Hollywood producers. It's interesting, but he should have made it a bit more subtle, rather than using 3 pages of mainly canned dialogue to get his point across. The plot in and of itself wasn't too hot either, and the subplots were only marginally related to the main plot. When the big secret is finally introduced, you can't help but think 'Oh. So what?' because the build-up was so poor. Finally, the ending of Cross' confict w/ Loddstone was too simple... too 'deus ex machina' for my tastes. Not worth your time at all.
Rating: 
Summary: I have never before read a book twice
Review: Mario Puzo wrote a fantastic novel that I think is the godfather in the 90`s. I first read this in my native language and soon after that in english - it was great just great in any language absolutly the best book I have ever seen. After this book you will know what Hollywood, Las Vegas and American-Italian mafia is all about.
Rating: 
Summary: Weakest story line of the series.
Review: Simply does not compare to it's predecessors in clout or content. I could easily have edited 100 pages out of the first half of the book. Pure filler.Keep in mind - This is not a bad book -just not up to it's older siblings. MWY
Rating: 
Summary: A pretty fairy-tale Mafia, but a good summer read...
Review: I see there are about 100 reviews already of this book, but I had to add my $0.02. I think we have to try and accept that the Mafia Puzo writes about here simply does not exist, as it is a bit too fairy-talish and old fashioned. But, fairy tale does not mean bad. Puzo is giving us a modern day setting but it seems like he wants us to dream that a Godfather-type Mafia still may exist or even COULD exist. I love how the Clericuzio family wields incredible power and yet the Law poses little or no threat to them. Yeah, right. Well, it is nice to read about good 'ol Don Clericuzio, who now in his wise old age speaks like a poet and spouts the great wisdom he has learned in his eighty-somewhat years. And naturally he has a strict code of ethics--he thinks that assasinating the President of the United States (in order to be able to legalize all gambling and clean up in the casino biz) is the MOST heinous thing one can do (it's a damn bad thing, granted) and YET he heads the most powerful crime family in the country, making his fortune on, essentially, breaking the law. Interesting sense of civil ethics and duty he has. But then again, if it weren't for the wide open space of America, he wouldn't be the top gangster. One note though: Um, wouldn't legalizing gambling destroy one of the Mob's central money-making operations? And also, with the Clericuzio controlling Vegas casinos (didn't Puzo see Casino and realize that the Mob simply can't control casinos anymore?) the legalization of gambling across the USA would HURT Las Vegas! Why fly out there when you can gamble in your hometown? Cross's casino, the Excalibur, would lose $$$. Also, I would like to see Mob have as big a hand in a major movie studio or a major casino like in THE LAST DON and get away so clean. Very romantic notions that Puzo provides. Well, it is a very entertaining summer read, or subway read, or beach read, etc. THE GODFATHER is much more polished, and of course, better.
Rating:
Summary: Give me a break
Review: I don't get it. Why are Americans so enamored of Mario Puzo's books? Why would anyone want to read a book that romanticizes the culture of criminals? Why are we so inclined to believe all this silly crap about "honor among thieves"? Why do we think these are people worthy of our consideration and attention? We're talking about lowlife thugs in polyester and cheap cologne! Who cares?
Rating:
Summary: Hurray for The Last Don!
Review: I have read The Godfather and The Last Don and both are FANTASTICO! Pippi is so lovable that it made me cry when he was killed. I feel like he should have known what to expect from Dante but he had such a good heart that he wanted to believe in the best in people. I am glad to see that in the tv sequel, THE LAST DON II Pippi is still alive. It makes since for him to have survived and that it was the Don's way of getting rid of the evil and getting Croccifixio out of the family.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for a Mafia Fan
Review: Ok, before writing this, I read some of the reviews. There seems to be many mixed emotions for this book. Here are my thoughts: IT WAS GREAT! I loved it! It's Puzo at his best...well....2nd best. The Godfather was better. Very in-depth with the characters and their history. But one thing I didn't like about the book was that it skipped from Hollywood, Vegas and the mansion very frequently.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining,if not inspiring
Review: This book while being quite readable was not what could be termed a great story.The plot was complex but somewhat out of sinc.The story of the "Great Santadio War" was told too late in the story and there were too many "filler" scenes which leaves me to believe that Puzo is a protaganist of the ,a long book is a good book theory.All this aside though it was a worthwile read if only to heighten one's appreciation for The Godfather.
Rating:
Summary: THE MODERN GODFATHER ISN'T QUITE THE SAME
Review: Mario Puzo continues to write beautifully, but unfortunately by keeping up with the times it is not as entertaining. Although, I loved most of the characters and I think I know never to return to a casino ever again.
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