Rating: 
Summary: Time to tell the truth
Review: This is not "Casablanca".That's pretty obvious. I am going to be completely honest here: this is a fun novel that is clearly a labour of love by the author. However, it's more to do with action than the bitter romance of the original movie. This is not a sacreligious text in any way to the movie: it's a fun continuation that is worthy of a read. So long as you don't go into it expecting a perfect novelisation of "Casablanca" you'll enjoy reading this - it's well written, lively and the sly winks to Bogart's character in the movie and Bogart's career are used well to flesh out the story and develop the characters. Walsh has taken a brave step - he was bound to get into trouble for writing a sequel to "Casablanca". I would agree that a few too many loose ends are tied up in this novel, but on the whole Walsh's grasp of the ambigious past (and future) work well without making Rick an open-book character.
Rating: 
Summary: Not completely bad
Review: I have always loved "Casablanca," so I decided to give "As Time Goes By" a try. It had its good points as well as its bad. I must agree with others that it was lacking in emotion. It seemed that Walsh was so concerned with facts and with making everything fit together properly that he forgot Rick and Ilsa. I loved the way that Rick was portrayed in the movie. He pretended to "stick my neck out for nobody," while in reality, he would risk his life and happiness for those he loved. In the book, he acts only out of selfishness, and won't allow Ilsa to be a heroine. I did like the way that Walsh tied in real life events (Ilsa's birthday was the date of Ingrid Bergman's death), but I did not find the book satisfying as a sequal to the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Murderer! Murderer! Imagination Killer!
Review: I echo the comments made by Kevin Nenstiel and would like to add that in direct contradiction to the end of the movie which left much to the imagination, the end of the book sews up every single loose thread ad nauseum. I resent the fact that Ilsa is hinted to have slept with Rick after she knew Victor was alive. Victor is reduced to a simpering vengeful coward who is taken in by the British, and Renault's political conversion is demoralized.
Rating: 
Summary: Not an abject failure
Review: This book is blessed with an interesting storyline and uses historical references quite well to tie itself into World War Two. There's one basic problem, however. Its success hinges upon Rick following Ilsa through Portugal to London, which in my estimetion devalues his self-sacrifice at the end of the movie Casablanca. The ending of the movie is valueless, in my opinion, without Rick having to knowingly give up Ilsa in favor of the greater cause, but herein he's simply separated from her for a little while. Worth skipping if you want to keep the mystique of the movie alive in your mind.
Rating:
Summary: Very good storyline!
Review: Well to try to write a book to what happened after the movie Casablanca ended cannot be easy. However I feel that Walsh made it very good. The book has all the feelings, the characters and the conversation that we saw in the movie. Sometimes it might be to obvious, but overall it is very good. What I found most interesting to read in the book was the flash back to Rick's New York years and the reason to why he had to leave the country. If you are a Casablanca fan, this is a book that you have to read. Who hasn't wondered about what happened after Rick and Capt. Renault walked off into the mist......
Rating:
Summary: A GOOD BOOK
Review: This book was ok, but I guess I watched Casablanca so often that nothing could be as good. It was well written . .and enjoyable. If you want to read a book that goes straight to your heart, read Stolen Moments by Barbara Jeanne Fisher. . .It is a beautiful story of unrequited love. . .for certain the love story of the nineties. I intended to give the book a quick read, but I got so caught up in the story that I couldn't put the book down. From the very beginning, I was fully caught up in the heart-wrenching account of Julie Hunter's battle with lupus and her growing love for Don Lipton. This love, in the face of Julie's impending death, makes for a story that covers the range of human emotions. The touches of humor are great, too, they add some nice contrast and lighten things a bit when emotions are running high. I've never read a book more deserving of being published. It has rare depth. Julie's story will remind your readers that life and love are precious and not to be taken for granted. It has had an impact on me, and for that I'm grateful. Stolen Moments is written with so much sensitivity that it made me want to cry. It is a spellbinder. What terrific writing. Barbara does have an exceptional gift! This book was edited by Lupus specialist Dr. Matt Morrow too, and has the latest information on that disease. ..A perfect gift for someone who started college late in life, fell in love too late in life, is living with any illness, or trying to understand a loved one who is. . .A gift to be cherished forever.
Rating:
Summary: A very good attempt
Review: Walsh's book is a well-crafted and entertaining attempt to round out the story of Casablanca. A plausible story, well-rendered dialogue and a solid grasp of gangland and World War II history combine to make this a good read. One complaint, however: Walsh was ill-served by his editor(s), who managed to mar his otherwise good prose with jarring, amatuerish dialogue attributions. Examples: "commented Rick," "interjected Louis," "protested Ilsa." Walsh strikes me as too good (and too experienced) a writer to have used such stilted, mannered and ultimately disappointing devices. One can only hope that the blame belongs to an editor, rather than to this otherwise professional author.
Rating:
Summary: I've found a better sequel!!
Review: Michael Walsh's book lacks the poignancy and romance of Casablanca. The story is too contrived, the dialog too cliched and the overall quality of writing is mediocre. But ...!! Am I the only one who's stumbled across an alternative sequel to Casabanca !? Check out the author's review in Amazon.Co.Uk of a book called DREAMING OF A SONG. It's by Gordon Ferris. In fact the story behind his novel is almost worth a book in itself. Seems he wrote a sequel before Warner Books even comissioned theirs, but found out too late and Warner wouldn't even look at it. He had to rewrite it and change the names and the start, but if you're a fan of the film you'll soon spot its origins. In fact it is almost more fun to read this way. I've read it and think its got all the stuff missing from Walsh's book: emotion and characters that are true to Casablanca, beautifully written and a plot that puts you through the wringer in the same way the film did. If there had to be a sequel to the best film ever then Warner should have used this! And still could for the film sequel!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best stories with a follow-on all can enjoy.
Review: (Hope this review gets to Michael Walsh himself, as well)! Seeing the book on a book table at a local book store, I knew that I had to have it! Having seen "Casablanca" more times than I can count and also having it on video, I knew there had to be an ending that Burnett & Alison could have reached, if there had been time. The war brought on many things about being overseas and at Rick's, it seemed to be the meeting place of all types of characters. The movies of THEN, had many supporting cast characters which bolstered and even enhanced the performances of the stars. One doesn't see much of that today. I was fortunate as a youngster to see the Warner Bros. Studio lots and sound stages as my father was a studio musician which enabled me to meet many people. I only saw Bogey at a distance and did not have the chance to meet him but I did see him very often on his beautiful sailboat (I believe it was the Santana)on trips to Catalina Island. The epitome of an author to pick up where someone left off and carry the original authors' thoughts with the same vein, one has to be some sort of a mind-reader! Michael Walsh (Any relation to the eye-patched Raoul Walsh, of Warners?)catches the mood, the era and the continuity very well, although sometimes the retrospect required backing up a couple of pages to be sure one had not lost the track or the thought. It was interesting, fast reading and to the point. The continuing time and place accuracies depicted in the movie were carried on, flawlessly, to the reader. I say 1000 cheers for Michael Walsh and hope he writes more stories/sequels to other great pieces of literature
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining...
Review: When I first heard about there being a sequel to Casablanca written as a book, I thought what many others did: Blasphemy! But, when I saw it for sale, I figured since it had been written, there was nothing I could do about that, I might as well read it. I'm glad my curiousity allowed me to buy the book, becuase it's very entertaining. I read it very quickly, almost sad when it was over. It was just great seeing the characters everyone loves so much back together again. I also really enjoyed Rick's backstory. I think it actually fits to the type of character he is in the movie. I think Michael Walsh did an outstanding job of staying true to the movie and kudos for him putting so much research into it before writing it. He should be applauded. Way to go, Mr. Walsh! He obviously has a bigger love for the movie than a lot of people do. Congrats, man.
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