The Last Don

Rating:
Summary: The Last Don
Review: I really liked this book. The reason I first got it was because I knew that Mario Puzo wrote the Godfather and I loved that movie. I decided to get the book, and I was not disappointed.
This book is about the workings of Cross DE Lena and the Clercuzio family. Cross and Dante are grandsons of the Don and they make a name for themselves. Cross owns a huge casino/hotel in Las Vegas, and Dante is the The number one hitman for the family. But when a family secret that the Don wants know one to know gets out, there becomes a huge war with in the Family.
This is a great book for anyone who likes action our who liked the Godfather. This book shows that after all these years Puzo can still write a great mafia story.

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Summary: Movies, murders, and mobs, oh my!
Review: Mario Puzo, the author of the Godfather, reproduces the organized crime formula is this great read. Though the plot is not exceptional, Puzo's writing is very fluid and exciting.

The major strength of this book is its readability. The book moves along in a nice pace, with lots of action and dialogue. The characters are also unique and intriguing. Included are the mysteriousness of the mob and their family values, and the ruthlessness of Hollywood, which makes this book a fun weekend read.

The one weakness is that the plot is lacking. The main conflict between the two cousins only comes to light near the end of the book. Though the side plots are interesting, the combination of it all makes it a weak overall story at best.

All in all, I would recommend this book as one of those books to read on a lazy day right next to the pool or on the beach.

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Summary: Puzo setting the record straight
Review: The Last Don is not the book the Godfather is, but it is the next best thing. Easy to read and hard to put down. A return visit to "the Families" is fascinating, and "dance to the bottom of the ocean" is as memorable and usable as "sleeps with the fishes". I found the incredible wealth, beauty and sex of the Hollywood characters a little boring, but the story lines hang together well.After seeing an interview with Mario Puzo and reading the book, I have a theory. I think Puzo is telling us about his own experience with Hollywood taking over his characters, particularly in Godfather II and, ech! Godfather III. I think Domenico Clericuzio is Vito Corleone guiding the Family to the destiny he and Michael envisioned, instead of the "crime never pays" copout of Hollywood.

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Summary: The Mafia in American Society
Review: The Last Don is the finest Mafia novel that I have read and is comparable to great novels such as The Godfather. The Last Don is Domenico Clericuzio, a wise and ruthless old man who is determined to see his heirs become established in society. The prologue to the story is at the christening of his nephews, Cross De Lena and Dante Clericuzio. Now, thirty years later, the Clericuzio's have become the dominant mafia family in America after costly wars with other families. They have gained a hand in politics, gambling, drugs, and even Hollywood.
The setting of The Last Don is Las Vegas in 1995. The author did a very skillful job of describing Las Vegas. He pays very close attention to details. In the book, Las Vegas symbolizes the chaos and corruption in the world. The plot of The Last Don is that two cousins, Cross De Lena and Dante Clericuzio, hate each other because of a past war and must decide what to do about one another. There are also several sub-plots, such as the love between Cross and Athena and the relationship between Pippi De Lena and his daughter Claudia. Even minor characters play major roles in the story.
I enjoyed The Last Don tremendously. It was the best mafia-themed book that I have ever read. It was full of non-stop action and a twist around every corner. It also entwines love and romance into the bloody plot. I would recommend The Last Don to people who are interested in books about Mafia in America. It should, however, be read by mature audiences. The book has numerous bloody battles as well as various sexual scenes. The only bad part about the story is that the plot is not revealed until around 150 pages from the end. Definitely a great book to read on a rainy day.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent novel on par with The Godfather
Review: The more books I read by Mario Puzo the more I become convinced that the literary world lost one of it's best authors. With his unique ability to fully immerse his readers into his worlds he truly has talent that few authors do. This is the second book in his Mafia series, the first being The Godfather. This one is quite different from that in that The Godfather focused more on those in charge of the Family. THis one looks more at those below, specifficly a Family hitman named Cross and the Don's grandson, Dante. The Don himself is little more then a minor carechter in this novel. At first I thought i might be a bit dissapointed by this but in the end it works brilliantly and keeps this book from being more then just a rehash of The Godfather. Instead it provides another unique point of view into the world of organized crime. For anyone who's looking for an excellent fast paced read this is definetlly the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: A very readable novel if not quite "The Godfather"
Review: This is an extraordinarily readable novel. As always when writing about the Mafia, Puzo tells a great story. This is the story of the Clericuzio crime family and the long range plan of its ruling Don to join the legitimate world and exit the Mafia, with the family wealth intact. This plan is fraught with peril and requires much bloodshed, setting the stage for the story.

The Godfather dealt with the Mafia from roughly the 1930s through the 1950s. This novel is more contemporary and appears to be set in the 1990s. Mostly, the story has an authentic quality to it, and it moves along at a very brisk pace. Puzo's prose is clear and makes the book a pleasure to read.

Some of the sub-plots in the novel are just plain unrealistic. For example, he explains how a Hollywood attorney and a "California Jury" fails to convict a murderer based on a temporary insanity defense, and a few months later the perp is walking the streets a free man.... But hey, makes a great story, anyway. And make no mistake, this is a minor quibble--this is a great story.

Puzo's portrayal of the movie business as being essentially as brutal as the Mafia is hilarious. Is it true to life? I doubt it, but it sure is entertaining.

The Last Don was made into a miniseries which is fairly faithful to the novel (Part 1 of the miniseries is, that is). If you enjoy the novel, the DVD of the miniseries is a great entertainment value.