The Godfather Returns (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "ON A COLD spring Monday afternoon in 1955, Michael Corleone sum- moned Nick Geraci to meet him in Brooklyn..." (more)
Key Phrases: sotto capo, own godson, tutti capi, New York, Michael Corleone, Johnny Fontane (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. When Random announced that Winegardner, best known for the critically acclaimed mainstream saga Crooked River Burning and baseball novel The Veracruz Blues, had been hired to write a fresh Godfather novel, eyebrows arched from coast to coast. But the decision was right: this is a phenomenally entertaining, psychologically rich saga that spans the entire Godfather years imagined in novel and film by Mario Puzo (the latter via his screenplays), filling in the blanks, fleshing out the characters, focusing primarily on the time (mid 1950s-early '60s) between when Puzo's landmark novel ended and the film Godfather II begins.Few remember that Puzo began his career as a commercially failed but critically celebrated literary novelist. He wrote The Godfather with the aim of hitting bestseller lists, but his earlier training showed in that novel's reach and complexity. Just so, Winegardner brings enormous talent to bear on this popular story and its immense cast of characters, deepening Puzo's work at nearly every step. Fredo Corleone, hapless Mafia scion, emerges here as a more central, vigorous and conflicted character than in The Godfather or even the films, as do Tom Hagen (the Corleones' adopted son and erstwhile consigliere) and Johnny Fontane, Puzo's dig at Frank Sinatra. There are many new and newly fleshed out characters as well, from assorted Mob bosses (most notably Chicago's Don Louie Russo, aka Fuckface, spiritual descendant of Al Capone, and Nick Geraci, a Corleone man destined to become the Corleones' arch-enemy) to various Corleones (most notably the slain Sonny Corleone's twin daughters). There are also sharply drawn cameos of, among others and by other names, JFK, RFK and, fleetingly, Andy Warhol. But at the center of the mesmerizing, sometimes dizzying Mob conspiracies and familial tensions is, of course, the Godfather, Michael Corleone—proper heir to Vito Corleone, the last capo di tutti capi: devious, brilliant, astonishing ruthless.The book isn't perfect—just nearly so. The enormity of Winegardner's reimagining of Puzo's epic can obscure the novel's overarching story line—Michael's attempt to legitimize the Corleones' businesses—and leads at times to an episodic feel. These, however, are quibbles in the face of a wholly absorbing novel that's written beautifully, with great skill and passion. Godfather fans will love this tale; Puzo himself must be raising a celestial glass and shouting a hearty "Salut'!" Let it be known that Winegardner, for his respect to the novel's antecedents and for his accomplishment, shall henceforth be known as a Man of Honor.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

It’s a tough act to follow, but somebody had to do it. Writing The Godfather is a job worthy of "Don" Vito Corleone himself, yet the task fell to novelist Winegardner, head of the creative writing program at Florida State University. Critics rarely know what to make of a new author taking over a classic work, and The Godfather Returns is no different. Some call this sequel brilliant, and praise Winegardner’s conscientious research, plot clarification, compelling new characters (like Francesca, one of Sonny’s twin daughters), and "panoramic and cinematic" writing (Minneapolis Star Tribune). Other critics argue that no author, Puzo or anyone else, can capture Al Pacino’s inner expression—this may be a case where the movie will forever trump the novel. Some even call the sequel bland, visionless, and undramatic. Since it’s the Corleones, expect the usual pulp thrills.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Random House; First Edition edition (November 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400061016
• ISBN-13: 978-1400061013
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (135 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #504,930 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars stick to the original - ignore Winegardner's version, January 4, 2005

By	Benjamin M. Miller (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I would give this less than one star if I could.

I was torn when I first saw this book. On the one hand, Mario Puzo wrote a master piece and another author should not just ride his coat tails. But I saw that Winegardner had written a number of other books, and figured he handled this task with the necessary class and research to write the book properly.

Unfortunately I was wrong.

A minor detail, in his acknowledgments he does not even acknowledge Puzo. Also, I found myself wondering when I was on page 300, where was this going. The author had not really developed a new story of any kind. He seemed to be obsessed with sex, and added it to the story when it did not have to be there. Fredo for some reason has become gay, even though his affection for waitresses is well known from the first movie.

Most offensive there are a number of discrepencies between Winegardner's book and Mario Puzo's and the movies. All are minor but in writing such a book, the author should know the movies and the book inside and out. Winegardner did not.

I will admit that I did not finish reading the book. Around page 330 or so, I threw the book across the room in disgust. Winegardner had decided to write that Kay really did not have an abortion, that it was a miscarriage. This was the last straw for me. Winegardner decided to take one of the most powerful scenes from the movie and change it. I could not accept this and had finally had enough.

This is a lazy effort by Winegardner. He throws in a lot of new names and adds plots with Cleveland, Chicago, LA, but never really lets us know any of these new characters or plots. He throws in a lot of lines from the movies, and it is always akward. There is no Frank Pentangeli, no real detail provided for any of the questions that are left by the gaps in the movie. The writer handled how Fredo was set up against his brother in a few paragraphs, without even involving Hyman Roth. The author has Fredo Corleone doing his tv show two days before his death? Is this believable.

I would run away from this book, and if someone gave it to me, I would give it back. Do not waste your time. Read Mario Puzo. Go see the movies. Other than the title and some of the characters, this book by Winegardner has nothing in common with The Godfather.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Corleones aren't the only thieves., December 30, 2004

By	Brian in LA - See all my reviews

After having been first excited and then disappointed by Godfather III, I approached this book with what I thought was a healthy dose of skepticism. The dose was not healthy enough.

By page 7, Winegardner has already stolen from Goodfellas when describing how Ace Geraci (Winegardner's creation) took over legitimate businesses and used them to have deliveries "stream through the front door and go straight out the back." And then when the bills came to the business, Geraci torches the business. This is almost exactly what happened to the bar in which Henry Hill and his cohorts took an interest.

I should have stopped reading then, but I didn't.

As some other reviewers have written, the "explanation" of Fredo is simply absurd. Had Winegardner ever read The Godfather or seen any of the movies? Nothing in any of the previous works even hints at Fredo being gay or dabbling in acting. Also with "the new and improved" Fredo, we find yet another bit of pilfering from a Scorsese/Pileggi collaboration. Winegardner has Fredo host his own television show from the Corleone's casino in Las Vegas. Didn't we already see that with Ace Rothstein in Casino? Lastly re Fredo, what's the big deal with the cemetery scheme? This is the big explanation as to why he betrayed Michael? Please.

And speaking of "please," Congressman Tom Hagen? Why? Again, why? Where on earth did this come from? Wouldn't someone have made a passing remark about this in either of the last two films? Why put this in? It makes zero sense.

Winegardner also wields his pen to bring the dead back to life, and for what reason, I cannot understand. At the end of The Godfather, Michael clearly has eliminated the other heads of the Five Families. These would include Cuneo and Stracci. Michael even tells of their deaths (among others) to Carlo Rizzo when he gets Rizzo to admit to being part of Barzini's plot to kill Sonny. But, ho! Suddenly, the reader finds both Cuneo and Stracci very much alive, and in roles which could have been filled by characters with other names.

But Winegardner's talents don't stop with raising the dead or butchering well established characters. He also completely eliminates a pivotal character from the second Godfather movie, Frank "Frankie Five Angels" Pentageli. It was Pentangeli who took over for Clemenza. It was Pentangeli who was responsible for Michael having to testify before the US Senate. It was Pentageli's war with the Roasato brothers that was integral to Michael's struggle with Hyman Roth. Yet Winegardner never mentions Pentangeli.

He also allows only a handful of words for the Rosato brothers. In Godfather II Pentageli alludes to the fact that the Rosato brothers had something to do with Clemenza's death, that "that was no heart attack." Yet, again, Winegardner thinks he's more entertaining than Puzo and makes the cause of Clemenza's death... a heart attack. Couldn't he have used any effort to try to use the loose threads from Puzo to weave into his story?

Of course, Winegardner does make the effort to use his present employer, Florida State University, as a setting. Well, at least he has his priorities straight.

I could go on further, but suffice it to say that this book is grossly insulting to anyone who is a fan of mario Puzo's fine works.

I did say fan and not fanatic. Yes, there are many of us who are quite familiar with the original book and the three films. Perhaps we know too much about them. However, Winegardner, in taking on the role of steward of this classic American saga, should have taken the time and made the effort to familiarize himself with these works, and not thought he was better or smarter than their creator.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly the thunderbolt...., January 4, 2005

By	nom-de-nick "nom-de-nick" (United States) - See all my reviews

While Godfather Returns isn't a useless book by any means, it's not a great one either. Don't misunderstand; it's an OK read that keeps you turning the pages (albeit a little slowly). The writing isn't bad, and while the story jumps around a bit, it's definitely followable. And some of the small allusions to various events in the original book/films were pretty well done.

The problem is one any author would have to seriously consider at the outset; if you're going to write a continuation or fill-in on something as permanently embedded into the American film and book psyche as The Godfather, you need to be absolutely, positively dead-on certain on each and every detail, or you'll instantly lose credibility. You also need to try to channel ahead a bit to see if plot changes, additions or twists are really necessary to the story as a whole (story meaning the entire GF saga). To that end, Winegardner slips several times. First off, and to rehash a little what others have said, missing details such as where Michael went to school or where he shot McClusky or the fact that Michael WAS indeed already born when Vito shot Fanucci or Francesca marrying another boy, or the fact that Frank Pentangeli was altogether left out, as was one of Connie's fiances, may SEEM insignificant, but they're really not. They're crucial to the entire story remaining intact. To miss such points shows, at best, carelessness on the author's and/or editor's part and at worst, a lack of respect for the existing works. Let's not even discuss Kay's "miscarriage" or the fact that two Dons killed at the end of GF One were suddenly alive again. That was just plain sloppy. (And to quickly correct what one reviewer said, the book was NOT just a continuation of the Godfather book, but the films, too. Check the timeline Winegardner provides)

That being said, the book, as I said, does kind of manage to hold its own in most places. And while I really had no trouble with the Michael in this book being a little different that the Michael we all know (he was actually somewhat closer to the Michael in GF 3), there were other areas of the book that seemed almost pointless. First, some characters based on real-life people were far too thinly veiled; it's a work of fiction, y'know? Fiction means "created." Use at least a little imagination. He might have just as well used their actual names -- JFK, Sinatra, Lawford, etc. It added nothing at all.

Second, while Fredo's bisexuality was an unexpected twist, it added absolutely nothing to the plot or storyline, other than a highly convoluted way for Geraci to set someone up. Further, it's out of synch for Fredo altogether, based on the existing character we know. He never exhibited any tendencies leaning that way. None. His hosting a local TV show was far easier to believe and accept. That actually fit him, if you think about it.

Third, while the whole Francesca/Billy thing was interesting, it, again, added nothing. I understand the point Winegardner was ultimately trying to make about Francesca, but it could've been done a hell of a lot quicker and far less complex. And there was inconsistency with the film.

Fourth, it was painfully obvious a sequel is coming.

In all, a tepid book that could've been red-hot.