Book: Mario Puzo's The Godfather

Author: Mark Winegardner

Publisher: Arrow Books

Reviewer: Nthabisang Moreosele

Mario Puzo brought an exciting new angle to thriller mysteries when he wrote books about the Mafia's way of life in the US that enthralled the world.

His books have been made into film blockbusters. The Godfather series includes The Sicilian, The Last Don,and The Godfather.

The Godfather was a lush depiction of the criminal underbelly and was made into three films.

Puzo also wrote books based on the films.

The latest book, written after his death by Mark Winegardner, is a poor parody of Puzo's style. It is dense with facts about the five big families and their influence in the crime commission.

It helps to flesh out the topics that Puzo brushed over. It shows the rise of Michael Corleone from a greenhorn to a don more ruthless than his father.

But Winegardner is not Puzo. The book is readable and is a bit of nostalgia. Winegardner lacks Puzo's effortless style and his story telling ability sweeps readers along without querying some big holes in the story.

As with all serial books that are written by other authors to perpetuate a dead author's financial success, this one is wanting.