First time here...glad to see such a bunch of enthusiasts like myself.

Had reserved GFR at the local library a couple of weeks ago and finally got it Monday night. I had read some decent media reviews and was excited to start. I actually enjoyed the very beginning with Tessio's execution, but man did the thing spiral downhill after that.

I can even deal with a couple of minor continuity problems, but this guy took it upon himself to change the very nature of the major character. Who can read the original novel, see the films and then expect to believe Michael flying Kay to Tahoe for a picnic lunch, then making out with her in some empty movie theater like a high school kid. Ugh...Michael was cold as ice by the end of the first film...this book made it seem he was visited by the Queer Eyes for the Straight Guy or something.

Am I to assume this guy had the best story for this book? Nobody else EVER submitted anything better? Bla.

you put it perfectly

btw, welcome to the boards

Thank you, Winegardner is a name that, hopefully, will make all Godfather fans kringe like what the name Hitler does to jews. He completely miswrote almost every character in some way. I am trying desperately to forget everything i read in the book.
It was a good book though, I'll admit, if the author created his own characters and didn't have to interupt Puzo's. I mean, Kay grabbing Michael's crozh and saying "Behold...wood!" lmfao! c'mon, innocent little kay adams???

I sure hope that Puzo is rolling around in his grave.

Well... Coppola to some extent did the same, miswrote Puso's characters. That's inevitable when another man tries to develope characters created already, that's why no sequel matches the original. This guy does not only that. He is vulgar in every line! Even if he created his own story, with such a language - it would be unbearable anyway. Of course, I read only one chapter, but it made me sick.

WHAAAT? Could you expand a little - as a spoiler - where and when that little spoilt brat did it?

I havent read the new book yet because all I heard was bad reviews. I will proably read it anyway. I hope that it is not really that bad.

Nah, he was visited by Fredo :rolleyes:

I got the book for Christmas OH MIO DIO what a travesty. I my self am a very nice college kid but I'd like to get up close to Winegardner and BADA BING get his brains all over my University of Kentucky sweatshirt! Nah, on second thought he's not worth the bullet.

You know what, the book wasn't great. But your statement comparing a work of fiction to the adrocity suffered by an entire race of people is simply disgusting. I'm NOT Jewish but was completely offended by your remark.

Maybe you ought to get your priorities in order before making such ridiculous comparisons.

Yo. The book was worth reading and the story was good. I dont go for none of that holier-than-thou $h!t with the GF~GFR, just like Frank Rizzo dont go with that union $h!t. I didnt like the ending too much, but everything in the book Puzo would have felt very complimented on what this other guy did with his story. YEAYEAYEA,talk all u want this and that negativeblahblah...than again some of u would actually have ERNIE in yer family or Mike C with a made position....than again most people love sensationaliZm.


/everything in Queens is ours. dont touch, dont take./

I just got finished with the book today. My assessment is:

-Tough to be original working with another person's characters. Winegardner had to come up with a little of something in everyone to personalize this story.

-He could have been more original in the plot though, literally stealing the entire Rat Pack/Kennedy/Cuba/CIA thing. I know Puzo did a little of this with Fontane and such, but there wasnt enough original plot for me.

-The book kept me reading and wanting to read more, though, which is the main thing you want in a book, I guess.

-Could have used more Francesca/Billy Van Arsdale in my opinion. Good sideplot and showed Francesca to have the Sicilian cunning gene.

-I kind of liked that they showed Michael as a character with the flaw of not always being right (questioned with the Fredo appointment of Underboss and his dream of Cuba when everyone else knew it wouldnt happen).

-Didnt mind the Fredo character flaw, as he never got into any kinda of detail about the actual sex. That would have been bad.

Seems that everything you like about the book are the main arguenig points of why everyone hated it. So far you are the only person on earth to say the book kept you reading.As for Michael's "character flaws", anyone who has seen the movies would know that even fredo was not as stupid as Winegardener wants you to believe Michael is.

I'm sure if Winegardner where here right now he would say that the writting of the book was "Only business and not personal." I think he was only in it for the money as so far the story is really unbelievable. I mean Micheal in a picnic lunch? Fredo is a Bisexual? Kay a nympho? Also does it bother anyone else that as soon as the story gets interesting he changed characters and you had to start all over again with a different story until that one got interesting and then he changed the story again. The worst insult of all is having a story of Micheal verses Tony Soprano ... er I mean Geraci. I mean c'mon we know Micheal could kick Tony Soprano's ass so why base your villian basically on him? I thought Puzo had notes for the movie Godfather Part 4 so why couldn't they have taken those notes and come up with a better story from them? By the way speaking as a Canadian I hate it when Americans say that Canadians have an accent and pronounce words like "about" or "out" like "aboot" or "oot". Canadians don't do that and it really annoys me that Winegardner couldn't do a little research and realize that's not how Canadians talk. I say let me in Random House and have me come up with a better sequel that the fans would find more acceptable. One of the reasons I like Puzo's writting was that he wrote the way I think and talk.

-Pippi

You're taking this very personal. Tom, this is business and this man is taking it very very
personal.

Sonny Corleone