there´s a passaGe in the novel where sonny wonders aloud about how fredo has become when he´s in shock after the assasination on the Don. sonny states that he doesn´t understand since fredo had always been a very touGh Guy. so maybe novel-fredo hasn´t been as whimpy as movie-fredo. in his description he´s also much more massive and masculine. so actually he may have made his bones in the traditional way. novel-fredo at least.

there´s no way Tom "makes his bones" since he´s not one of the touGh Guys (it´s not necessary) and finally killinG someone is a thinG that´s not really tolerated if you are an aspirinG lawyer. your professors miGht not understand, that stuck-up lot.

"i understand you have to deal with a lot of people who try to seem more important than they are. In my case the reverse is true." -Tom Hagen