Like any guy, I'm a big Godfather fan. I've never read any of Puzo's books, though, so I was really interested when I heard that Falco was writing a prequel based on a screenplay Puzo had written.

I found the book to be lacking, however - it's not the author's fault, really. It's just strange to follow the Corleones in text. It took some getting used to -imagine the scene in Godfather 2 when Michael sits alone in the boathouse, silently brooding on the order he gave regarding his brother Fredo. There's no dialogue, no sounds - just the music feeding the atmosphere. It's hypnotic and powerful. Now imagine that the scene was narrated:

"Michael sullenly considered what he had done. Was killing his brother justifiable? Could there be another alternative that he hadn't thought of?"

Not great.

The story has its moments. It revolves around how Sonny learns about his father's business and how he enters the Don's employ, and also introduces us to a young, monstrous Luca Brasi, who terrorizes the ruling families. All the main characters are there, including Clemenza and Tessio, and even Frankie Pentangeli. But the final effect of the book doesn't leave the same taste in your mouth as the films do. Maybe it's unfair to compare them, but it's unavoidable.