The Family Corleone

I felt like I was reading the Godfather again. This book takes you back to the origins of Corleone family. This book has details on characters like Luca Braci, that the other books didn't get much into it.

I read the "The Godfather" when it was first published and many times after that. I've seen the first two movies in the series more times than I can count and this "prequel" doesn't completely ring true. Case in point...near the end of the book there's a reference to Virgil Sollozzo, who in the book/movie first meets the Corleones when he wants their support for a drug deal, not in the 1930's as in this book. There were other references that seem to have been taken from the mannerisms of the actors in the movies, especially those of Luca Brazzi. I liked the book but it wasn't what I had hoped for. Read it if you like the original, but don't expect the complex plot of that book.

Pretty good prequal. Liked the way characters wereadded but still tied in to the original. Main thing that bothered me was Vito calling Santino "Sonny". I believe the point was made in the original that the Godfather never referred to his eldest son as anything but Santino.

I found this book to be very formulaic. The author took the characters as portrayed in the Godfather movies and to the point of caricature portrays their younger selves using characteristics seen in the films. For example, since Clemenza buys cannolis and cooks pasta in the movies, this book has him constantly doing things with food. Similarly Sonny a d women, Michael and books etc. it was to the Godfather what Muppet babies is to muppets.

took a chance when purchasing a "prequel". Found it hard to put down, all the old familiar characters, and personality traits. If you like Sonny, you'll love this book. Having read the original back in 1969 it was like a flash back to the world of the Corleone family. Plus, being Italian I loved the usage of all the Italian phases that I haven't heard since living in Brooklyn. What can I say, it's in my genes!

I have read all the Godfather books, the "Godfather" by Puzo, the "Godfather returns" and "the Godfather's revenge" by weingarten, and now "the family corleone" by Ed falco. Nothing is going to be as good as the original, but I didn't think that the 2 other authors needed to try and invent the wheel.
Weingarten wants to expand on know characters, and fredo is gay. A man named garci is stronger than all of Michael's soldiers, and smarter than michael all together always staying 1 step ahead of him.
"The family Corleone", has what will become the head of the strongest mafia family in new york, marching in a parade. Maybe because I'm from n.y. do I find this so freakishly stupid. The author must have never heard of old time mobsters like a Carlo Gambino, who look like a nice old man who lives next door. No, this author writes about men, who at this time in the history of the mafia, considered themselves "men of honor" and would never have been caught dead in a parade. Granted, Falco takes on a daunted task, because to do a prequel to Puzo's book, you would have to write a 10,000 page tomb to get all the characters developed properly.
As for both authors, they did not need to try too hard, but no one wants to be 2nd string, and although I feel weingarten's efforts were better than Falco's, both authors should have stayed more along Puzo's story lines, or just write their own mob fiction books.
I couldn't put any of them down because I wanted to see what, and how bad they screwed the next part of Puzo's efforts up.

A future TV series is being filmed which is based on the book "Omerta" by Mario Puzo.
(The Hollywood Reporter 4-28-16). Older adults will remember his earlier novel,
"The Godfather", whose film had Marlon Brando playing Vito Corleone (the Don) and
winning an Oscar for it. The TV angle motivated me to research the Puzo novels and I
learned that "The Last Don", is a true sequel but "Omerta", "The Sicilian" and
"The Fortunate Pilgrim"are not related other than sharing settings and plot elements.
I think they all deserve 4 to 5 stars.

"The Family Corleone", by Ed Falco, is represented as a prequel to "The Godfather".
Arguably, Puzo's "The Fortunate Pilgrim" comes close to prequel status because it
describes a young Sicilian family as they emigrate to the US and struggle with
Mafia and tenement life. "The Family Corleone" is set at least 10 years later and uses
the same characters. Vito Corleone is middle aged. He is now the Don, but few
know it because he presents himself as the owner of an olive oil business. He wants to
move his children away from Mafia-land but his oldest son has turned into a rum-runner.
So, which book has more qualities that are closer to those expected in a prequel to
"The Godfather"? Surprise ! I would choose Falco over Puzo. You must read the
book to see how amazing Falco's talent is in re-creating the Godfather mistique.

The entire Corleone Family is here: Don Vito, his children Sonny, Michael, Fredo, Connie and adopted son, Tom Hagen. We also have the fearful Luca Brasi, Clemenza, Barzini, and a host of other "businessmen" who are trying to muscle in on the Don's turf, lurking in the shadows.
I'm giving up on this one after about 100 pages because it reads like a screenplay. Well, it should because the movie which I saw recently is so much like the book that there are no surprises. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt at 3 stars. If you haven't seen the movie, it should be a good read.

This prequel connects well the dots prior to the first godfather movie, explaining well the earlier days of the family with sonny starting on the business and luca brassi joining the corleones. Overall very good read and keeps the same Puzo style and feel.

Very disappointing. The characters as written in this book are very, very different (and definitely not better) than in The Godfather. I realize Mario Puzo wrote a masterpiece, but come on. There are just way too many what I consider errors. Vito never referred to his son as "Sonny"...it was always "Santino". In The Godfather, Sonny joins the family business because "I saw you kill Fanucci". In this book, it is because Sonny saw Vito (actually Clemenza and Tessio) kill Tom Hagen's father. The few paragraphs about Michael and Fredo add nothing. There is a lot written about Luca Brasi, but again, it adds nothing. We already knew about the Irish girlfriend and the baby he has killed, as well as the way he killed the guys Capone sent to kill Vito, and this book adds nothing as to how he became a legendary scary guy. The parts with Sandra are pointless and boring. The author spent too much time on Sonny's relationship with this Eileen...who cares? I would have liked more references to characters we knew...for instance, Hyman Roth. I expected much better.

This book was intriguing to me. It filled in the gaps of the previous books and films on the Corleone family. The authors did a great job in presenting the formulation of the character of Sonny especially in his teenage years and his relationships with close friends and of course his family. We also had a close look at characters like Clemenza. It tells of exactly how the Corleones became the powerful family that they did and the also powerful enemies they created. Excellent book.

Really good book. The author has done his research and given us a detailed and nuanced story. If you're a fan of Mario Puzo's work and are fascinated with the Corleone family and the Godfather saga, you won't be disappointed.

Aspet'! Mario Puzo must be rolling in his grave, and whoever authorized his estate to assign the writing of this "Godfather" prequel to Mr. Falco should be ashamed. "The Family Corleone" may have some semblance of a plot, but the writing is nowhere, no how, near the level of Puzo's. Falco takes liberties with what we (readers of "The Godfather" and the "I've seen all four films over a hundred times each, and I and 2, are the best!" fans) know, love, analyze, embrace. I wouldn't dare bring this text, and its deviation from the true story, to the attention of my husband who is still angry over Michael's not killing Kay when she admitted to having an abortion.... When and if I have time, or I can bribe one of my kids to do so, I am going to count the times Falco uses "______ said". I'm in agreement with the reviewer who finds the "Jaysus" and "Madonn'" references way too many to count. Irish and Italians/Sicilians have much more variety in their use of profane language. (Right, Nonna?) So, albeit some plot interest, I must give Falco a few whacks with one of my wooden spoons.

"The Family Corleone" book on CD is an ABSOLUTE TREASURE!

It explains so many things that appear in the movies, specially the first one, about the family and the very early development of the plot!

It is a GREAT buy if you are planning a long automobile trip! We listened continually to it on a trip across 5 states, and enjoyed every second of it!

I'll read any book containing information on the Corleones, even knowing them to be disastrous like the ones by Winegardner. This book was an improvement in relation to those. It is highly entertaining and I would recommend it to people interested in The Godfather. Remember thought, that this is ultimately not Puzo.

In many ways Mario Puzo was a flawed writer - remember the repeated references to Sonny's "Cupid face" and his inexplicable gynecological tangent centering on Lucy Mancini? - but the The Godfather he created a memorable cast of unforgettable, richly drawn characters and a riveting narrative.

In The Family Corleone, Joe Falco succeeds in imitating the worst of Puzo's writing without any of the qualities that made The Godfather such a good read, if not great literature. The plot is contrived and not particularly interesting, the characters indifferently drawn. Why did he choose to ignore vivid scenes in the original book (such as the furnace con at the new Corleone family home) and offer a completely different narrative? Did he even read the original?

I wasn't expecting Faulkner here, just a good summer read and a diverting addition to the Corleone saga; what I got was poor writing, indifferent plotting and a mess of a story.

I read the Godfather when it was first published and enjoyed it. It sparked an interest in the Mafia. It was interesting to learn about this family in earlier years. (I know they don't really exist!) I was horrified with some of the brutality, but the plot certainly held my interest. I finished the book all too soon!

Anyone buying this book thinking it will fill in the gaps before Puzo's masterpiece will be sadly disappointed. This book is a hodgepodge of Irish and Italian gangster stereotypes strung together. When one wants to get into the story of the Corleone family, one is given pages of not particularly interesting tales about not particularly interesting mob types. Vito and his family get lost in pages of descriptions of mobsters that are not gripping and after awhile become totally confusing. There is none of Puzo's lyricism or romanticism in this tale. Likewise, the violence on the pages plays out like bad network television. I wanted so much more from this book, hoping it would embellish the Corleone saga. Sadly, it is nothing more than a very bad script for a mediocre summer movie.

The book was exactly as detailed by the used book seller so I have no complaints with HPB.

The novel itself isn't worthy to have the Corleone name on the cover or use any of the character's names. After reading the book I did a little research and it seems the Puzo estate sued Mr. Falco in order to prevent the book from being sold and made into a movie. Numerous character errors in the book when compared with Puzo's The Godfather. There were also historical errors when describing cars. Happy I didn't pay full price for the book.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. I was skeptical because it's always tricky when an author tinkers with such iconic characters. The Corleone Family is a prequel (sort of - since the time period is between 1933 and 1935, after the flashback of Vito as a child and before the post war period where the primary story takes place in the original Godfather).

Falco was apparently aided by a draft screenplay that Puzo was working on and it clearly helped him nail the tone perfectly. It was fascinating to see the pieces of the new story come together, fitting perfectly into the Godfather saga. Falco was clearly committed to make sure that his novel was consistent with the characters we all know so well and that this part of the story flowed seamlessly into the world Puzo created. In The Family Corleone we learn how Vito became the Godfather, how Luca became Vito's bodyguard, how Sonny got into the business and so on.

I liked that the novel wasn't afraid to make characters behave in ways that risked making them less likeable. Sonny, for example, has a very difficult task to perform near the end of the novel, a choice that is clearly `part of the life', but one that some authors wouldn't have him make for fear that it would make him unlikeable. Luca commits acts in this novel that are so horrific that it is hard to fathom an author being brave enough to portray such an ugly side to a character that previously had been well regarded for his slow-witted, but steadfast loyalty. There were actually moments when I was reading this novel that I thought incredulously `Falco's not really going to have Luca go through with this...he wouldn't....he couldn't....could he?...oooo...yeah, well, I guess he could...I guess he did.'

The Family Corleone is not as rich a novel as The Godfather. But frankly, I don't think that would be a realistic or fair expectation. What it is though, is a very good, fill-in-the-blanks story that exceeded my expectations. I love gangster tales and The Godfather is the pinnacle of awesomeness when it comes to the genre. These are not characters to be trifled with. Fortunately for us, Falco was loyal to Puzo's vision and has delivered a solid addition to the saga.

After reading this novel I was compelled to re-watch the Godfather Part I and II. Somebody needs make The Family Corleone into a movie and they need to do it soon.

Author Ed Falco provides a nicely-readable look at the Corleones circa 1930's. At this point the family is smaller and less powerful, but clearly worth noting as prohibition is about to end. Currently standing atop the mafia world is rival Giusseppe Mariposa and his capo's Barzini, Tattaglia and Pantangelli. At this point Luca Brasi is independent (but ruthlessly crazed), Tom Hagen a naive college freshman, and Fredo and Mike in grade and high school. But Santino (Sonny) is already leading an Irish-Italian mini-gang of hijackers (without his father's knowledge). Readers follow along as the story turns via ingredients of greed, sex, plotting, betrayal and revenge, all punctuated with cold-blooded violence as the various factions seek to expand.

These pages focus heavily on Sonny but it is his father who provides the vision and wisdom to judge what's behind each offer. I did get a bit confused by the many names and characters (many of them Irish). Still, this gripping read should prove quite popular with Godfather fans.

An incredible back story to the Puzo characters. An easy read with great pacing, lots of action and twists. I could picture it clearly in my head as if I were seeing it as a movie. Additionally, the story goes a lot into Luca Brasi, who is one of the scariest fictional mafia enforcers I have ever read about. His story is both truly terrifying and complex as hinted in the quote of my headline
The narration is some of the best I have ever heard. Cannavale executes Vito perfectly, and does well with the other characters' voices that brings the story to life.
This is a must listen to even the casual fan.

I was hesitant to accept the notion of another writer trying to carry on Mario Puzo's work and constantly found myself looking for weakness in Falco's writing, characterization, and flow. This soon proved fruitless, as Falco swept me into his storyline, filling in natural gaps and backstories that remained in Puzo and Coppola's brilliant portrayals of the Corleone family. A true student of the genre, and the Corleones in particular, Falco captures even the minutest of mannerisms and speech patterns that Godfather aficionados expect, even if only subconsciously. The reader is privy to a special variety of dramatic irony as we well know what lies ahead for the Don and his family, including Fredo, Tom, Sonny, Michael, and Connie. One can't help but to rearrange their Netflix queue in anticipation of allowing Falco's brilliant backstory to supplement the very savory main course involving the first two films, if not the third.

I recommend this book to anyone who considers either the Godfather or GodfatherII their favorite movies.

Chapters run into one another and names and stories are revealed at their source. Just why was Lucca so scary? Who was consigleri before Tom? How did Tom Hagen become 'brother' to Connie, Sonny and Mike? Those questions and more are all answered in 'The Family Corleone'. As a pre-quel of sorts, I actually think it is more enjoyable reading after seeing the movies of Godfathers I & II

The Family Corleone is a very readable but not essential Godfather book.

It tells the story of the rise of the Corleone crime family in the 1930s and serves as a prequel to the movies.
Based on a screenplay by Puzo it does feel like part of the same world but the writing is quite different to Puzo's. Not to say it is bad it just is trying to be closer to the films than to the original book.

I love the films and the book and so really wanted to read this. It is interesting to see the Corleone family operating in the 30s and great to see Sonny get caught up in the family business for the first time.

Sometimes the book nods to the films slightly too much. The dialogue between Michael and Fredo as children feels a little forced. Michael talking about wanting to be a politician and Fredo being irritating and jealous of Michael feels too obvious. As if the two boys had always had the same relationship. I would have found it more powerful if they got on well and so knowing how their relationship ends would have brought a real sense of tragedy.

There are also some odd inclusions in the novel. Some moments with Luca Brasi are something closer to a horror story rather than a mafia one.

My other problem is the character of Vito Corleone. He just doesn't have the presence he had in Puzo's book or indeed the presence brought to him by Brando and De Niro. We don't get a sense of how wise and powerful he is.

This said the book is really worth reading and has some great moments. Any fan of the films should read it, for it does fill in the gap between the prequel moments in Godfather part II and the first film.

Better than anything Puzo wrote, obviously besides the Godfather. This is a very fun book that details the rise of Sonny Corleone, Tom Hagen and Luca Brasi. The Godfather was one of, if not my favorite book ever written. This was a fantastic prequel to it. Highly recommended if you're a fan of the orginal. Puzo would be proud

When I learned several months ago that a prequel to The Godfather based on a screenplay by Mario Puzo, called The Family Corleone, was to be published I couldn't wait to read it. Now that I have, I was very impressed with Ed Falco's book and I hope he will be writing more books based on the Corleone Family.

The Family Corleone begins in 1933 in New York, a time when the city and the nation are in the depths of the Depression. The crime families of New York have prospered during this time, but with Prohibition nearing an end, a battle is looming that will determine which families will rise and which will face a violent end. For Vito Corleone, the head of one of the smaller crime families during this period, nothing is more important than his (real) family's future. His youngest children, Michael, Fredo and Connie, are in school; and his adopted son, Tom Hagen, is a college student, but Vito worries most about his oldest child, Sonny. While Vito pushes seventeen year old Sonny to be a businessman, Sonny wants to follow in his father's footsteps, and become a part of the real family business.

The plot is very good and provides a slow, yet steady level of suspense. Keep in mind, however, that if you've been a fan and student of The Godfather movies, you'll understand that there really aren't a lot of surprises that you'll encounter. For me, what really makes The Family Corleone a book well worth reading is the excellent job Falco does in providing the rich back stories of the many characters that have become "family" names over the years -- e.g., Vito, Carmella and Sonny Corleone; Luca Brasi (and wait to you see how much you'll learn about him!), Peter Clemenza, Genco Abbandando, Sal Tessio, Luigs (Hats) Battaglia, Giuseppe Mariposa, and The Barzini brothers (Emilio and Ettore) to name just a few. In addition, Falco has created several new, well-developed characters of his own, including several from the Irish Mob, that you'll enjoy getting to know.

The Family Corleone is a book I'd highly recommend to anyone who has been a fan of The Godfather book and movies. I'm pretty sure you'll feel rewarded from the reading experience Ed Falco provides and that you, like I, will be hoping that Falco will be writing more books like this one.

Not many authors create enduring icons, and fewer still live long enough to see it happen. Mario Puzo was one of the fortunate few, having seen his novel THE GODFATHER and the characters within work their way into the fabric of the American conscience. "I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse" has become either a hilarious punch line or a veiled threat, depending on the circumstance, and the term "Godfather" has had a special connotation for almost 40 years. Puzo's classic work, initially dismissed as a potboiler, has outlived its critics, in no small part due to the movie based on the book. Still, the novel has a charm all its own.
Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola's subsequent films left some gaps in the storyline. One of these unchronicled periods stretches roughly from the fall of 1933 to the summer of 1935, when Vito Corleone was beginning his assumption of power on the streets of New York. THE FAMILY CORLEONE, based on a film script written by Puzo before his death, tells that story. It builds upon what has gone before while also adding to the Corleone mythos.

This early snapshot of the Corleone family is fascinating to one who has followed their chronology from the beginning. Vito is amassing a fortune in the olive oil business, making grocers throughout New York offers they can't refuse and creating a monopoly as a result. He believes that his family is unaware of how he is making his living, and indeed, middle son Fredo and youngest son Michael, both still in grade school, are too involved in their brotherly squabbles to really notice what is going on around them. Daughter Connie is still a toddler.

It is Vito's oldest sons --- Tom, the adopted orphan, and Santino --- who cause him the most difficulty. Santino (Sonny) and a small group of compatriots have been brazenly hijacking liquor shipments from one of the other families and selling the spirits to the fearsome and unpredictable Luca Brasi. Tom is involved with Brasi's mistress, which is a certain death sentence for him should Brasi find out. In the meantime, the Irish gangs, pushed out of their once-lucrative areas of vice by the influx of the Italians, plot to regain their power in New York even as the Italians plot against each other.

As with previous installments of this epic tale, Vito Corleone's savvy intelligence and guile are on full display and in operation. Even as the first steps of empire building are in place, the initial cracks in the foundation are revealed as well. THE FAMILY CORLEONE further fleshes out stories and events that were related anecdotally to THE GODFATHER and the movie trilogy. The most chilling of these involves Brasi, who demonstrates that he operates on a plane far outside of civilized behavior. The passage will leave you gasping for breath when you reach it.

Ed Falco has done yeoman's work in THE FAMILY CORLEONE, meeting the American legend that is its subject matter head-on and creating a tale that demands to be read in one sitting. We already know how it turns out (at least most of it). But it's how Falco and Corleone get from beginning to end that makes this journey a riveting and twisting ride.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub on May 17, 2012

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. I also think that it's really worth a second read. Ed Falco does a brilliant job of writing with the same passion that the legendary Mario Puzo used to create the classic American literary masterpiece known as; The Godfather! This novel will bring you into the secret world of The American Mafia. The detailed writing on the great character: Luca Brasi,made for very interesting reading(He is the essence of what a hardcore gangster should be)! This novel packs the authentic feel of being on the dark,cold,tough gritty streets of NYC circa the 1930s. The story takes place during the end of prohibition,and Don Vito Corleone and his Mafia Family have prospered in their business dealings legitimate and otherwise,and now he is trying to secure a safe "respectable" life for himself and the future of his children, when outside forces interfere with his plans. All of the Corleone Family characters that Mario Puzo created are brought back to life with serious passion and authenticity. I also enjoyed reading about the love and romance,as well as the deep feelings of honor and respect for family and friends,that Puzo novels are known so well for. Ed Falco, also does a great job of creating and adding his own characters to this novel as well. I consider myself an aficionado and expert on the The Godfather saga (Both the novels and films) because not only are they my favorites,but because I have also studied the subjects with a deep personal passion. That all being said,this novel is an excellent addition to this series. The gangsterism in both the Sicilian,and Irish mobsters were mesmerizing. The action and violence was also exceptional. The only reason why I did not give this novel five stars is because there were some inaccuracies that were VERY bothersome. However,I really enjoyed the very helpful list of the cast of characters in the beginning of the book, and the glossary of:Italian exclamations,curses,words,and pharases at the end of the book. The fact that this novel is based on a screenplay by Mr.Puzo also gives it creditability. Albeit flawed in many places, unlike most reviewers,I thought that Mark Winegardner's novels(The Godfather Returns and The Godfather's Revenge) were also exceptional,but there is no comparison to Falco's work as to which is much better. I think that Ed Falco being of Italian descent and from NYC made a difference in writing this story(He is also very talented). This novel has the potential to be a great film,much better than what "The Godfather III" turned out to be. If you're a serious Mario Puzo fan, as well as The Godfather saga then you will not be disappointed with this great novel in your library. This is soon to be to be a classic in the gangster genre.

I enjoyed this book ,the characters are well defined and the plot about the rival family's and factions was interesting,if at times a little confusing.
But I was interested in being able to look at Sonny,Michael and Tom and others,and recognise them as the people we meet later. In The Godfather.
The violence was graphic ,but probably realistic for the era.

Although not written by Puzo, this book carries on the Godfather tradition as if it were. I very much enjoyed getting to know these characters and how they came to grow into the people we all know from the Godfather.

I was pleasantly surprised by this title. Ed Falco is an excellent writer. The flap of the book indicates that Sonny Corleone is the pivotal character. He's important - and he has some sad and powerful scenes, but I'd go with Falco's handling of low level crime boss Luca Brasi and the way Vito Corleone tries to win him over as the real highlight here. There aren't enough really good organized crime thrillers out there. There is one more now. Much of Puzo's original genius has been captured. Very good book.

I could find little resemblance to the Corleones in this book. Same names but different characters, different personalities. "The Family Corleone" is a slow-paced read, meandering along as if it doesn't quite know where it's headed. The characters are so flat and uninspired, the story so sluggish and un-Godfatherlike, that the whole endeavor becomes downright boring.

Falco obviously doesn't have Mario Puzo's talent for this genre. I'm at a loss as to why he decided to add his two-cents worth to an American classic that is totally complete as written and needs no prequel. Moreover, the cover of this book is deliberately misleading. It was designed to make the reader think it was either written by Puzo or done in collaboration with Puzo. This strikes me as an underhanded attempt to capitalize on Puzo's reputation in order to sell an inferior product.

As a huge fan of the original Godfather book, Godfather movies, The Last Don book and movies (but not the first Winegardner sequel and I did not even both with his second), I was captivated with this prequel. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next and when I finished, I wished the book was a lot longer. It was the characters in the original that made it so wonderful, and the same characters are handled nicely here.

Slight spoiler alert coming up:
However, I was not happy with how the Sonny vs Cork situation was resolved. If Vito was really that upset about an innocent being killed at the parade massacre, wouldn't Vito have handled the Cork situation differently? While of course these are mobsters who kill as part of their lifestyle, the original (and for most of this version) gave Vito "morals" which could have been extended here. It would have been a more enjoyable ending if Clemenza or Cork hot somehow gotten word to Vito and allowed him to wisely deal with this as he does with all other situations.