As The Wings Of Perfect Flame Glow Out Of Passion.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Godfather Book Review.

Don Vito: I will make you an offer you can't refuse. 500,000 Pesos. Deal or no deal? Allan: Deal, deal! Lols...




Done reading Godfather. (Thanks Cloz for lending me that one) Well, all I can say is I should have read that earlier when I got the chance. The book is so superbly done, the first time I read a book that has done a writing stlye like Puzo's. I've read a lot of books and this is the first time I read something that relates the story from different timelines, different perspectives and molds it together in one grand literature salad.

I thought that style is only from the movies. Anyways, the story is great. No wonder the movie is number one on the movie database and has spawned a couple of movies and a game. Like LOTR, some writer wanted to ride the coattails of the book and wrote books to "commemorate" the original.

Ok, this is the book's story from what I understood:

The Don, Vito Corleone and his family has a reputation as a big-ass Olive oil tycoon. That was their front, on the inside, they have another business. They take favors from friends, and carry out that favors in the name of "respect." Through this respect, the family has built up their reputation as one of New York's Big Families, or something.

The Corleone empire, like other "familes" has a Consilerge or whatever, I don't know the spelling, but it is like a vice captain or something, of the empire. They also have two Caporigemes or commanders of their military arm. Under the Caporigemes, are regimes consiting of soldiers who do everything to stay on top of business. They control Casinos, Piers, and other illegal businesses. So you get the picture? One family who is filthy rich and is on top of other Mafioso in N.Y.

Ok, so Don Vito is getting older and he needs to pass his empire to his sons. In Italy, it was typical to have a large family, but Vito has only four children, three of which are boys. Though it is possible to pass the business to the Caporigeme, or the Consilergeeesdse or something, the Don feels it's better to pass it to one of his sons. He has been keeping an eye on his sons if one of them would be appropriate for the title of the next Don. The eldest, Santino or Sonny, is the strongest, fiercest of all the sons. Though he has the muscles, he is lacking on the brain department. So the Don is thinking of shunning Sonny's chance of getting the empire. His second son is Michael, he finished school, and was a medal winner from the wars (which the Don didn't like because he offered life in honor of a foreign country - America). He also shunned his chance because Michael has no interest whatsoever on getting the company. His third son is Freddie, which is somewhat soft, no balls, or as the books says - "hasn't made his bones yet". The Don will wait for some time for some changes. If no changes are visible, he might give the empire to other better choices.

So, business is not easy. Since the family is on the top of the game, other familes comes after them. This might be for a hostile reason or for business. Sollozo, or something, comes to the Don to ask for aid in Sollozo's drug business. Now, the don is a righteous person so he has no business in Prostitution or Drugs. (Only for Gambling and other dark businesses - righteous right?) The Don refused, and this started a little understanding. Sollozo has seen a weekpoint on Sonny (who voiced out his desire for the drug business), and to keep the drug business reachable, planned to kill the Don and negotiate with Sonny.

The Don was shot but was still alive. Though weakened and cannot participate on the business anymore.

Now this is where the roller coaster ride of Mafias start. This is just the start and the twists and turns is so mind boggling, it's crazy. I know I am 30 years behind, but still, the book is great. I can't wait to watch the films. >:)


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