should i?

If you don't mind reading then I would say yes read it! Why not? It, hopefully, won't ruin your Godfather movie experience - I read the novel after seeing the movies and I don't regret it - I actually like what FFC did with the film in regard to the original novel.

The novel is useful in providing a lot of background information to all of the major characters and the minor ones that you don't find in GI....

Yes. You will find many rich details that the movie omits. The background of the Bocchicchio family and how they were responsible for Michael's return from Sicily, and Neri's background, alone are worth it.

don vercetti, i had seen the GF trilogy twice before receiving it for xmas. i started reading it last nite and i already love it. its helping me understand the film a lot better. id recommend it to any Gf fan. i love the background provided on hagen; his character has way more depth than in the movie.

mick

I just started reading the book today and I am flying through it! It answers many little questions, provides subtle nuances that really enhance the movie. I can't help seeing in my mind as I read, the faces of the people in the films. It seems to follow very closely with the movie so far but with all the great extra stuff. I am surprised at the writing style though. It seems very, how shall I say this with out sounding insulting, sophmoric..

i agree with u gumar! and i wish i had read it BEFORE watching the film coz i hate having the visuals of faces forced onto me. i like making my own.

also, do u think u'd find it diffcult to follow if u hadnt seen the film? i think i would; not so mush the story as the amount of characters in it!

mick

Yes! I finally am understanding the alliances and the thougths that went unsaid, basically all the things that books are great for (interior thoughts, state of mind). I think I would have had a hard time grasping the intensity with which the story unfolds, I may have even lost interest. In the book Puzo lays things out in a matter of fact kind of way. This happens, then that happens... No real tension like in the movies.
I like the book a lot, but it certainly made sense to me when I read some interview questions with Puzo about the fact that he never really was that into the GF story and wrote it to turn a buck. He never felt that it was that well written himself, he was surprised that it was such a hit because he himself regarded his first two books as his best work.
The driving force for me is in the details! I love small details, subtle phrases that cast light on characters and their mind set. I have to say that if you felt that anything was missing from the movies, read the book! As soon as I'm done with the book I will rewatch the GF1 and GF2 and see it with a new appreciation for it's lush style and true storytelling entertainment. Puzo doesn't glorify the life at all it seems but the movies sure do and that's one thing I enjoy about the films!

I have to get the book!
Does any1 know how much it costs (i am from England)??

The mass market paperback (the short stubby "pocket book" type) is $7.99 in the States and they also have a Trade paper back (taller size, better paper, nicer looking) is around $12.00 here.
I got the mass market paperback, easy to carry everywhere! I'm so glad to be reading it, go get it for yourself now!

Go to Amazon.co.uk at the moment they have a sale on and you can get the book in all its different publishers. Also you can get some great deals if you buy say the godfather and the sicilian in a bundle deal.

I'd absolutely read the book. It's tremendous.

Well, I read the book now for the first time in Dutch (I have read it twice in English) but when you read it you get a lot of background info. And it starts right away in the book. Think about that Vito worked by a railroad thingie (don't know how to say that ) with the Father of Anthony Coppola who later comes to Vito to borrow some money. And this is just after ten pages! Imagine the book is about 438!!!

definetly buy it.

If you can, sure.