I never really thought Puzo was a great writer anyways, and the original book didn't wow me as something comparable to a Hemingway or a Dickens by any means.

So, if we're using that standard, Winegardner did a good job of trying to write like Puzo. Whether that's a compliment or not is arguable. However, The Godfather Returns is a mediocre book at best, especially since some of the ideas (most notably Fredo being gay) pretty much relegate the hardcover edition to being a dusty doorstop rather than a place on the bookshelf.