Well, I don't think Winegardner sucks as a writer, in fact I don't hate either book as much as a lot of people here apparently do, and yes Nick Gerace does come to command your attention to some extent, but I do think that both books ultimately fail because they neglect the major characters in the saga.

Plus, although Tom Hagen is a fairly major character in "Revenge," the story completely misses the boat in exploring potential conflicts or rifts in the loyalty between Hagen and Michael Corleone -- which was quite clearly the primary theme being set up for Part III by subtle plot points written into the later scenes of Part II.

Had Puzo and FFC been able, or willing, to make GF III in the late 1970s or early 1980s, as originally intended, OR had they been able to re-sign Duvall for the cast when they finally DID make it, the growing tension and possible conflict between Hagen and Michael Corleone would almost certainly have been one of the central plotlines.

In fact, in my opinion, most of the character of Don Altobello (longtime trusted family friend of the Corleones, almost a part of the family himself, former close confidante of Vito, with many other contacts in the world of organized crime, who ends up shockingly betraying Michael) was probably adapted off of ideas they were going to use with Tom Hagen, had Duvall been signed for the film.