Well, the book is supposed to be based on a screenplay by Puzo. I am not sure whether the Tom's father thing was in it or not we may never know. In the original novel it is definitely another murder that Sonny observes.

I read the book a couple of more times after the first skimming and I think I appreciate the end a bit more.(although I almost screamed from the forced symbolism of the oranges which, poor things got to the set of the movie to bring some color into the darkness). One more thing that I sort of did not like was Carmela. I think both Puzo and Coppola drew strong women in very different ways. But in this novel her character was reduced to telling people periodically to pray and to cooking. Her religiosity had a different(and actual) role in the original novel.

Oh well, do no get discouraged from reading it though. As you can see I read it in a couple of times in the two weeks it was with me... It was definitely entertaining even if I do not accept some things in the back stories.