I had read this before many years ago, and I remembered liking it. When I had a chance to pick up a used copy very cheap, I figured it would be a good time to reread it. The book is pretty good, but it is not The Godfather. Then again, for Puzo, Don Corleone's tale is his opus. After that, pretty much anything would seem a bit less. The tale of the Sicilian is pretty good. The only problem I had with the book, and the reason I did not rate it higher, is because at times some of the descriptive passages seem a bit too long. I think that slows the pacing of the tale a bit. Having said that, fans of Puzo's work will likely enjoy this tale full of conspiracies and betrayals along with a heroic figure. Reading about Sicily and its people can be interesting, but as I said, Puzo overdoes it with some of the descriptions at times. If you have read Puzo before, you will probably enjoy this book. If not, go pick up The Godfather first, then read this one. Also, for fans of Puzo's other novel, this one features appearances by Michael Corleone, revealing a bit more about his time of exile in Sicily. Worth reading just for the great lesson Michael learns along the way.
