Road to Perdition

Road to Perdition

by Max Allan Collins

The basis for the major motion picture, Road to Perdition is an enthralling crime noir story of revenge, morality and family loyalty. Michael O'Sullivan is a deeply religious family man who works as an Irish mob family's chief enforcer. But after his elder son witnesses one of his father's hits, the godfather orders the death of O'Sullivan's entire family. Barely surviving an encounter that takes his wife and younger son, O'Sullivan and his remaining child embark on a dark and violent mission of retribution against his former boss. Featuring accurate portrayals of Al Capone, Frank Nitti and Eliot Ness, this book offers a poignant look at the relationship between a morally-conflicted father and his adolescent son who both fears and worships him.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Drama, Graphic Novels

216 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 1, 2002

About the author

Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.

He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.

Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black

Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ

Reviews

[Brady Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

1930s punisher.

[Manish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was adapted into a Tom Hanks starrer and it’s not hard to understand why. A father in tow with his young son sets about avenging the cold blooded murder of his wife and kid orchestrated by his mobster boss. The setting is Chicago of the early 30s with a lot of ‘gangsta-lingo’ and guns. The panels didn’t interest me much. However, two things caught my attention. One, that this was loosely based on a true story. Second, that the underlying inspiration was the acclaimed manga series - Kazuo Koike’s “Lone Wolf and Cub”. So following this, I have already got my hands on the first of the 12 volume omnibus series. Let’s see where it leads to.

[Armin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bücher zum Film sind zumeist mehr oder minder inspirierte Nacherzählungen, was aber nicht weiter tragisch ist, wenn man den Film nicht kennt. Mein Versuch den Film im Kino zu sehen, fiel seinerzeit einem Schneechaos zum Opfer. Ein zweiter Anlauf im Fernsehen endete in der ersten Werbepause und der Einsicht, dass Tom Hanks immer noch ein Grund zum Ausschalten ist.
Aber die Story klang ganz interessant und das Buch vom Autor der Vorlage, einer Graphic Novel stammte, konnte eigentlich nicht viel schief gehen, so die Vorüberlegung.
Leider tun sich Graphic Novel Autoren mit der inneren Handlung und der Motivation zumeist ziemlich schwer, Max Allen Collins ergeht es da nicht besser als seinem God-Save-America-Kollegen. Wenn nicht gar schlimmer, da er im rührseligen Gewerbe tätig ist. Die noch größere Enttäuschung ist die kaum vorhandene Visualiltät der Szenen, die mangelnde dramatische Verdichtung, der Focus auf charakteristische Momente fehlt ebenfalls.
In diesem Punkt setzt die Bar-Schießerei von Elmore Leonards The Hot Kid immer noch Maßstäbe, auch wenn der Altmeister später in seine übliche Superblöder-und-extrabrutaler-Bösewicht-zieht-eine-ganz-gewaltige-Blutspur-hinter-sich-her-Masche verfällt, um in den lahmsten Showdown aller Zeiten zu münden.
Eine derartige Fallhöhe gibt es bei Max Allen Collins nicht, auch keinen Ansatzpunkt, um sich für die Helden zu begeistern, dazu sind die Charaktere viel zu rigide. Der einzige Lichtblick sind die Kapitel mit dem künstlerischen Killer Harlan Maguire, in dieser Figur liegt viel verschenktes Potenzial, aber für eine überzeugende Gestaltung dieses Virtuosen des Todes hätte es sogar mehr als einen Elmore Leonard in Topform gebraucht, denn der Altmeister bevorzugt ja eher beschränkte Gemüter.
Dieses Buch beschränkt sich jedenfalls auf das Unwesentliche in Sachen Nacherzählung, zum Abschluss noch meine Lieblingsstilblüte: „Peter Sullivan stürzte in die leblosen Arme seiner Mutter, bevor das Blut der beiden auf dem Kachelboden zusammen floss.“

[HeavyReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd read the graphic novel this book is based on years ago, and I liked it. I also saw the movie whose screenplay this book is more closely based on and enjoyed it too. So when I saw this book on the 3 for $1 shelf at a thrift store, I added it to my stack. Of this book, the movie, and the graphic novel, I liked this book the least.

I guess blocking out action for someone else to draw and writing dialogue for conversation bubbles is different from writing a novel. I'm not saying one is easier, just that they're different. I think Max Allan Collins did the graphic novel better.

The writing here is just not very good. Words that come to mind to describe it are "awkward" and "stilted." There's not much of a flow.

I found the shift from first-person narrative at the beginning of each chapter to third-person narrative for the bulk of each chapter jarring. Why not just pick a narrator and stick with it? Were the first-person bits voice over narration from the film?

At the end of the book, in the author's note (titled "A Tip of the Fedora"), Collins writes he "feared the original illustrated book would not reach readers who do not regularly partake of the comics medium..." Ostensibly he wrote this novelization of the screenplay in order to reach (and presumably make money from) readers who are not likely to pick up the original graphic novel version of this story. I can only hope that after reading this novelization, readers will seek out the graphic novel version, because it is infinitely better.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reason for reading The Road to Perdition is because it is one of my all-time favorite movies. The original "Road" is actually a graphic novel which I haven't read yet (but I will!) The "New, Expanded Novel" was written after the movie. I am usually a book first, movie second but....

Road to Perdition is the story of Michael O'Sullivan, Angel of Death, soldier for the faction of John Looney and his mob family. This takes place during the time of Al Capone, who is mentioned in the book. Michael has two sons. John has one son - crazy Conner - and due to circumstances beyond their control the two families end up in a do or die battle to save their sons. The book is gritty; so is the movie (rated R for violence) but the father - son aspect of the movie/book is superb. As good as the book was, the movie (for me) was better. A real direction in good vs. evil is eloquent and beautifully shown in the movie which wasn't quite possible in the book. The dark and light aspects mirrored good and evil. The director of the movie, Sam Mendes, was brilliant in this area. The book follows the movie and screenplay exactly except for a few insights that don't show up in the movie and the ending was a little more detailed but books can follow the screenplay when done in reverse. As much as I enjoyed reading one of my favorite movies, I think this is one time that I liked the movie better than the book. Unusual for me. If you haven't seen the movie, read the book first so you'll get the gist of what I'm saying. I think the movie grabbed the Oscar for 2002. Tom Hanks was great and you will love the kid who plays Michael Jr.

Historically there was a real John Looney along with the other characters. Although his "business" was slightly before Al Capone, there were associated. Please read the author's notes to find out how much of the story was true but not before you read the story!

As much as I loved the movie, the novel's ending was more to my liking; it was more complete and took Michael Jr in adulthood albeit a short paragraph - an explanation of where he went in life. All in all, both good representations of each genre.

[Derrick Raju · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a "gangster/revenge" book I thought it was pretty good. It was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it. I haven't seen the movie yet and now I will. Max Allan Collins wrote the graphic novel the film is based on and then he wrote the novelization of the screenplay and I thought that was interesting.

[Diane Yackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book created from a screenplay by the author of the novel the screenplay is based on. I think I would have preferred the original novel but this one is great. Good read.

[Brian Kolda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this. Haven't seen the movie yet, so now I do.

[Nader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good novel but it is written as a film script.

[Tolkien InMySleep · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a novella than a novel; more of a snack than a meal

[Dolores SWISHER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[CatLady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it.

[Nathaniel Houser · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent gritty graphic novel about a son and a father on the road of revenge against the mob. Very good read.

[Riley U · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it! Interesting to compare it to the movie. Easy
read, but an impactful story.

[TK421 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite storytelling made better by the author of the novelization being the same as the source material.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

the reason I read this book is because of the author. Some readers seem to have a problem with his style, I like his books for what they are, fast moving and full of action...

[Topcliffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel based on a screenplay of a movie based on a graphic novel...it would seem like something to pass on at first glance but it somehow managed to stay interesting after all those changes.
I remember not really liking the movie but that was probably because I just don't like Tom Hanks and Jude Law (nothing personal) so I thought I'd give the book a go.
So, Is it worth reading? Well, I guess I'd have to say "yes". It's simply a good story, with a main character who really is a bad guy but the situation making him a victim (who quikly gets his s**t together).

[Scott Breslove · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was a book based on a movie that was based on a graphic novel, and both the graphic novel and book were penned by the same author. And you could tell. The book was a very simple, easily read, "beach read". There was nothing complex about the style or anything, but the book was good. A simple gangster story of revenge. If you're into that, and don't want anything too challenging, this is definitely the book for you!

[Lyndsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hubby and I are on a Tom Hanks kick right now, but I have never read a single book that his movies were based upon. Challenge accepted! On this one, wish I'd just stuck to the movie. Hanks brought a level of entertainment and heart to this work that the author did not. Quite a lackluster and cliche read.

[EJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the writing seemed a bit simplistic at times; things that I got through context clues were then clearly spelled out for me as though I wasn't smart enough to pick up on them the first time.

[Ben Handshue · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is good, but it is written like a script than a novel.