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Omerta
Omertà, the Sicilian code of silence, has been the cornerstone of the Mafia's sense of honour for centuries. Born in the Sicilian hills, omertà carried the Mafia through a century of change, but now at the century's end it is becoming a relic from a bygone age. Honour may be silent - but money talks.New York - a mob boss is assassinated and no one will talk. His nephew and the head of the city's FBI both launch investigations into the murder. But silence spreads like a contagion: the silence of rival gangs, the silence of crooked bankers; even the silence of the courts. However, the world of the Mafia is one without integrity, and riven with greed. And when money starts to talk..
410 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
784 people are currently reading
8629 people want to read
About the author
Mario Puzo
142 books4,844 followersPuzo was born in a poor family of Neapolitan immigrants living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York. Many of his books draw heavily on this heritage. After graduating from the City College of New York, he joined the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. Due to his poor eyesight, the military did not let him undertake combat duties but made him a public relations officer stationed in Germany. In 1950, his first short story, The Last Christmas, was published in American Vanguard. After the war, he wrote his first book, The Dark Arena, which was published in 1955.
At periods in the 1950s and early 1960s, Puzo worked as a writer/editor for publisher Martin Goodman's Magazine Management Company. Puzo, along with other writers like Bruce Jay Friedman, worked for the company line of men's magazines, pulp titles like Male, True Action, and Swank. Under the pseudonym Mario Cleri, Puzo wrote World War II adventure features for True Action.
Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. He later said in an interview with Larry King that his principal motivation was to make money. He had already, after all, written two books that had received great reviews, yet had not amounted to much. As a government clerk with five children, he was looking to write something that would appeal to the masses. With a number one bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List, Mario Puzo had found his target audience. The book was later developed into the film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including an Oscar for Puzo for Best Adapted Screenplay. Coppola and Puzo collaborated then to work on sequels to the original film, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.
Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II. He also collaborated on the stories for the 1982 film A Time to Die and the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club.
Puzo never saw the publication of his penultimate book, Omertà, but the manuscript was finished before his death, as was the manuscript for The Family. However, in a review originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that Omertà may have been completed by "some talentless hack." Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to "rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo] wrote it and it is terrible."
Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. His family now lives in East Islip, New York.
At periods in the 1950s and early 1960s, Puzo worked as a writer/editor for publisher Martin Goodman's Magazine Management Company. Puzo, along with other writers like Bruce Jay Friedman, worked for the company line of men's magazines, pulp titles like Male, True Action, and Swank. Under the pseudonym Mario Cleri, Puzo wrote World War II adventure features for True Action.
Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, was first published in 1969 after he had heard anecdotes about Mafia organizations during his time in pulp journalism. He later said in an interview with Larry King that his principal motivation was to make money. He had already, after all, written two books that had received great reviews, yet had not amounted to much. As a government clerk with five children, he was looking to write something that would appeal to the masses. With a number one bestseller for months on the New York Times Best Seller List, Mario Puzo had found his target audience. The book was later developed into the film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including an Oscar for Puzo for Best Adapted Screenplay. Coppola and Puzo collaborated then to work on sequels to the original film, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.
Puzo wrote the first draft of the script for the 1974 disaster film Earthquake, which he was unable to continue working on due to his commitment to The Godfather Part II. Puzo also co-wrote Richard Donner's Superman and the original draft for Superman II. He also collaborated on the stories for the 1982 film A Time to Die and the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club.
Puzo never saw the publication of his penultimate book, Omertà, but the manuscript was finished before his death, as was the manuscript for The Family. However, in a review originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that Omertà may have been completed by "some talentless hack." Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to "rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo] wrote it and it is terrible."
Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999 at his home in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. His family now lives in East Islip, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 758 reviews
March 15, 2023
Pow! Pow!
A massive banking empire built from scratch, three respectable children raised in a legitimate world. After a lifetime consolidating his great power, Don Raymonde Aprile, the last great American Don, decides to finally retire and leave control of his family to Astorre Viola, an adopted sicilian child raised from childhood to be his right hand and successor. But things never go as planned; Kurt Cilke, and implacable FBI agent specialized in turning people into informants, incessantly pressuring the children and Astorre to break the sacred oath of silence, the Omerta. In another front, some prominent mob figures resenting the old Don for leaving the Cosa Nostra and trying to use his banks to launder drug money. Not to mention, two infallible assassins making their way into the city, searching for their target.
This was mostly ok. Moderately engaging plot and pacing, not lovable characters but yes interesting, and an acceptable ending. I’m probably not the right audience for this type of book. I loved Puzo’s Godfather trilogy movies, and watched a shitload of mobster films too, not to mention games. Never been eager to read mobster books though, and probably would’ve never read this if I hadn’t found it in my parent’s bookcase. Solid 3 stars. Good, but not great. Still curious about reading the Godfather books someday. I do hear they are great. And if the movies are good, the books are bound to be awesome right?
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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1999] [369p] [Crime] [Not Recommendable]
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¡Bang! ¡Bang!
Un masivo imperio bancario construido desde la nada, tres respetables hijos criados en un mundo legítimo. Después de toda una vida consolidando su vasto poder, Don Raymonde Aprile, el último gran Don americano, decide finalmente retirarse y dejar el control de su familia en Astorre Viola, un niño siciliano adoptado y criado desde su niñez para ser su mano derecha y sucesor. Pero las cosas no resultan como fueron planeadas; Kurt Cilke, un implacable agente del FBI especializado en convertir gente en informantes, incesantemente presiona a los hijos y Astorre para quebrar el sagrado voto de silencio, la Omerta. En otro frente, algunas prominentes figuras de la mafia resintiendo al viejo don por retirarse de la Cosa Nostra y tratando de usar sus bancos para lavar dinero del narcotráfico. Sin mencionar, dos infalibles asesinos haciéndose un lugar en la ciudad buscando su objetivo.
Esto estuvo mayormente bien. Moderadamente atrapante trama y ritmo, personajes no queribles pero sí interesantes, un aceptable final. Probablemente no sea la audiencia correcta para este tipo de libro. Amé la trilogía de films de El Padrino de Puzo, y miré una tonelada de películas de mafiosos también, sin mencionar juegos. Sin embargo, nunca estuve interesado en libros de gangsters, y probablemente nunca hubiera leído esto si no lo hubiera encontrado en la biblioteca de mis viejos. Sólido 3 estrellas. Bueno pero no genial. Sigo curioso en leer los libros de El Padrino algún día, siempre escucho que son geniales. Y si las películas son buenas, los libros tienen que ser espectaculares, ¿no?
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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1999] [369p] [Crimen] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
A massive banking empire built from scratch, three respectable children raised in a legitimate world. After a lifetime consolidating his great power, Don Raymonde Aprile, the last great American Don, decides to finally retire and leave control of his family to Astorre Viola, an adopted sicilian child raised from childhood to be his right hand and successor. But things never go as planned; Kurt Cilke, and implacable FBI agent specialized in turning people into informants, incessantly pressuring the children and Astorre to break the sacred oath of silence, the Omerta. In another front, some prominent mob figures resenting the old Don for leaving the Cosa Nostra and trying to use his banks to launder drug money. Not to mention, two infallible assassins making their way into the city, searching for their target.
This was mostly ok. Moderately engaging plot and pacing, not lovable characters but yes interesting, and an acceptable ending. I’m probably not the right audience for this type of book. I loved Puzo’s Godfather trilogy movies, and watched a shitload of mobster films too, not to mention games. Never been eager to read mobster books though, and probably would’ve never read this if I hadn’t found it in my parent’s bookcase. Solid 3 stars. Good, but not great. Still curious about reading the Godfather books someday. I do hear they are great. And if the movies are good, the books are bound to be awesome right?
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1999] [369p] [Crime] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
¡Bang! ¡Bang!
Un masivo imperio bancario construido desde la nada, tres respetables hijos criados en un mundo legítimo. Después de toda una vida consolidando su vasto poder, Don Raymonde Aprile, el último gran Don americano, decide finalmente retirarse y dejar el control de su familia en Astorre Viola, un niño siciliano adoptado y criado desde su niñez para ser su mano derecha y sucesor. Pero las cosas no resultan como fueron planeadas; Kurt Cilke, un implacable agente del FBI especializado en convertir gente en informantes, incesantemente presiona a los hijos y Astorre para quebrar el sagrado voto de silencio, la Omerta. En otro frente, algunas prominentes figuras de la mafia resintiendo al viejo don por retirarse de la Cosa Nostra y tratando de usar sus bancos para lavar dinero del narcotráfico. Sin mencionar, dos infalibles asesinos haciéndose un lugar en la ciudad buscando su objetivo.
Esto estuvo mayormente bien. Moderadamente atrapante trama y ritmo, personajes no queribles pero sí interesantes, un aceptable final. Probablemente no sea la audiencia correcta para este tipo de libro. Amé la trilogía de films de El Padrino de Puzo, y miré una tonelada de películas de mafiosos también, sin mencionar juegos. Sin embargo, nunca estuve interesado en libros de gangsters, y probablemente nunca hubiera leído esto si no lo hubiera encontrado en la biblioteca de mis viejos. Sólido 3 estrellas. Bueno pero no genial. Sigo curioso en leer los libros de El Padrino algún día, siempre escucho que son geniales. Y si las películas son buenas, los libros tienen que ser espectaculares, ¿no?
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1999] [369p] [Crimen] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
December 7, 2025
An easy book does not require imagination, a cool story is perfect for relaxing in the summer while hiding in the shade of a tree 😎
August 13, 2009
I had originally classified this as "contemporary literature" among other things. Well, it's not literature. It is a fast moving story with a childish plot, cardboard characters and lots of bloodshed.
It follows the life story of Astorre Viola, a young man programmed to be a true Sicilian. There are sub-plots galore involving his step-father/uncle Don Raymonde Aprile and his three cousins as well as a gaggle of Sicilan and American Mafia Dons and soldiers, a couple bent cops, a conflicted FBI agent, a high level prostitute with a heart of gold (grin), a South American drug lord, a couple assassins-for-hire and their broker, etc.
This was the last book Puzo wrote before he died and, in my opinion, was not up to his previous efforts. This quote from Wikipedia says it better than I can, "Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that "Omertà" may have been completed by 'some talentless hack.' Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to 'rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo:] wrote it and it is terrible.'"
Maybe he was trying to emulate Hemingway with short sentences and a bare bones plot. I'm afraid it didn't work. As Hemingway would have put it in one of his six word stories, "Boy matures. Mentor murdered. Revenge accomplished."
I finished it only to be disappointed at the ending. I'm going to remember Puzo as the author of "The Godfather", not this disappointing effort.
It follows the life story of Astorre Viola, a young man programmed to be a true Sicilian. There are sub-plots galore involving his step-father/uncle Don Raymonde Aprile and his three cousins as well as a gaggle of Sicilan and American Mafia Dons and soldiers, a couple bent cops, a conflicted FBI agent, a high level prostitute with a heart of gold (grin), a South American drug lord, a couple assassins-for-hire and their broker, etc.
This was the last book Puzo wrote before he died and, in my opinion, was not up to his previous efforts. This quote from Wikipedia says it better than I can, "Jules Siegel, who had worked closely with Puzo at Magazine Management Company, speculated that "Omertà" may have been completed by 'some talentless hack.' Siegel also acknowledges the temptation to 'rationalize avoiding what is probably the correct analysis -- that [Puzo:] wrote it and it is terrible.'"
Maybe he was trying to emulate Hemingway with short sentences and a bare bones plot. I'm afraid it didn't work. As Hemingway would have put it in one of his six word stories, "Boy matures. Mentor murdered. Revenge accomplished."
I finished it only to be disappointed at the ending. I'm going to remember Puzo as the author of "The Godfather", not this disappointing effort.
February 18, 2024
The last Puzo novel, published just after his death. Perhaps because of this, it feels unfinished, after a great start and set up, the ending feels rushed and a little underwhelming. That said, it has plenty of Puzo's familiar themes and world - mafia, betrayal and double cross, violence and sex - and there is still plenty to enjoy in this quick read.
April 20, 2020
A simplified definition of the code of Omertà is: "Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward". Puzo crafts yet another Mafia epic spanning decades around Omertà. Un-put-down-able like the other books of his I have read, he seems to have been one of the key developers of the Mafia clichés and stereotypes prevalent in 21st century TV and film! 6 out of 12
July 29, 2017
I am pretty sure Puzo didn't write this one. I am always dubious of posthumous breaths found locked away in writers' drawers after their death. Cool cover though.
September 6, 2019
Review for The Last Don: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Edited@06/09/2019: I re-read this book again in Chinese and I'm glad to experience Mr. Puzo's magic again. I like how he described the crime business and the people in it, and the part about the MC going after the assassins who and the other people who tried to ruin his family. Plus the ending isn't as flat and boring as I'd remembered! That's good.
I think I can like the MC a bit more after this re-read.
Original Review:
Consider Omerta is the last book of Mario Puzo's Mafia trilogy after The Godfather and The Last Don, I must admit I'm a bit letdown by this book.
The story opens with a dying Don in Sicily giving his soon-to-be-orphan son away to his friend from America for adoption. Some 30 years later, the orphan had grown up to be a young man who ran a small business, his foster siblings also grew up knowing nothing about their father's business. Then forcing the adopted son and his siblings to band together to face off the unknown enemy who not only wants their fortune, but also their lives.
The first half of the book is great, I really like how the cops, the FBI, the hired killers, the gangsters are written and I also like the description of how they run their businesses. I also like how female characters (e.g. Nicole, Rosie, etc) are written in this story. Plus there actually is an interesting engaging plot development to keep this novel afloat for me.
The characters are likable and reliable in my opinion. Therefore when reading this book, I just had to remind myself almost all of these characters I was reading about have blood on their hands (even the MC) and most of them would have killed even more people in order to protect themselves and their money.
However, I don't think I really get how this omerta thing in the story (since I have never been a fan of the Mafia genre, so I don't know so much about the gangsters' customs), supposedly omerta is a vow of silence among the Sicilian Mafia, meaning that you don't talk to or associate with the authority (e.g. cops) and you don't reveal any of your Family's secret to the police.
Omerta is understandable when everyone lives in a small, closed-off community (like, back in the 1940s to 1960s): if you wanted acceptance and protection, you should keep secrets...but this book takes place mostly in the 1990s and how can anyone still manage it? Instead I see one of the crime bosses actually working with the police, whilst the police also chooses to play along, letting the small criminal stuff go in order to focus on the bigger crimes and......these kind of actions are actually more understandable to me (like one of the characters had commented: the government is too strong in this age, so direct confrontation is suicidal).
Secondly, I found the MC, despite his charm and capability, to be very boring because throughout the book he never suffered any defeat or drawback. I know, the MC's foster father (a powerful Don) had trained him up even since he was a teenager but......even when he was a child he still could make no mistake. That really is boring.
This is most likely the weakest of the trilogy, in the end it is more of a 3.8 stars read.
Favorite quotes:
Edited@06/09/2019: I re-read this book again in Chinese and I'm glad to experience Mr. Puzo's magic again. I like how he described the crime business and the people in it, and the part about the MC going after the assassins who and the other people who tried to ruin his family. Plus the ending isn't as flat and boring as I'd remembered! That's good.
I think I can like the MC a bit more after this re-read.
Original Review:
Consider Omerta is the last book of Mario Puzo's Mafia trilogy after The Godfather and The Last Don, I must admit I'm a bit letdown by this book.
The story opens with a dying Don in Sicily giving his soon-to-be-orphan son away to his friend from America for adoption. Some 30 years later, the orphan had grown up to be a young man who ran a small business, his foster siblings also grew up knowing nothing about their father's business. Then forcing the adopted son and his siblings to band together to face off the unknown enemy who not only wants their fortune, but also their lives.
The first half of the book is great, I really like how the cops, the FBI, the hired killers, the gangsters are written and I also like the description of how they run their businesses. I also like how female characters (e.g. Nicole, Rosie, etc) are written in this story. Plus there actually is an interesting engaging plot development to keep this novel afloat for me.
The characters are likable and reliable in my opinion. Therefore when reading this book, I just had to remind myself almost all of these characters I was reading about have blood on their hands (even the MC) and most of them would have killed even more people in order to protect themselves and their money.
However, I don't think I really get how this omerta thing in the story (since I have never been a fan of the Mafia genre, so I don't know so much about the gangsters' customs), supposedly omerta is a vow of silence among the Sicilian Mafia, meaning that you don't talk to or associate with the authority (e.g. cops) and you don't reveal any of your Family's secret to the police.
Omerta is understandable when everyone lives in a small, closed-off community (like, back in the 1940s to 1960s): if you wanted acceptance and protection, you should keep secrets...but this book takes place mostly in the 1990s and how can anyone still manage it? Instead I see one of the crime bosses actually working with the police, whilst the police also chooses to play along, letting the small criminal stuff go in order to focus on the bigger crimes and......these kind of actions are actually more understandable to me (like one of the characters had commented: the government is too strong in this age, so direct confrontation is suicidal).
Secondly, I found the MC, despite his charm and capability, to be very boring because throughout the book he never suffered any defeat or drawback. I know, the MC's foster father (a powerful Don) had trained him up even since he was a teenager but......even when he was a child he still could make no mistake. That really is boring.
This is most likely the weakest of the trilogy, in the end it is more of a 3.8 stars read.
Favorite quotes:
“Do not count on the gratitude of deeds done for people in the past, you must make them grateful for things you will do for them in the future.”
“I was young myself once, and believe me, in love the truth is of no importance.”
“We can't adjust what we believe just because it causes us pain.”
January 4, 2021
Mario Puzo este autorul binecunoscutei serii "Nasul", ce are in prim plan saga familei Corleone, continuata in "Ultimul Don" si "Omerta", cea din urma aparuta postum. De asemenea autorul a scris toate cele 3 scenarii alaturi de Francis Ford Coppola, regizorul celebrelor ecranizari.
Prezentul roman, intitulat dupa faimosul cod de onoare sicilian, ne vorbeste despre valorile si indatoririle unui 'Mafioso' adevarat, despre neiertare in fata tradarii, despre mecanismele si ierarhiile din cadrul unei "Cosca", ce este condusa de un Don si despre linia fina dintre viata si moarte.
Atunci cand marele Don mafiot Vicenzo Zeno moare, fiul sau este incredintat lui Raymonde Aprile din New York pentru a fi crescut si educat in spiritul tatalui sau si desigur pentru a deveni un mare Don la randul sau. Raymonde Aprile va fi asasinat iar tanarul Astorre Zeno trebuie sa-si razbune mentorul si pentru asta va trebui sa infrunte nu numai ceilalti mafioti ci si coruptia din politie si FBI.
Romanul mi-a placut prin prisma faptului ca acesti oameni sunt foarte apropiati si se respecta in cadrul Familiei, intr-o era in care oamenii in general nu se ajuta unul pe altul, dar nu trebuie sa uitam ca pana la urma sunt niste infractori care nu se dau la o parte de la ucis si furat pentru interesele proprii.
Am selectat o diversitate mare de citate pentru ca romanul are multe invataminte din care putem trage propriile noastre concluzii:
"Si nu te complace in iluzia unei victorii sigure cand logica iti spune ca exista cel putin banuiala ca s-ar putea produce o tragedie."
"Nu driblati niciodata cand puteti pasa [...] Si nu iesiti niciodata cu o femeie care are mai mult de o pisica."
"Era, la urma urmei, doar o femeie. Si inca una cu o nelinistitoare pasiune pentru barbati."
"Tine minte, sfintii nu pot decat sa sopteasca rugaciuni la urechea lui Dumnezeu, si asta numai dupa ce si-au castigat dreptul s-o faca prin propriul lor martiriu."
"Mila este un viciu, pretentia ca avem puteri pe care nu le avem. Cei care acorda mila comit un act de ofensa de neiertat fata de victima. Si nu asta e datoria noastra aici, pe Pamant."
"... Lee Iacocca nu pronunta niciodata cuvantul 'automobile'. El spunea intotdeauna 'masini'. Asa si in afacerea mea, niciodata nu spunem 'paste' sau 'spaghete', spunem 'macaroane'."
"Sub papucul nevestei: iata ultimul refugiu al omului cinstit."
"Era, de asemenea, atent cui ii dadea sfaturi. Caci un om care sfatuieste gresit este la fel de urat ca un dusman."
"Si niciodata nu se legana in acea ridicola si jignitoare iluzie pe care o aveau multi barbati, cum ca manifestarea geloziei ar fi dovada unei iubiri adevarate."
"Dupa ce iei hotararea sa ucizi pe cineva, sa nu-i vorbesti niciodata. E jenant pentru amandoi."
"De ce venereaza sicilienii pe Fecioara mai mult decat pe Iisus? [...] Iisus era barbat, si deci nu este demn de incredere totala."
"Baietii care au pusti cred intotdeauna ca nu pot fi impuscati. O caracteristica foarte ciudata a firii umane."
Prezentul roman, intitulat dupa faimosul cod de onoare sicilian, ne vorbeste despre valorile si indatoririle unui 'Mafioso' adevarat, despre neiertare in fata tradarii, despre mecanismele si ierarhiile din cadrul unei "Cosca", ce este condusa de un Don si despre linia fina dintre viata si moarte.
Atunci cand marele Don mafiot Vicenzo Zeno moare, fiul sau este incredintat lui Raymonde Aprile din New York pentru a fi crescut si educat in spiritul tatalui sau si desigur pentru a deveni un mare Don la randul sau. Raymonde Aprile va fi asasinat iar tanarul Astorre Zeno trebuie sa-si razbune mentorul si pentru asta va trebui sa infrunte nu numai ceilalti mafioti ci si coruptia din politie si FBI.
Romanul mi-a placut prin prisma faptului ca acesti oameni sunt foarte apropiati si se respecta in cadrul Familiei, intr-o era in care oamenii in general nu se ajuta unul pe altul, dar nu trebuie sa uitam ca pana la urma sunt niste infractori care nu se dau la o parte de la ucis si furat pentru interesele proprii.
Am selectat o diversitate mare de citate pentru ca romanul are multe invataminte din care putem trage propriile noastre concluzii:
"Si nu te complace in iluzia unei victorii sigure cand logica iti spune ca exista cel putin banuiala ca s-ar putea produce o tragedie."
"Nu driblati niciodata cand puteti pasa [...] Si nu iesiti niciodata cu o femeie care are mai mult de o pisica."
"Era, la urma urmei, doar o femeie. Si inca una cu o nelinistitoare pasiune pentru barbati."
"Tine minte, sfintii nu pot decat sa sopteasca rugaciuni la urechea lui Dumnezeu, si asta numai dupa ce si-au castigat dreptul s-o faca prin propriul lor martiriu."
"Mila este un viciu, pretentia ca avem puteri pe care nu le avem. Cei care acorda mila comit un act de ofensa de neiertat fata de victima. Si nu asta e datoria noastra aici, pe Pamant."
"... Lee Iacocca nu pronunta niciodata cuvantul 'automobile'. El spunea intotdeauna 'masini'. Asa si in afacerea mea, niciodata nu spunem 'paste' sau 'spaghete', spunem 'macaroane'."
"Sub papucul nevestei: iata ultimul refugiu al omului cinstit."
"Era, de asemenea, atent cui ii dadea sfaturi. Caci un om care sfatuieste gresit este la fel de urat ca un dusman."
"Si niciodata nu se legana in acea ridicola si jignitoare iluzie pe care o aveau multi barbati, cum ca manifestarea geloziei ar fi dovada unei iubiri adevarate."
"Dupa ce iei hotararea sa ucizi pe cineva, sa nu-i vorbesti niciodata. E jenant pentru amandoi."
"De ce venereaza sicilienii pe Fecioara mai mult decat pe Iisus? [...] Iisus era barbat, si deci nu este demn de incredere totala."
"Baietii care au pusti cred intotdeauna ca nu pot fi impuscati. O caracteristica foarte ciudata a firii umane."
October 15, 2016
I read the Godfather 15 years ago, Omertà was a reminder to how beautifully Mario Puzo wrote. #theguywiththebookreview presents Omertà by Mario Puzo. Characters: I couldn't help but picture Al Pacino as the protagonist. There are some similarities between the two but the main difference being that Astorre Viola was trained to become 'Michael Corleone'. Rosie stood out for obvious reasons (people who've read it might still remember her). And ofcourse Washington was almost unreal! Plenty of great characters are involved, you never get bored. Character development was not really expected but I loved the way Astorre evolved through the book.
Plot: Revenge is a fruit best served with the trigger, but more than that it almost seemed like chess. The Bad guys and the Good guys waiting for each other to make the next move. The Climax is pretty smart and the book finishes before getting too unnecessary detailed.
Pace: It's a medium paced book which becomes a page turner in the second half, the writing doesn't get overwhelming but some of the characters seemed a bit pointless.
The Experience: Every bit Mafiosa! You don't need to be told it's the Italian Mafia doing the rounds in this one. I've mentioned this before, I am so fascinated with what goes in the minds of the 'bad guys' even they have their reasons of doing what they do. How killing just for money is not a big deal, how killing your competitor is a means to an end.
When to pick this up: It's a great leisurely read, nothing too heavy. Could be a great book for people in reading slumps :)
Plot: Revenge is a fruit best served with the trigger, but more than that it almost seemed like chess. The Bad guys and the Good guys waiting for each other to make the next move. The Climax is pretty smart and the book finishes before getting too unnecessary detailed.
Pace: It's a medium paced book which becomes a page turner in the second half, the writing doesn't get overwhelming but some of the characters seemed a bit pointless.
The Experience: Every bit Mafiosa! You don't need to be told it's the Italian Mafia doing the rounds in this one. I've mentioned this before, I am so fascinated with what goes in the minds of the 'bad guys' even they have their reasons of doing what they do. How killing just for money is not a big deal, how killing your competitor is a means to an end.
When to pick this up: It's a great leisurely read, nothing too heavy. Could be a great book for people in reading slumps :)
April 18, 2024
Обожавам филми и сериали, които са свързани с мафията. Човек да ме пита защо след тази малка моя мания не съм посегнала и към книги за мафиотските среди.
Много ми хареса "Омерта" - историята, героите, убийствата, корупцията, ама всичко, всичко.
Книгата изслушах в Сторител, а прочитът на Никола Стефанов (гласът, който ми е познат от много други аудиокниги) беше разкошен.
Препоръчвам сериозно, а аз ще наваксвам пропуска си с творбите на Марио Пузо със сигурност.
Много ми хареса "Омерта" - историята, героите, убийствата, корупцията, ама всичко, всичко.
Книгата изслушах в Сторител, а прочитът на Никола Стефанов (гласът, който ми е познат от много други аудиокниги) беше разкошен.
Препоръчвам сериозно, а аз ще наваксвам пропуска си с творбите на Марио Пузо със сигурност.
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May 1, 2017
This was Puzo's last novel before he died, and I must say it read very much like an old man clinging to an excellent reputation. The Godfather is one of the greatest books I've ever read and the only book to make me cry, and whilst I think the "romance" of the Mafia has faded from my concious slightly, I still find it a trifle exciting. Omerta, however, felt boring and lack-lustre. There felt, even from the first few chapters, to be far too much going on and too many people involved: whilst mafia's certainly do contain more people than first appears on the surface, to work a novel of the mafia, one would have to forget this notion slightly if a reader is to make sense of what is happening. Once the rest of Puzo's works have been read, maybe I shall return to this one...
March 15, 2011
All the depth and character development of a Scooby Doo script.
December 1, 2018
Good story, good drama, fast-paced with good detail and well-rounded characters.
A good, quick read. Especially if you liked Puzo’s work other from The Godfather.
A good, quick read. Especially if you liked Puzo’s work other from The Godfather.
November 17, 2022
Kai atrandu kokį autorių, kurio kūryba pačiai yra prie širdies, turiu tokį įprotį, kad pradedu taupyti kūrinius. "Omerta" yra paskutinė trilogijos apie mafiją dalis (pirmos dvi: "Krikštatėvis" ir "Paskutinis Donas"), o ją perskaičiau po ilgos pertraukos ( po kokių gerų 10 metų).
Kūrinys prasideda jaučiant mirties kvapą - vienas senyvas Donas gulėdamas patale vienam iš trijų draugų nori patikėti savo vienintelio mažojo palikuonio globą...
Buvo perskaityti tik pirmieji puslapiai ir likau vėl suintriguota bei įtraukta. Mafija, garbė, savi teismai... - tų temų tiek daug, toks neilgas kūrinys, bet kiek jis daug talpina. Buvo vienas malonumas skaityti, tik pačiai užkliuvo kelios vietos (buvo per daug banalu), o ir pabaiga pačiai buvo saldoka.
Vertinu: 4,5⭐/iš 5⭐
Kūrinys prasideda jaučiant mirties kvapą - vienas senyvas Donas gulėdamas patale vienam iš trijų draugų nori patikėti savo vienintelio mažojo palikuonio globą...
Buvo perskaityti tik pirmieji puslapiai ir likau vėl suintriguota bei įtraukta. Mafija, garbė, savi teismai... - tų temų tiek daug, toks neilgas kūrinys, bet kiek jis daug talpina. Buvo vienas malonumas skaityti, tik pačiai užkliuvo kelios vietos (buvo per daug banalu), o ir pabaiga pačiai buvo saldoka.
Vertinu: 4,5⭐/iš 5⭐
January 28, 2025
As usual, Puzo never lets me down! Incredible! This is how a book should be written. I'm so satisfied.
October 4, 2018
This book is so good that I'm considering joining the Mafia.
September 17, 2023
DNF na 42% ➡ Ko je čitao Kuma, čitao je i Omertu.
Brzinom svetlosti sam preletala kroz poglavlja, ali to nije nadoknjađivalo otsustvo čitalačkog uživanja. Kompetiranje takve knjige bi me više snuždilo zbog bespovratno utrošenog vremena.
Narativ Omerte je istovremeno i previše poznat i premalo inoviran teren od vremena Kuma. Dešavanja su bezmalo ista i nema neke nove sfere mafijaškog života da ubaži predvidljivost. Takođe, glavni igrači ove porodične drame su veoma plitki u pogledu jedinstvene (i uverljive) karakterizacije, jer se lenjo oslanjaju na poznate šablone svojih prethodnika. Na spisku prisutnih tako možemo štiklirati dona koji se bliži kraju svog kriminalnog puta, naslednika koji skriva svoje sposobnosti do ključnog trenutka, prvog sina sa kobnom manom u karakteru koja koči očevu ambiciju da uspostavi stabilnu mafijašku dinastiju, drugog sina koji je potpuno nesposoban za svet mafije, i tako dalje.
Kada sve uzmem u obzir, duboko me pogađa razočaranje koje osećam prema ovom nastavku u Puzovom mafijaškom svetu, i jednostavno ne mogu da opravdam dalje ulaganje svog vremena u ovu knjigu do njenog kraja.
Brzinom svetlosti sam preletala kroz poglavlja, ali to nije nadoknjađivalo otsustvo čitalačkog uživanja. Kompetiranje takve knjige bi me više snuždilo zbog bespovratno utrošenog vremena.
Narativ Omerte je istovremeno i previše poznat i premalo inoviran teren od vremena Kuma. Dešavanja su bezmalo ista i nema neke nove sfere mafijaškog života da ubaži predvidljivost. Takođe, glavni igrači ove porodične drame su veoma plitki u pogledu jedinstvene (i uverljive) karakterizacije, jer se lenjo oslanjaju na poznate šablone svojih prethodnika. Na spisku prisutnih tako možemo štiklirati dona koji se bliži kraju svog kriminalnog puta, naslednika koji skriva svoje sposobnosti do ključnog trenutka, prvog sina sa kobnom manom u karakteru koja koči očevu ambiciju da uspostavi stabilnu mafijašku dinastiju, drugog sina koji je potpuno nesposoban za svet mafije, i tako dalje.
Kada sve uzmem u obzir, duboko me pogađa razočaranje koje osećam prema ovom nastavku u Puzovom mafijaškom svetu, i jednostavno ne mogu da opravdam dalje ulaganje svog vremena u ovu knjigu do njenog kraja.
June 27, 2018
I'm surprised by some of the low ratings this book has received.
To me, it has all the elements of a classic Puzo tale. Mafia intrigue and flashbacks, treachery, a budding yet damaged love story and ruthless characters on both sides of the law.
I really loved it!
Astorre Viola is up there with Cross Clericuzio as one of my favourite Puzo characters. Quirky, qualified and never quite what he seems.
Yes, some of the prose is 'dumbed down' from some of his earlier work (put down to the fact the someone else finished the manuscript after Puzo's death but I think they did a good job) and some of the more pulpy elements could have been less pulpy, lol, but all in all, this a big rollicking tale that deserves repeated readings.
It doesn't have the 'high class' sheen of The Godfather, admittedly. This is all more street level.
To me, it has all the elements of a classic Puzo tale. Mafia intrigue and flashbacks, treachery, a budding yet damaged love story and ruthless characters on both sides of the law.
I really loved it!
Astorre Viola is up there with Cross Clericuzio as one of my favourite Puzo characters. Quirky, qualified and never quite what he seems.
Yes, some of the prose is 'dumbed down' from some of his earlier work (put down to the fact the someone else finished the manuscript after Puzo's death but I think they did a good job) and some of the more pulpy elements could have been less pulpy, lol, but all in all, this a big rollicking tale that deserves repeated readings.
It doesn't have the 'high class' sheen of The Godfather, admittedly. This is all more street level.
November 13, 2020
This book can stand alone on its own merit; however, I feel it falls a little short when compared to The Last Don or The Godfather. Don't let this assessment deter you from reading this good book. I really enjoyed the author's style of writing and usage of "the flashback" in order to fill in the backstory. In my opinion, the ending was a little rushed, but I was still satisfied with the overall storyline and character development. What I didn't realize is this book is considered the third and final in the "mafia trilogy": The Godfather, The Last Don, and Omerta. At least I can say yours truly has completed the set. By the way, I haven't read a work of fiction outside of classic literature in quite a long time. I enjoyed the experience so much, I plan on reading two other Puzo books in the very near future. Please read this book!
April 30, 2025
“Estados Unidos había sabido atraer a millones de pobres trabajadores de todo el mundo para encomendarles el duro trabajo de la construcción de ferrocarriles, presas y edificios que se elevaran hasta el cielo. Ah, la estatua de la Libertad había sido un extraordinario rasgo de aquella genialidad. ¿Y acaso no había sido todo para bien? Cierto que se habían producido tragedias, pero eso formaba parte de la vida. ¿Acaso Estados Unidos no era el mayor cuerno de la abundancia que el mundo había conocido? ¿Acaso una pequeña injusticia no era un pequeño precio a cambio de todo aquello? Los individuos siempre se habían tenido que sacrificar en aras del progreso de la civilización y de la sociedad.”
Cuando leí la sinopsis de este libro, pensé que Puzo volvía a repetir fórmula, lo que no me dieron muchas ganas de leer este libro. Pero después recordé que en el anterior libro, el planteo que se nos hacía en la sinopsis era parecido a este y al primero, pero resultó ser que nada tenía que ver.
Entonces, decidí darle una oportunidad a este. Y esas fueron mis expectativas: ver qué había hecho el autor en este libro. ¿Sería igual que el primero? O, por el contrario ¿Plantearía otro tipo de género con la mafia como fondo?
Y he aquí la respuesta: ni lo uno, ni lo otro.
Es una novela de mafia, cuyo hilo conductor es la venganza. Nicole, Marc, Valerius y su primo Astorre se unen para descubrir quién asesinó a Don Aprile, padre de los tres primeros y “tío” del último.
Por otro lado, tenemos a Cilke, un agente del FBI que investiga lo mismo, pero tanto él tiene como parte de la lista de “cuidado” a Astorre y sus primos, como ellos lo tienen como uno de los sospechosos.
Durante el transcurso de la narración, el autor nos va soltando pistas de las conexiones entre personajes (no sobre quién o quienes mandaron el asesinato, ya que ello se resuelve en los primeros capítulos), haciendo que el lector se mantenga enganchado.
Los villanos (por ponerles algún nombre, ya que no se les puede llamar malos, porque ni el agente del FBI es bueno, a pesar de su moral respetable), ellos son lo más flojo de la novela, ya que cuando son presentados dejan mucho que desear y su desarrollo de personajes es igual de decepcionante.
Es por eso que mí opinión general de esta entrega es que es un buen libro, pero no tanto como podría haber sido.
De hecho, me da la impresión que en esta serie, los libros impares son los buenos, mientras que los pares, no tienen un mal planteamiento, más fallan en ejecución.
Tiene una buena trama, personajes que, si bien no te va a importar demasiado lo que les pase, no dejan de estar muy bien construidos, y un buen enganche. No te mantiene todo el tiempo al borde del sillón, pero no deja de ser un buen libro, como para leerlo de forma independiente. Es por eso que, como forma parte de una serie, y por eso lo comparo con los demás, la nota es un buen 6/10 (3/5✨).
Cuando leí la sinopsis de este libro, pensé que Puzo volvía a repetir fórmula, lo que no me dieron muchas ganas de leer este libro. Pero después recordé que en el anterior libro, el planteo que se nos hacía en la sinopsis era parecido a este y al primero, pero resultó ser que nada tenía que ver.
Entonces, decidí darle una oportunidad a este. Y esas fueron mis expectativas: ver qué había hecho el autor en este libro. ¿Sería igual que el primero? O, por el contrario ¿Plantearía otro tipo de género con la mafia como fondo?
Y he aquí la respuesta: ni lo uno, ni lo otro.
Es una novela de mafia, cuyo hilo conductor es la venganza. Nicole, Marc, Valerius y su primo Astorre se unen para descubrir quién asesinó a Don Aprile, padre de los tres primeros y “tío” del último.
Por otro lado, tenemos a Cilke, un agente del FBI que investiga lo mismo, pero tanto él tiene como parte de la lista de “cuidado” a Astorre y sus primos, como ellos lo tienen como uno de los sospechosos.
Durante el transcurso de la narración, el autor nos va soltando pistas de las conexiones entre personajes (no sobre quién o quienes mandaron el asesinato, ya que ello se resuelve en los primeros capítulos), haciendo que el lector se mantenga enganchado.
Los villanos (por ponerles algún nombre, ya que no se les puede llamar malos, porque ni el agente del FBI es bueno, a pesar de su moral respetable), ellos son lo más flojo de la novela, ya que cuando son presentados dejan mucho que desear y su desarrollo de personajes es igual de decepcionante.
Es por eso que mí opinión general de esta entrega es que es un buen libro, pero no tanto como podría haber sido.
De hecho, me da la impresión que en esta serie, los libros impares son los buenos, mientras que los pares, no tienen un mal planteamiento, más fallan en ejecución.
Tiene una buena trama, personajes que, si bien no te va a importar demasiado lo que les pase, no dejan de estar muy bien construidos, y un buen enganche. No te mantiene todo el tiempo al borde del sillón, pero no deja de ser un buen libro, como para leerlo de forma independiente. Es por eso que, como forma parte de una serie, y por eso lo comparo con los demás, la nota es un buen 6/10 (3/5✨).
June 27, 2018
A true masterpiece that lives up to its reputation. Words fall short to explain the magnificence of Omerta, sure the ending might seem a tad bit too far fetched (An overtly happy ending for a book about Mafiosos), but the character developments were more than adequate to lay a reasonable ground for it.
July 30, 2023
It was presumptuous for one man to forgive another. That was the duty of God. For men to pretend such mercy was an idle pride and a lack of respect. He did not desire any such mercy for himself.
February 1, 2018
At this point, I doubt there will ever be a Mario Puzo book that I don’t like. He writes the best Sicilian crime dramas ever written. Omertà may not be his best one, but it’s still highly enjoyable.
May 8, 2022
Mario Puzo reportedly finished this last of his mafia novels shortly before he died. I think it's a fitting goodbye gift to his fans, although the epilogue does make me wonder if he really was completely finished with it.
Just as always Puzo once again presents us with a list of compelling mobster characters who interact within a complex and intriguing story. I was especially interested in the main character Astorre Viola, but almost the entire list of people I got to know via the author was very compelling to me.
In terms of the broad story Puzo has never managed to reach the immense quality of The Godfather, but who can blame him? The events of Omerta are definitely interesting enough and some sections are real page-turners, but the very last chapter was a bit of a disappointment. I won't spoil it, but it felt unfulfilling after having read a couple hundred pages that were very strong.
That's only a minor quibble though, all of the author's mafia stories are apparently just what I'm looking for. Except for The Godfather I wouldn't exactly call them "high literature", but just like its siblings Omerta brought me a lot of joy.
Just as always Puzo once again presents us with a list of compelling mobster characters who interact within a complex and intriguing story. I was especially interested in the main character Astorre Viola, but almost the entire list of people I got to know via the author was very compelling to me.
In terms of the broad story Puzo has never managed to reach the immense quality of The Godfather, but who can blame him? The events of Omerta are definitely interesting enough and some sections are real page-turners, but the very last chapter was a bit of a disappointment. I won't spoil it, but it felt unfulfilling after having read a couple hundred pages that were very strong.
That's only a minor quibble though, all of the author's mafia stories are apparently just what I'm looking for. Except for The Godfather I wouldn't exactly call them "high literature", but just like its siblings Omerta brought me a lot of joy.
July 27, 2017
Mario Puzo's writing has never failed to excite me...the story was as gripping as his other works..the story revolves around Astorre Viola ,the son of and old Sicilian mafioso don..and obviously he is the most liked character in the book...the story portrays Astorre as an young playful wedding singer,a macroni businessman (!!)..he is all those things but he is also the heir of the great don Raymond Aprile..the rise of Astorre after the Don's killing and his devotion to protect his family and the drastic measures he takes to make all the pieces of the puzzle come together brings together the story ..I did not like that he gets married to Rosie at the end though..but to sum it all up,a great book by the great author..
October 24, 2014
Far less charming and inferior in terms of plot and characterization , this novel by Mario Puzo is still an atempt to foreshadow the Sicilian code of silence. lets the sky fall , but dare not speak about your family , friends or even foes , in front of anyone. A Fine read but still way inferior as compared to Godfather.
October 2, 2017
Omertá es un libro maravilloso. Muchos dicen que está muy por debajo de El Padrino y sus demás libros, pero naturalmente como es el primer libro del autor que leo, a mí me gustó mucho. El ritmo es bueno, fluido; las descripciones de Sicilia y del sentido de pertenencia de Don Aprile y Astorre son muy vivas; las escenas de acción están bien desarrolladas; los giros de trama tienen absoluto sentido, al igual que las muertes. Creo que el personaje de Astorre se destaca mucho y no solo por ser el protagonista. Es un treintañero muy cordial, apasionado por el canto italiano, dueño de una fábrica importadora de macarrones italianos que fue entrenado diez años en Sicilia por lugartenientes de su tío. Un hombre que lleva una doble vida antes e incluso después de la muerte de su tío y que lo hace con mucha astucia e inteligencia. Por supuesto, está asesorado por dos grandes amigos de Don Aprile, pero el que toma las decisiones en última instancia es él y siempre toma las decisiones correctas para lograr sus intereses. Un hombre fascinante.
Pero incluso los personajes secundarios tienen también algo para contar. Puzo se encarga de adjudicarle una historia entretenida, interesante y coherente a cada personaje, desde los primos de Astorre, hasta el agente del FBI, el grupo criminal que quiere los bancos hasta el personaje más pequeño que aparece. Ese cuidado y respeto por los demás personajes me gustó mucho, sobre todo porque en muchas novelas el punto de mira siempre está sobre el personaje principal y deja de lado por completo al resto de la gente.
Porque me gustó la trama, los personajes, el ambiente de mafia y la forma en la que todo se desarrolla, no solo quiero leer El Padrino, sino que le doy cinco estrellas de cinco a este libro.
Pero incluso los personajes secundarios tienen también algo para contar. Puzo se encarga de adjudicarle una historia entretenida, interesante y coherente a cada personaje, desde los primos de Astorre, hasta el agente del FBI, el grupo criminal que quiere los bancos hasta el personaje más pequeño que aparece. Ese cuidado y respeto por los demás personajes me gustó mucho, sobre todo porque en muchas novelas el punto de mira siempre está sobre el personaje principal y deja de lado por completo al resto de la gente.
Porque me gustó la trama, los personajes, el ambiente de mafia y la forma en la que todo se desarrolla, no solo quiero leer El Padrino, sino que le doy cinco estrellas de cinco a este libro.
March 25, 2024
Astorre, hijo de un poderoso mafioso siciliano, queda huérfano y es adoptado por otro Don quien lo cría para que ocupe su lugar, cuando éste es asesinado frente a él, Astorre buscará castigar a los responsables y proteger a su familia adoptiva. Si bien no llega al nivel de El padrino y se encuadra en la típica historia de mafiosos donde la violencia no puede dejar de estar presente, tiene fluidez y un buen desarrollo de la trama. Me gustó el desenlace.
January 15, 2021
It's an entertaining quick read. Story moves fast but at the cost of poor character development.
December 21, 2022
Hay, đây là tác phẩm cuối cùng và cx là gần đây nhất của Mario Puzo. Nó rất hay, thể loại chắc là trinh thám đương đại, tình tiết không đến mức cực kỳ hợp lí nhưng chắc chắn là cực kỳ hay. Khi đọc thì nên đọc trước Bố già với Ông trùm cuối cùng trước để thấy được sự thay đổi trong thế giới Mafia của tác giả, Mario Puzo viết rất thật và trực quan, cái thế giới Mafia ấy thay đổi cực kì rõ ràng, nó gần với thế giới ta ddang sống bây h hơn nên đồng thời cũng hay hơn. “Bây h chỉ còn bọn tội phạm thấp kém, tại sao phải lấy sức làm những phi vụ khó khăn để đưa mình vào nguy hiểm trong khi có thể thành lập công ty rồi bán cổ phiếu cho dân để rồi cướp được hàng triệu đô 1 cách hợp pháp?” Đại ý thì nó là như thế, có một ông trùm về hưu và phát hiện ra tiền mình cướp được từ thị trường tài chính cũng không ít hơn mình kiếm được trước kia mà lại còn hợp pháp. Nói chung là hay.
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