I think this is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Honestly, It took me a few months to read due to author’s depth and complexity of thinking system. It is written with so dense and creative ideas and thoughts encompassed in every sentence, that one could not just flip the pages; you should really live with the book itself. Every word in this book matters, and every sentence was given a deep thought by the author. Very “rich” and diverse book, as diverse the life itself. I would not even consider this book as a novel, I would rather consider it being a book of life. The world of gamblers and the world of writers and the moviemakers are twisted in a perfectly tailored life path of the Book’s main hero - Merlyn. I found in this book so many reflections of my own life, and so much wisdom of power games that people play nowadays. It is a pleasure (and it requires a lot of efforts, too) to read, and this masterpiece is an absolute standout in literature from other peer writers of Mario Puzo’s time. I was fascinated how intelligent dialogues and life situations are displayed. Descriptions of thoughts of main characters are not excessive and deep enough to understand true emotions, which people feel in various circumstances. A very vivid book, a book of wisdom that encourages readers to live their lives in full. To live “not only length of the life, but also the width of it”. The book is written with love and true affection to the job of the writer.
Eduard Novoselov