by Mario Puzo
Part of The Godfather, book 2
First published 2001
In the rugged mountains of 1950s Sicily, Salvatore Giuliano emerges as a legendary bandit-hero fighting against oppression. Wanted by authorities and courted by powerful mafia families, Giuliano navigates a treacherous world where survival means mastering violence and loyalty. When Michael Corleone arrives from America, their paths intertwine through a complex web of revenge, political intrigue, and family honor. Each man must choose between personal survival and the larger forces controlling Sicily's brutal social order. As rival factions close in, Giuliano's choices will determine not just his own fate, but the future of an entire island caught between tradition and transformation.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, survival
Setting: Corleone
Period: 20th-century
416 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: violence