Road to Paradise

This is the third novel in Collins' 'Road' Trilogy, the first of which was the superb graphic novel, The Road to Perdition. The latter was also an excellent film, though some changes were made in the ending, the original ending being more consistent with the ending of Road to Paradise. Hint: it has to do with the importance of religion in each protagonist's life. Road to Paradise's characters are engaging and the plot is riveting. It is Collins' intention to catch the flavor of 70's Chicago and the 70's mob. The conclusion of the novel involves a mob hit which remains unsolved but is neatly 'solved' in Collins' fictional construct. This is a fine novel, well worth a look.

"He'd been Michael O'Sullivan, Jr., a kid in Rock Island, Illinois. He'd been the Angel of Death's getaway driver, written up in newspapers all over. He'd been Michael Satariano, a teenager in DeKalb. He'd been Michael Satariano the war hero. He'd been Michael Satariano the mob enforcer. And he'd been Michael Satariano the casino boss. "Being Michael Smith, the restaurant manager, was no strain." -- from Road to Paradise His career comes full circle as Max Allan Collins's latest novel mirrors the plot of his first. Bait Money, published in 1973 (currently available along with its sequel as Two for the Money), featured a "fifty-year-old bank robber on the run from his former mob bosses" (writes Collins in his bibliographic afterword), and so does Road to Paradise, which is set in that same year. About this coincidence, Collins writes, "so much for progress" and "had I known I'd be writing about the mid-'70s, I'd have paid more attention." Michael Satariano -- formerly Michael O'Sullivan, Jr., who followed his father down the Road to Perdition, taking revenge on John Looney and other Chicago mobsters; later the adopted the son of Italian immigrants and the Congressional Medal of Honor-winning World War II hero who infiltrated the Outfit from within to seek further revenge on Al Capone's role in Michael, Sr.'s murder (read Road to Purgatory for this chapter of the trilogy) -- is living comfortably as the nearly retired "entertainment manager" for the Cal-Neva casino resort when he is asked to perform a task, one that he refuses. Only you don't say no when the mob requests your services. Road to Paradise is the story of the making of that fateful decision and its aftermath, and it closes the trilogy of Road to... stories (each named for a volume in Dante's Divine Comedy) with a level of satisfaction I was not expecting from a second sequel. Along the way, Collins paints a portrait of a loving family put yet again into the path of danger and what they have to do to escape. Collins's only real concession to the time period are a vocally feminist (though not heavyhanded) daughter and the inclusion of the Satarianos (now the Smiths) in the newly burgeoning Witness Protection Program (WITSEC), as well as the appearance of Las Vegas Outfit leader Sam "Mooney" Giancana. Readers unfamiliar with the previous entries need not read them first (though I highly recommend them as terrifically involving historical crime novels) -- Collins fills the reader in on all the information necessary to understand the significance of the events that occur in Road to Paradise (a tactic which is also useful to those of us with poor memories). When WITSEC fails, Michael must go back on the road with what is left of his family, and, for the last time, take revenge on those who double-crossed him. It is an emotionally complex journey, and one that I look forward to retaking.

Another outing for Michael O'Sullivan Jr. is probably the last in The Road series of books. (Although the author hasn't ruled out the possibility of a fourth in the series sometime in the future.) This novel finds Michael Satariano (O'Sullivan's adopted name) looking to the possibility of retirement with his wife and children. He's managed to stay out of the bloody side of the business for decades, managing casinos and hotels and being the acceptable face of certain investors in those various establishments. His world is soon turned upside down in a short space of time, first by his son's decision to enlist to fight in Vietnam, and more so by a surprise visit at his workplace from former Chicago Mob boss Sam "Moony" Giancana. Having refused to do Giancana's bidding, the Satariano family is forced to go on the run, thanks to the Mob boss' vengeful answer to Michael's refusal to kowtow. The rest of the story is devoted to Michael's decision to exact revenge in the O'Sullivan family tradition. This story flies off the pages. If you like this genre of fiction, you'll delight at what an easy read it is. There are no awkward moments where things don't ring true, or the characters seem to lack dimension. Max Allan Collins has quit brilliantly woven fact and fiction together. With his first story in which the O'Sullivan family was introduced (and a Hollywood film was based,) he established a connection with the factual underworld and his fictional characters. In this book, he's extended that connection right up to the era in which this story is set, the 1970s. I do hope that Collins returns to the O'Sullivan family again in the future as there are a few loose ends that he has left just for that purpose should he so wish. Even if he doesn't, this book is a fitting climax and conclusion to The Road series. Armchair Interviews says: Another bull's eye!

Shall we raise a glass to Max Allan Collins? A few years ago Collins received some long overdue mainstream praise for authoring THE ROAD TO PERDITION, a gritty graphic novel that was transformed into a film almost worthy of the subject matter. While Collins was worthy of Grandmaster status well before its publication --- we're talking about the guy who took over the reins of Dick Tracy from Chester Gould, mind you --- THE ROAD TO PERDITION was, for many, his breakthrough novel, despite having written and/or edited a veritable library of novels theretofore. This led to the equally good, if lesser known, sequel titled THE ROAD TO PURGATORY, which, in turn, leads to THE ROAD TO PARADISE, a tome that is appropriately named for several reasons. THE ROAD TO PARADISE finds Michael Satariano comfortably middle-aged in 1973, ensconced in his position as Entertainment Director of the Cal-Neva Resort in Lake Tahoe with his wife of 30 years, a son in the Army serving in Vietnam, and a daughter who is a beauty queen high school senior. His idyllic life (at least compared to his life on the run in THE ROAD TO PERDITION) is abruptly terminated by the unexpected arrival of Sam Giancana, who orders Satariano to perform a hit on Sam DeStefano, a notorious mobster who is about to stand trial. Satariano refuses. But the hit occurs anyway, and Satariano finds himself inexplicably charged with the murder. Sought by DeStefano's associates and law enforcement personnel alike, Satariano, in the interest of protecting his family, agrees to enter a witness protection program in exchange for his testimony against the mob. The family quietly and anonymously relocates, at first successfully. But when things go suddenly and terribly awry, Satariano, in an eerie reprise of his past, finds himself on the road and on the run again, seeking swift and terrible revenge against those who have wronged him. Collins's narrative here is unequivocally first-rate, flawlessly merging the past and (the novel's) present, bringing history and fiction together to produce a believable, might-have-been story with a surprising and satisfying denouement. Collins, a prodigious craftsman, has provided not only a worthy capstone to a fabulous trilogy but also what is arguably the summit (to date) of a marvelous career. Anyone familiar with the quality of Collins's previous work will find their expectations exceeded. Those, on the other hand, who are encountering Collins for the first time will be adding another name to their list of authors who must be read. Highly recommended. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

As a youngster named Michael O'Sullivan Jr. he fought with his father against the Chicago mob. However, he changed his name to Michael Satariano and though "legit", the fifty years old fronts for the mob as the head of the Cal-Neva Lodge and Casino in Lake Tahoe. Michael is already thinking of retirement with his beloved spouse. He loves his teenage daughter and worries about his son serving in Nam. Still life is perfect. That changes when Sam Giancana returns from self-deployed exile in Mexico to regain his job as the Godfather regardless of cost. He orders hits and many people including innocents die. Sam demands Michael kill someone, but he refuses. When the homicide occurs, the evidence points towards Michael. The Feds cut a deal in which he testifies against Sam and will disappear with his family inside the Witness Protection Program in Paradise, Arizona. However, the past is coming for him and he must take to the road just like his dad did, one killing at a time. This is terrific final tale that grips the audience just like the previous two novels (and movie) did. The story line starts off idyllic as the audience meets the middle age Michael, a former killing machine chip off the old block and his family. He is middle class America circa 1973. When Sam demands being anointed as king of the mob again, the action explodes leading to a High Noon climax. Max Allan Collins is at his best as completes his terrific road trilogy with a triumph and perhaps the audience can coax him into one more for the road. Harriet Klausner