Just when we thought they were out, Random House has pulled them back in:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - When Mark Winegardner was 12, he read Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" _ a novel that was supposedly off limits to him. The local library felt books with a lot of sex and violence might leave too much of an impression on a young reader. In his case, it did.

Thirty years later, Winegardner retells the story of the Corleone family in a sequel, "The Godfather Returns." Puzo was not interested in writing a sequel to his masterpiece, which has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.

The book went on sale today, and is currently in 9th place at Amazon.com.

Publisher's weekly likes it and, in its review, says, "Puzo himself must be raising a celestial glass and shouting a hearty 'Salut!' "

Either that, or he's sending Winegardner celestial directions to his next book signing - via toll bridge.