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Penguin Readers Level 4: as Time Goes by
From sun-baked Morocco to wartime London, from New York to Prague, unforgettable characters like Rick, Ilsa, Louis and Sam are brought to life again. Set during the Second World War, the classic film Casablanca is one of the most romantic stories of all time and As Time Goes By continues the story. Play it again, Sam!
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First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
Michael Walsh
20 books80 followersMichael Walsh was for 16 years the classical music critic for Time Magazine and has also worked for the San Francisco Examiner and the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. He is the author of eleven books, including five works of non-fiction as well as the novels Exchange Alley, As Time Goes By (the authorized sequel to the movie Casablanca), and And All the Saints, a winner of the 2004 American Book Awards for fiction. His novel, Hostile Intent, was published in September by Pinnacle Books and hit the New York Times bestseller lists and shot to No. 1 on Kindle. The sequel, Early Warning, was published in Sept., 2010. With Gail Parent, he is the co-writer of the hit Disney Channel 2002 Original Movie, Cadet Kelly, at the time the highest-rated show in the history of the network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
April 9, 2014
CASABLANCA is certainly one of the two or three best loved movies of all time. And this book, while it does have some flaws, is definitely worth reading if you want to know more about what happened to Rick and Ilsa after they said goodbye at the airport!
AS TIME GOES BY is really two stories, a prequel and a sequel. The prequel describes Rick's early years in New York City, when he was actually a Jewish street kid learning the ropes (and the rackets) under the name of Rick Baline! The sequel picks up right where the movie ended, and has Rick, Ilsa, Victor Laszlo and Louis Renault mixed up in the real life plot to assassinate Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrick.
I have to say that hands down, the prequel was much, much better. It's obvious that Michael Walsh has really studied NYC in the Depression, and knows all of the neighborhoods, the night clubs, and the strategies and tactics of the most dangerous mobsters, Italian, Jewish and Irish. Rick's rise in the rackets is totally believable and there are some incredibly violent shootouts, plus a love interest who is just as glamorous and desirable as Ilsa Lund!
The World War II spy story isn't nearly as good, however. While in the NYC sections Walsh is free to make up all kinds of adventures for young Rick, the Heydrich section suffers from being based on real events. Also, Rick and Ilsa are separated most of the time, and she's even dragged into seducing Heydrich. Every single encounter they have is cringe-worthy, and you can't believe the Nazi wouldn't smell a fish. Even if he is pure evil.
I do want to add that what I loved most was that Walsh made time for my favorite minor characters -- Louis the poor corrupt Frenchman and Sam Waters, Rick's best friend and piano player at his club. In the movie Sam is just a black man who smiles a lot and says "OK boss" every other sentence. In the book he has a fascinating past in the Ozarks and knows all sorts of amazing things about music, fishing, and life in general.
Summing it all up, when this book works, it really works. When it doesn't, it doesn't. But all things considered AS TIME GOES BY is a great, fun read. I would recommend it to anyone who ever watched CASABLANCA and loved it!
AS TIME GOES BY is really two stories, a prequel and a sequel. The prequel describes Rick's early years in New York City, when he was actually a Jewish street kid learning the ropes (and the rackets) under the name of Rick Baline! The sequel picks up right where the movie ended, and has Rick, Ilsa, Victor Laszlo and Louis Renault mixed up in the real life plot to assassinate Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrick.
I have to say that hands down, the prequel was much, much better. It's obvious that Michael Walsh has really studied NYC in the Depression, and knows all of the neighborhoods, the night clubs, and the strategies and tactics of the most dangerous mobsters, Italian, Jewish and Irish. Rick's rise in the rackets is totally believable and there are some incredibly violent shootouts, plus a love interest who is just as glamorous and desirable as Ilsa Lund!
The World War II spy story isn't nearly as good, however. While in the NYC sections Walsh is free to make up all kinds of adventures for young Rick, the Heydrich section suffers from being based on real events. Also, Rick and Ilsa are separated most of the time, and she's even dragged into seducing Heydrich. Every single encounter they have is cringe-worthy, and you can't believe the Nazi wouldn't smell a fish. Even if he is pure evil.
I do want to add that what I loved most was that Walsh made time for my favorite minor characters -- Louis the poor corrupt Frenchman and Sam Waters, Rick's best friend and piano player at his club. In the movie Sam is just a black man who smiles a lot and says "OK boss" every other sentence. In the book he has a fascinating past in the Ozarks and knows all sorts of amazing things about music, fishing, and life in general.
Summing it all up, when this book works, it really works. When it doesn't, it doesn't. But all things considered AS TIME GOES BY is a great, fun read. I would recommend it to anyone who ever watched CASABLANCA and loved it!
December 11, 2018
A fun read (or more accurately listen, especially w/the reader re-creating Bogey and Raine's voices). Some may say it is sacrilege (but certainly not on the scale of the 1980's TV version w/David Soul). It should be noted that Casablanca was even briefly a TV show in the '50s. This book is both a prequel and sequel wrapped into one. Great literature - no; guilty pleasure - yes.
October 6, 2023
If you have watched the movie Casablanca, you may recall that it is a troubled romance between Rick Blaine played by Humphery Bogart and Ilsa Lund played by Ingrid Bergman. Rick is the American expatriot and owner of the eponymous nightclub in Casablanca and Ilsa, a former flame of Rick's, is now married to her Czechoslovakian resistance leader husband hoping to help him escape Vichy-controlled Casablanca. Fans of this movie will need to pick up As Time Goes By which is the author's imagining of Rick's backstory and how he escaped the Harlem neighborhood of NYC to build his Casablanca nightclub with the assistance of his friend and house pianist, Sam and the week following the Lunds departure from that foggy airport in Morocco.
The author seamlessly weaves his imagined story into the film's tale. The only problem I had was the inability to read Rick's dialogue and not hear Bogart's cadence in my ear.
The author seamlessly weaves his imagined story into the film's tale. The only problem I had was the inability to read Rick's dialogue and not hear Bogart's cadence in my ear.
February 27, 2019
"Casablanca" is my favorite movie, so after watching the end for the umpteenth time, I looked for a book that continued the story.
"As Time Goes By" by Michael Walsh is an extremely enjoyable sequel to a great film. The story begins where the movie ended with Rick and Louis's walk into the fog, and follows the major characters through the early years of World War II. It also ties up many loose ends by returning to Rick's life before Casablanca.
In the book, Walsh tries and succeeds in keeping the tone and dialogue very much like the movie, including banter between the characters in Humphrey Bogart's distinctive verbal style.
I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves "Casablanca."
"As Time Goes By" by Michael Walsh is an extremely enjoyable sequel to a great film. The story begins where the movie ended with Rick and Louis's walk into the fog, and follows the major characters through the early years of World War II. It also ties up many loose ends by returning to Rick's life before Casablanca.
In the book, Walsh tries and succeeds in keeping the tone and dialogue very much like the movie, including banter between the characters in Humphrey Bogart's distinctive verbal style.
I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves "Casablanca."
December 29, 2024
Growing up during the 1960s in Hillsboro, Wisconsin, the "Czech Capitol of Wisconsin, I reflected on the fact that WWII, the Czechoslovakian Resistance, the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and the obliteration of Lidice were very fresh in the minds of many of the adults in my town...So, I found it very interesting that Michael Walsh, in "As Time Goes By, "his loving, Roman à clef tribute to the movie "Casablanca" chose some of these events to unlock, both a prequel and sequel to those classic movie events...We learn why the mysterious Rick Blaine and Sam Waters have left the US and later what happens to Victor, Lazlo, Ilsa Lund, Captain Louis Renault, Rick and Sam after they walk into the mist at the airport...Fun read!!!
August 11, 2017
Me gusto y no solo porque Casablanca es una de mis peliculas favoritas al leerla no podia evitar recordar los actores, el saber como era de su vida, como llegaron a juntarse como llegar a ese final tan esperado por tantos años, es simplemente irresistible.
September 5, 2012
You know those Phantom of the Opera sequels written by 14 year old fan girls (or, in the case of Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber), where in order to get Erik and Christine together, they retcon Raoul into a drunken abusive idiot?
...Yeah, meet Richard!Erik, Ilsa!Christine, and Victor!Raoul. To be fair, Walsh doesn't take it to quite that level, but he certainly gives Lazlo no inner emotional life, and makes him as unlikeable and unsympathetic as possible. Even with Paul Henreid's stiff acting in the movie Casablanca, you still got the sense that he genuinely loved Ilsa. In this book, it's like he barely even remembers she's around, much less his wife.
Beyond that, the book just wasn't necessary. The movie works so phenomenally well on its own, with all of its mysteries, and to explain them by giving it both a sequel and a backstory (the book has flashbacks to Richard's former life) just strips the movie of all that makes it good. There was, in fact, only one thing in the whole book that I really felt rang true to the movie and enhanced my watching of it: if you recall, it's pointed out a couple of times that Rick ran guns and fought for 2 losing sides. In the book, he angrily explains it when someone asks him again -- he was hoping to get himself killed.
...Yeah, meet Richard!Erik, Ilsa!Christine, and Victor!Raoul. To be fair, Walsh doesn't take it to quite that level, but he certainly gives Lazlo no inner emotional life, and makes him as unlikeable and unsympathetic as possible. Even with Paul Henreid's stiff acting in the movie Casablanca, you still got the sense that he genuinely loved Ilsa. In this book, it's like he barely even remembers she's around, much less his wife.
Beyond that, the book just wasn't necessary. The movie works so phenomenally well on its own, with all of its mysteries, and to explain them by giving it both a sequel and a backstory (the book has flashbacks to Richard's former life) just strips the movie of all that makes it good. There was, in fact, only one thing in the whole book that I really felt rang true to the movie and enhanced my watching of it: if you recall, it's pointed out a couple of times that Rick ran guns and fought for 2 losing sides. In the book, he angrily explains it when someone asks him again -- he was hoping to get himself killed.
September 22, 2012
I had the pleasure recently of seeing ‘Casablanca’ again after many years in the old historic Tampa Theatre. I feel that older classic films are best seen on the big screen as intended and watching at this venue was like taking a trip back in time. One could almost believe that Bogart was still with us watching him projected on the screen larger than life. In perusing on-line trivia about the movie afterward I came across a footnote mentioning this book published in 1999. Now let’s face it, Casablanca does not need a sequel! Some might say it’s best to leave well enough alone with the open ended and unanswered questions. However if the ‘What happened after?” curiosity factor is killing you and you absolutely must know Rick and Ilsa’s eventual fate, this is the book for you. This well written novel is both a prequel and a sequel to the storyline in Casablanca. The author stayed true to the source material and researched the period to the last detail transporting the reader back in time to war torn Europe in the 1940s. I can honestly say, this is the first book where I could see the characters in “black & white” while both reading and watching them on the big screen theatre of my imagination.
June 5, 2013
This novel is a prequel/sequel to the movie Casablanca. Starting where the movie left off, at the Casablanca airport, the story fleshes out the characters of Rick, Ilsa, Laszlo, Louis and Sam. While the movie covers only 3 days and two nights in Casablanca, this new story covers the years before the meeting in Africa and the involvement of these characters in WWII. Locations involve New York, Paris, Spain, London and Prague.
What is so interesting is that this new story provides no descriptions of the lead characters. It isn't necessary! We can only picture Bogart, Bergman, Henreid, Rains and Wilson in their iconic roles.
The author, a BU professor, has taken great pains to extract bits of information that are hinted at in the movie in order to expand the story. It is obvious that he has a great affection for the movie. The phrasing and dialog of the characters is also in keeping with the original cast.
Overall, an appealing and satisfying story that answers all the questions of the movie and the one we often ask - "what happens after the film ends?" Time to pop the movie into the old DVD player and look for all those hints that were there all the time.
What is so interesting is that this new story provides no descriptions of the lead characters. It isn't necessary! We can only picture Bogart, Bergman, Henreid, Rains and Wilson in their iconic roles.
The author, a BU professor, has taken great pains to extract bits of information that are hinted at in the movie in order to expand the story. It is obvious that he has a great affection for the movie. The phrasing and dialog of the characters is also in keeping with the original cast.
Overall, an appealing and satisfying story that answers all the questions of the movie and the one we often ask - "what happens after the film ends?" Time to pop the movie into the old DVD player and look for all those hints that were there all the time.
January 6, 2022
Брат периодически подгоняет всякие книги на прочитку и вот одна из них. Не скажу, что прикупил бы ее себе, просто зайдя в книжный магазин, но в целом любопытно. Для общего развития, так сказать.
Не являюсь фанатом «Касабланки», более того, помню ее урывками, смотрел давным-давно, а сюжет книги прямо развивает дальнейшее развитие линий и героев.
Гангстерская история хорошая, мелодраматичная, прям на слезу пробило.
А вот история с Гейдрихом и покушением на его жизнь в Праге - это что-то совершенно бесхребетное и чужеродное, откровенная скукотень.
Короче, так себе.
Не являюсь фанатом «Касабланки», более того, помню ее урывками, смотрел давным-давно, а сюжет книги прямо развивает дальнейшее развитие линий и героев.
Гангстерская история хорошая, мелодраматичная, прям на слезу пробило.
А вот история с Гейдрихом и покушением на его жизнь в Праге - это что-то совершенно бесхребетное и чужеродное, откровенная скукотень.
Короче, так себе.
October 31, 2019
Because I love the film "Casablanca" and because a great friend highly recommended it, I dove into this book with high hopes. Those hopes were well met. Not only are the character backstories fascinating, and Rick's is particularly colorful, but the story that unfolds where the film ends was rich and satisfying. I was grateful that the author spent such time and detail on the Czech setting, detailing Prague as well as he did and detailing Heydrich as diabolically. This is a rich tale, one for which I'm grateful to both author and my friend.
July 15, 2013
Most often, we encounter novels brought to life in the silver screen, also known as film adaptations. On the other hand, certain films are transformed into the pages of a book, which in other words are called as novelizations. But, as far as I know and can remember, it’s only this time that I have encountered a novel written as a sequel to a motion picture, and a classic one for that matter.
As Time Goes By, a novel written by Michael Walsh, generally illustrates the continuation of the events right after the conclusion of the 1942 classic flick, Casablanca (starred by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; directed by Michael Curtiz). In this book, we would meet once again the unforgettable characters, Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund among others, as they go on with their adventure at the birth of the Second World War. Along the run of the plot, several flashbacks occur within the chapters; flashbacks that involve the past lives of the main characters; especially Rick Blaine’s story, even before the events in Casablanca took place (As others who have read the book would call it, As Time Goes By is a sequel and a prequel, too, in a single book.)
Personally speaking, I have utterly enjoyed consuming the novel. Since I am a huge fan of the Rick-Ilsa love-affair, for me there’s nothing more irresistible than the rekindling of their old flame, even in the context of a great war. Suspense, as well as atmospheric pressure, builds up thoroughly as the plot thickens. The essence of the original film is dutifully maintained by the author; it is very much obvious with Rick’s undying cynicism, Renault’s humor, along all the other bon mot brought by the characters in the story. I also found the book very much informative; with the detailed geographic descriptions of several settings; a whole lot of new vocabulary words as well as the usage of four different languages (Yiddish, French, German, and Russian!).
The novel As Time Goes By is a very good read, especially for those who fell and remains in-love with Casablanca. For those who haven’t seen the film and/or read the novel, perhaps it’s about time you see for yourselves, too.
As Time Goes By, a novel written by Michael Walsh, generally illustrates the continuation of the events right after the conclusion of the 1942 classic flick, Casablanca (starred by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; directed by Michael Curtiz). In this book, we would meet once again the unforgettable characters, Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund among others, as they go on with their adventure at the birth of the Second World War. Along the run of the plot, several flashbacks occur within the chapters; flashbacks that involve the past lives of the main characters; especially Rick Blaine’s story, even before the events in Casablanca took place (As others who have read the book would call it, As Time Goes By is a sequel and a prequel, too, in a single book.)
Personally speaking, I have utterly enjoyed consuming the novel. Since I am a huge fan of the Rick-Ilsa love-affair, for me there’s nothing more irresistible than the rekindling of their old flame, even in the context of a great war. Suspense, as well as atmospheric pressure, builds up thoroughly as the plot thickens. The essence of the original film is dutifully maintained by the author; it is very much obvious with Rick’s undying cynicism, Renault’s humor, along all the other bon mot brought by the characters in the story. I also found the book very much informative; with the detailed geographic descriptions of several settings; a whole lot of new vocabulary words as well as the usage of four different languages (Yiddish, French, German, and Russian!).
The novel As Time Goes By is a very good read, especially for those who fell and remains in-love with Casablanca. For those who haven’t seen the film and/or read the novel, perhaps it’s about time you see for yourselves, too.
March 15, 2017
If you loved Casablanca and always wondered - WHY couldn't Rick go back to America, WHO was Viktor Lazlo , really?, and did Louie and Rick go off and fight with the Free French....or did you hope that somehow they would all meet again - then read this book. It follows them all from BEFORE the time the film describes to what happens after the plane leaves for Lisbon. Read it or you will regret it...maybe not today, or tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of you life.
July 21, 2016
Well-worth the four-hundred plus pages of reading. Was so engrossing, it took me only three sittings. If you approach it with an open mind, you will find it plausible and enjoyable. Approach anything with an open mind and heart, and you will truly see it for what it is, prepare to be excited. Contrary to other reviewers, I found the dialogue and storyline, in keeping with that of 1940's Hollywood. I thought Walsh did an excellent job. After all, the original script was not high literature. The brilliant actors are why we remember it so fondly. Overall, the author's tale rings true, even Rick's past as a Jewish gangster. I could vividly imagine the original actors as I read. But surely everyone agrees that a film version would be true sacrilege. Bergman and Bogart are Ilsa and Rick and that is that. Ignore the naysayers and enjoy the book for what it is. I recommend it!
May 3, 2020
I had read this book years ago off the library shelf and FINALLY I own it!
Unless you've never seen Casablanca you know the characters: Rick, Sam, Louis, Victor and Ilsa. You know the love story because a little bit if the backstory is shared in the three days of the movie time frame. Walsh in the afterward explains both his fascination with the movie, its own backstory and just how accurate the historical references are. When someone asked him what he might have written had he written the screenplay, this book is the result, and a great result it is.
Unless you've never seen Casablanca you know the characters: Rick, Sam, Louis, Victor and Ilsa. You know the love story because a little bit if the backstory is shared in the three days of the movie time frame. Walsh in the afterward explains both his fascination with the movie, its own backstory and just how accurate the historical references are. When someone asked him what he might have written had he written the screenplay, this book is the result, and a great result it is.
May 2, 2013
I've mixed reactions towards this book. Normally when I am not that interested in the founding chapters of a thick book, I drop it. But there was something in this book that kept me pushing.
The book starts where the movie Casablanca ends, call it Casablanca- II. On the bright side, the character sketches are amazing. The patriot Victor, the shrewd Rick, different shades of the mob men all have been potrayed really well but the plot is too much like a movie ( forgive me for being a victorian-era zealot)
The book starts where the movie Casablanca ends, call it Casablanca- II. On the bright side, the character sketches are amazing. The patriot Victor, the shrewd Rick, different shades of the mob men all have been potrayed really well but the plot is too much like a movie ( forgive me for being a victorian-era zealot)
September 17, 2014
Definitely see the movie (if you haven't) before reading this. Casablanca is one of my favorite all time movies. I was skeptical that the book would do justice to the movie. It did-and exceeded my expectations. It is both a prequel and a sequel, and also included an actual historical Nazi figure, woven into the story line. Michael Walsh created a wonderful, fascinating book based on the movie. The book is true to the movie for characterization and has a very plausible story line. An excellent read, especially if you are a fan of the movie. It does not disappoint!
March 4, 2022
I am a Casablanca aficionado. Which may be the problem. I couldn't get past the fifth chapter. The author kept using dialogue from the movie as text in his book. It drove me batty! If you are familiar with the movie, then it was just exceedingly repetitive. It was very trite, and I finally decided that I didn't care about someone else's version of events surrounding the movie; I can make up my own.
December 22, 2014
Seemed like a good idea at the time, but not worth reading past three chapters (32 pages). Hack writing-- sounds more like a TV show than a book.
Glad I bought this used for no more than $2. Now goes to the thrift store for some other sucker
.
Glad I bought this used for no more than $2. Now goes to the thrift store for some other sucker
.
March 24, 2021
Not how I would have a Casablanca sequel go tbh but the author is extremely valid
March 21, 2010
Sentimental story of what happened after the movie. You can hear Bogie's voice speaking the lines.
March 30, 2023
"As Times Goes By" by Michael Walsh.
I want to review this book that I read recently. I really like this book because of its exciting plot and script including events in WWII with unexpected phenomenons and unpredictable ending. This is the sequel to our favourite movie "Casablanca" which won 3 Oscars. The genre of this book is romance, historical fiction and war. The whole book is about Rick Blaine's,main character's life during Prohibition(1920-1933) and WWII. But the origin of this book is related to crimes, illegal works, Nazis and the enmity between England And Germany. There are also other characters that are important like Ilsa, Victor, Louis, Sam, Solly, O'Hanlon, Lois, Heydrich and others. Most of them are gangsters and very dangerous. I would like to point out my favourite character ,Sam. The reason why I like him is that he is very loyal assistant and best friend to Rick. Also he is good at many things like playing piano,singing, cooking, driving, fishing and other things. On the other hand there is a character that i didn't like ,Lois. Because she is very haughty and loves luxury life. Although Rick loved her previously and asked to marry him, she ignored him and married with rich lawyer, Meredith. Then she realised her choise was wrong. In this book it contrasts Lois and Ilsa, as they are very different, but Rick love both of them. If I choose the best scene, it would be Lois and Rick's first meet in train. Because the author described that moment in an amazing way. To conclude I highly recommend you to read rhis book if you are interested in history and crime world and also romance. I rate this book 4 out of 5.
I want to review this book that I read recently. I really like this book because of its exciting plot and script including events in WWII with unexpected phenomenons and unpredictable ending. This is the sequel to our favourite movie "Casablanca" which won 3 Oscars. The genre of this book is romance, historical fiction and war. The whole book is about Rick Blaine's,main character's life during Prohibition(1920-1933) and WWII. But the origin of this book is related to crimes, illegal works, Nazis and the enmity between England And Germany. There are also other characters that are important like Ilsa, Victor, Louis, Sam, Solly, O'Hanlon, Lois, Heydrich and others. Most of them are gangsters and very dangerous. I would like to point out my favourite character ,Sam. The reason why I like him is that he is very loyal assistant and best friend to Rick. Also he is good at many things like playing piano,singing, cooking, driving, fishing and other things. On the other hand there is a character that i didn't like ,Lois. Because she is very haughty and loves luxury life. Although Rick loved her previously and asked to marry him, she ignored him and married with rich lawyer, Meredith. Then she realised her choise was wrong. In this book it contrasts Lois and Ilsa, as they are very different, but Rick love both of them. If I choose the best scene, it would be Lois and Rick's first meet in train. Because the author described that moment in an amazing way. To conclude I highly recommend you to read rhis book if you are interested in history and crime world and also romance. I rate this book 4 out of 5.
March 11, 2019
As a novelist who writes books inspired by films and a fan of Casablanca I homed in on this one when I saw it on a charity shop shelf. It's a ripping yarn that not only provides a future for Rick and Renault after they have walked off the airstrip tarmac and into a 'beautiful friendship' but also gives them each a back-story to explain how they ended up in Casablanca.
Of the two, Rick's New York story works better and it's a nice touch to give George Raft and Mae West walk on parts.
I would have given this one four stars if the story going forward had been as credible as Rick's past. It was a neat idea to time the events of Casablanca to coincide with Pearl Harbour and I could see why Michael Walsh would want to put his protagonists into action within six months but to have Rick and Renault take an active role in one of the most audacious acts of resistance in the war was committing a slight against the memory of those really involved. It also followed the dubious practice of putting an American front and centre in the war in Europe while the country was still actually getting its act together after the Japanese attack.
It would have been better in my opinion to have Rick, Renault, Ilsa and Laszlo plan and execute their own fictional act of resistance.
Of the two, Rick's New York story works better and it's a nice touch to give George Raft and Mae West walk on parts.
I would have given this one four stars if the story going forward had been as credible as Rick's past. It was a neat idea to time the events of Casablanca to coincide with Pearl Harbour and I could see why Michael Walsh would want to put his protagonists into action within six months but to have Rick and Renault take an active role in one of the most audacious acts of resistance in the war was committing a slight against the memory of those really involved. It also followed the dubious practice of putting an American front and centre in the war in Europe while the country was still actually getting its act together after the Japanese attack.
It would have been better in my opinion to have Rick, Renault, Ilsa and Laszlo plan and execute their own fictional act of resistance.
January 12, 2018
As with any sequel or remake its hard to be unbiased especially if the story is considered a classic.
Casablanca had what many people thought was a classic ending and those same people probably also thought it wouldn't need a sequel. I am one of those people but i will admit I was curious.
After reading though, I still feel that a sequel wasn't necessary. Although it was well written it kind of ruined the character of Rick for me. Rick in the movie (played excellently played Humphey Bogart) was the mysterious stranger with a past, the lone wolf who looked out no one but himself until she came in. In the book they revealed his whole past in New York which i admit was kind of disappointing. Some things are better not known.
The ending was a little too cookie cutter. By the numbers. Nothing really special. On the plus side the characters felt and sounded like the characters from the classic film and you can easily imagine Bogart talking to Ingrid Bergman in the scenes with Rick and llsa.
Casablanca had what many people thought was a classic ending and those same people probably also thought it wouldn't need a sequel. I am one of those people but i will admit I was curious.
After reading though, I still feel that a sequel wasn't necessary. Although it was well written it kind of ruined the character of Rick for me. Rick in the movie (played excellently played Humphey Bogart) was the mysterious stranger with a past, the lone wolf who looked out no one but himself until she came in. In the book they revealed his whole past in New York which i admit was kind of disappointing. Some things are better not known.
The ending was a little too cookie cutter. By the numbers. Nothing really special. On the plus side the characters felt and sounded like the characters from the classic film and you can easily imagine Bogart talking to Ingrid Bergman in the scenes with Rick and llsa.
January 8, 2025
Just finished this book. A novel that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the movie “Casablanca”, one of my all time favorite movies. I bought it cheap years ago and never read it figuring I would be disappointed. I was not. I don’t read a lot of fiction until I started writing my own novel. This book holds up well and I highly recommend it for anyone who ever wanted to know the answer to all those questions like: Why can’t Rick go back to America? Or was Victor and Ilsa heading after they escaped Casablanca en-route to Lisbon? And, of course do Rick and Ilsa ever meet again. You will get a great story with a plot that runs extraordinarily close to the real events of World War 2 portrayed accurately as a backdrop. This is well worth the read to get what to paraphrase Rick Blaine would call “ A story that finally has an ending”
February 14, 2020
A sequel to the movie Casablanca, following the fates of the lead characters, including Sam the piano player, and several other minor characters. Many of the film's most famous quotes are spoken again by the same or others. The book picks up from the scene at the airport at the end of the movie. Some of the tropes from the stage version Everybody Goes to Rick's come into play. Ilsa Lund takes a more active part in the War effort, and we finally learn why Rick cannot return to America. There's some originality but not so much as to steer us into an entirely different story. Reading this book is like having one of your favorite movies extended to give you more of what you want to see. A sequel that is highly recommended.
September 30, 2021
I like to buy books at thrift stores without knowing anything about them, and that's what I did with this one. It was pretty clear on page one that it was essentially a Casablanca fanfiction... and I was intrigued. I'm a big fan of fanfiction, and I love the movie casablanca.
So let's judge it from that point of view. It's well-written, does not conflict with the original, does a bit of fan service at times, and gives some color to the main characters of the beloved movie. In that way, it's the perfect fanfiction.
The proofreading could have caught some of these errors, I think. It felt sometimes like I was reading a second draft rather than a finished product. But overall, for what it is, it was well done.
So let's judge it from that point of view. It's well-written, does not conflict with the original, does a bit of fan service at times, and gives some color to the main characters of the beloved movie. In that way, it's the perfect fanfiction.
The proofreading could have caught some of these errors, I think. It felt sometimes like I was reading a second draft rather than a finished product. But overall, for what it is, it was well done.
January 26, 2018
Este libro fue un regalo de parte de mi hermano hace varios años. Nunca había visto una película en blanco y negro hasta que este libro llegó a mis manos, bien ambientada y con ese toque de melancolía por la perdida de amor que se aleja y el reencuentro que abre viejas heridas, pero que además genera nuevas esperanzas de finalmente poder concretar ese amor tan deseado.
"De la tórrida Casablanca al Londres bombardeado y las peligrosas calles de la Praga ocupada, Siempre nos quedará Prís nos hace participar vívidamente del cautivador desenlace de un amor imposible". (Fragmento de la Contratapa).
"De la tórrida Casablanca al Londres bombardeado y las peligrosas calles de la Praga ocupada, Siempre nos quedará Prís nos hace participar vívidamente del cautivador desenlace de un amor imposible". (Fragmento de la Contratapa).
February 10, 2019
This novel attempts to pick up where the movie "Casablanca" ended. I admire how the author captured the voice of the “Casablanca” characters. The transition from the movie tarmac to the novel’s espionage plot was seamless. He was clever too. For instance, the movie marquees in the story are Humphrey Bogart films. I also found Rick’s backstory asa NYC gangster plausible.
Those who loved the movie will probably enjoy this book because the author continues the story rather than undermines it, although there are a few scenes when the characters felt two-dimensional.
Those who loved the movie will probably enjoy this book because the author continues the story rather than undermines it, although there are a few scenes when the characters felt two-dimensional.
August 17, 2019
Aplausos..... precuela y secuela... Una novela que le da una vida a los personajes de Casablanca... el antes y después de Rick, Ilsa, Victor, Lou, Sam... A través de esta teoría nos permite completar esta historia tan premiada como particular. Puede que Curtiz comparta o no esté complemento, pero a quienes nos gusta Casablanca nos llena el corazón... no le doy la quinta estrella ya que creo q el escritor no tiene derecho a dejarnos sin Renault...
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