æz ðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl nˈɑːvəl kˈʌvɚd ðə jˈɪɹz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈaɪv tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv, ænd ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd sɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt bˈækstoːɹi ˌɔn dˈɑːn vˈiːɾoʊ kˈɔːɹlɪˌoʊnz lˈaɪf, ɹᵻtˈɜːnz kˈʌvɚz ðə jˈɪɹz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː, ænd ɪŋklˈuːdz sɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt bˈækstoːɹi ˌɔn mˈaɪkəl kˈɔːɹlɪˌoʊnz lˈaɪf pɹˈaɪɚ tə ðə fˈɜːst nˈɑːvəl.
As the original novel covered the years 1945 to 1955, and included significant backstory on Don Vito Corleone's life, Returns covers the years 1955 to 1962, and includes significant backstory on Michael Corleone's life prior to the first novel.