Rating: 
Summary: Better Than Grisham! Best novel of 2002
Review: I'd give this book more than five stars if I could. This is a real page-turner and the intricate plot just pulled me in from the opening pages. The book jacket indicated that The Emperor of Ocean Park was a John Grisham/Today Show pick but this book is much, much better than anything Mr. Grisham has written lately, especially The Summons. The main characters were very well-developed, particularly law Professor Talcott (Misha) Garland. Forget what you may have read about this book being about "victimization"... NONSENSE!!! Simply put, this is a GREAT book. I loved it from start to finish and cannot wait for Mr. Carter's next work of fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much
Review: A different editor might have helped this work: I found too many characters, some too thinly drawn to be remembered when it counted, too many plot twists, too many cliff-hangings. I have enjoyed some of Carter's non-fiction, to which perhaps he should stick.
Rating:
Summary: A Literary Feast
Review: Let me start off by making something very clear: this book is not for everyone (as I don't think Carter intended it to be). For those of you who like to read a McMystery or a Legal Lite (a James Patterson book, or Grisham's latest), this book is not for you. For those who are willing to to indulge in a lengthy (650 pages), well-written, engrossing, legal-mystery novel - indulge!What you won't find in Carter's book is the sarcastic dialogue, an over-indulgence of profanity and/or sex, a see-through plot, and cliched caricatures which you can find in just about any book (Grisham's and Patterson's included) described as a legal-thriller today. What you will find, instead, is intelligent conversations, no profanity, no sex (love, instead), a story-line that will keep you guessing, beautifully crafted individuals (characters), lush scenery which transports the reader, and a remarkable new writer (Stephen Carter). Carter goes against the grain of most of the best-sellers of today, by taking the time to involve the reader. By the end of the book, you know who these charcters are (and there are plenty to know); their emotions, what motivates them, what their passions are, where there morals lie. These are characters that belong to this book, this author...they're not the cliched caricatures you can pop out of a Grisham book and stick into a Patterson book (and the reader will be none the wiser). The sasme goes for the dialogue between each person, as well as the beautiful scenery, which for the most part concentrates on New England (CT and Martha's Vineyard), as well as DC. You will not read this book in a day, as you can a McMystery, for this book is not fast-food, but a gourmet feast...one to devour page by page over a period of time. A winning novel in all respects.
Rating:
Summary: Get rid of the victim stuff, Mr. Carter! -Please!
Review: Delete the never-ending "black victim" stuff and I could probably give this book a 5 or at least a 4 - I think. My hesitation about a revised rating stems from the fact that I'm still trying to get through the book without ripping up the photo of the author on the back jacket cover. Carter seems to be a talented story-teller, but his "issues" are distracting...It's hard to view a real life (or fictional life) law professor as a victim...Seems like millions of real life (and fictional life) "paler nation" (Carter's phrase) folks would love his lifestyle! -Amen
Rating: 
Summary: wordy
Review: the storyline could have been written in 300 pages instead of over 600 and I found it so hard to stay interested. I feel it was
a mistake to compare this book to John Grisham...
Rating: 
Summary: The non-fiction version is better
Review: Carter is a very smart man. His writing hobby clearly rivals many of the pro's. However, one wishes that the editor had not gone on vacation: Too long, the plot is over-the-top, too many characters, lost plot lines. Less is more. On the positive side, it was neat to have major character development of one who only speaks from the grave. Kimmer was drawn exceptionally well.
Mr. Carter: keep writing!!!! Your insights bring something different to the table.
Rating:
Summary: Big Words in a Big Book.
Review: This was, by far, the most challenging book I have read since college. I spent quite a bit of time looking up words just to discover that the author used them just to make his character, Talcott, sound more intellectual. For the first 350 pages I was convinced that I was never going to finish the book, but by the time I had worked up to that point I understood the characters and the reading became easier. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I loved the ending. Talcott seems to have a clarity that he was incapable of at the beginning of the novel. This book definitely shows the growth and development of a character. The end of the book was a "5", but the fact that I struggled for 350 pages dropped it down to a "3".
Rating:
Summary: Go straight to Audio
Review: You know how some movies just don't make on the big screen but do much better on video...That is what I have to say about this book. I got this book from two different libraries because I couldn't finish in the timeframe. Then I gave up and went to books on tape..well that was in two parts, I didn't find this out until I got to tape 10 and it was the end of tape set.I went back to library and got abridged CD and finally finished the book. This process took from Labor Day weekend until the end of October. The story just was no worth it, I don't see how this author got all this hype for such a long draw out story. Plus I have a problem with the reference "Darker Nation". I only finished because I hate to start a book and not finish ..especially a mystery...so go straight to Audio
Rating:
Summary: Quack
Review: Snooze fest...what a boring book. Having come to me so highly reccomended maybe I had too lofty expectations but boy was this book hard to get through. The plot takes forever to unfold, the characters mope around making no sense and in general even the scenery manages to be a bore. Bottom line, SKIP IT!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Writing + Okay Mystery = Good Story
Review: This book is a winner. I need to say that up front. A thriller, a commentary on race and culture, a literary behemoth..."The Emperor of Ocean Park" sets out to be much more than a run-of-the-mill mystery. Carter takes on a massive cast of characters and social issues and clearly communicates his points. I applaud his courage to aim, without apology, at many of our country's sacred cows. Whether or not I always agree with his targets, I admire his insights and powers of persuasion. The book starts with the death of a revered judge. It ends with his son trying to reconstruct the events leading to his father's demise. Everything in between is in the form of a mystery: threatening notes, ransacked rooms, late-night attacks, graveyard shootings, and spies around every corner. Played out on the chessboard of life, the novel succeeds on many levels. My complaints are pedestrian, yet worth noting for those deciding to undertake a journey through a book of this length. Carter's main character, while short on revealing emotion, is more than willing to pontificate on issues of our age. This is enjoyable--until about half way through the book. By this time, we're interested in the story and impatient with the diversions. As the denouement nears, we realize that the plot is a well-crafted and labyrinthine thing, but it also cheats us to some extent. Like an Agatha Christie story, "Emperor" withholds certain names and occupations, etc, until the precise moment when we, along with our hero, can say "Ah, now I see." This style, in my opinion, is unfair to the modern reader. We want the chance to put the pieces together. Yes, we're impressed at the tale-weaving, but give us a real chance to solve the puzzle along the way, or to realize at least that we missed that cleverly hidden clue. I loved the book for the first 300 pages, liked it very much for the next 250, and liked it so-so in the last 100. Overall, I recommend Carter's fantastic writing skills. I'll jump to read his next book. I hope, however, that he can marry his literary skills and story ideas with a mystery style more attainable to his contemporary readers.
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