Rating: 
Summary: Mostly excellant
Review: The story starts a bit slow, the middle is excellant, and the end kind of climaxes about 80 pages too soon. I enjoyed the book, a good over the Christmas holidays. I enjoyed learning about the upper middle class, African American experince of the past. It was a world that I have never learned about. It seems we are all more a like than different. I am usually a non-fiction reader, and just finished Seabiscut, An American Legend... so it is a bit difficult for me to present a fiction reader's point of view. If you have limited time and want to read an EXCELLANT book, try Seabiscuit. It reads better than fiction, and is gripping to the end.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read for mystery lovers
Review: This is a well-written, well-plotted book. I agree that Mr. Carter is long winded, but it seems to me that this is who Talcott Garland is too. The story is told "thoroughly," but I liked it a lot. I am sick of badly written, shallow mysteries that are dumbed down. This book is not in that class at all. This book has elements of surprise and secrecy that make it captivating. I could hardly wait to finish it.
Rating: 
Summary: One book that needs a new editor!
Review: I had to read this book for a book club at work and it worse than reading one of those unabridged histories for college! The book includes way too many unimportant characters who may or may not have anything to do with the mystery that is sloppily unraveled at the end. There are some good moments but they're buried too deep. Most of us skimmed the book--too much background description for each person, place and thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous debut!
Review: This book is intelligent, complex, and multi-faceted. If you're looking for a quick mystery-read, this isn't the book for you. I had to laugh at the reviews where people have called this book boring, over-written, or "not quite literature yet". If you think Grisham or Patterson is literature, then, well...ignorance is bliss-- so enjoy your lightweight mysteries. This novel is so much more than a mystery yarn. Mr. Carter is obviously an intellectual and keen observer of life for him to have to produced such a complex book. The book twists and turns, making social commentary on many levels simultaneously. He well develops each of his positions such as the morale dilemmas of modern Christianity, the abuse of power, the US justice system, marriage in a 2-career household, money, substance abuse, family complications,friendship and betrayal. Wow. If you haven't read many authors of the "darker nation", to use Mr. Carter's phrase, you might not understand his point of view. However, don't let that restrict your picking up this book and reading it. It was powerfully written, used fabulous prose, and I'm looking forward to his next novel!
Rating:
Summary: Upgraded Grisham - but not quite literature yet...
Review: I was afraid through the first 100 or so pages of the book that what Carter had produced was a simply a Grisham-esque novel painted in a 'different colour'. The scenario seemed routine, the characters flat, the situations familiar. However, things do pick up considerably as the plot develops and more elements of the story are revealed. Like every good thriller there are good surprises, and there is a great compulsion (IMHO) to keep going with the book - the often short chapters help this. It is more than a thriller in spots only - particularly the relationship between Garland and his wife is nicely done, he nicely portrays his hopelessness and inability to do anything to change the situation. As against this, you don't really get the sense of a particular time/society/place as you do with say Tom Wolfe - I'm sure the whole story could be lifted to another completely different situation without damaging the plot much. Most annoying thing? - the nicknames, and their constant repetition (I'll never read the name Dana again in the same way). There was an opportunity to lose some word count! So, a cracking read, but not really a book you'd go back to for a second run.
Rating: 
Summary: Overwritten and boring.
Review: The plot is long and involved. The protagonist is a wimp who earned my immediate dislike with his continuous cerebral contortions. There is an endless cast of cardboard characters, none of whom I cared about. The only reason I finished this book is because once I start a book, I make myself plod on no matter how hard the journey. I gave this book two stars for Mr. Carter's command of the English language which he unfailingly demonstrates to the reader at every opportunity.
Rating:
Summary: Emperor of Ocean Park
Review: Although the general plot and storyline were interesting, the style and prose significantly interfered with my enjoyment of the book. It was difficult to get started and required a lot of concentration to get through. For example, on page 109, one sentence takes up the entire page! I also thought the author was somewhat pedantic--can anyone tell me what "semiotician" is--or "decanal"? They weren't in any dictionaries I own....
Rating: 
Summary: For want of a good editor...
Review: I love long books, books that have characters that you think about when you are not reading. A story that keeps you engrossed. This first novel has all of these characteristics but its serious flaw is that the publisher's editor must have been asleep. There are instances in the book where sentences are not sentences or are totally nonsensical. Next time Mr. Carter would do well to make sure that he has a good editor. Or maybe has a Law Professor he is arrogant enough to think he doesn't need one. Professor get an editor.
Rating:
Summary: Great debut!
Review: This was one of the most satisfying mysteries I have ever read. By the end, everything was accounted for. There were none of the fake outs or false leads that less talented authors rely on to keep you from guessing what they're up to. No introductions of new characters in the last 10 pages in order to solve a difficult problem. No relying on mindless violence or people just acting out of the goodness of their own hearts in order to help the protaganist. Just a good, original, complex story with believable characters. I agree with the critisisms below that it was a little long, particularly near the end. But overall, I felt that everything came together in a satisfying way, and I had no regrets about the amount of time that I spent reading it.
Rating:
Summary: sherylval@aol.com
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Yes, it's long and yes, it's not for those who love quick page turners and not much character depth. Actually, I'm surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. The characters were well-developed and I found it to be a really interesting story. I was a little put off by the "darker nation, paler nation" stuff. I have read several books by African-American writers, that would be much better, in my opinion, if they would just get off that stuff. However, that said, if you like depth in character and plot you will like this book.
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