Rating: 
Summary: The Emperor of Ocean Park
Review: I just finished this book and I loved it! I normally read non-fiction but I was hooked on the characters and storyline immediately. Mr. Carter is a skilled storyteller who has a firm command of all the elements that make a novel memorable. His characters are compelling, and the story works well as a mystery and/or a thriller. I also appreciated his commentary on class, race, marriage and success. He respects the reader's intelligence and challenges you to think about what you are reading. My time was well spent!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books written in a long long time
Review: The Emperor of Ocean Park is simply put, incredible. THere are simply not enough wonderful things to be said about this amazing work of fiction. From it's suspensful story to it's breathtaking writing and perfect pace this book never dissapoints. Right now I am on my knees praying that it won't be to long before Carter writes another novel. This book has been one of the finest literary experiences i've had in a long long time. It is well worth every second invested into it. I reccomend it to everyone.
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
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