Rating: 
Summary: Tough going.
Review: I had read two of Carter's previous non-fiction works and enjoyed them, however after struggling through half of his first novel, I have to recommend that he stick with non-fiction. This novel is simply too plodding and dull to get through. The characters are unlikeable, the narrator is extremely repetitive, and the plot moves so slow it is almost as if it is an afterthought. It seems as if Carter is trying to make some points here about the black bourgeoisie which would be interesting if they were tied to a more lively entertaining novel with a discernable plot. Instead whatever insight he offers are bogged down by this ponderous effort at creating a mystery leaving the reader bored and exhausted.
Rating: 
Summary: A clumsy book, but not without a certain charm
Review: This book is rather clumsy; one can tell that the author is not really a novelist - at least not yet - and I regret that an editor didn't slice a couple of hundred pages from this book. I found myself skimming the last 200 pages or so, as Carter kept dragging the story out. But it had a certain charm, a certain naivete that comes from a first novel. Hopefully, Carter will find an editor who can help him better understand plot if he writes another one.
Rating: 
Summary: Stellar debut!
Review: I was extremely hesitant to read this book after seeing what the critics had to say about it--and I'm not much to follow their lead. And it is perhaps for this reason that I was so pleasantly surprised. The writing is stellar and Carter deserves whatever recognition he's received so far. My only hesitation with this book was the character of the "wife." Man, talk about your unlikeable characters! If only Stephen Carter had done something to make her a little more likeable. Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD and ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE
Rating:
Summary: Not a cheesy thriller
Review: One of the many reason I stopped reading thrillers is that I would pick up a book - read the first third - and then realize I had read it before. They are so hard to tell apart because the characters all seem to be one of about 5 stereotypes and only the locales seem to change. "The Emperor of Ocean Park" takes the best part of the thriller - the compulsion to turn the pages faster and faster - and adds that to a novel about a very complex family and the death of a very enigmatic father. The main characters are well drawn and the details of the day to day lives of these people make this book stand out from the others of it's genre - yet the twists and
turns keep the reader guessing. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the ending - but probably because I was expecting the usual blood/gore fest that usually ends a thriller. You still had the villian doing the "here's why I did it" explanation at the end which I always find ridiculous - but this ending was more believable than
most. (OH - and the main character's wife's name is Kimberly - but she is referred to as "Kimmer" throughout the whole book. AWFUL choice and very annoying.) I was stuck on a plane for 6.5 hours while reading this book - and had a pleasant flight because of it - despite the fact that we were de-iced twice! A perfect plane/beach read that isn't cheesy or embarassing to be seen holding.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Literary Prose but Poor ending
Review: Mr. Carter gives us a thrilling story to go along with an intricate plot. He masterfully uses the game of chess in providing the narrator, Talcott Garland, some clues on why his father, "The Judge," died and the "arrangements" made prior to his death. After reading about 3/4 of the book, I was on my way to giving it five stars. However, I was very disappointed in the ending. There were at least three mysteries that were not yet solved at the conclusion of this book and left me feeling empty afterward. I almost felt as though I wasted 2 weeks of my valuable time reading this book. When I got to the final 4 or 5 pages, I was hoping desperately that some of mysteries would get solved or mentioned but they were not. Further, the narrator began to become a little bit too sanctimonius toward the end also. He was married to a beautiful and intelligent yet self-centered arrogant unfaithful wife but still loved her in spite of herself. His self-loathing and seemingly idol worship of his extremely flawed wife got to be a bit nerve-racking. This book was good but could have been much more had the author tried not to get cute toward the end.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the hottest books of the season (Spring 2002)
Review: The hottest book of the season, THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK, is considered by most to be mainstream fiction written under the guise of a mystery. However, after reading this voluminous work, I feel it is an extremely intelligent mystery wrapped in a mainstream package. Nonetheless, this exceptional fictional debut should appeal to all readers and is so well written it literally blows away all other books written in quite some time. Judge Oliver Garland, a black conservative judge and once a nominee for the US Supreme Court, is found dead in his study. The death is felt to be natural. His son,Talcott, a law professor at a prestigious university, receives various messages from those who knew the judge that suggests something sinister might be going on that possibly could have resulted in the Judge's death. At the same time, Talcott's wife, Kimmer, is being strongly considered for a highly prestigious appointment to the US Court of Appeals. As Talcott investigates the mysterious circumstances of his father's activities and associates, many feel Kimmer's chances of getting the position might be in jeopardy. With repeated assurances as to the safety of his family and himself from an old friend of his father, Jack Ziegler, a sinister millionaire with ties to the intelligence community, Tal still finds much in his life at risk. His marriage is unraveling, his position at the school appears to be getting increasingly tenuous, and, in spite of Ziegler, his life may be in danger. With a strong sense of desperation, Tal continues to plod ahead in an effort to find out the truth about his father's death and the life he led. So many of today's crime novels deal with the banalities of life. We learn, whether we want to or nor, the type of toothpaste our main protagonist uses, the cereal they eat, the car they drive and where they most enjoy eating. Stephen Carter, author of several nonfiction books, looks at life's more important issues. Hence, topics such as religion, politics, marriage vows and values and the status of the black middle class in today's society are all interspersed in the intertwining plots of the story. The novel is very rich in character detail; astonishingly so for a first time novelist. However, in spite of the fine writing and superb organization of the book, the weakest link is the mystery subplot itself. The puzzle and problem that must be solved is clever. The suspects well presented. However, near the end, Carter resorts to much stereotypic scenes that after a book so well laid out is quite surprising. I am referring to the scene of the villain holding the gun and divulging all. Yet, the resolution makes perfect sense and is not unnecessarily complex. THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK can be read on many levels. It can be read by the mainstream fiction audience as a treatise on a whole host of real life topics written by a well-known modern philosopher. It can also be read by those looking for a lighter read in just concentrating on the mystery and thriller elements. The cliffhanger type of chapter endings are sure to place this summer's beachcombers. In other words, the book should appeal to a very wide audience. This is the hallmark of a great book and it is surely one that should not be missed.
Rating:
Summary: an extraordinary epic
Review: THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK is an epic suspense saga of marriages & memories, betrayals & honor within the very separate world of the "People of the Darker Nations", as Talcott Garland ironically calls himself & his society. He doggedly & musingly recounts the crumbling of his life, even as he is driven into the dangerous & inexplicable underworld of old greed, long-ago murders & blackmail, & current killings most foul. First time novelist Stephen L. Carter has written a triumph of cultured irony & lethal shadow-filled thrills. It is packed with characters & intricate action -- all based upon a rare move in the cerebral game of chess. THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK is a rich tapestry of ambition, family secrets, murder, integrity tested, & justice gone everso wrong. Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK as a superb immersion into a rarely glimpsed world. It is ably read by Richard Allen, who deftly highlights the wry humor which, in the written edition, might have been missed.
Rating:
Summary: there could have been a good book in there
Review: I tried twice, but couldn't get through the boring characters and whining crap from the characters. All the characters from the main family are a bunch of drips with nothing compelling to offer. There is a thread (in the first ~200 pages I read) of an interesting story, but I was regularly beaten down by diversions about the 'paler nation', PC junk, and generally uninteresting comparisons. Fortunately for the author the main characters were not white, so it will be easy for some readers to view their lameness as a great thing that defies 'stereotypes'. Too many pages, too much whining, too much plodding
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: "The Emperor of Ocean Park" is worth what it takes to get though the length and details. In fact, I'd say the narrator (Misha) thinks in many ways like I do (though his IQ likely is much higher than mine!), and I found reassurance in that. The way he keeps branching off from the plot with personal commentary forced me to work somewhat to stay with it, but I found that rewarding. As I got toward the end of the book, I felt the author had lost a bit of control with the plot, but again, it was worth it to me. I doubt that most authors could maintain total control of a work of this complexity (especially for a first novel), and I admire Stephen L. Carter for giving it his personal best. And the plot is only part of the greatness of the story. I'm curious about what's in store for us in his next work of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Baroque
Review: Carter has manifest skill as a tale-teller and as a character-creator, but his gifts run riot in this debut novel. I agree with those who say the novel is too long, maybe twice as long as it need be. There is too much doubling back, repetition, description, etc., and yes, too many characters. One thing I notice--and Carter is not alone in this--is minute description of things--what people are eating, etc. The general excuse for this sort of thing is verisimilitude. But a little verisimilitude goes a long way. There's too much of it here. I should reveal tho that I have a screenwriter's suspicion of the long-windedness and often indulgence of many novelists. They should discipline themselves writing filmscripts, which average about 120 pages for a 2-hour movie. Every word has to count--nothing extraneous is permitted. Another trick of Carter's is to mention something significant that the protagonist says to someone without revealing what it is. This is just playing games with the reader. I think the rule should be that the reader should know as much as the protagonist/narrator. Then there are cases where the protagonists's reticence creates unnecessary problems, where a word might suffice to clear up the situation. As someone said, there's a story here, but you have to dig for it.
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