Rating: 
Summary: What a fun, fascinating novel
Review: Please pardon a slight cliche, but I can't remember when I've had more fun reading a novel. As soon as I finished I wanted to start right over from the beginning. In his first novel Mr. Gold has managed the elusive trick (OK, a cliche AND a magic analogy) of blending three-dimensional characters, a compelling plot and a sense of place so vivid that readers can see the vistas of 1920s San Francisco and hear the hum of the theatrical electrics. In addition, he has peppered the narrative with dozens of delightful historical "easter eggs" (one of which was unfortunately spoiled by another reviewer). To top it off, he has also crafted not one but TWO heart-tugging love stories. Mr. Gold, here' s looking forward to your next novel (and at some point, I hope, a Carter sequel).
Rating:
Summary: ~Delightful~
Review: This is an absolute pleasure. It's exactly what I was seeking for a sheerly excellent and entertaining read. Yes, the comparison to Kavalier & Clay" is appropriate. BTW, I'm not finished yet, so I don't know if the "secret" is divulged, but how many readers, I wonder, realize that Minnie "Palmer" and her boys Leonard, Julius, Adolph, Herbert, and Milton are in fact the Marx Brothers (and "Marx mother")?
Rating: 
Summary: Disjointed and thready
Review: It seems as if Mr. Gold was uncertain just which book he wanted to write. All the espionage and intrigue surrounding the death of President Harding in the midst of the Tea Pot Dome scandal, or the story of a Houdini wannabe. This may have made two very good books, but as one book it never created a tapestry that wove the two stories together, the way The Carpetbaggers did. I found myself skipping around trying to get into it and never did. The characters were kind of one dimensional and the dialouge was too cheeky even for that era. The best aspect of this book was the colorful cover and the fantastic promotional ad campaign that launched it onto the Best Sellers list, but this 500 page epic was a job-and-a-half to read.
Rating:
Summary: Comparatively Speaking
Review: Many have drawn comparisons of this book to Hollywoodland Kingpin. Both are debut novels and are historical fictions that have famous people intersecting the storyline. But there the similarities end. Carter was a best seller, while Hollywoodland Kingpin is mostly unknown as yet. But I found Carter to be trite and cartoonish where Kingpin was deep and philosophical. Gold has Warren Harding as his lead historical figure where Peters has everyone from Socrates to the ghost of Jean Harlow visiting Sharon Tate. To me Carter is a thinly disguised variation on Harry Houdini and was two-dimensionally written, where Kingpin is unlike any other literary character and is writen for the ages. Each novel does a great job capturing the times that surrounded their characters and brought the era and lifestyle alive for the reader, but it seemed that author Gold didn't know when to bail on this story and bring it to a merciful end. This book could have been half as long and been too long. Too many long passages that lead to no where in particular. Hollywoodland Kingpin and even Coldheart Canyon are far more creatively written than Carter Beats The Devil. The dialogue between the characters is this book's weakest link.
Rating:
Summary: I Was a Skeptic, But.....This is An Excellent Book
Review: Let me summarize things this way: I've never written a book review for ...(this website) before. This book was good enough to compel me to write and suggest that you read it, too. "Carter Beats the Devil" was a recommendation made by Amazon, and my success rate with their recommended books is only so-so. But....this selection was outstanding. It's a page-turner, and I couldn't wait to pick the book up again each night and dive into Carter's world. It has excellent character development, and the plot has some clever twists and turns. The book does start with a bang, but it also held my interest for its duration. It's a light-hearted and positive book. In summary: I was surprised at how good this book was. If you take my suggestion, read it, and enjoy it as much as I did, my little foray into writing reviews will have been worth the time. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic First Novel
Review: Much like Carter the magician, Glen David Gold's first book is grand, terribly smart, and wildly entertaining.Set in San Francisco in the 20s Gold brings the reader into a world of magic so researched and detailed you can almost smell the greasepaint on the performers faces. He wonderfully captures the time period regularly blending fact with fiction to add further realism to his story. What a great companion piece this would make to three books similar in tone: Chabon's "Kavalier & Clay", Elizabeth McCracken's "Niagra Fall All Over Again", and Christopher Bram's "The Notorious Dr August". If you were a fan of any of those books you'd almost be guaranteed an enjoyable read with this book.The story's immediately accessible as we see the origins of Charles Carter's profession, and the final "Act" of the book is a thrilling page turner right out of a Hollywood movie. Well structured, well plotted, well written. A solid novel through and through!
Rating: 
Summary: Fun, though tough to get into after the introduction
Review: It was with great anticipation that I dove head first into this novel after reading the Times book review and assorted reviews on the Amazon.com web site for "Carter Beats the Devil." Mr. Gold is a terrific historical writer who has fashioned a Docterow-like novel taking place during the golden age of magic and vaudeville in the U.S. It is very obvious that the author has carefully researched the period and in "Carter Beats the Devil" the reader is transported back to the days of Houdini and to a San Francisco that we all wish we could have visited. After an introduction that hooks the reader (featuring the mysterious death of President Harding) the reader is lead on a very long exposition covering the life of one Charles Carter (our hero and master magician). Plot lines are well developed with a few surprises along the way with the introduction of Carter's nemesis "Mysterioso." The book drags along until Carter hits the big time and then there is enough here to keep any reader happy. This is a great book for the beach and for those searching for a total period immersion ... you will have somewhat of a sense of deja vu here if you read "Ragtime." As an amateur magician myself I was impressed by Gold's understanding of the mechanics of illusion and the history of magic. Character development here is rich and detailed. Stay with the book after the introduction. The read is, in the end, a satisfying one. You may not be surprised by the ending (I had it figured out early on) but you will be impressed by the "illusion" that Gold has fashioned here and like any good entertainment, this one is worth the cost of admission! Have fun.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: If you liked Michael Chabon's "Kavalier and Clay" you'll love this. It's well written, suspensful and FUN. It's a mystery, a romance, a period piece, and an adventure. This may be the most enjoyable book I've read in years. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning Work
Review: The Roaring Twenties was the greatest decade for stage magic in American history. Where those who could afford it skipped off to Europe, professional performers and master illusionists consistently amazed those who could not. Harry Houdini is the most famous of these magicians, but Charles Carter is the subject of Glen David Gold's debut novel, Carter Beats the Devil. Without mirrors or smoke, Gold creates a world that is satisfying and imaginative, while at the same time steeped in realism and historical fact. Just hours after being dismembered and returned to life by Carter the Great, US President Warren G. Harding is dead. While doctors declare that there is no evidence of foul play, Secret Service Agent Jack Griffin is not so sure. Griffin he doggedly pursues the truth of what happened the night the President died. At the same time, the reader is launched back and forth in time with Carter from his earliest days with magic to his return to the business after a tragic accident involving his wife. Throughout the novel, the only person with more tricks up his sleeve than Carter is the author himself. Gold not only the portrays the real Charles Carter but also ropes in a diverse cast of additional period figures including Houdini, borax tycoon Francis Smith, and television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth. As Griffin becomes convinced of Carter's guilt, the magician struggles to find joy in his life, works to create a new act with which to dazzle increasing hard-to-please audiences, meets a mysterious women who steals his heart, and guards against the treachery of one who he believed to be a friend. With an ending that holds a surprise for everyone, not least of all the reader, Carter Beats the Devil is the real deal in a literary world filled with imposters. A writer for television and movies, Gold delivers dialogue that is fast-pitched and fun to follow and creates characters that are larger than life. While the novel occasionally gets bogged down in some point of obscurity, these slips are brief and do not detract from the intelligent pace of the plot. All in all, this is a work of the first rank, an excellent display of erudition and a fine tale with adventure to spare. Carter Beats the Devil is highly recommended, and I will eagerly await Gold's next book.
Rating:
Summary: Gold beats the odds, writes a very good review
Review: Gold was able to weave history with imagination and come up with a wonderful debut. The only thing that could have improved the book is an editor willing to pare it down just a bit, (GOLD himself deserves 5 stars). At times it seemed to drag just a little, but all in all it was a very enjoyable read. The end was so apt to the story. It is a long one, so prepare to immerse yourself in the story of Carter for awhile. In an early scene, wherein Carter finds his magic at a young age while holed up in an ice bound mansion with his brother will stay with me for some time, excellent visual writing!
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