There is something about a book which comes smothered with praise that makes me put it back on the shelf, which I did with this book again and again. I succumbed in a weakened moment and bought a copy and now I have to join in the chorus. A book with this much plot, a proper pantomime villain and old fashioned hero is a treat. Next time I have flu this will be my cure. ( )

A fictionalized account of the life and times of Charles Carter, stage magician.

I am over the bloody moon about this book! I feel like Glen David Gold compiled a list of all my favourite things, (well, most of my favourite things), and turned it into a great, big, wallowsome story.

Wallowsome is the perfect word for it. I became deeply involved in the story, but I still could not read it quickly. I hunkered down with it for four days, during which I often wondered how it was that the book hadn’t yet ended. I mean, I’d been reading it forever, and so much had happened, and yet it just kept going and going and going. I’d start getting annoyed.

Then something absolutely wonderful would happen, and all my annoyance would melt away. I was glad the book was long and slow and wallowsome, because I didn’t really want to let go of Carter and his magical world.

The theatrics alone probably would’ve been enough for me. Carter’s a stage magician at a time when stage magic is in decline, so there’s scads of stuff about his struggles to keep his act up and running in the face of dwindling audiences and financial ruin. Gold makes it all come alive. Carter is a fantastic character; he snuck up on me, slowly but surely, until I was truly committed to him. I felt his love for the theatrical life, and I was desperate to see him succeed because I didn't want him to have to give up his dreams. Even though the Overture makes it clear that he'll someday become a headliner, Act I tricked me into forgetting that. I worried about him constantly.

Then on top of that, there’s a big mystery going on in the background, complete with dead presidents and technological marvels and killers who slaughter innocents with decks of playing cards. I don’t want to say too much more about that, because I don’t want to ruin it for all of you, but I was quite impressed with it.

And best of all, Gold manages to integrate all his storylines. I’ll tell you, I thought the odds were against him. I thought I was going to find at least one part of the book unsatisfying. I didn’t. I mean, he definitely pays more attention to some things than others, but it all ties together in the end. It all works.

There were also a couple of little things that I reacted to on a personal level. I’m big on anything that deals with family, and I loved the relationship between Carter and his brother, James. They’re such great siblings. I also loved that James’s sexuality is almost a non-issue. It was nice to see, especially since I'd just finished a book with some horribly homophobic content. And the period detail... oy vey, do I ever love stuff set in the 10’s and 20’s! (I won’t be able to say that soon. People will scratch their heads and wonder why I don’t just say, “I love stuff that’s set in modern times"). Finally, I loved the animals. Baby and Tug are both adorable.

So me, I’m pretty durned happy right about this book. It tickled me pink and delighted the hell out of me. I urge you to give it a go at your earliest convenience.

(A longer version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina). ( )

This is a thrilling, romantic, fascinating book and will probably be my favorite book read this year. Carter Beats the Devil is a historically fact-based novel about magician Charles Carter who performed in the golden age of magic (1890s thru the 1920s). This story pits Carter against rival magicians and Secret Service agents who suspect Carter had a hand in the death of President Harding. I was drawn in from the get-go. This book is full of suspense, humor, and panache. It came highly recommended from Michael Chabon, author of the Pulitzer-prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (also an excellent book). Carter Beats the Devil is a richly imagined story full of wonderful characters and it has perhaps the most thrilling, exciting, whiz-bang conclusion I've come across in ages. Great, great book. ( )

I bought this because the reviews were great, but I was disappointed. I got half way through the book and realized I didn't really care about any of the characters, starting with Carter. He spends most of the book glooming about the tragedies in his life; it turns out at one point that he doesn't know how much money he has; the real Charles Carter, a successful stage magician, can't possibly have been such a nebbish. The ending (no spoilers!) was interesting and suggestive but the book just wambled along. ( )

Charles Carter was a real-life Magician who lived in America in the 1920's at the same time as Harry Houdini.
This thick volume of 560 pages describes his life in fictional terms which adds flesh to the bare bones of his life.
Following an essential preamble involving the President,the tale proper begins with Charles ,aged nine together with his younger brother James at the family home. Several events occur which shape their lives forever and mould the future career of Charles Carter. This career is to be that of the stage magician 'Carter the Great'.Many of his illusions are described,during the course of this book,although quite rightly not many of the solutions.
In the course of the story he makes both friends and enemies (one of the latter sets out to ruin,and perhaps to kill him).He also finds the two great loves of his life.
I found this book exciting,touching and really beautifully written.It held my interest right to the end and made me impatient for Glen David Gold's next offering. ( )