I couldn't finish this, and I am not one who is daunted by the size of a
book. I should have been warned when I picked it up the first time after having finished reading a novel written by somebody with a more poetic sense of language and thinking, "Wow, this is ugly writing." I was continually frustrated by the long passages where plot points are explained by the characters to each other (and clunky dialog for that matter), where characters seem to have no inner life (for all the alleged intelligence of the characters, you never see somebody wondering, or imagining, or experimenting, or figuring things out for themselves; not even the ones who end up explaining things to others), and where there is no passion expressed for anything (not sex, nor research, nor discovery).

As a discussion of some interesting concepts about math or financial dealing, it's not bad. As a novel, though, it's dreadful. Reading it felt like trying to put together a moderately intricate jigsaw puzzle whose creator hadn't sanded or polished the pieces, nor used any color in the picture itself. Stephenson has always had this problem to some degree, but usually there's enough story and character to make it worthwhile. Sometimes I get the feeling that because he is a smart guy, that editors and some readers feel like whatever they find tedious or verbose must just be because they don't understand. For this book, I don't think it's the case.

In Quicksilver I half hoped that the length of the book was because it was written in the kind of coding discussed in the book, and I found the intersecting stories interesting. In The Confusion I no longer cared and quit even though I was most of the way through.

What’s the opposite of writer’s block? Verbal diarrhea? That seems appropriate given Stephenson’s fondness for infodumps and using 1,000 words where 1 would do. This book, like all of his others, is bloated and irritatingly verbose, but damn good despite that. It takes a long time to get into and, many times, I wanted to quit, but couldn’t. What saves it in the end is the story which is, for some reason fascinating and captivating, and the dialogues, which move the story along at a brisk pace when they do occur. One thing for sure: the title of this book is appropriate.

Zounds, and Zounds and Zounds yet again! This tis truly a Brick of a Book, as was Quicksilver. Tis not a quick read, but tis a joy to read! Alternating between the stories of Eliza, in the court of Louis the XIV, and English Royalty alike, and the story of Jack Shaftoe, AKA King of the Vagabonds, AKA Half-Cocked Jack, AKA Quicksilver, and his tale of Stolen gold. Jack goes 'round the globe with his Cabal which is ever dwindling. We also meet his sons this go around, along with his Brother Bob (who. spends some time with Eliza, and also sometime reuniting with his Purloined Love!). In the middle of all this, Daniel Waterhouse has not been forgotten, but is more in the background for most of this.

Truthfully, Neal Stephenson has not heard "Brevity is the sould of Wit", I presume, as this is the antithisis of brevity, yet loses none of it's Wit. I am getting near the Summit of this Mountain of a Novel, fully realizing that there 'tis one more Mountain to climb!

Ye gods, the THINGS this man knows. The history of Science, the History of Math, the History of Money, and History itself.

Ye gaods yet again, the SCOPE of this. We go from England, to Ireland, to France, to India, to Egypt, to The Barbary Coast, and to The Phllipines (not necessarily in that order). This book makes me wish I know more Math, more Science, more History, More Economics and more Languages.

I fear I have not journaled this noivel like I did Quicksliver, and for that I am sorry. But, I think at this time I am merely TIRED from this book. Not tired OF it, no, I shall prevail and tackle this as soon as I read the remaining 100 pages, and Vol 3 comes in the mail!

When I finihs this whole 3 volume novel, methinks I shall read some short stories. Some Comic book. Some Limericks or Haikus maybe, I know not. But, in the not too distant future, I have some bricks of books that call my name, encluding more of Neals eventually. (Egads! ALL of his books seem to be bricks!) I think the next of his I shall read is Cryptonomican. (A book of this title is referred to in these volumes)


Back to Jack, who tis mid Pacific somewhere or the other as I sit here!

Zounds, yet one more time! I have finished this 2nd Brick of a Book, I have reach the Summit of this Mountain of a Book, for it has ended! And what a glorious end it was!. Now I am off to learn of The System of the World! Avast!

8/10

I just can't do it anymore. After almost a year of trying to slog through this book, picking it up and putting it back down repeatedly, I only made it to page 244.

I give up.

This book is mammoth with a great esoteric vocabulary, swashbuckling adventure, a mix of real and fictional characters and events as well as insights into finances and philosophy at the end of the 1600s. It was fun to trace out the maps within cities and around the globe. The plot is solid but would not be sufficiently intriguing if you did not find these other things interesting. The ending is unsatisfactory as the author wants you to read the next book in the cycle. I do intend to read the next book

4.0 Stars
I love Neal Stephenson. While this is not my favourite of his books, it's still great to spend time with his ideas. I was pleasantly surprised how the author wove religion into his novel in a way that wasn't in opposition to science. As someone who leans into secular fiction, I found it surprisingly beautiful.

RTC

I love this series - but can see lots of people not liking it so much. The history is fascinating - and I believe quite a bit of the exaggeration - and find it thought-provoking. I find humor in it that may be subtle for those not looking for it.

The first book in this universe took place during WWII - this 2nd book of a 3 book series has as one of its minor characters, Isaac Newton. It follows some other characters in separate journeys. Occasionally the detail may bog down some readers who don't care for that kind of thing. But I enjoyed it.

3.25 stars?

I found this second volume of the trilogy more engaging than the first, but I'm still underwhelmed. Stephenson indulges in so much detail. He has obviously done a pile of research and is determined that the reader knows about it. At least this volume spent more page time on my preferred characters, Eliza and Jack.

This is a real round-the-world tour, as Jack Shaftoe and his Cabal go to places as diverse as Egypt, India, the Philippines, China, Japan, and Mexico. Circumstances are never easy for Jack and he is forever having to plot and plan his way out of one scrape or another. Eliza doesn't get everything her own way either. She deals with financial schemes with élan, but must deal with smallpox, raise several children (one of whom is abducted), and convince the men around her that they should follow her advice. They are both the worse for wear when they see one another again briefly.

I had to interlibrary loan this and will have to do the same with the third volume. It will have to wait a while, but I foolishly hope to get to it before the end of the year.

Book Number 466 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Zamęt to kolejny przejaw geniuszu Stephensona. Po raz kolejny czytając powieść tego autora delektowałem się każdą kolejna stroną, a ostatnią przywitałem ze smutkiem, że to już koniec tego niesamowitego dzieła.

Tym razem autor skupia się na dwóch postaciach - Jacku Shaftoe i Elizie. W przypadku Jacka mamy do czynienia z powieścią przygodową, pełną rozmachu, podróży, niesamowitych wydarzeń, oraz planu, który zawstydziłby ekpię Dannego Oceana.
W przypadku Elizy więcej jest dworskich intryg, polityki oraz zagłębiania się w realia ówczesnego handlu i gospodarki. W powieści spotkamy też pozostałe postacie z pierwszego tomu, m.in Boba Shaftoe, który kontynuuje karierę wojskową (szczególnie ciekawie to wygląda w czasach gdy żadna wojna się nie toczy), Leibniza, Enocha Root'a, wpadniemy też na chwilę do Londynu do Daniela Waterhouse'a żeby zobaczyć narodziny papierowego pieniądza.

Stephenson pisze w swoim stylu. Z jednej strony mamy podniosłe wydarzenia w życiu bohaterów, pełne dramatyzmu i zwrotów akcji, w tle toczy się historia znana z szkolnych podręczników (w o wiele ciekawszym wydaniu), autor lubuje się też w wykładaniu różnego rodzaju teorii (np. niesamowita scena z francuskiego salonu opisująca ideę transakcji bezgotówkowych), a wszystko opisane jest przystępnym, lekko ironicznym stylem, który powoduje, że uśmiech nie schodzi z twarzy czytelnika (dialogi).

Jedyny minus związany jest z rozłożeniem powieści w czasie. Przez 3/4 książki w fabule nie ma większych przeskoków w czasie co tylko wychodzi jej na dobre (w porównaniu z pierwszą częścią), później niestety autor przyspiesza, zaczynają się przeskoki, co powoduje, że wydarzenia, o których można by napisać kolejną powieść, zawarte są na kilku marnych stronach (cóż za marnotrawstwo).

Would give this cycle 6 stars if i could.