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just_justin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mantissabolt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
jupiterjens666's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
sharondblk's review against another edition
4.0
If you've read this far, you know what this series is like. This book continues on from the previous, without some of the strange convolutions required to move the plot on. All of your favourites are here, with a return to Daniel, and Dappa gets his own storyline. And that's all I really have say. Onward to the next volume.
fuchs_galaxis's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A solid continuation of the series and FINALLY getting back to the premise started in book one.
abhijeetgaiha's review against another edition
4.0
If the author would please keep the looooooong descriptions to a minimum, I'd be grateful.
darrenoconnor2000's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
darwin8u's review against another edition
4.0
“On the contrary, my lord...there is nothing quite so civilized as to be recognized in public places as the author of books no one has read.”
- Neal Stephenson, The Baroque Cycle, Vol 3, Book 1
I can feel the end of this series closing in. The sixth book of this series, nested, like a Russian doll inside of Volume 3 ([b:The System of the World|116257|The System of the World (The Baroque Cycle, #3)|Neal Stephenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407712273s/116257.jpg|905463]) centers primarily on Daniel Waterhouse. Daniel has been summoned back to England to act as a middle-man (or a narrative bridge?) between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz concerning the invention of Calculus. Someone tries to kill him with an infernal device (mechanical bomb). The book ends with Jack Shaftoe (aka Jack the Coiner) attempting a heist of the Tower of London where Netwon is the "Warden" and later "Master" of the Royal Mint. Newton has been using this role at the Royal Mint to standardize the guinea, but also to to search for Solomon's lost gold.
The book tends to bend easily between swashbuckling adventure and nerdy historical/light scifi fiction. It is dense in parts, but it is hard to not respect Stephenson's ability to weave the real with the almost supernatural and the outrageous. I'm constantly entertained by [b:The Baroque Cycle|22535547|The Baroque Cycle Collection|Neal Stephenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407110757s/22535547.jpg|50643684] but the charm is starting to tarnish a bit and I'm ready for this almost literary adventure/ride to end.
- Neal Stephenson, The Baroque Cycle, Vol 3, Book 1
I can feel the end of this series closing in. The sixth book of this series, nested, like a Russian doll inside of Volume 3 ([b:The System of the World|116257|The System of the World (The Baroque Cycle, #3)|Neal Stephenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407712273s/116257.jpg|905463]) centers primarily on Daniel Waterhouse. Daniel has been summoned back to England to act as a middle-man (or a narrative bridge?) between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz concerning the invention of Calculus. Someone tries to kill him with an infernal device (mechanical bomb). The book ends with Jack Shaftoe (aka Jack the Coiner) attempting a heist of the Tower of London where Netwon is the "Warden" and later "Master" of the Royal Mint. Newton has been using this role at the Royal Mint to standardize the guinea, but also to to search for Solomon's lost gold.
The book tends to bend easily between swashbuckling adventure and nerdy historical/light scifi fiction. It is dense in parts, but it is hard to not respect Stephenson's ability to weave the real with the almost supernatural and the outrageous. I'm constantly entertained by [b:The Baroque Cycle|22535547|The Baroque Cycle Collection|Neal Stephenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407110757s/22535547.jpg|50643684] but the charm is starting to tarnish a bit and I'm ready for this almost literary adventure/ride to end.
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