The System of the World, by Neal Stephenson (books 2008, 19)

[devilgate]

This has been the third year in which I have read a volume of The Baroque Cycle over the summer. I loved the first, despite its dip after the first book. The second was slower – in fact suffering from classic middle-volume longeurs. I thoroughly enjoyed them both, though.

This third volume is the best of the three. I enjoyed it so much that, towards the end (that is, in the last two-hundred-or-so pages) I found myself sometimes avoiding reading it, because I didn’t want it to be over.

The focus is very much back with Daniel Waterhouse, where it started, which is good from my point of view. Jack Shaftoe and Eliza (Duchess of the preposterously named Qwghlm) are in there too, of course.

And, it’s too damn long for me to write much more about it. If you’ve read the first two, you will, of course, want to read this. If you haven’t read any of them, you should.

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This entry was automatically crossposted from my blog, A Labourer at the Bitface. You can comment here on LJ, but it might be nice if you commented over there.

Comments

[ladymoonray.livejournal.com]

System of the World was my favourite too. It just brings everything together so beautifully, and unexpectedly. I want to read them all again now - wish I had the time!

[thehumanstomach.livejournal.com]

I have to say I thought Volume 2 was much more exciting, much less of a history info dump. I agree that volume 3 is the best, it could almost stand alone.