Status
Available
Call number
Publication
William Morrow (New York, 2004). 1st edition, 1st printing. 832 pages. $27.95.
Description
In the year 1689, a cabal of Barbary galley slaves -- including one Jack Shaftoe, aka King of the Vagabonds, aka Half-Cocked Jack -- devises a daring plan to win freedom and fortune. A great adventure ensues -- a perilous race for an enormous prize of silver ... nay, gold ... nay, legendary gold. In Europe, the exquisite and resourceful Eliza, Countess de la Zeur, is stripped of her immense personal fortune by France's most dashing privateer. Penniless and at risk from those who desire either her or her head (or both), she is caught up in a web of international intrigue, even as she desperately seeks the return of her most precious possession. Meanwhile, Newton and Leibniz continue to propound their grand theories as their infamous rivalry intensifies, stubborn alchemy does battle with the natural sciences, dastardly plots are set in motion ... and Daniel Waterhouse seeks passage to the Massachusetts colony in hopes of escaping the madness into which his world has descended.… (more)
Media reviews
"Packed with more derring-do than a dozen pirate films and with smarter, sparklier dialogue than a handful of Pulitzer winners, this is run-and-gun adventure fiction of the most literate kind."
User reviews
LibraryThing member Phrim
Finally finished slogging through Neal Stephenson's 3,000-or-so-page Baroque trilogy. Took me like six months, but it was definitely worth it. Leave it to Stephenson to make history both incredibly real-seeming and utterly ridiculous at the same time. If you liked Cryptonomicon and have any
Show More
interest in Enlightenment-era London, Baroque is certainly worth a read. Just make sure to leave yourself plenty of time. Show Less
LibraryThing member Larou
As the Author’s Note informs the reader, The Confusion is really two novels, merged (or, in a pun this novel rather over-uses, con-fused) into one by interlacing their chapters, Bonanza and Juncto, with respectively Jack and Eliza as main characters (Daniel remains somewhat in the background for
Stephenson is often praised as master of the infodump, but what we get here are a series of extremely clumsy dialogues that would have been cause of much eye-rolling even in a debut novel, but coming from someone who already has several novels under his belt and has shown that he can do better this is extremely annoying. He even has to give Jack amnesia for the sole purpose so that someone can narrate his own history back to him, which everything considered might be even worse than the infamous “As you know, Bob” variety of infodumping because it is such an obvious and at the same time so very weak attempt to avoid it that it smacks of desperation.
Fortunately, the novel eventually gets caught up and rolling, and things take a marked turn for the better compared to Quicksilver. Admittedly, the “Juncto” (Eliza) part of The Confusion still gets bogged down in the swamp of pointless details Stepenson drives the (often somewhat meagre) plot through as well as his continued attempts to be Deep and Meaningful; but then there are the chapters with Bob Shaftoe (Jack’s brother) as protagonist who somewhat make up for that by presenting a rousing tale of love and vengeance in the context of English warfare at the period.
And there is “Bonanza”, the other part / novel making up The Confusion which again has Jack Shaftoe as protagonist and which is even better than “King of Vagabonds,” the second part of Quicksilver. Jack travels not only in Europe this time, but gets to visit exotic places like India, the Americas and even Japan in a series of increasingly outrageously adventures, making and losing his fortunes several times over, acquiring the gold of Solomon and being chased for it by dastardly foes. He remains the lovable rogue throughout, and Stephenson thankfully does not skimp on the rogue part – Jack does not have many scruples in the pursuit of this goals, and is not someone even the most kindly inclined reader would enjoy spending time with. But he certainly is a lot of fun to read about, and more than once this particular reader wished Neal Stephenson had just written a neo-Picaresque novel with Jack as hero and dispensed with all the stuff about Science, Finances and Enlightenment – whose only real function is to give the author room to brag about the huge amount of mostly useless information he has accumulated – and focussed on travels, roguery and swashbuckling. I know, I know – I’m sounding like a complete philistine here, but it’s such a waste and a pity to see what could have been a splendid adventure novel buried under so much extraneous dross. Still, there is less dross here than in Quicksilver, so maybe there still is hope for Neal Stephenson, and the best volume of the Baroque Cycle is still to come.
Show More
this volume). Events begin some time (years for Jack, months for Eliza) after we left them in Quicksilver, and that proves to be something of a problem – after enjoying the previous novel more than I had been expecting to, I almost gave up on The Confusion because of the incredibly clunky way Stephenson catches up on what happened in the time that has passed.Stephenson is often praised as master of the infodump, but what we get here are a series of extremely clumsy dialogues that would have been cause of much eye-rolling even in a debut novel, but coming from someone who already has several novels under his belt and has shown that he can do better this is extremely annoying. He even has to give Jack amnesia for the sole purpose so that someone can narrate his own history back to him, which everything considered might be even worse than the infamous “As you know, Bob” variety of infodumping because it is such an obvious and at the same time so very weak attempt to avoid it that it smacks of desperation.
Fortunately, the novel eventually gets caught up and rolling, and things take a marked turn for the better compared to Quicksilver. Admittedly, the “Juncto” (Eliza) part of The Confusion still gets bogged down in the swamp of pointless details Stepenson drives the (often somewhat meagre) plot through as well as his continued attempts to be Deep and Meaningful; but then there are the chapters with Bob Shaftoe (Jack’s brother) as protagonist who somewhat make up for that by presenting a rousing tale of love and vengeance in the context of English warfare at the period.
And there is “Bonanza”, the other part / novel making up The Confusion which again has Jack Shaftoe as protagonist and which is even better than “King of Vagabonds,” the second part of Quicksilver. Jack travels not only in Europe this time, but gets to visit exotic places like India, the Americas and even Japan in a series of increasingly outrageously adventures, making and losing his fortunes several times over, acquiring the gold of Solomon and being chased for it by dastardly foes. He remains the lovable rogue throughout, and Stephenson thankfully does not skimp on the rogue part – Jack does not have many scruples in the pursuit of this goals, and is not someone even the most kindly inclined reader would enjoy spending time with. But he certainly is a lot of fun to read about, and more than once this particular reader wished Neal Stephenson had just written a neo-Picaresque novel with Jack as hero and dispensed with all the stuff about Science, Finances and Enlightenment – whose only real function is to give the author room to brag about the huge amount of mostly useless information he has accumulated – and focussed on travels, roguery and swashbuckling. I know, I know – I’m sounding like a complete philistine here, but it’s such a waste and a pity to see what could have been a splendid adventure novel buried under so much extraneous dross. Still, there is less dross here than in Quicksilver, so maybe there still is hope for Neal Stephenson, and the best volume of the Baroque Cycle is still to come.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kristianbrigman
The Confusion is the best of the Baroque Cycle, as the middle of series tend to be, and worth slogging through Quicksilver to get to it. The financial wrangling of Eliza can be hard to follow at time, but the exploits of Jack "L'Emmerdeur" Shaftoe are great fun. This whole series is not quite as
Show More
good as Cryptonomicon, mostly because it's a bit more confusing and hard to follow (there's just a lot going on), but still better than most of what's out there. Show Less
LibraryThing member kukulaj
Non-stop adventure! The links back to the first book in the trilogy, Quicksilver, are very strong, so you'll want to read that first. The whole web of action here is quite complex but Stephenson keeps us well oriented without overdoing it.
OK, I am a bit of an armchair philosopher. I think it was
It's a big fat book but enough of a page turner!
OK, I am a bit of an armchair philosopher. I think it was
Show More
buried in this book, some discussion that the puzzle of the continuum and the puzzle of free will are linked somehow. Actually there is a nice discussion of the theory of monads of Leibniz... that presumable sketches out the link, but it's too slender a link to carry any weight. Of course folks have started from a kite string and gradually built up stronger and stronger cables to build a bridge of interstate highway capacity, so ... will volume 3 revisit the philosophical conundrums? We certainly seem set up for a lot more of that kind of action!It's a big fat book but enough of a page turner!
Show Less
LibraryThing member santhony
The Confusion is Volume II of the author’s Baroque Cycle. Volume I contains the first three “books” of the cycle, while The Confusion contains Book 4 (Juncto) and Book 5 (Bonanza). These two books were originally published separately, but when combined in this volume, the “chapters” are
Juncto is set in northern Europe and features Eliza, Duchess of Arcachon and Qwhglm, and Daniel Waterhouse. Bonanza follows the adventures of Half-Cocked Jack Shaftoe from his days as a galley slave along the Barbary Coast through Egypt, the Indian sub-continent (Hindoostan), the Far East, New Spain (Mexico) and ultimately back to England.
If you read Volume I, Quicksilver, or the three books that were encompassed therein, then you are familiar with the characters and the historical landscape (late 17th, early 18th century). While the historical fiction contained in these works is highly educational and at times fascinating (at others, somewhat confusing), this is not my favorite Stephenson effort. Nevertheless, as in his cyberpunk and sci-fi stories, a certain level of attention and effort is required in order fully grasp the author’s work. Some may not want to put forth the effort, but I appreciate it.
Show More
alternated so as to maintain chronological order. That is because the two books deal with two completely separate story lines. Juncto is set in northern Europe and features Eliza, Duchess of Arcachon and Qwhglm, and Daniel Waterhouse. Bonanza follows the adventures of Half-Cocked Jack Shaftoe from his days as a galley slave along the Barbary Coast through Egypt, the Indian sub-continent (Hindoostan), the Far East, New Spain (Mexico) and ultimately back to England.
If you read Volume I, Quicksilver, or the three books that were encompassed therein, then you are familiar with the characters and the historical landscape (late 17th, early 18th century). While the historical fiction contained in these works is highly educational and at times fascinating (at others, somewhat confusing), this is not my favorite Stephenson effort. Nevertheless, as in his cyberpunk and sci-fi stories, a certain level of attention and effort is required in order fully grasp the author’s work. Some may not want to put forth the effort, but I appreciate it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member daschaich
Worth the Weight: "The Confusion" is the second weighty volume in Neal Stephenson's gigantic "Baroque Cycle." "Quicksilver" (2003) got the Cycle off to a solid (if slow) start, and if the concluding volume ("The System of the World," to be published in the fall of 2004) is anything like "The
"The Confusion" covers the years 1689-1702 and consists of two interlocking books, "Bonanza" and "The Juncto." Since events in each book influence those in the other, they are con-fused so that the volume as a whole is less confusing; we switch back and forth between the two books, reading a few chapters in one before turning to the other. The approach works well. Instead of jumping back to 1689 in the middle of the volume, the whole story unfolds more or less chronologically. There are occasionally gaps of an entire year or two in the narrative, which is a little disconcerting, but helps to keep the plot moving.
At the beginning of "Bonanza," we rejoin Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, some four years after he was enslaved by the Barbary Corsairs. A fever has cured his pox and restored his sanity, but at the same time removed all his memories of the past four years. Jack learns that he is part of a group of galley slaves - the Cabal - plotting to steal a boatload of silver from the Spanish and use part of the proceeds to buy their freedom. There is only one problem: the silver they capture turns out to be gold. Even worse, this gold has incredible alchemical powers - or, at least, so the alchemists believe. Terrified that their alchemical gold will be spent and thus con-fused with the common metal, the Esoteric Brotherhood will pursue the Cabal to the ends of the earth to get it back - or, failing that, to get revenge.
Eliza, meanwhile, has involuntarily donated her considerable fortune to the French war effort after being captured by privateer Jean Bart while fleeing to England . As she tries to recover, the European economy is thrown into confusion by a series of bad loans and bad harvests coupled with the seemingly endless wars that have sucked up all of the continent's money. Eliza, along with "The Juncto," a powerful group of English politicians, has the task of rebuilding Europe 's financial system on the basis of trade, laying the groundwork for modern economics. Her task is not made any easier by the alchemists, who know of her connection to Jack Shaftoe, and hope to get to him through her.
As I hoped, I found "The Confusion" more entertaining than "Quicksilver." The pace is much quicker, and the action and actual plot development makes the volume much more engrossing. I occasionally got the feeling that more happened in particular scenes in "The Confusion" (for example, the Duc d'Arcachon's birthday party) than in the whole of "Quicksilver." There's still plenty of interesting errata (as we expect in a Stephenson book), though Daniel Waterhouse is largely missing - he doesn't appear until about 2/3rds of the way through the volume, and scampers off to Massachusetts pretty quickly after that. Finally, the conclusion does a wonderful job setting up the final volume; I can hardly wait until it's out.
Those who have made their way through "Quicksilver" owe it to themselves to move onto "The Confusion" so that their efforts can be rewarded. If you were hesitant about starting "The Baroque Cycle" after reading mixed reviews of the first volume, you can rest assured that "The Confusion" makes it all worthwhile. If "The System of the World" is up to the standard set by "The Confusion" (and I suspect it will be), "The Baroque Cycle" will end up as a masterpiece of massive historical fiction.
Show More
Confusion," it will be a story worthy of its size. Neal Stephenson comes through on this volume, and those of us who were concerned by "Quicksilver" can give a sigh of relief."The Confusion" covers the years 1689-1702 and consists of two interlocking books, "Bonanza" and "The Juncto." Since events in each book influence those in the other, they are con-fused so that the volume as a whole is less confusing; we switch back and forth between the two books, reading a few chapters in one before turning to the other. The approach works well. Instead of jumping back to 1689 in the middle of the volume, the whole story unfolds more or less chronologically. There are occasionally gaps of an entire year or two in the narrative, which is a little disconcerting, but helps to keep the plot moving.
At the beginning of "Bonanza," we rejoin Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, some four years after he was enslaved by the Barbary Corsairs. A fever has cured his pox and restored his sanity, but at the same time removed all his memories of the past four years. Jack learns that he is part of a group of galley slaves - the Cabal - plotting to steal a boatload of silver from the Spanish and use part of the proceeds to buy their freedom. There is only one problem: the silver they capture turns out to be gold. Even worse, this gold has incredible alchemical powers - or, at least, so the alchemists believe. Terrified that their alchemical gold will be spent and thus con-fused with the common metal, the Esoteric Brotherhood will pursue the Cabal to the ends of the earth to get it back - or, failing that, to get revenge.
Eliza, meanwhile, has involuntarily donated her considerable fortune to the French war effort after being captured by privateer Jean Bart while fleeing to England . As she tries to recover, the European economy is thrown into confusion by a series of bad loans and bad harvests coupled with the seemingly endless wars that have sucked up all of the continent's money. Eliza, along with "The Juncto," a powerful group of English politicians, has the task of rebuilding Europe 's financial system on the basis of trade, laying the groundwork for modern economics. Her task is not made any easier by the alchemists, who know of her connection to Jack Shaftoe, and hope to get to him through her.
As I hoped, I found "The Confusion" more entertaining than "Quicksilver." The pace is much quicker, and the action and actual plot development makes the volume much more engrossing. I occasionally got the feeling that more happened in particular scenes in "The Confusion" (for example, the Duc d'Arcachon's birthday party) than in the whole of "Quicksilver." There's still plenty of interesting errata (as we expect in a Stephenson book), though Daniel Waterhouse is largely missing - he doesn't appear until about 2/3rds of the way through the volume, and scampers off to Massachusetts pretty quickly after that. Finally, the conclusion does a wonderful job setting up the final volume; I can hardly wait until it's out.
Those who have made their way through "Quicksilver" owe it to themselves to move onto "The Confusion" so that their efforts can be rewarded. If you were hesitant about starting "The Baroque Cycle" after reading mixed reviews of the first volume, you can rest assured that "The Confusion" makes it all worthwhile. If "The System of the World" is up to the standard set by "The Confusion" (and I suspect it will be), "The Baroque Cycle" will end up as a masterpiece of massive historical fiction.
Show Less
LibraryThing member danbarrett
The Confusion is where Stephenson's Baroque trilogy really reaches it's apex of mind-boggling complexity. As I've said before, his work is idea-rich, sometimes (okay, often) hard to follow because of it's intricacy. That said, this is another excellent novel of ideas and an extremely fun one to
Show More
boot. Pirates? Come on, pirates are awesome. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShelfMonkey
The term ‘confusion’ can connote many things. It usually indicates a state of bewilderment. It also denotes a jumbled and chaotic time or place, a disjointed mingling of disparate elements and events that appear to have little in relation to each other.
It is, in other words, a perfect one-word
Leave it to American author Neal Stephenson to make a rollicking pirate novel of it all.
The Confusion, Stephenson’s superlative second volume in his trilogy The Baroque Cycle, is, indeed, a confusion of high adventure, international intrigue, scientific discourse, and economic chaos. Stephenson even throws in math, cryptology, and the precursor to the modern computer, just in case he might be accused of narrative laziness.
Building on events outlined in Quicksilver, Stephenson wastes no time in thrusting the reader into the thick of things. Familiarity with the preceding novel is essential, as he has too much to write about without the additional bothersome worry of exposition. When you write of people who, “in a single grammatically correct sentence, [manage] to make reference to Apolonius of Perga, the Folium of Descartes, and the Limacon of Pascal�Â?, back-story is so much wasted ink.
Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, is now a galley slave in Algiers, plotting with his fellow oarsmen (a mixed bag of Irish, Jewish, Russian, and Arabic men, plus one wayward samurai) to buy themselves free from servitude through an ingenious scheme. Hijacking a ship laden with Spanish gold, Shaftoe finds himself again in the thick of world events, sailing around the globe in search of wealth, fame, and his true love.
Meanwhile, in a second tale âÂÂcon-fusedâ with the first, former slave and peerless spy Eliza continues to quietly subvert the economies of Europe, working behind the scenes as England attempts to wage war with France with no financial support. Unlike ShaftoeâÂÂs bizarre exploits in India and beyond, Eliza finds herself in a changing world âÂÂwhere power came of thrift and cleverness and industry, not of birthright, and certainly not of Divine Right.âÂ?
Stephenson, a former science-fiction writer, has produced a seamless blend of historical fact and riotous fiction as vivid and imaginative as anything the great fantasists could ever dream up. His is a dazzling world of visionaries and treachery, an epoch of intellectual rebellion and cultural revolution that our planet has never again seen the like of.
ItâÂÂs a confusing story to be sure, but Stephenson has a sure hand at keeping the flow steady, never getting bogged down in details. His effort is stunning at times, with a poignant cliffhanger ending that provides both closure and excitement for the upcoming final volume.
Eliza describes confusion as âÂÂa kind of bewitchment â a moment when what we supposed we understood loses its form and runs together and becomes one with other things that, though they might have had different outward forms, shared the same inward nature.âÂ? By this definition, Stephenson has produced an epic confusion of his own, a clash of styles and themes that frustrates, enchants, and ultimately astounds.
It is, in other words, a perfect one-word
Show More
summation of our world at the later end of the seventeenth century. It was a time of tremendous upheaval in numerous aspects of civilization, a period of intellect and innovation that many expected would lead to a new age of enlightenment.Leave it to American author Neal Stephenson to make a rollicking pirate novel of it all.
The Confusion, Stephenson’s superlative second volume in his trilogy The Baroque Cycle, is, indeed, a confusion of high adventure, international intrigue, scientific discourse, and economic chaos. Stephenson even throws in math, cryptology, and the precursor to the modern computer, just in case he might be accused of narrative laziness.
Building on events outlined in Quicksilver, Stephenson wastes no time in thrusting the reader into the thick of things. Familiarity with the preceding novel is essential, as he has too much to write about without the additional bothersome worry of exposition. When you write of people who, “in a single grammatically correct sentence, [manage] to make reference to Apolonius of Perga, the Folium of Descartes, and the Limacon of Pascal�Â?, back-story is so much wasted ink.
Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, is now a galley slave in Algiers, plotting with his fellow oarsmen (a mixed bag of Irish, Jewish, Russian, and Arabic men, plus one wayward samurai) to buy themselves free from servitude through an ingenious scheme. Hijacking a ship laden with Spanish gold, Shaftoe finds himself again in the thick of world events, sailing around the globe in search of wealth, fame, and his true love.
Meanwhile, in a second tale âÂÂcon-fusedâ with the first, former slave and peerless spy Eliza continues to quietly subvert the economies of Europe, working behind the scenes as England attempts to wage war with France with no financial support. Unlike ShaftoeâÂÂs bizarre exploits in India and beyond, Eliza finds herself in a changing world âÂÂwhere power came of thrift and cleverness and industry, not of birthright, and certainly not of Divine Right.âÂ?
Stephenson, a former science-fiction writer, has produced a seamless blend of historical fact and riotous fiction as vivid and imaginative as anything the great fantasists could ever dream up. His is a dazzling world of visionaries and treachery, an epoch of intellectual rebellion and cultural revolution that our planet has never again seen the like of.
ItâÂÂs a confusing story to be sure, but Stephenson has a sure hand at keeping the flow steady, never getting bogged down in details. His effort is stunning at times, with a poignant cliffhanger ending that provides both closure and excitement for the upcoming final volume.
Eliza describes confusion as âÂÂa kind of bewitchment â a moment when what we supposed we understood loses its form and runs together and becomes one with other things that, though they might have had different outward forms, shared the same inward nature.âÂ? By this definition, Stephenson has produced an epic confusion of his own, a clash of styles and themes that frustrates, enchants, and ultimately astounds.
Show Less
LibraryThing member heidilove
ok. i confess i've started this series about four times. i don't know if it's the work or just my life, but the book always ends up only a chapter or two into it, languishing on the bedside.
LibraryThing member meegeekai
A good way to describe this book is like this; I was flying somewhere and a dude next to me saw me reading this book and complemented me. He had also been slogging his way through the cycle. You have to love history, economics, and Stephenson (not in that order). Read Cryptonomicon first, please.
LibraryThing member geertwissink
The next book in the Baroque Cycle trilogy. Entertaining, the first book was more surprising, this time I felt sometimes some tiredness coming up when Jack finds himself once again in another unbelievable adventure. But nevertheless, a great read.
LibraryThing member mrtall
The second installment in Neal Stephenson’s massive Baroque Cycle, i.e. The Confusion, concentrates on the exploits of Jack Shaftoe and his merry band of multiculti galley slaves, as they both make plays and are played all around the known world in the late 17th century. The adventures of the
Given this shift of emphasis to Jack, the book is actually more coherent and easy to follow, especially since there are few new characters introduced on the European stage. But since I found the picaresque exploits of Jack Shaftoe the least interesting of this series’ main storylines, I enjoyed The Confusion perhaps a bit less than Quicksilver, even though it was easier to read.
Never the less, several episodes in the adventures of Jack’s own little cabal stand out: their encounters in India and Japan are especially good fun. Much less interesting is the book’s rather interminable section in the New World; Stephenson seems to lose his narrative energy here, as if he felt he had to throw in some adventures in Spanish-colonial Mexico just to get his main characters across the western hemisphere and back over to Europe.
This series isn’t for everyone, but since I’m still finding the frequent asides on subjects ranging from science and technology to shipbuilding and navigation to money and banking highly diverting and indeed instructive, I’m looking forward very much to finishing off the cycle with volume III.
Show More
series’ other two main characters – i.e. Daniel Waterhouse the natural philosopher, and Eliza the Duchess of various parts who’s also a hot babe/financial genius – are downplayed when compared to the Cycle’s first volume, Quicksilver. Given this shift of emphasis to Jack, the book is actually more coherent and easy to follow, especially since there are few new characters introduced on the European stage. But since I found the picaresque exploits of Jack Shaftoe the least interesting of this series’ main storylines, I enjoyed The Confusion perhaps a bit less than Quicksilver, even though it was easier to read.
Never the less, several episodes in the adventures of Jack’s own little cabal stand out: their encounters in India and Japan are especially good fun. Much less interesting is the book’s rather interminable section in the New World; Stephenson seems to lose his narrative energy here, as if he felt he had to throw in some adventures in Spanish-colonial Mexico just to get his main characters across the western hemisphere and back over to Europe.
This series isn’t for everyone, but since I’m still finding the frequent asides on subjects ranging from science and technology to shipbuilding and navigation to money and banking highly diverting and indeed instructive, I’m looking forward very much to finishing off the cycle with volume III.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dpevers
I liked this better than the first of the series, "Quicksilver". It covers a lot more geography, which makes keeping the storylines a bit difficult.
LibraryThing member magemanda
I am entirely perplexed by this trilogy! Usually by the time I have read the first book in a trilogy - let alone the second - I know well whether I am intending to keep the series for an indulgent re-read in the future. After reading the first book, I had been intrigued enough to read the second
What a difference a book makes! Over the course of this second book, I found myself musing on the story even while I was not reading about the continued adventures of Eliza and Jack. This book is reward for struggling through the first, which was enormously dense and detailed.
The book is shared between Eliza (Juncto) and Jack (Bonanza), their stories intertwining. We find Jack alive and well, and free from the French pox (syphilis). He has been captured by Barbary pirates and his tale involves a convoluted plot between him and other members of the Cabal - to capture a shipment of gold that will lead to their fortunes being made. His story leads him across the world - through the Far East and finally taking a dangerous trip to Acapulco. The capture of the gold has massive repercussions across the world, affecting many including Eliza, who starts her story being waylaid by Jean Bart and carried back to France, where she once again begins manipulating trade.
This time both stories are equally gripping for one reason or another, and the skipping between both allows Stephenson to develop two different tones - the formal, slow burning plot of Eliza and the swashbuckling adventures of Jack Shaftoe.
Many, many characters take centre stage here and become beloved to the reader over the course of 800 pages. Obviously Jack and Eliza will have the attention of the reader, but there is also Leibniz (the dignified and friendly Natural Philosopher who has befriended Eliza from the beginning); Bob Shaftoe (brother of Jack, more upright and stolid); Princess Caroline (beautiful and fiercely intelligent); and the many entertaining members of the Cabal.
We also see the beginnings of Minerva - the ship that is carrying Daniel Waterhouse back to England at the start of the first book in the trilogy - and meet her captain van Hoek (a Dutch captain who feels the need to shed body parts when in gravest danger).
Altogether I am being overwhelmed gradually by the trilogy of books, and can find much to love about them. On the flipside, the writing is still inpenetrable at times and leaves me feeling confused as to what is actually occuring. At times the pacing of the story is woeful - leaving spells where I actually avoid picking up the book, although curiosity in the fates of Jack and Eliza always brings me back.
I would tentatively recommend this book to everyone I know - with the proviso that it is still not *easy* reading (and that they have to suffer through book one to reach the heights of book two).
Show More
but felt that overall I would be discarding the series.What a difference a book makes! Over the course of this second book, I found myself musing on the story even while I was not reading about the continued adventures of Eliza and Jack. This book is reward for struggling through the first, which was enormously dense and detailed.
The book is shared between Eliza (Juncto) and Jack (Bonanza), their stories intertwining. We find Jack alive and well, and free from the French pox (syphilis). He has been captured by Barbary pirates and his tale involves a convoluted plot between him and other members of the Cabal - to capture a shipment of gold that will lead to their fortunes being made. His story leads him across the world - through the Far East and finally taking a dangerous trip to Acapulco. The capture of the gold has massive repercussions across the world, affecting many including Eliza, who starts her story being waylaid by Jean Bart and carried back to France, where she once again begins manipulating trade.
This time both stories are equally gripping for one reason or another, and the skipping between both allows Stephenson to develop two different tones - the formal, slow burning plot of Eliza and the swashbuckling adventures of Jack Shaftoe.
Many, many characters take centre stage here and become beloved to the reader over the course of 800 pages. Obviously Jack and Eliza will have the attention of the reader, but there is also Leibniz (the dignified and friendly Natural Philosopher who has befriended Eliza from the beginning); Bob Shaftoe (brother of Jack, more upright and stolid); Princess Caroline (beautiful and fiercely intelligent); and the many entertaining members of the Cabal.
We also see the beginnings of Minerva - the ship that is carrying Daniel Waterhouse back to England at the start of the first book in the trilogy - and meet her captain van Hoek (a Dutch captain who feels the need to shed body parts when in gravest danger).
Altogether I am being overwhelmed gradually by the trilogy of books, and can find much to love about them. On the flipside, the writing is still inpenetrable at times and leaves me feeling confused as to what is actually occuring. At times the pacing of the story is woeful - leaving spells where I actually avoid picking up the book, although curiosity in the fates of Jack and Eliza always brings me back.
I would tentatively recommend this book to everyone I know - with the proviso that it is still not *easy* reading (and that they have to suffer through book one to reach the heights of book two).
Show Less
LibraryThing member mefnord
The Confusion feels a lot like what it actually is - the middle part of a trilogy. Stuff happens, mainly to Eliza and Jack (two of the protagonists of the first book) and keeps happening and happening. (I missed Newton and Waterhouse quite a lot, although they do have their cameos). Sometimes a
Thus, the adventures of Jack and Eliza often seems like, well, filler. Filler for the last book.
Still an entertaining read and I absolutely adore Stephenson for the amount of research he has put into the book. Knowing a little bit of your European history in the 17th and 18th century will certainly help to keep the Kings and Queens straight *g* Sadly enough, I had to look up a lot of it.
I will definitely pick up the last book of the trilogy, but only after some light and short books inbetween.
Show More
tiny bit of a crescendo would have been nice. Something more driven than the never ending schemes and counter-schemes. The successes and failures became kind of predictable in the end: at first they succeed than someone is even cleverer and they fail, only to find a way out of their predicament - this goes for all the main charachters. Thus, the adventures of Jack and Eliza often seems like, well, filler. Filler for the last book.
Still an entertaining read and I absolutely adore Stephenson for the amount of research he has put into the book. Knowing a little bit of your European history in the 17th and 18th century will certainly help to keep the Kings and Queens straight *g* Sadly enough, I had to look up a lot of it.
I will definitely pick up the last book of the trilogy, but only after some light and short books inbetween.
Show Less
LibraryThing member angharad_reads
I've been learning a great deal of history from Stephenson, both in this series and in the Cryptonomicon. I've never been very interested in finance and the movements of money and economies, but he makes it almost interesting! Plus, glow-in-the-dark pirates!
LibraryThing member BenjaminHahn
Another Baroque Cycle volume completed. So engrossing, so time consuming. This series is totally for history nerds with a dark cynical sense of humor. I love it, but I have spoken to a few folks who just can't get into Quicksilver. For variable reasons, this book is just too dense for the average
Show More
reader. Stephenson is a superb and well researched writer who is dishing out so many nuanced details left and right that it may overwhelm. Some of the best moments in The Confusion come at unexpected times when all meaning is hinged on double or triple entendres and the reader's ability to remember a minor plot fact 300 pages prior. If you catch them, its fantastic, if not you are kind of left thinking that you missed something. Thus, I recommend reading this book in one go instead of putting down from month to month while you peruse some other book. You will be rewarded with a plot web so dense and dramatically strewn across history, the globe, religion, science, people, and economics, that by the end you will feel like you have taken 6 different seminars on 17th century world affairs. All of this is lined with such biting dark humor and intermittent bouts of swashbuckling that you will forget that you are reading a historical fiction book about the Enlightenment. Show Less
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
The Confusion is the second installment of Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle. If you chose to jump into the series with this book, you will be totally confused. You will need to either abandon you reading and start with Quicksilver or forget you read this book, read Quicksilver and then re-read The
I slogged through this one, like some of the characters enduring long confinement and staying alive because they did not lose sight of their cause, their final destination. I admit I put it aside several time to read other books, but I always came back to it. To have that much of a hold on me has to say something about the story.
Will I go on to complete the Cycle? I am not sure, but I am anxious to get to the Cryptonomicon. Will I read them in order? Probably, but I may not.
Like Quicksilver, it is loosely based on history, but I hesitate to call it historical fiction. I was pleased to read in the interview included in the book, Stephenson is well aware of his linguistic anachronisms and they were intentional. In reviews of other of Stephenson’s works I said he is a geek’s author. This solidifies that comment and validates that this is not a slam against him, but a compliment. You need to be well grounded in a lot of obscure areas to appreciate what goes on in the Baroque Cycle.
Because it is so ponderous, I cannot give this a full five stars. Because I found the story so captivating I kept returning to it, I can’t say this is simply mediocre. Four stars, but not everyone will agree, I’m sure.
Show More
Confusion. Either way, this is an epic undertaking. So is reading the book.I slogged through this one, like some of the characters enduring long confinement and staying alive because they did not lose sight of their cause, their final destination. I admit I put it aside several time to read other books, but I always came back to it. To have that much of a hold on me has to say something about the story.
Will I go on to complete the Cycle? I am not sure, but I am anxious to get to the Cryptonomicon. Will I read them in order? Probably, but I may not.
Like Quicksilver, it is loosely based on history, but I hesitate to call it historical fiction. I was pleased to read in the interview included in the book, Stephenson is well aware of his linguistic anachronisms and they were intentional. In reviews of other of Stephenson’s works I said he is a geek’s author. This solidifies that comment and validates that this is not a slam against him, but a compliment. You need to be well grounded in a lot of obscure areas to appreciate what goes on in the Baroque Cycle.
Because it is so ponderous, I cannot give this a full five stars. Because I found the story so captivating I kept returning to it, I can’t say this is simply mediocre. Four stars, but not everyone will agree, I’m sure.
Show Less
LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
Actually liked this a little better than Quicksilver, although it's much longer than it needs to be. Very interested to see how it all turns out.
LibraryThing member timothyl33
Though technically the sequel to Quicksilver, The Confusion in some ways could be read as a standalone story of the adventures of Jack Shaftoe, as he makes his away around the world going from adventure to adventure; and of Eliza, with her story of trying to survive in a world of intrigue and
For me, this turned out to be a quicker read as opposed to when I read Quicksilver. For one thing, the story is for the most part told in chronological order, instead of being broken into three time periods. For another, it's much more interesting to read about the adventures that Jack went through as he went from one adventure (or trouble) to another, as opposed to reading Daniel's history in Stuart England.
To be honest, I can't really say that all parts of the book makes sense (but then the title is called "The Confusion"), but when dealing with such interesting characters, sometimes their force of personality itself can be enough to propel a story forward.
And now as the story has caught up to the storyarc/time period of Daniel leaving Massachusetts at the end, I'm hoping that everything will be explained in the next novel.
Show More
machinations in late 17th century Europe.For me, this turned out to be a quicker read as opposed to when I read Quicksilver. For one thing, the story is for the most part told in chronological order, instead of being broken into three time periods. For another, it's much more interesting to read about the adventures that Jack went through as he went from one adventure (or trouble) to another, as opposed to reading Daniel's history in Stuart England.
To be honest, I can't really say that all parts of the book makes sense (but then the title is called "The Confusion"), but when dealing with such interesting characters, sometimes their force of personality itself can be enough to propel a story forward.
And now as the story has caught up to the storyarc/time period of Daniel leaving Massachusetts at the end, I'm hoping that everything will be explained in the next novel.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
As often happens with Neal Stephenson books, I had the sneaking suspicion throughout the series that I'm not quite smart enough to really understand everything that's going on, but I still had a rip-roaring great time reading this book. The characters are typical Stephenson characters (he often has
Show More
the self-deprecating, adventurous, dumb-yet-geeky male and the witty, hyper-intelligent, sexy, manipulative female - I can't help but think these are two sides of Stephenson's own personality). I love the science fiction approach to historical fiction. Really amazing stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmvilches
The pace picks up considerably in this continuation of the intertwined stories of Jack Shaftoe, Daniel Waterhouse, and Eliza, Countess de la Zeur. The plot set in motion in Quicksilver continues to twist into fiendishly complex patterns. Piracy and quests, political and financial intrigue, and the
Jack Shaftoe, now a galley slave in Algiers, joins a conspiracy to pirate a Spanish treasure and escape slavery. He and nine other oar-mates embark on their adventure burdened with Jack's usual mix of good and bad luck. Sea battles, land battles and general havoc follow the cabal of misfits across oceans and continents.
Daniel has a smaller role in this volume, but the role of Jack's more socially integrated brother Bob waxes into a remarkable war-filled journey to free his enslaved love, Abigail. Eliza, in the meantime, has lost her fortune and her firstborn son and must tread carefully to keep her head amid the perils of the French court. Eliza works to recover her son and wreak havoc on the financial markets of Europe.
Jack's adventures from South America to Japan and Eliza's maneuverings in Europe draw you along at breathtaking speed with enough momentum to propel you through the 800+ pages. The pace rarely falters and Stephenson continues to make even the secondary characters interesting. He also maintains the obvious attention to research and detail found in Quicksilver. The Confusion neatly sets the scene for the third and final book as divergent plots start to converge, and I can't wait to see where Stephenson will take us next.
4 Stars
Show More
evolution of scientific thought; you'll find all of this and more in the hefty second volume of the Baroque Cycle. Read Quicksilver first in order to not be confused by The Confusion.Jack Shaftoe, now a galley slave in Algiers, joins a conspiracy to pirate a Spanish treasure and escape slavery. He and nine other oar-mates embark on their adventure burdened with Jack's usual mix of good and bad luck. Sea battles, land battles and general havoc follow the cabal of misfits across oceans and continents.
Daniel has a smaller role in this volume, but the role of Jack's more socially integrated brother Bob waxes into a remarkable war-filled journey to free his enslaved love, Abigail. Eliza, in the meantime, has lost her fortune and her firstborn son and must tread carefully to keep her head amid the perils of the French court. Eliza works to recover her son and wreak havoc on the financial markets of Europe.
Jack's adventures from South America to Japan and Eliza's maneuverings in Europe draw you along at breathtaking speed with enough momentum to propel you through the 800+ pages. The pace rarely falters and Stephenson continues to make even the secondary characters interesting. He also maintains the obvious attention to research and detail found in Quicksilver. The Confusion neatly sets the scene for the third and final book as divergent plots start to converge, and I can't wait to see where Stephenson will take us next.
4 Stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member jenkstom
Continuing the series, this is the most difficult volume. It gets rather slow at times, and sometimes only the memory of the high points keeps you going. But there are enough high points, especially involving the man Jack Sparrow wanted to be - Half Cocked Jack - to make it worth some minor
Don't worry, the payoff and gratification makes it worth every bit. In fact, the good bits are better than any other author I can think of having read.
It might take a bit of courage (yes, this whole series is monstrously large), but dig in and go for it. Where else are you going to learn all of these obscure historical tidbits, eh?
Show More
frustration.Don't worry, the payoff and gratification makes it worth every bit. In fact, the good bits are better than any other author I can think of having read.
It might take a bit of courage (yes, this whole series is monstrously large), but dig in and go for it. Where else are you going to learn all of these obscure historical tidbits, eh?
Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Second in "The Baroque Cycle" (or, the 4th and 5th books in it, to use Stephenson's reckoning).
I didn't find this to be a quick read.
Stephenson IS a good writer, and the book is really filled with interesting thoughts and turns of phrase. But it just doesn't move you along in the way an
In a way, it's too much about concept, I think. The characters are more Dickensian caricatures than "real" people. Overall, it seems to be trying to be a sort of adventure/thriller about finance and economics... and I don't feel it really worked as well as it could have.
I didn't find this to be a quick read.
Stephenson IS a good writer, and the book is really filled with interesting thoughts and turns of phrase. But it just doesn't move you along in the way an
Show More
entertaining novel ought to - while at the same time being filled with a series of Most Unlikely events and coincidences, sprawling loosely here and there, flitting about the world, mixing historical fact with stereotypes and fiction.In a way, it's too much about concept, I think. The characters are more Dickensian caricatures than "real" people. Overall, it seems to be trying to be a sort of adventure/thriller about finance and economics... and I don't feel it really worked as well as it could have.
Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
Two novels are interspersed - the continuing story of Daniel, Jack and Eliza - from Versailles to the Spanish Inquisition in Mexico - non stop adventure...
Subjects
Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — Science Fiction Novel — 2005)
Marble Faun (Ukraine) (2008)
Locus Recommended Reading (2004)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2004-04
Physical description
832 p.; 6.25 inches
ISBN
0060523867 / 9780060523862