The story continues with the perils of Eliza. The English monarchy is shaky. Who is William of Orange?

Audio book. Book 3 of the Baroque Cycle. Liked it more than the second one because focus back to Daniel & the natural philosophers, with Eliza now in that world. Continue listening at some point. Not excited enough to do now

It's really good, although sometimes it goes on and on. This one features Eliza (and because we listened to the audio book they had a woman reading her letters, which was a really good choice) and Daniel. Half-cocked jack is off doing other things and I'm looking forward to reading the next book to catch up with him too.

This is the final book in Volume 1 of The Baroque Cycle and I am very pleased to say that Stephenson wraps things up very nicely while still leaving me wondering what happens further on.
This book contains both the evolving stories of Daniel Waterhouse and Eliza during the tumultuous 1680's. Charles II has died and there is a new king of England, however, of course, things are not that simple. A new word is born, Revolution, or at least, given new meaning. Not only a "revolving around" but now a Revolution as we commonly know the word today, as an "uprising". And Daniel and Eliza, although both in completely different parts of Europe, are quite in the middle of everything.
Neal Stephenson writes so clearly about these sophisticated political situations and, also, the ideas of Natural Philosophy at the time, that I have no problem understanding and following along. One thing I would like to mention that this first Volume has taught me, and that is that humanity in the late 17th century could be just as polite, nice, charming, vicious and vile as it is today.
There is so much quality to match the quantity of this massive Volume, so if the sheer size of the books of The Baroque Cycle scare you, I can assure you it is more than worth your time.

The voice actress portraying Eliza in her epistolary sections nailed it. THAT is Eliza, not some faux sultry kitten.

Y ya van 3 comentados. 

Después de comentar brevemente las 2 primeras partes [1 y 2], esta tercera es más de lo mismo, o sea, que si te gustaron las 2 anteriores esta no te defraudará. Esta novela se centra en el personaje de la odalisca, Eliza (una joven de la isla Qwghlm [isla que ya aparecía o aparecerá en Criptonomicón]) que aprovechándose de lo aprendido en el harén del sultán turco para adelantándose a su tiempo y aprovechando la libertad protestante de los Países Bajos y los enfrentamientos entre Francia, Inglaterra y Alemania, y a su vez entre católicos y protestantes. Todo ello aderezado con la época en que la ciencia se convirtió en lo que es hoy en día dejando de lado la brujería y la alquimia.

En general cada libro está bastante bien, pero el conjunto de los tres que forman el ciclo barroco 1 son totalmente recomendables.
Reseña en BEM on Line
Reseña en Stardust

REREAD:

If you ever want to read a book where all the plot points happen off screen, this is your book.

REREAD:

If you ever want to read a book where all the plot points happen off screen, this is your book.

Well, the history is good, but it's not much of a novel or narrative really, is it? There are short passages where the author becomes a bit more excited though in general its quantity over quality.

I will read the remainng 5 books ... over the hopefully 40 remaining years of my life; I think I'm done with The Baroque Cycle for this decade, anyway.

"Even a well-made clock drifts, and must be re-set from time to time."
- Neal Stephenson, Odalisque



An odalisque was a chambermaid or a female attendant in a Turkish haram (seraglio), particularly the ladies in haram of the Ottoman sultan.

So, the book title references Eliza, who in book 2: King of the Vagabonds is rescued by "Half-Cock" Jack (King of the Vagabonds). Eliza in this book enters the world of European economics and spycraft. She rises from broker of the French nobility, eventually earning the title of Countess of Zeur. She also aids William of Orange as he prepares to invade England, gaining the added title of Duchess of Qqghlm. The book also brings us back to Daniel Waterhouse.

I personally missed Jack Shaftoe, but that was partially assisted because we were introduced to his brother Bob Shaftoe.

I've enjoyed Volume one. I'm a big fan of the Age of Enlightenment and was thrilled to experience of fictionalized Pepys, Newton, Leibniz, William of Orange, etc.