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Average Customer Review
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The 1600's come to life, 12 Dec 2004
I cannot find words for how good The Confusion is. We still follow the people from Quicksilver as they strive to find their way in the chaotic world of the late 1600's and early 1700's. The themes are still money, piracy, sex, slavery, science, black magic, etc. and the cast is still comprised of vagabonds, galley slaves, scientists, royalty, soldiers, priests, alchymists and much, much more. The action goes (literally) round the world, to places like Egypt, India, Japan, the Philippines, all of Europe and, of course, Qwghlm, the fictional Island that also appears in Cryptonomicon.I am in awe of how many themes are woven together in this book, and of the amount of research it must have taken. I have never had any sense of what the rennaisance was like, and suddenly the 1600's seem real and present to me. I've done some fact-checking in Wikipedia, and it only serves to expand and deepen the picture that Stephenson paints of that period. The ending is just about the funniest, saddest, most satisfying, most intriguing and most annoying thing I've ever read. And I can't wait to read the final book in the series which is The System of the World. A word of caution: These books are subtle. Much of the actions is hinted at rather than described explicitly. Once you get the hang of it, it is immensely satisfying to read.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Standing on the shoulders of giants, 16 Feb 2005
Cryptonomicon was astounding. Weaving together multiple periods in time isn't a new idea but in the right hands it is a powerful tool. Quicksilver, a massively-pre prequel, was almost as good. A huge book, a real epic, but you're forever stuck with idea that the sheer good fortune of our central characters - just how lucky did Jack, Eliza and Daniel have to be in order to mix with the factual people they did - was a little bit too much. But you were having so much fun, you gave Stephenson more slack. And so the sequence rolls on - The Confusion will be just that if you've not read Quicksilver (which itself was probably better if you'd read Cryptonomicon). It's a huge endeavour - it took me an age to finish it, and while it starts slowly it's a real slow burner. By the end you'll be as gripped as with the best cinematic thriller. It's a subtle read, you really do need to pay close attention (or to have access to the Megaweb wiki to look up those previous threads) or you'll lose track completely, but ultimately it is worth it.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Superb just doesn’t do it justice!, 5 April 2004
This novel has everything; humour, adventure, intrigue, sex and naval warfare! It's all extremely well written with excellent dialogue and a cast of characters that will split your sides with laughter (my particular favourite was a Spanish nobleman galley slave with Tourette's syndrome…….).If you haven’t read Quicksilver, buy it together with this one and be prepared for a literary feast!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Another piece in the puzzle, 2 Dec 2004
After reading "The Confusion" I had to go back and read "Cryptonomicon" to confirm what I suspected - these books don't just feature different generations of the same families, they are building into a coherent and (I hope) complete story. There are, for example, passing references in "Cryptonomicon" that only make sense in the light of "Confusion". I'm looking forward to the treat of reading "System of the World" where I hope I will find the final answers - in particular, who (or what) is Enoch Root?But then I'll probably have to go back and read "Quicksilver" again to get the full picture. Anyway - an excellent series, taken together.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
Post- Quicksilver, 14 Jul 2004
The Confusion is aptly named. the first 50 or so pages seemed like Stephenson had planned three books and perhaps rushed out the second a little too quickly. I then had to revise this opinion. In places it doesn't manage to equal Quicksilver but perhaps some of that is due to the originality of the latter. Many of the same characters return, including Shaftoe, Eliza and Waterman. These characters development into more human figures as the book progresses with Shaftoe learning a degree of humility, Eliza a bit more compassion and Waterman becomes more endearing. The plot is quite complex which is what we'd expect from Stephenson; it doesn't disappoint. Newton and Leibnitz periodically appear and teach those of us ignorant of such matters a smattering of Science history and good pub trivia (if only pubs had geometry and similar subjects in their quizes). The book is absorbing the characters often delightful. Intrigue and action co-exist with passion, compassion and human frailties. It ends gripingly. Buy it. Now. Go on you know you want to.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Genius, 3 Mar 2006
I liked 'Snow Crash', absolutely loved 'Cryptonomicon' and am awed by the Baroque Cycle. Admittedly sometimes it is a bit too long. But nothing can take away from its vision and breadth. I can't begin to fathom the scope of Stephenson's knowledge and imagination!
It's a real pity that so many bookstores here in London stock it in the Science Fiction shelf. I'm sure many non-SF readers would love it, too!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Sublime & Intriguing, 27 Nov 2007
In the Baroque cycle (of which this is the 2nd book) and in his previous book Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson creates sublime story-scapes mixing history, science and fiction to create a kind of new mythology of recent western history.
As a reader you a drawn in unsure of where the boundaries between truth and make believe lie. You mind and knowledge are vastly expanded but you always have the nagging worry that what you have just learnt isn't quite true - but the narrative is written so seamlessly that you never really find the edges.
This is epic and thought provoking fiction, if you have always loved Sci-Fi but have kind of grown up then this is for you.
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5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Stunning!, 30 Mar 2004
Absolutely superb - wonderful expansion of the ensemble of characters, phenomenal dialogue, lovely throwaway historical details - just marvellous!My only gripe was that it came to an end. Roll on volume 3. Rowan
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
epic, 22 Dec 2006
I've liked a lot this second episod of the saga. the focus shifts outside of europe and that also makes it more interesting. so much history and fiction in this books, i don't know enough to draw a line, but who cares, it's great stuff to read. sometimes the writer perhaps could've spared the reader a couple of pages of details of some very boring story, but the THE WRITER is god, and we are his humble followers.. :-)
if you'd like to travel in europe at the end of the 17th century, and then fare to the end of the world, and in the end come back to london, meeting a mixture of historical characters, scientists, merchants, kinds, persons of Quality, slaves etc.. then welcome to the Baroque Cycle.
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Mind-blowingly erudite !, 25 Nov 2006
I've been immersed in this novel for awhile now, and have resisted taking it to read on the train as I'd more than likely miss my stop. Stephenson has such a thirst for knowledge: he reminds me of someone who has to be forcibly removed from bookshops because his interests are so vast. To me, the author is like someone from another time - his appearance could be described as ageing hippy/rock star/musketeer - and I feel his time would be 17th century France or Holland.
The Confusion is like a box of very luscious truffles, and is to be savoured slowly so that each truffle can be enjoyed. It's perfect autumn/winter reading, though for someone who has a passion for history, science, literature and generally everything that was going on in the world at that time. I look forward to the next instalment very much.
Bravo, Mr Stephenson. What a superb writer.
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