This one isn’t going to make much sense unless you’ve read Quicksilver. It is a sterling continuation of the Baroque Cycle: authors who start a trilogy well and then fuck up on the second part really annoy me, and YES, I AMLOOKING AT YOU WACHOWSKI!

This similitude is apt, for it was not only an enjoyable reading experience, one that I would like to persue further into the System of the World. Also I feel that I have learned something, for though it is fiction it is tasty and nutritious.

If I haven’t said it already, Half Cocked Jack Shaftoe the King of the Vagabonds, is awesome. I now wait for him to comment on the conversations going on around him.

I am currently about 500 pages into this book, Contrary to some other reviews that I have read, I felt that this book started slower than Quicksilver though it picked up significantly about 150 pages in. At this point I can’t decide on a favorite character as Daniel, Jack and Eliza have all been very enjoyable. Thus far, this is more great reading from Neal.

Like Quicksilver this is a slow starter for me. I’m on page 85 now, but it seems to be dragging.