Brave new world
It is the 18th Century and, just as Quicksilver is used in alchemy to effect transformations to other elements, the Con-fusion of many different people, philosophies technologies is fostering the emergence a new System of the World.
The old social and political order is slowly being eroded by disciplines such as natural philosophy (science) and commerce-based economy (instead of land-based economy). At the forefront of this movement is the Royal Society and one of its most prominent members: Isaac Newton, author of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, where it is proven that the motion of terrestrial and celestial objects is guided by the same principles (i.e. gravity).
The world of Philosophy (Natural and otherwise) is torn apart by a conflict between Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz over who first invented the Calculus. This rift also has deeper roots that go well beyond mathematics and could threaten the very basis of the new emerging philosophical language that is science. Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, friend of Leibniz and daughter of one of two pretenders for the soon-to-be-vacant Throne of England, sends a mysteriously long-lived alchemist named Enoch Root to seek the help of Daniel Waterhouse, the aging founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony of Technological Arts and old friend of both men. Daniel must cross a pirate-infested ocean and find a way bridge what appear to be irreconcilable differences.
Meanwhile, thirty years earlier, a vagabond-turned soldier-for-hire named “Half-cocked” Jack Shaftoe stumbles upon a not-so helpless harem girl of English origins during the sacking of a Turkish fortress. One will eventually become known as the King of Vagabonds and become the bane of Louis XIV and the British Mint. The other will quickly rise to the top of French and English society through her mastery of economics and relationships, all the while looking for ways to end the despicable - yet highly profitable - practice of slavery.
All this and the kitchen sink too
If this is not enough, you can add to the mix, amongst many many other things: the burning (and subsequent rebuilding) of London; blood-thirsty pirates; a decade of slavery in the Turk army; an epic treasure chase around the globe; mysterious exploding infernal devices; the many way to encrypt information or to conduct business; the invention of steam engines; the industrial production of the newly-discovered element of phosphorous through the boiling of vast quantities of human piss; the amazing Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia; the taking over of the English coinage by Isaac Newton; the hunt for the mysterious Solomonic gold from which it is believed one could extract the very essence of God; Leibniz’s strange theories about a computational device and the dream of John Wilkins (founder of the Royal Society) that all of the world’s knowledge could be organized into a rational system.
How will all these threads merge together? How can 3 000 pages be so much fun and go so fast? You’ll have to read these fabulously quirky and informative books yourselves to find out.
Heavy reading
The Baroque Cycle is composed of three HUGE books, namely Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System of the World. Each books weights more than 900 pages each, all of them crammed to the brim with cool stuff. As you may have guessed already, they are not what you would call “light reading” but they sure are wonderful stuff if you enjoy substance and wit in your literature.
Facts VS Fiction
Do not be deceived, these novels do not even try to describe people and events as they “really” happened. Half of the characters are clearly made-up and tremendous liberties are taken with actual historical figures. What is important here is not historical accuracy but instead the playful exploration of the concepts and systems that were emerging at the time and how these were shaping the world to come. The truth is not in the facts but in the principles and the overall knowledge that is explored in such joyful details.
Don’t forget the Cryptonomicon!
It is worth mentioning that the Baroque Cycle is related in many ways to Stephenson’s previous novel, Cryptonomicon, which is set both during World War II and something like today. Both share may characters or ancestors of characters as well as their main themes, namely money, cryptology, treasure hunting, computers and the hidden life of geeks. The fictional compendium of cryptanalysis lore, the Cryptonomicon, also plays a role in the Baroque Cycle.
Reading Cryptonomicon is in no way necessary to enjoy the Baroque Cycle, either before or after, but it is certainly well worth your time. I found Cryptonomicon to be one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I’ve ever had, as it is even more outrageous, hysterical and informative than the Baroque Cycle. I must have read it three times and will surely do so again many times in the future.
