Probably one of the most impressive historical works of 17th century life, adventure and scholarship ever, this is the second volume in his Baroque Cycle, the more swashbuckling of the three, but you must start with the first, Quicksilver. They are huge in length (nearly a thousand pages), scope and detail but you certainly don’t feel it as you race through the pages of dashing heroes, dastardly plotting and cunning manipulation. Quite wonderful. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The sort of books you want to curl up and live inside.
Comparison: Susanna Clarke, Alexandre Dumas, Bernard Cornwell.
Similar this month: Jules Watson for historical, Ian McDonald for huge scope.
Neal Stephenson continues his extraordinary 'Baroque Cycle' in this sequel to his bestselling Quicksilver, bringing to life a cast of unforgettable characters in a time of breathtaking genius and discovery. It is the late 1600s, on the high seas. A group of Barbary galley slaves plot as they ply the oars of a pirate ship, hatching a daring scheme to find an enormous cache of Spanish gold.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
Tell Us What Rosie Goodwin’s Books Mean to You and Win a Signed Book Bundle
Closing date: 31/10/2026
Neal Stephenson continues his extraordinary 'Baroque Cycle' in this sequel to his bestselling Quicksilver, bringing to life a cast of unforgettable characters in a time of breathtaking genius and discovery. It is the late 1600s, on the high seas.
Confusion features in the following genres: Historical Fiction, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations
Paperback. £11.69, down from the £12.99 cover price. In Stock.
Confusion was written by Neal Stephenson and published by Arrow (a Division Of Random House Group)
Confusion has 815 pages
Yes it is part of The Baroque Cycle series
£11.69, reduced from £12.99. In Stock.
