LanceWillett.com

It’s been quiet around here. I’ve been way too busy for anything! Work, work, and more work. The silence is almost over—I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Oh, and I am living in an RV now.

I do want to say that I finally finished the last book in the Baroque Cycle, Neal Stephenson’s master work. The last book, System of the World was my favorite. It took me a few months to complete, mainly because I don’t have much time to read. It was well worth it, though. By the way, it’s not considered a trilogy even though it’s published in three volumes.

“Why Baroque? Because it is set in the Baroque, and it is baroque. Why Cycle? Because I am trying to avoid the T-word (“trilogy”). In my mind this work is something like 7 or 8 connected novels. These have been lumped together into three volumes because it is more convenient from a publishing standpoint, but they could just as well have been put all together in a single immense volume or separated into 7 or 8 separate volumes. So to slap the word “trilogy” on it would be to saddle it with a designation that is essentially bogus. Having said that, I know everyone’s going to call it a trilogy anyway.” — Neal Stephenson

If you were frustrated by either of the first two books in the series, press on and read the last book. It’s a gem. It brings all the loose ends together, and even provides strange and crazy ties to Neal’s wonderful book Cryptonomicon. If you are wondering whether it’s worth it, I would say yes enthusiastically.

I’m actually kind of sorry I finished it, since now I have to look for a new masterpiece to read. Oh well.