[ This comment is really going to have to go for all of the Baroque Cycle books (or all of the parts of the 3000 page novel that is broken into the Baroque Cycle series of books). ]

I am of the camp that thinks Neal Stephenson is way, way to wordy. I'm perpetually impressed that he can be so prolific, but just once I'd like to go through a chapter without a lesson on the etymology of something like the word "lantern." I think think the amount of time that Neal spends defending this on his website indicates that he might have an idea of this.

That said, I think this is an aweinspiring work of historical fiction, that makes me wish that I was a better historian.

The books are definintely worth slogging through.