Reading order · 4 books · 1999 to 2004 · Set in various places
Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle in Order
Cryptonomicon and the Baroque Cycle are linked by families, the Waterhouses and the Shaftoes, and by themes of codes, money and science. The Baroque Cycle is set centuries before Cryptonomicon.
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Series facts
- Books
- 4
- Published
- 1999 to 2004
- First book
- Cryptonomicon
- Latest
- The System of the World (2004)
- Setting
- Set in various places
The reading order
Every Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
4 books · Set in various places
- 1Cryptonomicon1999With Lawrence Waterhouse and Randy WaterhouseIn the Second World War, codebreaker Lawrence Waterhouse and Marine Bobby Shaftoe are drawn into secret operations.Buy on Amazon
- 2Quicksilver2003With Daniel Waterhouse and Jack ShaftoeIn the late seventeenth century, natural philosopher Daniel Waterhouse moves among Isaac Newton and the new scientists, while Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, rescues Eliza from a harem.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Confusion2004With Jack Shaftoe and ElizaJack Shaftoe and Eliza follow very different paths across Europe and the world.Buy on Amazon
- 4The System of the World2004With Daniel WaterhouseIn London in 1714, Daniel Waterhouse returns to England, where Isaac Newton is chasing a master counterfeiter.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read Cryptonomicon on its own, or read the Baroque Cycle, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System of the World, in order.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Daniel Waterhouse | Jack Shaftoe | Eliza | Lawrence Waterhouse | Randy Waterhouse | Enoch Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Cryptonomicon | LLead | LLead | MMajor | |||
| 2 Quicksilver | LLead | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ||
| 3 The Confusion | ·Minor | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ||
| 4 The System of the World | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
Characters in the Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle books
7 characters from Neal Stephenson’s chart, with the number of Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel WaterhouseNatural philosopher | 3 | Quicksilver 2003 |
| Jack ShaftoeVagabond, "King of the Vagabonds" | 3 | Quicksilver 2003 |
| ElizaFormer harem slave turned financier | 3 | Quicksilver 2003 |
| Lawrence WaterhouseMathematician and codebreaker | 1 | Cryptonomicon 1999 |
| Randy WaterhouseHis grandson, a programmer | 1 | Cryptonomicon 1999 |
| Enoch RootMysterious priest and alchemist | 4 | Cryptonomicon 1999 |
| Bobby ShaftoeUS Marine | 1 | Cryptonomicon 1999 |