Can someone sort of the books of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle?

July 3, 2013 11:44 AM

I want to read them in sequence and I don't want to buy duplicates. But I can't figure out if the trade (large size) paperbacks duplicate what's in the mass-market (small size) paperbacks.

Here is what is listed inside the Harper/Torch Mass Market Paperback: Paperback:

Quicksilver: The Baroque Cycle #1
King of the Vagabonds: The Baroque Cycle #2
Odalisque: The Baroque Cycle #3
The Confusion, Part I: The Baroque Cycle #4
The Confusion, Part II: The Baroque Cycle #5
Solomon's Gold: The Baroque Cycle #6
Currency: The Baroque Cycle #7
The System of the World: The Baroque Cycle #8

Here is what is listed on the covers of the Trade Paperbacks

Quicksilver - Volume 1 of the Baroque Cycle
The Confusion - Volume 2 of the Baroque Cycle
System of the World - Volume 3 of the Baroque Cycle

I don't think the Trade paperbacks contain all the books. Is that right?

posted by andreap to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

The trade paperbacks do contain all the books. Each of the larger books is broken up into multiple mass market paperbacks. Stick to one or the other style of book (I prefer the trade paperbacks myself -- just find them easier) and you'll be fine.
posted by janey47 at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

The trade paperbacks are broken up like the hardcovers:

Book 1 is Quicksilver, King of the Vagabonds, and Odalisque
Book 2 is The Confusion pts. 1 & 2
Book 3 is Solomon's Gold, Currency, and The System of the World

They broke it up differently for the mass markets because tiny books made so fat as to contain the same breakdown just don't hold up or handle very well.
posted by carsonb at 11:47 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

For the trade paperbacks, going by the titles on the covers, read them in this order:

Quicksilver
The Confusion
The System of the World

Nothing is left out; it's all in there!
posted by carsonb at 11:49 AM on July 3, 2013

For what it's worth, it was originally released as three hardcover novels. The three-book version is just the paperback version of the same.
posted by mikeh at 11:49 AM on July 3, 2013

Best answer: I actually mixed it up when reading-- mass-market paperbacks 1-3 followed by The Confusion and System large volumes. I haven't read them twice (though I wouldnt' say no to the opportunity) but a contemporary skim through the large volume of Quicksilver didn't produce any surprises.

Awesome books.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:49 AM on July 3, 2013

The Confusion (the TPB) contains two books: The Confusion and Bonanza, which are alternated by chapter. I guess Bonanza is being sold as a mass-market called The Confusion Pt II. Either that or they left the alternating and split it into two books down the middle.
posted by A god with hooves, a god with horns at 11:57 AM on July 3, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks: I have the same set as Sunburnt. I might get the trade copy of Quicksilver because then I'll have a nicer looking pile. Any excuse for another book.
posted by andreap at 11:59 AM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

Sorry, the two parts of The Confusion are called Bonanza and The Juncto.
posted by A god with hooves, a god with horns at 12:02 PM on July 3, 2013 [1 favorite]