The System of the World

Allright, so now I'm finished with The System of the World by Neil Stephenson, and this time its a lesson in economics with England setting up the modern system of banking and finance as we know it, and with good 'ol half-cocked Jack playing the role of the villain.
We're introduced to the trial of the pyx, and re-introduced to alchemy and finance, while Daniel Waterhouse comes into his own as an older, wiser natural philosopher who's had some time to think. All this and Stephenson's clever use of logic, and mathematics-as-a-study-within-its-context makes for a fitting conclusion to this epic three- part novel.
Sir Isaac Newton plays an interesting role in the forefront in this book (as opposed to playing supporting roles in the two previous novels). Newton is the Master of the mint, in charge of assuring the quality of British coinage, and Jack Shaftoe- the French backed counterfitter- the nemesis of Newton.
Newton and Liebnitz finally get to have their discussion, and wind up talking about predestination- which was a bigger deal in their time than the secular reader might catch today. Their discussion ends in the same way that two protestants would end today when they have two opposing views, they agree to disagree.
Rather than run ships all over the world, as in the first two stories, Stephensons keeps the story confined to England, and London proper- and as an hvac mechanic, I have a soft spot for his mention of the invention of "the device for raising water by fire" the first steam-driven well-pump, the precursor to modern boilers, and mechanical engineering.
Overall, I'm still massively impressed by The Baroque Cycle and I owe it to an advertisement glued to the wall of the London tubes.