The second book in this series introduces two new characters: Jack Shaftoe aka Half-Cocked Jack aka King of the Vagabonds and Eliza, prisoner of a harem. Jack meets Eliza after stealing a Turkish Vizier's horse to chase an ostrich to steal its feathers to make some cash. He frees Eliza from her captors and they flee the siege of Vienna. Together they travel around Europe. Eliza is the shrewd one and Jack is the muscle. Much is discussed about the business practices of the French and Dutch during the era as Jack and Eliza attempt to make money through various "investments." However Jack is also suffering the effects of last stage syphilis and his mind wanders into fantastical episodes that may or may not be real. Throughout the story they encounter many figures known to history including Winston and John Churchill (ancestors of the 20th century Prime Minister), William of Orange, William and Mary, and many others. Evidently the next book ties together the characters of this book with Daniel Waterhouse and others from the first installment. There is a lot more action in this part than in the first book but the audiobook takes a lot of concentration to keep from getting confused.
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