Agree. It's a great example of a science fiction writer who brings their SF perspective to historical events / technologies (in this case the invention of scien

Agree. It's a great example of a science fiction writer who brings their SF perspective to historical events / technologies (in this case the invention of science and modern financial systems) that to the characters are massively disruptive. The beginning and end events (spoiler...) where the same character as a boy witnesses the hanging of a witch and as a (very) old man sees a commercial steam engine are great bookmarks on a massively transformative period of history.