Quicksilver: 1 (Baroque Cycle)

Time consuming but very very informative. More educational than most textbooks. And long as hell.

this is the most enjoyable book i have read in a long time. Neal Stephenson is one of my new favorite authors. I can't wait to read the other two in the series.

This is the first of three volumes in Stephenson's Baroque Cycle. Each book exceeds 800 pages. Each book has its own unique mixtures of style evoking everything from Ian Fleming to Chaucer. You will be completely transported into 17th century England and France with layer upon layer of insights about living conditions, economics, politics, and the emergence of what we call science today. Sir...more

This is the first of three volumes in Stephenson's Baroque Cycle. Each book exceeds 800 pages. Each book has its own unique mixtures of style evoking everything from Ian Fleming to Chaucer. You will be completely transported into 17th century England and France with layer upon layer of insights about living conditions, economics, politics, and the emergence of what we call science today. Sir Issac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz and other real-life figures are mixed in with fictitious characters. Even though this is speculative fiction at it's best (Stephenson is after all a science fiction writer), you will come away with a much greater understanding and appreciation of history. You will be amazed at how directly who and what we are today is linked to events of 400 years ago. And you will be utterly convinced that Neal Stephenson is a genius.   hide

It's not as good as cryptonomicon, but the historical facts in it are amazing. This guy researched the book for years, and came up with three books worth of material.