Difference between revisions of "Quicksilver"

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[[Image:Quicksilver.jpg|thumb|First edition cover.]]
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'''''Quicksilver''''' is historic fiction, and the first three volumes of the Baroque Cycle by [[Neal Stephenson]]. The book follows three fiction characters as they interact with a most otherwise historical England during the days of Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz, Robert Hooke, and various other members of the Royal Society.
 
'''''Quicksilver''''' is historic fiction, and the first three volumes of the Baroque Cycle by [[Neal Stephenson]]. The book follows three fiction characters as they interact with a most otherwise historical England during the days of Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz, Robert Hooke, and various other members of the Royal Society.
  

Revision as of 13:16, 28 July 2016

File:Quicksilver.jpg
First edition cover.

Quicksilver is historic fiction, and the first three volumes of the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson. The book follows three fiction characters as they interact with a most otherwise historical England during the days of Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz, Robert Hooke, and various other members of the Royal Society.

I originally started reading this book shortly after it was published, but never finished the first book. A few years later, I re-started it, and made it over halfway through, but still gave up. In 2016, I found an audio book version of it, and finished it in a few weeks. It's a daunting read, but extremely worth it.

Review

Good

  • For the vast majority of the book, I enjoyed the story and characters which is quite a feat considering how long the book is.
  • The attention to detail on the various cultures of the time and the vast array of historical figures is astounding.
  • I liked the inclusion of the ancestors of the Cryptonomicon. The Shaftoes, Waterhouses, and Roots had impressive lineages.
  • The character Enoch Root, who seems to have discovered the philosophical mercury, is quite interesting.

Bad

  • While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters Jack and Eliza, I kept wishing they would have more interactions with the members of the Royal Society, as I wanted to know more about the scientific discoveries.
  • There seemed to be a bit of padding, parts of the story that were unimportant to the plot, but even they weren't very tedious.

Ugly

  • Nothing, this book is amazing.

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