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The Baroque Cycle (8 volume) #1
Quicksilver
In which Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and courageous Puritan, pursues knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe -- in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.
(back cover)
(back cover)
456 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published February 1, 2006
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About the author
Neal Stephenson
124 books28.5k followersNeal Stephenson is the author of Reamde, Anathem, and the three-volume historical epic the Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World), as well as Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, and Zodiac. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
July 2, 2017
I'm re-reading this wonderful Historical revolving Daniel Waterhouse because I'm a huge fan of Stephenson and I have to admit that I never continued further than this first book of the first Cycle. I don't know why! Perhaps I just wanted more SF or Fantasy in my life at the time and it just fell away from me, but I feel like an idiot now. :)
SO. Rereading this brought me back fully into the world of post-Cromwell England, so full of details and concerned mostly with the heart of modern science... from Newton, Leibwitz, Hook, and Comstock. The stories themselves are endlessly fascinating, actually, and the man who ties them all together, Daniel Waterhouse, is equally so. His getting into the Invisible College at its inception and working closely with all these fantastic persons was great for both story, history and, more specifically, the history of science.
It's hugely detailed and interconnected, and if that wasn't enough, Stephenson throws in a huge discourse on the economics, political issues, the wars, the plague, and of coruse religion. This is a fantastically intelligent, broad, and detailed look at England, late 17th century and early 18th.
I remember being flabbergasted at the amount of research the first time and now that I know more the second time, I'm still flabbergasted at the amount of research. The fact that he can weave a cool tale and have everything hold together as one of the best historicals I've ever read is a testament to Stephenson. :)
A note, however. There's two sets of books or book collections out here that have gone a great way to confusing me as to what to read where and how. I'll just make a note to everyone else who might also be confused.
The Quicksilver novel shows up both as the first book in the first cycle, also called Quicksilver.
Yeah. Nuts.
So I'm reviewing the individual first novel in the Cycle here, with this, and then reviewing King of Vagabonds as part two (a full novel as well) of the Quicksilver Cycle, followed with Odalesque.
The two conventions would have us believe that there are either three Cycles bound together as three enormous books, or Eight Books altogether, separate. :) I'm going to review all eight, separately, because a lot happens everywhere. :)
SO. Rereading this brought me back fully into the world of post-Cromwell England, so full of details and concerned mostly with the heart of modern science... from Newton, Leibwitz, Hook, and Comstock. The stories themselves are endlessly fascinating, actually, and the man who ties them all together, Daniel Waterhouse, is equally so. His getting into the Invisible College at its inception and working closely with all these fantastic persons was great for both story, history and, more specifically, the history of science.
It's hugely detailed and interconnected, and if that wasn't enough, Stephenson throws in a huge discourse on the economics, political issues, the wars, the plague, and of coruse religion. This is a fantastically intelligent, broad, and detailed look at England, late 17th century and early 18th.
I remember being flabbergasted at the amount of research the first time and now that I know more the second time, I'm still flabbergasted at the amount of research. The fact that he can weave a cool tale and have everything hold together as one of the best historicals I've ever read is a testament to Stephenson. :)
A note, however. There's two sets of books or book collections out here that have gone a great way to confusing me as to what to read where and how. I'll just make a note to everyone else who might also be confused.
The Quicksilver novel shows up both as the first book in the first cycle, also called Quicksilver.
Yeah. Nuts.
So I'm reviewing the individual first novel in the Cycle here, with this, and then reviewing King of Vagabonds as part two (a full novel as well) of the Quicksilver Cycle, followed with Odalesque.
The two conventions would have us believe that there are either three Cycles bound together as three enormous books, or Eight Books altogether, separate. :) I'm going to review all eight, separately, because a lot happens everywhere. :)
June 29, 2018
That one man sickens and dies, while another flourishes, are characters in the cryptic message that philosophers seek to decode.
- Neal Stephenson, Quicksilver
Not done, with BIG Quicksilver, just finished internal-Book 1: Quicksilver. It gives a bit of a low-brow SF Pynchon vibe. It works well in parts, and falls a bit flat in parts. I sometimes wish Stephenson wouldn't chase down every last snowflake. I really do, however, enjoy the primary narrator Daniel Waterhouse and his interactions with such figures as Isaac Newton, Samuel Pepys, John Wilkins, etc.
Having already read Cryptonomicon, I was also glad to see Enoch Root (one of my favorite characters from that book). Like Pynchon, Stephenson takes historical fiction and probes the fiction needle into history at funky angles. He thrills at causing his fictional characters to interact in oblique ways to historical characters. Given the large amount of negative space in history (think about how much we DON'T know about people like Newton, or even the consumate diariest Pepys), a creative writer of historical fiction can bend/reflect/refract the light of the past to tell many compelling stories (and they don't even have to be plausable, they just can't completely contradict major historical events).
- Neal Stephenson, Quicksilver
Not done, with BIG Quicksilver, just finished internal-Book 1: Quicksilver. It gives a bit of a low-brow SF Pynchon vibe. It works well in parts, and falls a bit flat in parts. I sometimes wish Stephenson wouldn't chase down every last snowflake. I really do, however, enjoy the primary narrator Daniel Waterhouse and his interactions with such figures as Isaac Newton, Samuel Pepys, John Wilkins, etc.
Having already read Cryptonomicon, I was also glad to see Enoch Root (one of my favorite characters from that book). Like Pynchon, Stephenson takes historical fiction and probes the fiction needle into history at funky angles. He thrills at causing his fictional characters to interact in oblique ways to historical characters. Given the large amount of negative space in history (think about how much we DON'T know about people like Newton, or even the consumate diariest Pepys), a creative writer of historical fiction can bend/reflect/refract the light of the past to tell many compelling stories (and they don't even have to be plausable, they just can't completely contradict major historical events).
June 13, 2011
I am beginning the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson. Check this link for further explanation regarding this eight book series. This is a review of the first book, Quicksilver (not the three book volume of the same title).
This is a historical novel with two parallel story lines, one following the fictional Daniel Waterhouse as a young man in the late 17th Century and the other framing narrative following him as an old man in 1713 as he remembers his earlier life. Daniel as a young man was a close acquaintance of both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. Forty years later in 1713, Waterhouse who is now living in colonial Massachusetts has been asked to return to England to attempt to resolved the bitter dispute between Newton and Leibniz regarding credit for the creation of calculus mathematics.
In the 1713 narrative Waterhouse boards a ship leaving Boston harbor which runs into an extended encounter with pirates, including Edward Teach (a.k.a. Blackbeard). During the midst of these adventures he remembers his earlier years, thus the earlier 17th Century narrative.
In the earlier story line we learn that Waterhouse was a member of The Royal Society and rubbed shoulders with what seems like every conceivable historical personage in politics and natural philosophy at the time. He was mentored by John Wilkins, founder of the Royal Society. He was a roommate of Isaac Newton's at Cambridge. He had extended conversations with the young Leibniz. He worked as an assistant to Robert Hooke in his scientific experiments. In other words, he was at the core of the beginning of advances in scientific and mathematical thinking during the Enlightenment era.
I thoroughly enjoyed Stephenson's description of time, place and historical characters. He does plant some fictional items in the story that correlate with his novel, Cryptonomicon, which is set in the 20th Century. This is a link to my review of Cryptonomicon. Stephenson has characterized the Baroque Cycle as science fiction due to the presence of some anomalous occurrences and the emphasis on themes relating to science and technology. That may be true, but I experienced to book primarily as historical fiction.
An interesting quotation:
“... are you suggesting that those who study natural philosophy can acquire some kind of occult knowledge--special insight into God’s Creation, not available to the common Bible-reading man?”
“Er...I suppose that’s quite clearly what I’m suggesting.”
Drake nodded. “That is what I thought. Well, God gave us brains for a reason--not to use those brains would be a sin.”
Some links that may be of interest:
LINK TO Wikipedia article about the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of King of the Vagabonds (Bk. 2) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Odalisque (Bk. 3) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of The Confusion (Bks. 4 & 5) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Solomon's Gold (Bk. 6) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Currency (Bk. 7) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of System of the World (Bk. 8) by Neal Stephenson.
This is a historical novel with two parallel story lines, one following the fictional Daniel Waterhouse as a young man in the late 17th Century and the other framing narrative following him as an old man in 1713 as he remembers his earlier life. Daniel as a young man was a close acquaintance of both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. Forty years later in 1713, Waterhouse who is now living in colonial Massachusetts has been asked to return to England to attempt to resolved the bitter dispute between Newton and Leibniz regarding credit for the creation of calculus mathematics.
In the 1713 narrative Waterhouse boards a ship leaving Boston harbor which runs into an extended encounter with pirates, including Edward Teach (a.k.a. Blackbeard). During the midst of these adventures he remembers his earlier years, thus the earlier 17th Century narrative.
In the earlier story line we learn that Waterhouse was a member of The Royal Society and rubbed shoulders with what seems like every conceivable historical personage in politics and natural philosophy at the time. He was mentored by John Wilkins, founder of the Royal Society. He was a roommate of Isaac Newton's at Cambridge. He had extended conversations with the young Leibniz. He worked as an assistant to Robert Hooke in his scientific experiments. In other words, he was at the core of the beginning of advances in scientific and mathematical thinking during the Enlightenment era.
I thoroughly enjoyed Stephenson's description of time, place and historical characters. He does plant some fictional items in the story that correlate with his novel, Cryptonomicon, which is set in the 20th Century. This is a link to my review of Cryptonomicon. Stephenson has characterized the Baroque Cycle as science fiction due to the presence of some anomalous occurrences and the emphasis on themes relating to science and technology. That may be true, but I experienced to book primarily as historical fiction.
An interesting quotation:
“... are you suggesting that those who study natural philosophy can acquire some kind of occult knowledge--special insight into God’s Creation, not available to the common Bible-reading man?”
“Er...I suppose that’s quite clearly what I’m suggesting.”
Drake nodded. “That is what I thought. Well, God gave us brains for a reason--not to use those brains would be a sin.”
Some links that may be of interest:
LINK TO Wikipedia article about the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of King of the Vagabonds (Bk. 2) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Odalisque (Bk. 3) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of The Confusion (Bks. 4 & 5) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Solomon's Gold (Bk. 6) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of Currency (Bk. 7) by Neal Stephenson.
LINK TO my review of System of the World (Bk. 8) by Neal Stephenson.
couldn-t-finish
February 24, 2012I tossed this one because I liked it. "Quicksilver" is the book of the month for one of my reading groups. When I went to the bookstore, I saw the mass-market paperback and the trade paperback on the shelf next to each other. I picked up the mass-market version because it was cheaper. What I didn't realize was that I was only getting 1/3 of the book. A hundred paged in, I was enjoying it so much, I decided to switch the full version as soon as I had a Borders coupon.
I do have to say that I really feel cheated by the mass-market version. There is absolutely nothing on the cover that indicates that it's only 1/3 of the original book.
I do have to say that I really feel cheated by the mass-market version. There is absolutely nothing on the cover that indicates that it's only 1/3 of the original book.
November 19, 2016
Some stories have faults we can't overlook because they tickle at our central understanding of good writing. Others bear faults that, while weakening the whole, uphold - often with courage and daring - the things we love about books. For me, Quicksilver sits in that second category.
As is my preference, I began the book with little foreknowledge. This was my first experience with Neal Stephenson's work. The story, as it unfolds, attempts to encapsulate in the loosest of plots a central understanding of the British Baroque period from the perspective of the elites - those movers and shakers in the world of science, culture, politics, and commerce. Stephenson sews the entire story together through dialogue, and inserts into the world of Daniel Waterhouse, our affable main character, a bevy of scientists, conspirators, sailors, and political players from whom we learn about the changing world they inhabit. Everything is touched upon and little developed, loose ends are often left at loose ends, and there is little-to-no central story or fictional dilemma. It's a book that will frustrate or, worse yet, bore a large number of readers. That being said, I loved it and look forward to reading more and perhaps going back through it again sometime. Why? The author has a couple of things going for him that tend to override a hell of a lot of my issues. First, he knows how to put words together. Gorgeous and graceful prose is uncommon in popular fiction. More often than not, what we get with such things is a writer who dutifully places words together in service of a tense and pulpy plot. Which is fine - it's what we're used to, and it often results in exciting fiction. But with Quicksilver, what we have is something else. It's art. And it's more than the words- it's an artist choosing where to look, where to aim his literary camera to capture those certain angles he wishes to share in order to delight the reader (and perhaps centrally himself). Stephenson takes obvious joy in his subject matter, lending the story the feel of a playful romp. Daniel's underlying optimism pervades even the story's moments of tension and in this, seems to mirror the Zeitgeist of the era. Finally, in reading this novel, my curiosity was provoked, and I ended up doing a lot of side-research on various events I'd never given thought to. Surely this is one of the best reactions a book can inspire.
As is my preference, I began the book with little foreknowledge. This was my first experience with Neal Stephenson's work. The story, as it unfolds, attempts to encapsulate in the loosest of plots a central understanding of the British Baroque period from the perspective of the elites - those movers and shakers in the world of science, culture, politics, and commerce. Stephenson sews the entire story together through dialogue, and inserts into the world of Daniel Waterhouse, our affable main character, a bevy of scientists, conspirators, sailors, and political players from whom we learn about the changing world they inhabit. Everything is touched upon and little developed, loose ends are often left at loose ends, and there is little-to-no central story or fictional dilemma. It's a book that will frustrate or, worse yet, bore a large number of readers. That being said, I loved it and look forward to reading more and perhaps going back through it again sometime. Why? The author has a couple of things going for him that tend to override a hell of a lot of my issues. First, he knows how to put words together. Gorgeous and graceful prose is uncommon in popular fiction. More often than not, what we get with such things is a writer who dutifully places words together in service of a tense and pulpy plot. Which is fine - it's what we're used to, and it often results in exciting fiction. But with Quicksilver, what we have is something else. It's art. And it's more than the words- it's an artist choosing where to look, where to aim his literary camera to capture those certain angles he wishes to share in order to delight the reader (and perhaps centrally himself). Stephenson takes obvious joy in his subject matter, lending the story the feel of a playful romp. Daniel's underlying optimism pervades even the story's moments of tension and in this, seems to mirror the Zeitgeist of the era. Finally, in reading this novel, my curiosity was provoked, and I ended up doing a lot of side-research on various events I'd never given thought to. Surely this is one of the best reactions a book can inspire.
April 1, 2009
This book is kickass.
Part 1 is thick and includes lots of philosophy. And dandy Englishmen doing dandy Englishmen things. Some good pirate parts in the current time. The flashbacks are more for background. I'm still not sure if they are going to form a computer that deals with God or what.
It picks up in Part 2 with the Vagabond King. Hell yeah! Turkish invasion of Vienna! Harem girl escapes with neutered man about to go crazy from the pox! Flashbacks of gritty youth spent with criminals! Fuck, now we're talking.
Go read this book. Skip the boring parts if you want. The Vagabond King is totally awesome. Daniel Waterhouse is okay, but only starts to get interesting in the last hundred pages of part 1. This is a book you'll have to be patient with but then when you do, oh wow.
Part 1 is thick and includes lots of philosophy. And dandy Englishmen doing dandy Englishmen things. Some good pirate parts in the current time. The flashbacks are more for background. I'm still not sure if they are going to form a computer that deals with God or what.
It picks up in Part 2 with the Vagabond King. Hell yeah! Turkish invasion of Vienna! Harem girl escapes with neutered man about to go crazy from the pox! Flashbacks of gritty youth spent with criminals! Fuck, now we're talking.
Go read this book. Skip the boring parts if you want. The Vagabond King is totally awesome. Daniel Waterhouse is okay, but only starts to get interesting in the last hundred pages of part 1. This is a book you'll have to be patient with but then when you do, oh wow.
December 9, 2014
’Azogue’ es el primer volumen de la trilogía (formada por ‘Azogue’, ‘El rey de los vagabundos’ y ‘Odalisca’) en que se dividió ‘Quicksilver’ en castellano, a su vez el primer macro volumen de la macro trilogía del Ciclo Barroco (formada por ‘Azogue’, ‘La confusión’ y ‘El sistema del mundo’). Por mucho que nos intenten vender estas novelas como ciencia ficción, no tienen nada de esto, ya que se trata de una novela histórica que mezcla hechos reales con hechos ficticios. También se publicita como la continuación de la aclamada ‘Criptonomicón’, pero el único punto de unión que encuentro es que aparecen los antepasados de los personajes principales que aparecían en aquélla; supongo que es pronto para hablar de precuela; ya veremos más adelante.
Al haber leído tan solo el primer libro, el primer tercio de una obra de 1000 páginas pensada para leerla y entenderla como un todo, es difícil hacerse una idea de hacia donde nos lleva Stephenson. ’Azogue’ empieza con el enigmático Enoch Root, viejo conocido de ‘Criptonomicón’, para pasar inmediatamente a narrarnos las andanzas de Daniel Waterhouse, miembro de la Royal Society, en el siglo XVII. El libro es un compendio de los encuentros y amistados de Daniel con personajes emblemáticos de la época, como Newton, Leibniz, Hooke, Wilkins, etc. A través de Daniel, iremos conociendo cómo surgió la ciencia moderna, mediante teorías y experimentos, donde los investigadores daban con la solución muchas veces por casualidad. Como es típico de Stephenson, adereza la historia con momentos humorísticos y anécdotas varias. Pero aún así, esta primera novela se hace un poco ardua por la cantidad de enfrentamientos políticos y religiosos de esta convulsa época que intenta reflejar.
Stephenson es un gran narrador y se nota que domina el material con el que trabaja, pero aún así, este primer libro está lleno de altibajos. Veremos el resto para juzgar la obra en su conjunto.
Al haber leído tan solo el primer libro, el primer tercio de una obra de 1000 páginas pensada para leerla y entenderla como un todo, es difícil hacerse una idea de hacia donde nos lleva Stephenson. ’Azogue’ empieza con el enigmático Enoch Root, viejo conocido de ‘Criptonomicón’, para pasar inmediatamente a narrarnos las andanzas de Daniel Waterhouse, miembro de la Royal Society, en el siglo XVII. El libro es un compendio de los encuentros y amistados de Daniel con personajes emblemáticos de la época, como Newton, Leibniz, Hooke, Wilkins, etc. A través de Daniel, iremos conociendo cómo surgió la ciencia moderna, mediante teorías y experimentos, donde los investigadores daban con la solución muchas veces por casualidad. Como es típico de Stephenson, adereza la historia con momentos humorísticos y anécdotas varias. Pero aún así, esta primera novela se hace un poco ardua por la cantidad de enfrentamientos políticos y religiosos de esta convulsa época que intenta reflejar.
Stephenson es un gran narrador y se nota que domina el material con el que trabaja, pero aún así, este primer libro está lleno de altibajos. Veremos el resto para juzgar la obra en su conjunto.
October 22, 2017
I almost didn’t finish this novel. I believe if I had read it 10 years earlier, that would not have been the case. As is characteristic of a Stephenson novel, this one is delightfully tedious — thoroughly researched, full of period stylistic flourishes, and oft labyrinthine prose. And there is totally a time and place for that. But at this point I’ve read enough of his novels to know better, to know what was happening (stylistically speaking) as it unfolded, and while this did make me smile, it was a nostalgic one. In many ways, the novel’s period setting becomes a clever (and, quite honestly, rather involved) conceit which provides the excuse for writing prose and dialogue with the peculiar spellings, oblique and veiled metaphors, &c.
It’s by no means a bad book. I just feeling like I’ve visited this stylistic and thematic soil before.
TL;DR: how many times can you write a novel about the invention of the computer?
It’s by no means a bad book. I just feeling like I’ve visited this stylistic and thematic soil before.
TL;DR: how many times can you write a novel about the invention of the computer?
October 12, 2015
Nice book, more educational and less entertaining than Cryptonomicon. I'm on to the next book in The Baroque Cycle.
May 4, 2015
3.5 stars. Review to come.
September 6, 2011
Con más de 6 meses de retraso y con 9 libros a la espalda (11 si contamos la saga de Azogue por separado), empiezo a escribir las reseñas de los libros que he leído en esta edición de mi particular iniciativa 12LxA.
El primer volumen, del primer libro del ciclo titulado "El sistema del mundo". Vale parece un trabalenguas, y creo que lo es. Se trata de que estos libros son una trilogía, y que cada uno de los libros lo han separado en volúmenes, en concreto el primer libro Azogue consta de 3 volúmenes: Azogue, El rey de los vagabundos y Odalisca.
Centrándome en lo que es mi opinión sobre el libro, diré que me ha gustado bastante, que lo único que puedo achacarle como defecto es que la trama se desarrolla algo lenta (claro que tiene que dar para llenar 3 libros en 8 tomos). A su favor, creo que lo mejor es el contexto, los personajes históricos (Newton, Leibniz, etc.) y las referencias históricas vistas con esa visión "geek" o "friki" tan propia de Neal Stephenson.
Reseña en BEM on Line
Reseña en Bibliópolis
El primer volumen, del primer libro del ciclo titulado "El sistema del mundo". Vale parece un trabalenguas, y creo que lo es. Se trata de que estos libros son una trilogía, y que cada uno de los libros lo han separado en volúmenes, en concreto el primer libro Azogue consta de 3 volúmenes: Azogue, El rey de los vagabundos y Odalisca.
Centrándome en lo que es mi opinión sobre el libro, diré que me ha gustado bastante, que lo único que puedo achacarle como defecto es que la trama se desarrolla algo lenta (claro que tiene que dar para llenar 3 libros en 8 tomos). A su favor, creo que lo mejor es el contexto, los personajes históricos (Newton, Leibniz, etc.) y las referencias históricas vistas con esa visión "geek" o "friki" tan propia de Neal Stephenson.
Reseña en BEM on Line
Reseña en Bibliópolis
November 29, 2013
This is an incredibly written book.
You have to spend TIME to read most of Stephensons's works. So many books you can just pick up and put down, but the thought and effort and time that he puts into his longer books is downright astonishing. It is historical fiction at its best.
Quicksilver takes place just before the dawn of America, in the era of Issac Newton and Lebniz. He even uses one of the main characters from his earlier book, Waterhouse, as a ancestor of the characters in that book as well. It is a great tie in, and a great start to an amazing trilogy of books.
But again, you cannot just pick this tome up and put it down. There are multiple timelines running together, multiple stories, so much going on. You have to be paying attention and putting some effort into the read. It is not that it is HARD to read. The prose is amazing. He has absolute mastery over the English language. It is just that to follow his storytelling in all its glory, you have to put some time into it.
However, besides all of these qualifications, this book, along with every other book of Stephenson's that I have read, get's 5 stars. I don't know how they couldn't.
You have to spend TIME to read most of Stephensons's works. So many books you can just pick up and put down, but the thought and effort and time that he puts into his longer books is downright astonishing. It is historical fiction at its best.
Quicksilver takes place just before the dawn of America, in the era of Issac Newton and Lebniz. He even uses one of the main characters from his earlier book, Waterhouse, as a ancestor of the characters in that book as well. It is a great tie in, and a great start to an amazing trilogy of books.
But again, you cannot just pick this tome up and put it down. There are multiple timelines running together, multiple stories, so much going on. You have to be paying attention and putting some effort into the read. It is not that it is HARD to read. The prose is amazing. He has absolute mastery over the English language. It is just that to follow his storytelling in all its glory, you have to put some time into it.
However, besides all of these qualifications, this book, along with every other book of Stephenson's that I have read, get's 5 stars. I don't know how they couldn't.
November 24, 2023
When you pick up a Neal Stephenson book, be ready for a bit of a brain workout. He's great if you like stories mixed with complex science stuff. Even though I'm not big on science, I still find his stories interesting and intriguing. I don't know why, but I keep coming back for more. I started with "Cryptonomicon," a popular one of his. It got me because it's connected to my job, and I liked how he turned that into a brilliant and intelligen plot.
"Quicksilver" is more for people who really know their science, like what Einstein was up to during the timeline in which it is written. It took a lot of research, which makes it amazing and gives you an insight of what were the stakes at the time and how things were being done without actually reading a history book. Stephenson's way of writing can be a bit tricky, but it keeps you interested in the main characters. It's like a prequel to "Cryptonomicon," so if you're into complex stories and something different, give it a try!
"Quicksilver" is more for people who really know their science, like what Einstein was up to during the timeline in which it is written. It took a lot of research, which makes it amazing and gives you an insight of what were the stakes at the time and how things were being done without actually reading a history book. Stephenson's way of writing can be a bit tricky, but it keeps you interested in the main characters. It's like a prequel to "Cryptonomicon," so if you're into complex stories and something different, give it a try!
December 3, 2011
Overall, this was an extremely well-written book which shows Stephenson's incredible handle on the English language. At times it was difficult to remember that it is a work of historical fiction, not of history. It was incredibly fun to read about a young Isaac Newton and to learn about optics, alchemy and mechanical clocks, all the while seeing the balance of science and politics at play. It was, however, a pretty tough read, and sometimes I had a very hard time figuring out how to pull it all together.
When I read, I'm often looking for something to take me away from the day and to not require to think too much, but this book really requires you to play close attention. Based on reviews I've read, the subsequent volumes of the Baroque Cycle flow much more easily, but I am going to take a break and do a little lighter reader before coming back.
When I read, I'm often looking for something to take me away from the day and to not require to think too much, but this book really requires you to play close attention. Based on reviews I've read, the subsequent volumes of the Baroque Cycle flow much more easily, but I am going to take a break and do a little lighter reader before coming back.
March 6, 2013
I've concluded that either I know almost nothing about 18th-century European/American scientific history, or Stephenson is just making up a whole bunch of stuff. Probably both.
So, on my second attempt at this book, I was able to finish it, but I felt lost and bewildered most of the time. (The 12-page "Dramatis Personae" at the end of the book made me feel at least justified in this response)
There is enough tongue-in-cheek Stephenson to keep me reading, but very little that actually has to do with a plot. However, once I stopped looking for that story line, and just allowed myself to simply be in the same room as the characters while they talked to each other, it was rather enjoyable.
I'll pick up the next one now, and just hope there's less about Louis XIV.
So, on my second attempt at this book, I was able to finish it, but I felt lost and bewildered most of the time. (The 12-page "Dramatis Personae" at the end of the book made me feel at least justified in this response)
There is enough tongue-in-cheek Stephenson to keep me reading, but very little that actually has to do with a plot. However, once I stopped looking for that story line, and just allowed myself to simply be in the same room as the characters while they talked to each other, it was rather enjoyable.
I'll pick up the next one now, and just hope there's less about Louis XIV.
July 28, 2015
História difícil de acompanhar, mas com uma escrita fantástica que adorei. Metáforas e comparações divertidas e inteligentes. As conversas entre Daniel, Leibniz e Newton foram particularmente deliciosas. A forma como o autor enquadra o aspecto cientifico na moralidade da época foi algo que me surpreendeu pela positiva. Fosse eu conhecedora da História da Inglaterra e dos seus protagonistas no século XVII teria aproveitado este livro muito melhor, mesmo assim o seu lado cientifico conquistou-me.
Sem dúvida é uma leitura que vai ficar na memória.
Sem dúvida é uma leitura que vai ficar na memória.
September 17, 2013
The concept of this series intrigued me - an intertwining plot featuring loads of actual historical characters, events, and discoveries from the 17th Century - but the execution let me down. The author often seems SO impressed by his own cleverness that it's like listening to a pretentious know-it-all instead of a good story-teller. Also the characters dissect live dogs for medical experiments - no thank you.
July 20, 2013
I went into this with the understanding that the first book was something I would just have to get through. I got through it. It wasn't all bad - there were some good scenes, some interesting parts, but there was not enough actual story to keep me interested. Now I'm enjoying the second book, which follows a completely different set of characters.
September 14, 2019
I have become increasingly interested in the events of the 17th and 18th centuries and their political, philosophical, and cultural inheritance over the years. Stephenson renders a fascinating world with a remarkable attention to detail, connecting people, places, and events with admirable skill. Reminded my of work by Thomas Pynchon and John Barth.
November 22, 2021
This 8 book series is just amazing. I was expecting SF from Neal Stephenson, but it's not (except for one thing) , it's historical fiction. It's so interesting, and has wonderful characters, some real some made-up, but all very well bought to life. And the story line, wow, you never know where this is going. This is one of my all time favorite series.
December 2, 2022
Interesting, in-depth historical fiction comes at the expense of the plot’s momentum and clarity. Still, good characters and impressive writing. Clear and dramatic imagery elevates climactic moments that stay with you long after you finish reading. Strong setup for the series.
3.6/5
3.6/5
Read
January 4, 2012I dont know enough about the history of Calculus/Algebra/whatthefuckever to be able to appreciate this. Shame.
January 1, 2019
So far, so good. On to Book Two!
August 11, 2020
Historical, science fiction. Set during the Baroque area. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Want to read
March 13, 2024Putting this back on the TBR for now (on page 90). I was enjoying it so I don’t want to give up on it but this requires a lot more brain power than I currently have.
March 6, 2015
Here's another one I have no idea how to rate. I think Stephenson has done a remarkable job of evoking life in the 17th century and answering such questions as What would it be like to be Isaac Newton's college roommate?, although I don't know how accurate he is. I love that the whole book is basically history porn (despite the campinness of having every major figure from the era from Spinoza to Blackbeard show up in poor Daniel Waterhouse's life story) in the grand tradition of Herman Woulk and James Calvell of weaving fictional characters in with real ones. However, what the book really lacks is either a direction for the plot or an ending. Obviously, it is the first book in a series, and presumably the story will become more fleshed out at a later date, but it seems like even a first volume should have more of a conclusion than the main characters ship outsailing Blackbeard and getting away to carry out the mission introduced in the first chapter.
*3rd Reading*
I didn’t have much to say about Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle on first readthrough. I was new to goodreads at the time and hadn’t committed myself to seriously reviewing everything at the time. I have more to say now.
The cycle is super weird and hard to categorize. Structurally it’s a lot like historical fiction ala authors like Herman Woulk, wherein a series of fictional characters provide the reader of a ground view of a particular historical period through having a relationship with literally every major historical figure of that period. Daniel Waterhouse, a fantastic fictional character, is notable for being close friends with both Newton and Leibniz, for example, along with being a protégé of John Wilkins of the Royal Society. That said, Stephenson is so weird, that he insists on telling a relatively simple story in the most complex way possible, with weird unnecessary multiple timelines and flashbacks and flashforwards and random time skips, and he has a tendency to go on strange tangents on whatever subjects happen to fascinate him. Ultimately, though, we kind of have forgive Neal his eccentricities and his obsession with currency. It’s not called The Baroque Cycle for no reason.
Despite the disjointed plot, Stephenson manages to paint a fascinating picture of a fascinating period of history, and the things by which he is fascinated are fascinating things. This is a great work of historical fiction with just enough oddness thrown in to keep things interesting.
*3rd Reading*
I didn’t have much to say about Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle on first readthrough. I was new to goodreads at the time and hadn’t committed myself to seriously reviewing everything at the time. I have more to say now.
The cycle is super weird and hard to categorize. Structurally it’s a lot like historical fiction ala authors like Herman Woulk, wherein a series of fictional characters provide the reader of a ground view of a particular historical period through having a relationship with literally every major historical figure of that period. Daniel Waterhouse, a fantastic fictional character, is notable for being close friends with both Newton and Leibniz, for example, along with being a protégé of John Wilkins of the Royal Society. That said, Stephenson is so weird, that he insists on telling a relatively simple story in the most complex way possible, with weird unnecessary multiple timelines and flashbacks and flashforwards and random time skips, and he has a tendency to go on strange tangents on whatever subjects happen to fascinate him. Ultimately, though, we kind of have forgive Neal his eccentricities and his obsession with currency. It’s not called The Baroque Cycle for no reason.
Despite the disjointed plot, Stephenson manages to paint a fascinating picture of a fascinating period of history, and the things by which he is fascinated are fascinating things. This is a great work of historical fiction with just enough oddness thrown in to keep things interesting.
March 6, 2019
Stephenson is witty and his humor is often dry. Which is why I so enjoyed Snow Crash and ReamDe. I had been sitting on a copy of the first of the three compilations of The Baroque Cycle for some time. I decided to pick it up after completing Early Riser by Jasper Fforde. Fforde’s writing is also funny and wry so I felt like continuing that vain of writing. The best parts of Quicksilver are the moments when Daniel is debating things with his colleagues or just moving through his life. There were large swaths of the book where my eyes glazed over. All the descriptions of who’s fighting who and the strange workings of British royalty left me bored out of my mind. But I read for the parts that really brought Daniel and his friends to life on the pages. And they do exist. But Stephenson is a tedious writer and here, unlike in anything else I’ve read by him, he really ratchets up the tedium. You can also very easily tell in this story like that he thinks the world of himself. He is clever, yes, intelligent, yes. Deserving of praise for his writing, yes. But when that comes across in a storyline..... big nope from me. This book is the written equivalent of Stephenson loving the sound of his own voice. That being said, I did not hate it. It just could have benefited from a more humble and concise hand.
Quicksilver is not what I was expecting. It is marketed as Sci-Fi for the presence of Enoch the Red who appears to either be immortal or a time traveler, possibly both. But his role in this compilation is minimal. This is historical fiction. Very intelligent historical fiction. There is some scientific discovery, like the beginnings of cellular exploration and the invention of the first telescope. But in my mind this alone does not make something as Sci-Fi.
There were parts that went over my head (I’m not one for math or the machinations behind it) and it’s the first book I’ve read in a long time where I feel like I needed to have a dictionary present.
It’s an ambitious book and it covers a lot of ground in a rather short 420 odd pages. I’ve heard the last two compilations are much longer. I think it will be some time before I pick the next installment up. My mind is still recovering from this experience.
All in all a great book for those who like the minutiae of 1600s Britain and their myriad of wars and skirmishes. If you’re looking for time traveling and other such Sci-Fi staples perhaps look elsewhere.
Quicksilver is not what I was expecting. It is marketed as Sci-Fi for the presence of Enoch the Red who appears to either be immortal or a time traveler, possibly both. But his role in this compilation is minimal. This is historical fiction. Very intelligent historical fiction. There is some scientific discovery, like the beginnings of cellular exploration and the invention of the first telescope. But in my mind this alone does not make something as Sci-Fi.
There were parts that went over my head (I’m not one for math or the machinations behind it) and it’s the first book I’ve read in a long time where I feel like I needed to have a dictionary present.
It’s an ambitious book and it covers a lot of ground in a rather short 420 odd pages. I’ve heard the last two compilations are much longer. I think it will be some time before I pick the next installment up. My mind is still recovering from this experience.
All in all a great book for those who like the minutiae of 1600s Britain and their myriad of wars and skirmishes. If you’re looking for time traveling and other such Sci-Fi staples perhaps look elsewhere.
September 24, 2012
I don't know what I just read. I know that it had a huge cast of fascinating characters, although, if pressed, I could probably not name more than about five (not counting the ones I already knew before going in, like Isaac Newton or Blackbeard, though the fact that this book has both of those already scores it some points). The setting for the book is fascinating - namely, that little bit of history that is the transition point between alchemy and science, which they apparently called "natural philosophy," where no one really knew what they were doing yet, but were just starting to catch on to the idea of experimentation and repeatable results. Unfortunately, history was never my strong suit, and there's a lot of other things going on involving religion and politics and kings and dukes and possibly also the Pope. And it's probably all important to the story somehow.
Maybe. I'm not actually entirely sure what the story WAS, to be honest, and I'm not sure if that's because this is only the first book and the story's not done yet, or because all those things going on in the background were the point of the story and I just kind of missed it because I can't remember who Oliver Cromwell was, or what the popular church at the time was, or something. I think it says something, though, that I don't even really care if I missed the point of the story, just because I loved the main characters so much and enjoyed watching this world of discovery unfold before them.
I already know that the next book might not have those favorite characters of mine, though, because that is apparently just a thing that Stephenson does, but there is no way in heck that I'm not going to read it anyway.
EDIT: Oh for crying out loud. That wasn't even the first book. That was the first book OF the first book. Ye gods, this guy can write. And now I've got two more books to read before I can start the second book.
Maybe. I'm not actually entirely sure what the story WAS, to be honest, and I'm not sure if that's because this is only the first book and the story's not done yet, or because all those things going on in the background were the point of the story and I just kind of missed it because I can't remember who Oliver Cromwell was, or what the popular church at the time was, or something. I think it says something, though, that I don't even really care if I missed the point of the story, just because I loved the main characters so much and enjoyed watching this world of discovery unfold before them.
I already know that the next book might not have those favorite characters of mine, though, because that is apparently just a thing that Stephenson does, but there is no way in heck that I'm not going to read it anyway.
EDIT: Oh for crying out loud. That wasn't even the first book. That was the first book OF the first book. Ye gods, this guy can write. And now I've got two more books to read before I can start the second book.
December 30, 2024
Collecting my scattered thoughts as I plow through this. At the 1/2 way mark - I am not digging much of this. There are moments when the story feels like it's taking shape & I get excited for it to settle into a page-turning rhythm and then it drifts into tedium. There is a severe lack of momentum for my tastes. Admittedly, I'm not the type of reader to be wowed into submission by an author's prose or obvious research. I don't "fanboy" anybody (except maybe Ace Frehley).
The Age of Enlightenment is fascinating for all the obvious reasons - Neal's style might the problem. It's complicated, wordy and periodically fascinating...it's also a bore at times & silly others (the "real" fictional Mother Goose pops up...I get Alternate History, but c'mon man). Daniel Waterhouse just isn't a strong character...he's just sort of a conduit by which the amorphous events of the era slim.
I've read you have to stick with it because the series gets "so great, bro" as it progresses. Complaints of no plot (at least in Vol 1) seem to be accurate, although I'm not so bothered by that, after all I dug Sarum (Edward Rutherford), which didn't have a plot either...but just rolled historical events before the reader. With that...it's still better than any of the crap streaming on the TV at the moment.
Update: Winston Churchill shows up around pg 220 & that did it for me. What’s next? Ringo Starr, Ghandj, a Xenomorph? I do like the small chapters when our limp hero Daniel is on the Minerva - always enjoyed sea-going tales…Edward Teach was a worthwhile addition & would be historically in the time period. Reading those portions & moving on to book two (eventually).
This mostly sucked.
The Age of Enlightenment is fascinating for all the obvious reasons - Neal's style might the problem. It's complicated, wordy and periodically fascinating...it's also a bore at times & silly others (the "real" fictional Mother Goose pops up...I get Alternate History, but c'mon man). Daniel Waterhouse just isn't a strong character...he's just sort of a conduit by which the amorphous events of the era slim.
I've read you have to stick with it because the series gets "so great, bro" as it progresses. Complaints of no plot (at least in Vol 1) seem to be accurate, although I'm not so bothered by that, after all I dug Sarum (Edward Rutherford), which didn't have a plot either...but just rolled historical events before the reader. With that...it's still better than any of the crap streaming on the TV at the moment.
Update: Winston Churchill shows up around pg 220 & that did it for me. What’s next? Ringo Starr, Ghandj, a Xenomorph? I do like the small chapters when our limp hero Daniel is on the Minerva - always enjoyed sea-going tales…Edward Teach was a worthwhile addition & would be historically in the time period. Reading those portions & moving on to book two (eventually).
This mostly sucked.
March 19, 2012
I have to say I found this audiobook tough going. I generally like Neal Stephenson's writing, but I am not sure I got the point of this book. It was hard to keep track of the characters, location and time period, and there was very little action. My mind kept wandering.
Narrated by Simon Prebble, Kevin Pariseau, Neal Stephenson
14 hrs and 48 mins
Publisher's Summary
In this first volume of Neal Stephenson’s genre-defying epic, Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and courageous Puritan, pursues knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.
The Baroque Cycle, Neal Stephenson’s award-winning series, spans the late 17th and early 18th centuries, combining history, adventure, science, invention, piracy, and alchemy into one sweeping tale. It is a gloriously rich, entertaining, and endlessly inventive historical epic populated by the likes of Isaac Newton, William of Orange, Benjamin Franklin, and King Louis XIV, along with some of the most inventive literary characters in modern fiction.
Audible’s complete and unabridged presentation of The Baroque Cycle was produced in cooperation with Neal Stephenson. Each volume includes an exclusive introduction read by the author.
Narrated by Simon Prebble, Kevin Pariseau, Neal Stephenson
14 hrs and 48 mins
Publisher's Summary
In this first volume of Neal Stephenson’s genre-defying epic, Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and courageous Puritan, pursues knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.
The Baroque Cycle, Neal Stephenson’s award-winning series, spans the late 17th and early 18th centuries, combining history, adventure, science, invention, piracy, and alchemy into one sweeping tale. It is a gloriously rich, entertaining, and endlessly inventive historical epic populated by the likes of Isaac Newton, William of Orange, Benjamin Franklin, and King Louis XIV, along with some of the most inventive literary characters in modern fiction.
Audible’s complete and unabridged presentation of The Baroque Cycle was produced in cooperation with Neal Stephenson. Each volume includes an exclusive introduction read by the author.
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