Enoch asks. Is there even a plot? . "Meandering" is one way to describe it, though I would say it was overstuffed. Helps to know a lot about history including (but not limited too) science, economics, politics and religion. Oh, there are moments of real conflict and intrigue, but they are few and far between. That about sums it up. 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. It consists of three books, Quicksilver, The King of the Vagabonds, and Odalisque. 1, Book 1), 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 appreciate the level of detail Stephenson brings to this obscure period in history. Quicksilver is the story of Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted Puritan, pursuing 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.. .may indeed form an ingenious romance, but a romance it will still be. Now let us say we are drawing a chart, with quality 1 on the horizontal axis, and quality 2 on the vertical axis. The first thing you need to know is that Quicksilver:Volume One is a combination of Quicksilver:Book 1, King of the Vagabonds: Book 2, and Odalesque: Book 3. So far I have loved SevenEves, Reamde, DODO. But Stephenson is a tedious writer and here, unlike in anything else I’ve read by him, he really ratchets up the tedium. I see this as more and more of a social class issue. Was the Command Line. Quicksilver is an epic 4 part series, Quicksilver Volume One in Baraquoe Cycle. 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. 3.5 stars. The London telephone book takes pride of place, situated on the far right and exactly on the axis. I have become increasingly interested in the events of the 17th and 18th centuries and their political, philosophical, and cultural inheritance over the years. It reminds everyone here that, if they don't want to be dead in a few months' time, they have firewood to stack and chinks to caulk. Click here for a list of interest-specific sites grouped by category. This all serves as a backdrop for Daniel Waterhouse, Jack Shaftoe, and Eliza. I had to force myself to keep reading it and I wasn't even successful. Copyright © 2020 HarperCollins Publishers All rights reserved. . This volume commits several heinous sins; the Sin of Protagonist Switching occurs twice. And what's in the bottom right quadrant? February 2006 A long, meandering, Europe-trotting historical which alternates stretches of ponderous natural philosophy with stretches of hilarious piratical shenanigans, to somewhat dubious effect. My one comment is that if you choose to read Quicksilver: Book 1 rather than Volume 1 you may not be as impressed. Sign up to receive special offers and news about Neal Stephenson. First in a trilogy about vagabonds and alchemists in Baroque Age Europe. QUICKSILVER VOL. Quicksilver is the first installment of Neal Stephenson’s Baroque cycle. Click or Press Enter to view the items in your shopping bag or Press Tab to interact with the Shopping bag tooltip. It was, however, a pretty tough read, and sometimes I had a very hard time figuring out how to pull it all. “Whenever serious and competent people need to get things done in the real world, all considerations of tradition and protocol fly out the window.”, “Talent was not rare; the ability to survive having it was.”, https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060593087/quicksilver, Locus Award Nominee for Best Science Fiction Novel (2004). Spaniards would have built a single great cathedral here, of stone, with gold on the inside, but the colonists cannot agree on anything and so it is more like Amsterdam: small churches on every block, some barely distinguishable from barns, each no doubt preaching that all of the others have it wrong. Historical novel, first book of the Baroque Cycle, describes the involvement of natural scientists including Isaac Newton, Houk, Wilkins and the fictional protagonist, Danial Waterhouse during the 1600's scientific discoveries that bring Europe out of the reliance on religious explanations of life. more books in the sereis. Blending historical fact with clever fiction, Stephenson takes us to mid-17th century London where scientific Upheaval is taking place. A lot of the detail in Quicksilver seems to be dead weight. Book 2 followed Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds. It is a chronicle of the breathtaking exploits of "Half-Cocked Jack" Shaftoe -- London street urchin turned swashbuckling adventurer and legendary King of the Vagabonds -- risking life and limb for fortune and love while slowly maddening from the pox. The houses are mostly of wood, and so are the churches. Was there a science experiment of that age that he didn't describe for us? Told from the vantage point of Daniel Waterhouse in 1713, mostly through flashbacks to the mid-1600s, we are introduced to a host of fictional and historical figures. Others bear faults that, while weakening the whole, uphold - often with courage and daring - the things we love about books. The juxtaposition of banal reports with momentous discoveries is absolutely hilarious. In fact, I like it myself. I just can't bring myself to pick it up again. He lives in Seattle, Washington. It was, however, a pretty tough read, and sometimes I had a very hard time figuring out how to pull it all together. + See More U.S. & International Retailers. He hadn't really known what to expect of America. Her head forces it open like an infant's dilating the birth canal. It wasn't all bad - there were some good scenes, some interesting parts, but there was not enough actual story to keep me interested. The writing is too long, and too detailed to remain focused on what should be important to the story...the story. scientists, armchair philosophers, and people who like reading for the sake of reading, Reading a huge 900+ page hardcover book with a seemingly open plot filled with pages of 17th century philosophical exposition and the requirement of reading two more books just like it may seem like a chore, but for me at least, Stephenson makes it fascinating. Mr. Stephenson has a myriad of interests and a sizeable intellect backing him up. I hated his so called cyberpunk classic. But the thing is. If you are located outside the U.S., the best way to order online is to choose from the following bookstores listed by region and country. Neal Stephenson has written other such greats as Cryptonomicon and now Quicksilver. I admit it. Book 2 followed Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds. She is borne into a new burying ground, which for some reason they have situated hard by the granary.

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