Quicksilver Ltd: Volume One of the Baroque Cycle (Hardcover)

You love European history: +3 points
You love lots of details in what you read: +3 points
You're into Newton/Leibniz and things scientific: +2 points
You think Neal Stephenson is bloody smart: +2 points
You loved Cryptonomicon for its detail: +1 point
You loved Cryptonomicon for its style: +1 point
You loved Cryptonomicon for its wit: -1 point
You get bored by endless detail: -2 point
You like a strong plot in the novels you read:~~ -1 point
You like a plot, however strong, at least clearly stated: -1 point
You are turned off by graphic descriptions: -1 point
You like a lot science in your science-based novel: -1 point
You like an easy read that flows well: -2 point

Score: >=10 You'll love this book!. 6-9 You'll like the book but find some of it tedious. 1-5 You'll like minor parts, but wonder if it was worth it. -1 to -5 You'll dislike this book. <-5 You'll hate this book.

I usually read trilogies after all the~~ books are published. But I made an exception here because I love Stephenson and because I am also coincidentally reading Isaac Newton's PRINCIPIA (translation by Cohen). Sadly, we see Newton and Leibniz in glimpses only in this book, and instead are treated to Daniel Waterhouse, the ancestor of Cryptonomicon's Lawrence Waterhouse; Jack Shaftoe, the ancestory of his Cryptonomicon counterpart; and Eliza, a former Turkish harem sex slave. As in Cryptonomicon, we see a great genius through the~~ more limited eyes of a very bright, but not brilliant protagonist (in Quicksilver we are treated to Waterhouse's interactions with I. Newton, W. Leibniz, R. Hooke, and others of that era; in Cryptonomicon it was Alan Turing).

Shaftoe is initially almost just to tie plot elements together and supply some much-needed comic relief. Eliza gives us eyes into the political machinations of Louis XIV, William of Orange, and various changing English monarchs. You can read more about plot in other~~ reviews, and I do not wish to spoil it here, suffice to say that particularly early in this book, it seems that we are just getting a slightly humorous lecture on European history.

Given that I have some background knowledge on Newton, the era, the controversies involved in his theories, etc., I can honestly say that I am astonished by N.S.'s detail and accuracy. He captures the theory, the socio-political circumstances, the religious conflicts, even I.Newton's personal issues with a~~ clarity that boggles my mind. He even goes so far as to project somewhat on why Newton uses geometry in his Principia, rather than calculus, to prove his theories-- and it seems consistent to what I have read in Cohen's excellent book. I can only assume that the detail regarding the other issues, and the projections N.S. makes regardng them-- revolutions galore, religious conflicts, economic issues-- is likewise as clear. It is certainly immensely and profusely detailed. The scenes with~~ these great minds are truly to be relished-- N.S. captures the essences of these great historical characters into believable dialogue and interactions. How penetrating N.S. must be to make such characters real from the dry library research he must have spent thousands of hours doing!

But some of the detail is too profuse. The endless political shenanigans and counter-shenanigans motivating each and every noble are a bit much for all but the true fan of European history. Fortunately, it~~ does not all need to be understood in such detail to follow a fairly simplistic plot overall.

This first novel of the trilogy is scene-setting, some plot, character building, for 600 pages. In some places it is tedious. Some of the dialogue is entertaining, some of the character's thinking processes amusing, but N.S. does not hit his stride until after 600 pages. The final 300 are amusing, entertaining, even thrilling. N.S. somehow turns the delivery of a baby scene into a triumph of~~ spirit, ingenuity, and tension, for example. In Cryptonomicon, I was laughing every other page from page one. In Quicksilver, I chuckled a few times, and was entertained about a third of the time.

I am hoping that future volumes are more direct, briskly paced, and less endless detail and trivia. Some of it is excellent for scene-setting and mood building. I am truly grateful I do not live in 1690s England after reading this book. But others are just tiresome and exasperating.

OTOH,~~ N.S. has a unique, unmatched talent. His characters breath like real people. You come to understand their motivations, their emotions-- like a real-life friend. This may come about by his endless, detail-driven meandering style, and so changing one destroys the magic of the other. But I would think he could manage with just a little less narrative.

Still, all in all, you must experience N.S. at the peak of his powers. He has evolved from Snow Crash to Cryptonomicon to this, a splendid~~ insight into a revolutionary, chaotic time in our world history. You might be deluged with detail, but then you swim through it and get to meet major characters that changed the world, and it is almost like you met them for real.~

This is mentioned in very fine print on one of the title pages, but is otherwise not apparent.

A truly great read nevertheless.