Quicksilver cover art

Quicksilver

Book One of The Baroque Cycle

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Quicksilver

By: Neal Stephenson
Narrated by: Neal Stephenson (introduction), Kevin Pariseau, Simon Prebble
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About this listen

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.

©2003 Neal Stephenson (P)2010 Audible, Inc. Action & Adventure Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Science Fiction Royalty Middle ages War Mathematics Imperialism

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Critic reviews

“[The “Baroque Cycle”] will defy any category, genre, precedent, or label – except genius….Stephenson has a once-in-a-generation gift: he makes complex ideas clear, and he makes them funny, heartbreaking, and thrilling.” ( Time)
“A book of immense ambition, learning, and scope, Quicksilver is often brilliant and occasionally astonishing in its evocation of a remarkable time and place.” ( Washington Post Book World)
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One of the best, most inventive and mind bending books I've read in years.

If you like your fiction formulaic, procedural and devoid of complexity; then move on - nothing to read here! However, if, you want a challenge, then this is definitely the series for you.

Quicksilver is a seamless blend of; historical themes, locations, religion, philosophy, world changing events, mixed with a who's who of scientific greats from the 17th century. All of these components blended into a plot which revolves on; intrigue, commerce and power.

The book follows the life of Daniel Waterhouse a scientist, member of the Royal Society, friend of Isaac Newton, and son of a religious fanatic.

The true genius of this book is that the reader is never allowed to drift, with Stephenson constantly changing characters, locations and even jumping forward and backward in time. He manages all of this without breaking the flow of the narrative.

In the hands of a lesser author this mix could result in a boring historical tomb. In Stephenson's hands the book brims with interest. There is action aplenty, particularly during an engagement with pirates off the coast of Massachusetts and in the desperate search of a son for his mad father during the great fire of London. Drama and political intrigue with the mystery of French silver flowing into London. Despair and tension as Daniel walks across a deserted London cleared of people by the black plague on an elaborate scavenger hunt.

Quicksilver is also very funny - from explosions caused by mistaken identity to hilarious Puritan moral dilemmas resulting from condoms made from sheep intestines.

Simon Prebbles narration is top notch. Simon has the ability to give each person a slightly different accent or inflection making character identification easy, without turning the story into a pantomime of silly voices. The excellent voice work really shines through in the new enhanced audio format.

A excellent start to a very ambitious series

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I just never tire of listening to this entire series. I loved Neal Stephenson's Sci-Fi and was unsure about starting on this epic series but I must have listened the whole thing through 3 times now and it just never gets tired. The ways the story runs take a little getting used to but once you are in the swing it is an absolute joy. Do the whole set. Wonderful

I just never tire of listening to this entire seri

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I simply cannot recommend Quicksilver and the whole of the Baroque cycle more. The characters are rich and full and the dialogue natural whilst maintaining a keen sense of the setting and brilliantly narrated throughout.

I would not say that this collection has a plot but rather it is a journey filled with adventure and emotion and a total delight from start to end.

I keep a copy on my device permanently and each time I come back to these books I find myself completely engrossed once again.

Of all the books in my audible library (130 at the time of this review) it is The Baroque Cycle that I urge my friends towards when they question if audio books can ever be as good as printed literature.

What audio books are all about

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It was a very interesting story but quite a difficult read/listen. A lot of detail, about life fictional and non-fictional characters, politics and science in the late 17th early 18th centuries. Based around London and Boston. If you can stay with it, then very worthwhile.

Very interesting - but long-winded

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Stephenson departs from his usual Cyberpunk/Futurist theme with this, the first book in his Baroque Cycle. His bold use of some of the more famous occupants of the golden age of Science could have backfired in the hands of a less meticulous author, but fortunately this book adheres to Stephenson's usual eye for detail and subtlety woven narrative. It is apparent from the beginning that the Author has carried out his research, the use of language as well as a liberal smattering of contemporaneous ideas (Vitalism and Humours to name but a few), helped to transport me to 17th century Europe and beyond. The characters are complex and full of depth and the picture painted is one of a society thriving with intrigue and mystery. The book is excellently narrated by Simon Prebble and Kevin Pariseau, with Neal Stephenson himself making the odd appearance. Overall I found this book to have been a highly enjoyable experience. I am now working my way though the second book in the cycle, which I am also thoroughly enjoying.

Excellent book, well narrated

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I've basically given up with this book, after about 6 hours very little has happened and I just don't feel engaged enough to continue. I know Neal Stephenson novels are very rewarding and you sometimes have to persist but whether it was the narrator or the pace of the story this one just didn't do it for me.

Good but plodding

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It is not an easy listen an I did not completely enjoy it the first time. However, after the second time I'm looking forward to listening much more in this series. Twice, probably.

Had to listen twice to grasp the complete story.

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I am currently on The Confusion, books 4/5 of the series and looking back I can see that this was a bit of a difficult start with so many characters and ideas being thrown at you. I didn't try and follow every twist but just soaked up the atmosphere. As the series progresses, characters keep returning and you will get to know some of them very well so don't be put off. It only lost a star for me for this reason, 5 stars for everything from now on :)

A slow-burner that may come to astound you

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Was expecting more from Book 1 , some really witty observations and interesting scientific advances noted throughout novel.But the storyline isn't all that gripping . here's hoping the latter books build on from this

Quicksilver

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Stephenson combines the politics of restoration England with the history of science to produce a satisfying read combining gripping real life characters, good dialogue and a lively plot. The plot jumps between the period around 1666 and the early decades of the 18th Century. The 1666 sections are an intriguing romp in which a cast of characters from the Royal Society such as the eccentric and prickly Isaac Newton bump up against rapier wielding dandies from the court of Charles the second and unhinged puritans mourning the passing of Oliver Cromwell and his republic. The plot is split between a mysterious intrigue involving the supply of faulty gunpowder to the English navy for its war against the Dutch and this is told in entertaining and amusing fashion. But Stephenson's real interest seems to be in making sense of the astonishing leaps in human knowledge happening at the time through Newton's development of physics as a field and the sort of logical and mathematical developments that paved the way for modern information technology. Personally, I found that part fascinating and it only added to my enjoyment of the more straightforward elements of the book. The parts of the book set in the early 18th century seem to be intended to set the scene for future volumes but they include some great passages on sailing and piracy at the time. I confess to being a bit put off by some other reviews but I'm very glad I made this purchase and look forward to hearing the remainder of the series

Rewards close attention

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