Quicksilver

Rob Schaap at blogorrhoea mentioned his enjoyment of historical fiction a while ago (well, in January actually). I’ve just finished reading a book that may be considered to fit into this category, and in any case is one of the best reads I’ve had in ages. Neal Stephenson is better known for his science fiction, however his second last book, the Cryptonomicon, saw him venture back into recent history. This most recent book – Quicksilver - is the first in the Baroque Cycle and deals with a story set in the period between 1655 and 1713, in England, Europe and to a lesser degree Boston.

The book follows three central fictitious characters as they interact with historical figures of the day ranging from Issac Newton, James II, Gottfried Leibniz, Samuel Pepys, Robert Hooke and William of Orange. One of Stephenson’s key characters becomes the secretary of the Royal Society after Henry Oldenberg (a position I think was actually taken up by Robert Hooke), and through his eyes we are introduced to the tangled pursuit of science and alchemy. The story also focuses on the interface between religion and politics after the thirty years war, and the development of trading and monetary systems in that period.

At 900 pages its not a quick read. I found myself enjoying it so much, that I was reluctant to reach the end. Only the end of the book though, as I understand there are a couple of sequels due.