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.
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.
And it is the tale of Eliza, rescued by Jack from a Turkish harem to become spy, confidante, and pawn of royals in order to reinvent Europe through the newborn power of finance.
A gloriously rich, entertaining, and endlessly inventive novel that brings a remarkable age and its momentous events to vivid life, Quicksilver is an extraordinary achievement from one of the most original and important literary talents of our time.
And it''s just the beginning ...
Industry Reviews
"Sprawling, irreverent, and ultimately profound." -- Newsweek "Genius . . . You'll wish it were longer." -- Time magazine "A sprawling, engrossing tale." -- Seattle Times "An astonishing achievement." -- Sunday Telegraph An astonishing achievement. --Sunday Telegraph A sprawling, engrossing tale. --Seattle Times "[A]n awe-inspiring book, stuffed with heart-stopping action scenes ... and a treasure trove of forgotten historical lore."--Book "Genius . . . You'll wish it were longer."--Time magazine "Stephenson's new machine is a wonderment to behold. A-"--Entertainment Weekly "[QUICKSILVER] explores the philosophical concerns of today . . . through thrillingly clever, suspenseful and amusing plot twists."--New York Times Book Review "Sprawling, irreverent, and ultimately profound."--Newsweek "[O]ften brilliant and occassionally astonishing ...[QUICKSILVER] has wit, ambition and ... moments of real genius."--Book World "An astonishing achievement."--Sunday Telegraph "Dense, witty, erudite ... and gripping ... a far more impressive literary endeavor than most so-called "serious" fiction."--Independent "[QUICKSILVER] is a rare thing: a 1,000-page book that you don't want to end.--San Antonio Express-News "A sprawling, engrossing tale."--Seattle Times Genius . . . You ll wish it were longer. --Time magazine" [QUICKSILVER] explores the philosophical concerns of today . . . through thrillingly clever, suspenseful and amusing plot twists. --New York Times Book Review" Sprawling, irreverent, and ultimately profound. --Newsweek" A sprawling, engrossing tale. --Seattle Times" Stephenson s new machine is a wonderment to behold. A- --Entertainment Weekly" An astonishing achievement. --Sunday Telegraph" [QUICKSILVER] is a rare thing: a 1,000-page book that you don t want to end.--San Antonio Express-News" [O]ften brilliant and occassionally astonishing ...[QUICKSILVER] has wit, ambition and ... moments of real genius. --Book World" [A]n awe-inspiring book, stuffed with heart-stopping action scenes ... and a treasure trove of forgotten historical lore. --Book" Dense, witty, erudite ... and gripping ... a far more impressive literary endeavor than most so-called serious fiction. --Independent"
