[Kamakhya]

Time to discuss this doorstopper of a novel.

I started reading this a little while ago, but had to stop because it was simply too heavy to take with me on my cross-country trip. I am also finding it a bit too large to take to work with me. This is clearly a book that needs to be read sitting down! :)

I must say that I was enjoying it and I will certainly finish it upon my return.

Anyone manage to finish this book and want to begin the discussion?

[Erfael]

I'm also not finished. Didn't get to read nearly as much as I expected on holiday, so I'm only 100 pages in. Ho hum. I'll be along in a week or two, I guess.

[emohawk]

I hit the half-way mark this morning. Didn't get much of it read last week but I'veb been doing better so far this week. Hopefully I'll be done by the end of next week. Took me about 200 pages to get into it, but I'm enjoying it now.

[Erfael]

I've been enjoying it a lot right from page one, both in style and setting. Finding it very interesting looking at the science of the day and the rivalry between Newton and Liebnitz.

[alan empty]

I'm just over 300 pages in. I found it surprisingly easy to get into but it's starting to drag a little at the moment. I'll post back when I've finished.

Mostly it's made me interested to read more about the history of that era. I can't judge how clever Stephenson's being with his references (or how accurate) but I'm I'm impressed so far with how he's weaving the various strands into a compelling tale.

[Archren]

OK, I managed to finish it two days ago, but it took me three weeks (and getting behind on other reading) to do so. However, it certainly wasn't because it wasn't interesting, it was just so darn long! There were only a few bits that dragged for me, mostly towards the end. For the most part it was really engaging and the characters were really interesting.

There were tons of little vignettes in there that did nothing to further the story as a whole (which, BTW, I'm still not sure what the "story as a whole" is...). However, most of those little stories were funny and/or interesting, so I can forgive that. I have to admit, it is so much easier to read pages and pages of stuff about 17th century science and history than it is to read pages and pages of stuff about 20th century cryptology, ala "Cryptonomicon." Probably that's because: I'm lazy, math isn't my specialty, and I was raised with a love of history.

It really is amazing how much of the texture of life back then he manages to bring to life. The fact that much of it was nasty and brutish, but so many huge advances were taking place, both scientifically and economically. I can see why the period fascinated him. I'm looking forward to seeing where else he will take it (I've asked for the other two for Christmas). I have to say that my favorite character was the long-suffering Daniel Waterhouse. Even though he wasn't very proactive, I liked him a lot. He had a lot of sympathy.

One of the weirdest things about the book to my mind, however, was how he'd choose to write different chapters in different styles. Normal narration, letters, even the odd snippet of a play's script. I couldn't quite figure out (especially with the script styled chapters) why he would choose a certain style for a certain instance.

[Erfael]

One of the weirdest things about the book to my mind, however, was how he'd choose to write different chapters in different styles. Normal narration, letters, even the odd snippet of a play's script. I couldn't quite figure out (especially with the script styled chapters) why he would choose a certain style for a certain instance.

I am only 1/6th of the way in so far, but I have noticed that the 1713ish story line is told in present tense and the 1665ish one is told in past, which I found sort of interesting when I noticed it. It makes sense when looking at the 1713 story as a frame for all of the recollections of the past. I sometimes don't really notice things like tense and POV until I think about them a little and sort of had an "ah-ha" moment when I realized that the different sections were in different tenses....(sort of like the "ah-ha" moment I had in The Light Ages about a quarter of the way through when I realized it was in first person. I know it, but I don't register it consciously for some time...must mean good storytelling.)

Other than that, so far really loving all of the kooky experiments that the folks are doing and getting the view of the world that these characters had.

So, now the question is: How is this science fiction? :)

[emohawk]

This has always been the arguement with Quicksilver - it's not really Science Fiction - what it is though is fiction about science. It feels like you're reading SF though and Neal Stephenson has a mostly SF following, so does it really matter? Does science fiction have the be set in the future, or on a different planet, or describe technology that is further ahead of when it was written? Or does it just have to relate in some way to the sciences?

[FicusFan]

Just thought I would pop in and read the posts and say hi, and sign up so I could get the rest of them. :)

Sounds interesting, I like history so who knows by the time you are all done talking I may have to read it. :p

[Archren]

Emohawk - I was going to give my standard answer that Quicksilver may not be "science fiction" but it is "speculative fiction," with speculation about the science and economics of the times. Then I realized that he isn't even really doing that. I mean, everything is so true to the period that there isn't really anything speculative about it. It's all real. It's much more like a ton of fun adventure stories. I think people who say that Stephenson isn't writing SF anymore have a good argument, but that doesn't keep it from being fun to read.

There are only two counter arguments that I can come up with: 1) the character of Enoch Root. What's up with him? How's he not aging, and how does he seem to know a lot more than those around him? 2) In showing how scientists can and do influence politics behind the scenes (Daniel Waterhouse & the Royal Society during the post-Cromwell era) it is speculative, or at least it is "fiction about science," even if it isn't "science fiction." :o