The book Quicksilver is the latest by Neal Stephenson, and takes place in the same “universe” as his book Cryptonomicon but hundreds of years earlier. It is the first of a three-part epic he calls The Baroque Cycle. The next two books in this ambitious series are The Confusion and The System of the World.

In Quicksilver, Stephenson introduces characters such as Daniel Waterhouse, an ancestor of the Randy and Lawrence Waterhouses of Cryptonomicon, a mysterious man named Enoch Root, and historical characters such as Isaac Newton, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and William Prince of Orange. The book covers much of the early scientific revolution, discusses various efforts to use machinery to perform calculations, goes into some detail on early ciphers and cryptography, and reflects at great length on the perks of monarchy.

We are left with a number of loose threads at the end of the first book, just as it should be. For example, Daniel Waterhouse is returning to London in 1713, ostensibly to bring peace between Newton and Leibniz over the invention of calculus. Yet, the dread pirate Blackbeard has taken an interest in Daniel's trip, and seeks to take him captive—which suggests there may be more to Daniel Waterhouse than has yet been revealed.

Quicksilver is a very thick book, but the reading is quite lively. It moves from one sequence to another, follows multiple threads of story, and gives an excellent picture not only of the time and people, but also of the culture which preceded the great revolutions for individual liberty (USA 1776, France 1789). Moreover, it is a fascinating look into the lives of historical scientists such as Hooke and Newton, men who had their own foibles.

Some of the freedom related issues it handles include the history of religious freedom in Holland, England, and France, the cultural acceptance of gentlemen going about armed, and the difficulties for those not of gentle birth gaining liberty or justice. It is also a fascinating look at some of the difficulties Europe had with coinage over the years, especially with clipped, debased, and devalued national coins.

Stephenson points out that a man with a sword (who was otherwise appropriately attired) was taken for a gentleman. It was fitting and proper for men to go about armed, because it was their duty as gentlemen to uphold the law and defend the realm. Clearly, postmodern culture has fallen away from this tradition, to our detriment.

Some of the most enjoyable scenes in the book have to do with monarchs getting their heads chopped off, getting their infected hemmorhoids removed, or having the lively attentions of the female protagonist. Among the monarchs we meet in passing are Charles I, Oliver Cromwell (whose role as Lord Protector was effectively monarchical — he even tried to make it hereditary to his son), Charles II, James II, of England, William of Orange and his wife Mary, Louis XIV. The honor and integrity of these men varies a great deal, and Stephenson takes them to task for their shortcomings.

Possibly the most important issue in the book as regards freedom is the institution of slavery. Stephenson points out that in the 17th and 18th Centuries, many European men and women were captives and slaves in the Ottoman Empire as well as in the New World. Slavery was never exclusive to black Africans, and was a horror perpetrated on whites and other groups right along. The attitudes toward slaves and people in related condition such as serfs are captured very well and should be instructive to those seeking to understand their own destiny under a police state.

You should read this book because it is a lot of fun, because it has a lot to explain and illuminate, and because it is going to be a classic trilogy with a length and stature to match The Lord of the Rings. I can hardly wait for the next installment.