Quicksilver
Book One of The Baroque Cycle
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Narrated by:
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Neal Stephenson (introduction)
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Kevin Pariseau
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Simon Prebble
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By:
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Neal Stephenson
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.
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- Length: 24 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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The known world floats upon the Breath of God, a thick gas similar to Earth's oceans, with land masses accessible by airship. The largest of these land masses are ruled by the rival empires of Freya and Rosia. Magic is intrinsic to the functioning of these societies, and is even incorporated into their technological devices. But now a crucial scientific discovery has occurred that could destroy the balance of power - and change the empires forever.
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Very Good Read
- By Keith on 05-31-11
By: Margaret Weis, and others
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The Half-Made World
- By: Felix Gilman
- Narrated by: Tamara Marston
- Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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The world is only half made. What exists has been carved out amidst a war between two rival factions: the Line, paving the world with industry and claiming its residents as slaves; and the Gun, a cult of terror and violence that cripples the population with fear. The only hope at stopping them has seemingly disappeared - the Red Republic that once battled the Gun and the Line, and almost won. Now they're just a myth, a bedtime story parents tell their children, of hope.
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Terrible Story, Terrible Narrator
- By Aaron on 10-21-10
By: Felix Gilman
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The Architect's Apprentice
- By: Elif Shafak
- Narrated by: Piter Marek
- Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1540, 12-year-old Jahan arrives in Istanbul. As an animal tamer in the sultan's menagerie, he looks after the exceptionally smart elephant Chota and befriends (and falls for) the sultan's beautiful daughter Princess Mihrimah. A palace education leads Jahan to Mimar Sinan, the empire's chief architect, who takes Jahan under his wing as they construct (with Chota's help) some of the most magnificent buildings in history.
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I feel like I should like it more than I do
- By nyog on 04-19-17
By: Elif Shafak
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The Thief
- By: Megan Whalen Turner
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Eugenides, the queen's thief, can steal anything - or so he says. When his boasting lands him in prison and the king's magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he's in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own.
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Great book, wrong narrator
- By andrew on 06-03-17
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Varina
- A Novel
- By: Charles Frazier
- Narrated by: Molly Parker
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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With her marriage prospects limited, teenage Varina Howell agrees to wed the much-older widower Jefferson Davis, with whom she expects a life of security as a landowner. He instead pursues a career in politics and is eventually appointed president of the Confederacy, placing Varina at the white-hot center of one of the darkest moments in American history - culpable regardless of her intentions. The Confederacy falling, her marriage in tatters, and the country divided, Varina and her children escape Richmond and travel south on their own, now fugitives.
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Read it rather than listen
- By Anonymous on 08-31-18
By: Charles Frazier
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Clockwork Angels
- The Novel
- By: Neil Peart - contributor, Kevin J. Anderson
- Narrated by: Neil Peart
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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For more than two centuries, the land of Albion has been ruled by the supposedly benevolent Watchmaker, who imposes precision on every aspect of life. Young Owen Hardy from the village of Barrel Arbor dreams of seeing the big city and the breathtaking Clockwork Angels that dispense wisdom to the people, maybe even catching a glimpse of the Watchmaker himself. He watches the steamliners drift by, powered by alchemical energy, as they head toward Crown City....
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ALL AROUND GOOD BOOK
- By Randall on 08-08-18
By: Neil Peart - contributor, and others
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Wicked
- The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
- By: Gregory Maguire
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 19 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Heralded as an instant classic of fantasy literature, Maguire has written a wonderfully imaginative retelling of The Wizard of Oz told from the Wicked Witch's point of view. More than just a fairy tale for adults, Wicked is a meditation on the nature of good and evil.
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It's not easy being green
- By PangaeaReads on 07-30-08
By: Gregory Maguire
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Jester Leaps In
- A Medieval Mystery
- By: Alan Gordon
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In 13th century Europe, political turmoil is the order of the day and the Fool's Guild and its agents - jesters, jugglers, and knaves to a man - works behind the scenes to manipulate events, trying to maintain a balance of power. Theophilos, a member of the Guild known by many names, is still recovering from his last mission during which he was severely wounded and nearly lost his life but, in the person of Viola, found himself an apprentice and a wife. But there is no rest for the wicked.
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further entertainment
- By wylie smith on 09-16-24
By: Alan Gordon
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The Bastard
- The Kent Family Chronicles, Book 1
- By: John Jakes
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 19 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Set against the colorful tumult of events that gave rise to our fledgling nation, this novel of romance and adventure introduces Phillipe Charboneau. The illegitimate son of an English nobleman, Phillipe flees Europe and, as Philip Kent, joins the men who set our course for freedom. The Bastard is the first volume in the Kent Family Chronicles, a series of novels that details one family's journey in the early years of the American nation.
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An Amazing Tale
- By will on 11-06-13
By: John Jakes
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Way of the Wolf
- The Vampire Earth, Book 1
- By: E. E. Knight
- Narrated by: Christian Rummel, E. E. Knight (Introduction)
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Louisiana, 2065. A lot has changed in the 43rd year of the Kurian Order. Possessed of an unnatural and legendary hunger, the bloodthirsty Reapers have come to Earth to establish a New Order built on the harvesting of enslaved human souls. They rule the planet. They thrive on the scent of fear. And if it is night, as sure as darkness, they will come.
On this pitiless world, the indomitable spirit of mankind still breathes in Lieutenant David Valentine.
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Its what you expect, and thats not a bad thing.
- By Kevin McLaughlin on 11-26-08
By: E. E. Knight
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A severed head and a cry of “Witchcraft!” start a frenzied witch hunt in a sleepy German village. When her dead husband’s severed head appears on her doorstep, a local woman is charged with practicing heretical rituals. It is up to the knights to discover the truth behind the brutal murder before the torches are lit and the woman is burned at the stake. Their task proves daunting, though, as the townspeople have their own long-buried secrets and sins that they want to keep hidden - even if it means allowing the sacrifice of an innocent woman.
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Et tu, Neal?
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Bob Howard is a computer-hacker desk jockey, who has more than enough trouble keeping up with the endless paperwork he has to do on a daily basis. He should never be called on to do anything remotely heroic. But for some reason, he is.
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Freeman Dyson is a world-renowned astrophysicist who dreams of exploring the heavens and has designed a spaceship to take him there. His son, George, a brilliant high-school dropout, lives in a tree house and is designing a giant kayak to explore the icy coastal wilderness of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
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Choc terminal 1
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Parce que la montée des eaux menace l'existence même des Pays-Bas, leur reine Frederika Mathilde Louisa Saskia comprend mieux que quiconque la notion d'urgence climatique. Invitée à une rencontre secrète au Texas par T.R. Schmidt, l'excentrique propriétaire d'une chaîne de fast-food, Saskia découvre non sans inquiétude les plans du milliardaire. En bon Texan, T.R. veut mettre fin, de façon décisive, aux hausses de températures qui accablent le sud des États-Unis. Et si son remède, inspiré par l'explosion du volcan Pinatubo, était pire que le mal?
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Nostromo
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One of the great adventure novels of our language creates a most engaging central character, Nostromo. A picturesque man of action and popular hero, Nostromo lives to be "well-spoken of" by the citizens of Costaguana, the mythical South American banana republic where the story takes place. Around this figure, Conrad spins a story of revolution, politics, and racial conflict as complex as Nostromo, the man whose greatest enemy is himself.
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Wow!
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By: Joseph Conrad
What listeners say about Quicksilver
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- S. Jones
- 09-12-10
Absolutely Fascinating
I couldn't stop listening. Although I'm not a science buff and didn't understand much about science, I enjoyed Stephenson's rich and detailed portrayal of a bygone era - and one that is the backdrop of much historical fiction. I loved the way he played with time by depicting his character Daniel Waterhouse backward and forward - as a young man destined for the new world and an old man going back to the old world. By ordinary standards, Waterhouse is brilliant; by the standards of his peers (Isaac Newton, Godfrey Leibniz) he is ordinary. Having just finished listening to "The Three Musketeers" and Captain Blood," this novel fit right in - about the same time and with many of the same political figures. It is worth mentioning that Quicksilver is the "prestory" to other novels in the cycle, not entirely an independent novel in its own right. Stephenson is a great storyteller and has a wonderful sense of humor. Narrator Simon Prebble is excellent - as usual. I'm completely hooked.
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35 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Robert Yeager
- 10-01-10
Good, just good
I found the historical and philisophical aspects of the book interesting, but it gets rather boring. It is like hanging out with my geek-friends who don't have a life, only their work. I was looking forward to intrigue and wow, this just didn't have it.
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- Mariluz
- 08-05-18
TV Series Fodder
As with all of Neal Stephenson's books, I got to the end and wished there was more. Luckily, in this case, there is!
Since I don't like historical fiction, I didn't think I'd like this book, but it isn't really historical fiction. At the same time, it isn't an alternate past either. The genre for this book is unique. It tells a big picture story of major past motivations that makes history finally make sense. Characters from the past are no longer cardboard cutouts in my mind. Thanks to Stephenson, they are now real people with social alliances, quirks and values that would naturally lead to their actions recorded in history books.
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- w.rose
- 06-27-12
Love History Love Science
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I would recommend it to any friend who loves science and history
What did you like best about this story?
The details the author provides and how he sets the scenes
What about the narrators’s performance did you like?
The narrator is good
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
One of my favorite parts was in the first half when the main character is in Massachusetts.
Any additional comments?
It took me a long time to listen to this book...which provides value. There is a lot of detail and period changes, but it is so worth the listening.
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- P. J. Sedgwick
- 10-18-19
I like the characters but no plot to this story
I like the characters but there is no plot to this story. I am hoping the payoff must come in later books and this was to develop some characters.
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Performance
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- Isaac Horn
- 04-13-18
Little Slow, But Necessary
Where does Quicksilver rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This was probably one fo the harder books to get through, if only for the long meandering story. But it a necessary foundation piece.
Has Quicksilver turned you off from other books in this genre?
No, historical fictions can be a difficult read but Neal Stephenson does an excellent job of keeping git well grounded and interesting.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?
Enoch is a thread through out this series and his mysterious origins, and operations are well captured.
If you could rename Quicksilver, what would you call it?
Prequel. Because it set the stage for the 7 books to come.
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- J.W.
- 04-01-13
Stephenson makes you earn it...
I suspect Neal Stephenson to deliberately start his books slow. Very slow, agonizingly slow. I suspect he wants only the brave to finish his books. The deserving ones. Any one of his books will get mixed reviews by people who gave up. People who did not want to push through. But if you do...the reward is so wonderful, so enriching. Mixing fact with fiction, actual history with fictional adventures can be so rewarding. Neal Stephenson is the kind of history teacher you wish your children to have. One that creates a story that sucks you up and leaves you wanting more. Mostly he finds a link with binary history and weaves it ever so gently into his stories. For those who stay and listens this story brings a wealth of information and enjoyment. But only start this if you are willing to follow the epic journey to it's end.
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Overall
- Heady
- 09-22-10
LOVED IT!
I really loved this book...and the sequels...I'm up to the third one and I find them all big fun! It's going to be one of those series that I will be sad to have it finish. I look forward to my commute time so I can catch up on my listening. I guess I'm a bit of a girl-geek who loves history...maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. It reminds me of the Ken Follet books about the middle-ages, which I enjoyed as well!
Also learned a valuable lesson -- I shouldn't put too much stock in reviews, since this book got such bad ones and if I'd read those before I bought the book I might not have.
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58 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Jerry Hilts
- 02-04-11
WARNING
This is not "Quicksilver" the first volume of the three volume Baroque Cycle.
This is "Quicksilver" the first *book* of the first volume. The first printed volume, also conveniently called "Quicksilver", contains "Quicksilver", "King of the Vagabonds", and "Odalisque". Theses are separate purchases on Audible.
So, other than being a bit disappointed to find out that I bought "Quicksilver" instead of "Quicksilver", it's a quite enjoyable story. If you're a science geek like me, you'll enjoy the fictionalized account of Newton, Hooke, Leibnitz and other key players in this key point our history.
The audio quality and narration is also particularly good, though the Dutch, German and French accents all sound a bit similar.
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49 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Ted
- 08-24-10
Definitely good.
Here's the deal: when I work on projects around the house I like to listen to audiobooks. This book is ideal because Simon Prebble has an amazing voice, and the book is nice and long. I had read the book so it was easy for me to follow along. If you want constant action, this isn't for you. The action scenes are few and far between, and Stephensen puts long, boring dialogs in all of his books which is when I hit x2. Otherwise, just be patient and you'll be hooked. Eventually.
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5 people found this helpful