Neil Stephenson's "Quicksilver"

[Kalthanan]

Quicksilver is a trip back in time to the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Although I'm only halfway or so through the book, I'd like to give a warning to all science fiction geeks out there...

THIS TAKES PLACE IN THE PAST!
THERE ARE NO COMPUTERS! THERE IS NO NANOTECHNOLOGY!

Many of you will have read Stephenson's past work and say, oh, his latest, no brainer -- getting it!

Make sure you feel up to reading about plague, science that is over three centuries old, and political back-and-forth of wars and kings.

The book is well written, and gives numerous insights into the development of the English language, as well as views of some of history's most renowned scientists that may make you cringe.

Read it if you enjoy Stephenson AND you won't mind going without your computers and nanomachines and virtual realities... although the book does reveal the inklings of these technologies in the furrowed brows of intelligent men frustrated by imprecision and ignorance.

[Beschuetzer]

This book is from the 17th 18th century or just about that time frame? The line about English language makes me ask that. I read a couple books from the 18th century america and found the nouns for common items of the time a pain. Plus some of the sayings and word use that has changed over time.

[Kalthanan]

Well, there are two major narratives so far in the book. One takes place in the early 18th century, another takes place about 30-40 years earlier, mid to late 17th century.

It's written in such a way as to help you understand the changes in usages; it gradually adds more and more uncommon or "archaic" (although it's only three hundred years) terms, but most of them are known words just used differently.

For instance, the narrator uses the word "phantasy" instead of "fantasy", and then uses "phant'sy" as an abbreviation -- which would be related to our modern "fancy", ie "flights of fancy" -- which shows you how that was shortened and changed in spelling from "phantasy".

It's really rather educational in that respect..