It’s not really taking me forever – but I was confused by the mass market paperback repackaging of this book. Confusingly, the mass market edition (think “pocket size” though that would be some pocket) is titled “Quicksilver, vol 1” just like the “trade paperback” edition – except the full sized trade paperback contains books 1-3 whereas the mass market edition contains only book 1 – and “vol 2” is being sold as “King of the Vagabonds”. Do yourself a favor and spring for the full sized “trade paperback” or better yet, buy a used hardback.

I’m halfway through “book 2 of vol 1” and I’m loving the story. Stephenson does a great job with the material he’s bitten off and his characters are portrayed in ways that are both colorful and generally accurate (I studied this period of English as a history grad student in England).

I’ve already bought “The Confusion” and I’m looking forward to losing a couple months to Stephenson’s story.