NP: Paloalto, Heroes and Villians

Okay, so the second half of Quicksilver is reading a bit better than the first. I guess if I knew more of (read: any of) the history of the Royal Sociey going in, I might have been more engaged.

It's also got some more Stepheson-esque turns of phrase in it. Like talking about the Internet in 17th Century Europe:

"I know the zargon and the code-signs of the Vagabonds, who, taken together, constitute a sort of (if I may speak poetically) network of information, spreading all over the world, functioning smoothly even when damaged."

I like that he gives the theoretically origins of the Net to the Vagabonds rather than to the Royal Society. Followed shortly by:

Eliza seemed impressed. Jack was gratified by this -- a bad sign. No man was more comprehensively doomed than him whose chief source of gratification was making favorable impressions on some particular woman.

Again, a strong hint of the geek code oozing out of that one, with the whole "I've got better things to do than impress women" undertone. I'm reminded of why I like Stephenson so much as an author again, it just took a little while with this one.