Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Story
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it hard to put down. One flaw in this book, however, was the ending. It almost seemed that the author had hit the number of pages promised and tried to tie up all the loose ends in five pages. I realize that this is the beginning of a series and some loose ends are actually needed but I don't see that it was necessary to finish so abruptly.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: I was utterly amazed at how much I enjoyed this book. I got it as some light reading and finished it in one day. The characters are well-developed, the plot is engrossing and the history and science are easily understandable but accurate. A wonderful book, and an author I'll be watching.
Rating:
Summary: A glowing ball of juicy goodness
Review: I'm a big fan of alternate histories, sometimes the weirder the better. Usually they're based on some change in a real-world event: what would happen if Stonewall Jackson wasn't killed by his own men? What would happen if Hitler had successfully invaded Great Britain? Some, however, are a bit more fantastical, and those can be even better. J. Gregory Keyes has created just such a series in his "Age of Unreason" books, the first of which is Newton's Cannon. If the first book is anything to go by, it's going to be a fun read.The first scene is 1681, where Sir Isaac Newton has had a startling revelation in his study of alchemy, unleashing "Philosopher's Mercury" which allows people to manipulate the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This produces things like floating balls of light that make candles obsolete, and powerful weapons as well. We then move to 1720. The French and the English are at war and King Louis XIV of France demands a weapon that will turn the tide, a weapon so devastating that even he doesn't know what he's unleashed. a device known mysteriously as Newton's Cannon. Over in the Colonies, a young apprentice named Benjamin Franklin has stumbled upon the secret. Using the new devices that allow words to be transferred over vast distances, he stumbles upon a mathematical problem that he has the answer for. But is he helping the English, or is he making a terrible mistake? Newton's Cannon is a great blend of science, a little bit of magic, and a whole lot of "what-if." The historical characters, while much younger than we are familiar with (Ben Franklin starts at age 12), are still fairly recognizable. Ben is very intelligent, a writer and a printer's apprentice to his older brother, James. He's also an inventor, which unfortunately brings him a bit of trouble in this book. The story follows two plot lines: Benjamin Franklin's and a woman named Adrienne, who becomes involved with King Louis. Occasionally, the viewpoint switches to the king's, and it gets a bit distracting when it does that, but it's not too bad. For the most part, though, the chapters alternate between Ben and Adrienne, with no variance in that pattern. Of course, most of the chapters leave off with cliffhangers which make you want to read just one more chapter (actually two, though, considering you have to read a chapter with the other character first). This pattern can get a bit tiring after a while, and it would have been nice to have another viewpoint character to liven things up a little bit. One other aspect of Keyes's writing that also got a bit annoying was his tendency to open a chapter with either Ben or Adrienne knocked out or asleep, and having to have the events of the last little while explained to them. It happened three or four times, and while it can be a valid technique at times, I think it should be used sparingly. It's almost as annoying as constantly starting chapters in the middle of the action and explaining how they came about in flashback. Thankfully, Keyes doesn't go that far. With the exception of these little things, though, his prose is decent. There were no turns of phrase that made me shiver in appreciation, but he didn't make any real mistakes either. It's a pleasant read that grabs you and holds on to you. While the historical characters are done well, I can't quite say the same thing for the other incidental characters. The French chief of security, Torcy, isn't too bad though he doesn't get a lot of characterization until the end. Adrienne, of course, is fleshed out greatly, but her scientific companions (especially Fatio) don't get much. This is a shame, because Fatio is actually the driving force behind the fiendish plot and it would have been nice to get a little motivation from him. We get the picture that he is a former student of Newton's and they had a falling out, but that's it. It's unclear who survives the book (except Newton and Franklin, of course) so we don't even know if they will appear in the next books to flesh out their characters a little bit. It's a shame, because they could have been interesting. Newton's philosophical companions suffer from sounding much the same, with only MacLaurin's Scottish brogue distinguishing him from the rest (except for the woman, of course). All in all, they get just enough characterization to do their jobs, but not enough to always be interesting. This is a very plot-driven book. Two main characters drive most of it and they are what makes the plot interesting. You can feel Ben's horror as he realizes what he's done and tries to take steps to rectify it. Adrienne is trapped in a situation not of her devising, and she has to decide whether to be the queen or the pawn in the situation. Then again, if she can work things right, she can be one of the players instead of one of the pieces. There's something else lurking in the background, just waiting to jump out and make their decisions moot. There are some questions that are left hanging (just who is Bracewell and what was he doing with Ben before Ben made his discovery that made him dangerous?), but they may be explained in the next book. Then again, circumstances in this book make it so that's not very likely. All in all, Newton's Cannon is a very good first book and will definitely make you want to go further. It's not your normal alternate history, but rather a historical fantasy. People who don't like alternate history should not necessarily stay away from it. It just uses a historical background to make the setting easier for both author and reader. It's well worth picking up. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: A glowing ball of juicy goodness
Review: I'm a big fan of alternate histories, sometimes the weirder the better. Usually they're based on some change in a real-world event: what would happen if Stonewall Jackson wasn't killed by his own men? What would happen if Hitler had successfully invaded Great Britain? Some, however, are a bit more fantastical, and those can be even better. J. Gregory Keyes has created just such a series in his "Age of Unreason" books, the first of which is Newton's Cannon. If the first book is anything to go by, it's going to be a fun read. The first scene is 1681, where Sir Isaac Newton has had a startling revelation in his study of alchemy, unleashing "Philosopher's Mercury" which allows people to manipulate the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This produces things like floating balls of light that make candles obsolete, and powerful weapons as well. We then move to 1720. The French and the English are at war and King Louis XIV of France demands a weapon that will turn the tide, a weapon so devastating that even he doesn't know what he's unleashed. a device known mysteriously as Newton's Cannon. Over in the Colonies, a young apprentice named Benjamin Franklin has stumbled upon the secret. Using the new devices that allow words to be transferred over vast distances, he stumbles upon a mathematical problem that he has the answer for. But is he helping the English, or is he making a terrible mistake? Newton's Cannon is a great blend of science, a little bit of magic, and a whole lot of "what-if." The historical characters, while much younger than we are familiar with (Ben Franklin starts at age 12), are still fairly recognizable. Ben is very intelligent, a writer and a printer's apprentice to his older brother, James. He's also an inventor, which unfortunately brings him a bit of trouble in this book. The story follows two plot lines: Benjamin Franklin's and a woman named Adrienne, who becomes involved with King Louis. Occasionally, the viewpoint switches to the king's, and it gets a bit distracting when it does that, but it's not too bad. For the most part, though, the chapters alternate between Ben and Adrienne, with no variance in that pattern. Of course, most of the chapters leave off with cliffhangers which make you want to read just one more chapter (actually two, though, considering you have to read a chapter with the other character first). This pattern can get a bit tiring after a while, and it would have been nice to have another viewpoint character to liven things up a little bit. One other aspect of Keyes's writing that also got a bit annoying was his tendency to open a chapter with either Ben or Adrienne knocked out or asleep, and having to have the events of the last little while explained to them. It happened three or four times, and while it can be a valid technique at times, I think it should be used sparingly. It's almost as annoying as constantly starting chapters in the middle of the action and explaining how they came about in flashback. Thankfully, Keyes doesn't go that far. With the exception of these little things, though, his prose is decent. There were no turns of phrase that made me shiver in appreciation, but he didn't make any real mistakes either. It's a pleasant read that grabs you and holds on to you. While the historical characters are done well, I can't quite say the same thing for the other incidental characters. The French chief of security, Torcy, isn't too bad though he doesn't get a lot of characterization until the end. Adrienne, of course, is fleshed out greatly, but her scientific companions (especially Fatio) don't get much. This is a shame, because Fatio is actually the driving force behind the fiendish plot and it would have been nice to get a little motivation from him. We get the picture that he is a former student of Newton's and they had a falling out, but that's it. It's unclear who survives the book (except Newton and Franklin, of course) so we don't even know if they will appear in the next books to flesh out their characters a little bit. It's a shame, because they could have been interesting. Newton's philosophical companions suffer from sounding much the same, with only MacLaurin's Scottish brogue distinguishing him from the rest (except for the woman, of course). All in all, they get just enough characterization to do their jobs, but not enough to always be interesting. This is a very plot-driven book. Two main characters drive most of it and they are what makes the plot interesting. You can feel Ben's horror as he realizes what he's done and tries to take steps to rectify it. Adrienne is trapped in a situation not of her devising, and she has to decide whether to be the queen or the pawn in the situation. Then again, if she can work things right, she can be one of the players instead of one of the pieces. There's something else lurking in the background, just waiting to jump out and make their decisions moot. There are some questions that are left hanging (just who is Bracewell and what was he doing with Ben before Ben made his discovery that made him dangerous?), but they may be explained in the next book. Then again, circumstances in this book make it so that's not very likely. All in all, Newton's Cannon is a very good first book and will definitely make you want to go further. It's not your normal alternate history, but rather a historical fantasy. People who don't like alternate history should not necessarily stay away from it. It just uses a historical background to make the setting easier for both author and reader. It's well worth picking up. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: I'm not into alternative history at all. As a matter of fact, I normally would have found the subject matter very boring. However, this book was awesome! I'm not a huge fantasy fan, I dabble in it here and there. I actually had to read this book so I could write a book review on it for a newspaper internship I had. But once I started it, I couldn't stop reading. The characters were well develpoed and exciting. There was even a great female character (and that's rare when the author is male). This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: The Search is Over
Review: I've never read a book before about history that is actually interesting. The concept of this book is so entertaining that you must finish it! I have read some pretty great books before, and this is defentitely the second best book I ever read ( after A Calculus of Angels). The whole idea of Benjamin Franklin knowing Issac Newton is pure genius! However Keyes came up with this, I don't know. But the trilogy is amazing, despite some tiny flaky parts. I could not believe, however possible, that the second book, A Calculus of Angels, tops Newton's Cannon. So this book recieves a four only because there is a greater book to follow it. But this book is still a MUST READ!
Rating:
Summary: Ben Franklin, meet Sir Isaac Newton!
Review: Imagine a world in which Isaac Newton discovered not just all of kinetic physics, not just a full mathematical understanding of gravity, not just the core problems of optics, and did not merely invent the Calculus. Imagine a world in which Isaac Newton discovered relationship between electromagnetism and gravity; and that this discovery opened a pandoras box of technologies that even today we could only call magic. The first superb thing about this imagining is the fact that Keyes researched it brilliantly. Although both Newton and Franklin are a trifle over the top (more on that later), Keyes gets the characters right. Additionally the integration of Keyes' fantastical science with the science that these two men did work on is quite clever, and shows that Keyes clearly thought about these things. There was also a fascinating sub-plot that takes place in France, and while I have no idea if it was based on factual history, it was certainly compelling enough to have been. The second superb thing is the story itself: Franklin and his friend John stumble upon a clever extention of Newton's theories and develop an invention that brings them into accidental contact with European international machinations. Before long Franklin is being pursued by a terrifying and inexplicable being. To save his life, to understand what he has wrought, and hopefully to undo a terrible mistake, Newton leaves Boston and seeks out Isaac Newton in London. At the same time, the brilliant Adrienne in France is trying to understand what she has also helped to bring about only to fall into very unwelcome court politics that could well propel her to become the queen of a mad but powerful king instead of pursuing the life of quiet scientific contemplation she desires. And then there is Newton -- mad, mysterious Newton who has been politicked out of the mainstream of British science, and may be the only man who can understand and prevent the forces that well-meaning Franklin and Adrienne in unfortunate collusion with a host of villains have set in motion. The third superb thing is the interaction between science, spirituality, and mystery. Keyes has imagined science unlocking the gates of the spiritual world, seeking to understand the heavens not just in the sense that astronomers and physicists today do, but in the very literal way that the scientific man in the tradition of Renee Descartes would have -- had he the tools. Keyes blends science and religion in a way that should be exciting to fantasy fan, athiest, and christian alike. (And in the second book he pulls native american mythic tradition with just as much skill.) All in all, this is a superb book, and not to be missed. Are there flaws? Yes: let's go back to Ben and Isaac. We know old Ben was a flirt, but did he really sleep with *everyone*? At age 14? We know Newton was not a friendly or kindly man, a bit prone to reclusive contemplation, but could he have become *this* extreme? It should be further noted that in truth their lifespans did not overlap at a time where it would be likely they could hold a mature conversation. Also, one other reviewer mentioned that the end gets a bit flakey. Personally, I loved the ending, but the fact of the matter is Isaac Newton discovered far, far more in this world than we can really comprehend -- he was a genius of staggering proportions. To imagine that science took the leaps that Keyes imagined still within the lifetime of Newton stretches the credibility of even the most ardent fantasy fan. Still, given how much fun this series is, I forgive him these small sins.
Rating:
Summary: Looking forward to the next Age of Unreason
Review: The five stars might be a tad enthusiastic, but I've just finished the novel--I'm still hovering on the wave of energy that an entertaining book leaves me in. The kind of entertainment that *Newton's Cannon* provided was one of quickly turned pages, reluctance to put it down, and a keen eagerness to start the next in the series. Yeah, it was fun. For one who did more than passably well in science I seem to have forgotten quite a bit of it, but found that this did not affect my reading in any way. I was too busy trying to figure out what was going to be said next, what was going to be revealed, and by whom. Keyes utilized an alternating point of view pattern that enhanced the 'suspense,' if you will, and drew the reader in. At one point, I was more concerned with Ben's whereabouts and next I knew I was on the verge of skimming just so I could get back to Adrienne. I was thoroughly, and surprisingly, pleased with *Newton's Cannon". It's sparked an interest in me to go find out what I can about alchemy and to reacquaint myself with Sir Isaac. Very much so a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Original, Entertaining Alternate History
Review: The thing that impressed me most about this book was the almost nonstop action and cliffhangers. The story is good, the characters are good, the alchemy is interesting, but the action (after the second or third chapter) is almost continuous. It makes it difficult to put this book down. I really enjoyed it, and will look for the second volume.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible start to an incredible series...
Review: This book had me from the first 20 pages, and I found myself hungry for more as I read. Keyes knows his history, and keeps the story grounded in reality but with those ever present hints of how his world really works. I recommended it to my wife, and she got hooked fast. She reads faster than I do, so I had to finish each successive book faster and faster to keep up! She loved them as well. And just what is "Newton's Cannon"? Read it and find out. Mind blowing.
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